Joddson
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- Dec 12, 2022
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Hey all,
This one is a long ramble so TLDR; I say Colonia visa runs are in a "exersize caution" staus, but dollars are still very easy to get.
Just thought I'd toss out my personal experience on a Colonia run as of recent for the group.
Personal background so everyone can interpret to their own situations; I prefer entering Argentina under digital nomad visas to guarantee the tech I carry for my remote work (plus I'm the anxious type of bending rules). This time around at entry the migrations staff biffed up my records and processed me in as standard tourist. Now because of my personal situation its much more convenient to use a whole Saturday to "fix" my situation rather than take time off work hours to go down to Migrations making my case, or renewing the tourist visa in person because the office is only open during work hours.
Ergo, I thought a fun solution would be to just take the ferry over to Colonia again, plus I was curious to check on these dollar ATMs I hear about.
Regarding the ATMs quickly; yes they are easy to get to and use. The ATMs in the Buqubus terminal and the bus terminal down the street were both out of dollars. But the ATMs in the main Banco República (Gral. Flores 151, 70000 Col. del Sacramento) in the Historic district gave dollars just fine. They have a 24/7 unlocked foyer section in the front with ATMs that handled my visa debit card no problem. $5 use fee. Didn't say a limit but I'd guess $300 as the other one's did mentioned that being a limit. All in all, Really easy to get to and use, just a 10 minute stroll from the boat. Up to someone else to rest the true limits.
Regarding the run for visa renewal purposes; I started the trip from the main terminal in Puerto Madero. Zero questions from any migrations staff on that side. Didn't even ask anything aside from if I had a car on the ferry. I did notice they made a clear show of flipping through my stamp pages so take that as you may (I personally just renewed my passport a bit ago so no idea if stamps play into it).
After searching for ATMs and having lunch I headed back to the terminal, got my Ticket and started through migrations. Not a single question from the Uruguay staff, but there were some from the Argentina staff this time around.
To summarize; they asked how long I'd be in Argentina before heading out. I said about 2 months (true, have plae ticket). They said something to the effect of "oh, hm, two months is a long time where are you staying". I explain I have an airbnb. They start on something about it being a long time again. I stare at them like a dumb dog becasue my A2 shit spanish plus hearing difficulties in a packed terminal make it impossible. Followed by explaining that my spanish is junk and my fiance is Argentine if she needed translation help. They look at my fiance a few feet from the booth just staring at them waiting, go, "ah your girlfriend", sigh, stamp my passport, and gesture for me to piss off.
Now this is where I leave the practicality of visa runs up to everyone's interpretation. I personally feel like they were a little bit miffed, and it seemed like there was more attitude/aim to grill than last year. I want to say that I heard them leaning back and complaining to the staff next over about the trip just being a 4 hour day trip but I can't guarantee that over the noise so take it as you will. Maybe they were just looking for a valid reason/logic like having a partner to explain it. Maybe they're looking to pressure the expat "tradition" of visa runs out and gave up after they knew I was traveling with a national.
No idea, just wanted to tell my story since people ask about these runs every once in a while. Feel free to add in ya'lls perosnal experiences.
I personally think they are leaning a bit more towards not being very happy about the runs, but only having verbal pressure as a deterrent since there is "technically" nothing they can really do about it (wouldn't want to be carrying any work gear and the sort for them to find if they decide it's worth a interrogation maybe they'd have actual recourse then). I don't really think they have much legal ground to eject people who don't overstay (I chatted with my father-in law to be over it (lawyer), and he went on about Argentina having an excellent "rights of all persons" that protect transitory/illegal folks).
I'll be switching back to just using digital nomad visas till marriage, looks like you can even renew then now per the migrations website.
P.S. business class not worth it on the boat, wouldn't buy again. Maybe on the longer trips.
This one is a long ramble so TLDR; I say Colonia visa runs are in a "exersize caution" staus, but dollars are still very easy to get.
Just thought I'd toss out my personal experience on a Colonia run as of recent for the group.
Personal background so everyone can interpret to their own situations; I prefer entering Argentina under digital nomad visas to guarantee the tech I carry for my remote work (plus I'm the anxious type of bending rules). This time around at entry the migrations staff biffed up my records and processed me in as standard tourist. Now because of my personal situation its much more convenient to use a whole Saturday to "fix" my situation rather than take time off work hours to go down to Migrations making my case, or renewing the tourist visa in person because the office is only open during work hours.
Ergo, I thought a fun solution would be to just take the ferry over to Colonia again, plus I was curious to check on these dollar ATMs I hear about.
Regarding the ATMs quickly; yes they are easy to get to and use. The ATMs in the Buqubus terminal and the bus terminal down the street were both out of dollars. But the ATMs in the main Banco República (Gral. Flores 151, 70000 Col. del Sacramento) in the Historic district gave dollars just fine. They have a 24/7 unlocked foyer section in the front with ATMs that handled my visa debit card no problem. $5 use fee. Didn't say a limit but I'd guess $300 as the other one's did mentioned that being a limit. All in all, Really easy to get to and use, just a 10 minute stroll from the boat. Up to someone else to rest the true limits.
Regarding the run for visa renewal purposes; I started the trip from the main terminal in Puerto Madero. Zero questions from any migrations staff on that side. Didn't even ask anything aside from if I had a car on the ferry. I did notice they made a clear show of flipping through my stamp pages so take that as you may (I personally just renewed my passport a bit ago so no idea if stamps play into it).
After searching for ATMs and having lunch I headed back to the terminal, got my Ticket and started through migrations. Not a single question from the Uruguay staff, but there were some from the Argentina staff this time around.
To summarize; they asked how long I'd be in Argentina before heading out. I said about 2 months (true, have plae ticket). They said something to the effect of "oh, hm, two months is a long time where are you staying". I explain I have an airbnb. They start on something about it being a long time again. I stare at them like a dumb dog becasue my A2 shit spanish plus hearing difficulties in a packed terminal make it impossible. Followed by explaining that my spanish is junk and my fiance is Argentine if she needed translation help. They look at my fiance a few feet from the booth just staring at them waiting, go, "ah your girlfriend", sigh, stamp my passport, and gesture for me to piss off.
Now this is where I leave the practicality of visa runs up to everyone's interpretation. I personally feel like they were a little bit miffed, and it seemed like there was more attitude/aim to grill than last year. I want to say that I heard them leaning back and complaining to the staff next over about the trip just being a 4 hour day trip but I can't guarantee that over the noise so take it as you will. Maybe they were just looking for a valid reason/logic like having a partner to explain it. Maybe they're looking to pressure the expat "tradition" of visa runs out and gave up after they knew I was traveling with a national.
No idea, just wanted to tell my story since people ask about these runs every once in a while. Feel free to add in ya'lls perosnal experiences.
I personally think they are leaning a bit more towards not being very happy about the runs, but only having verbal pressure as a deterrent since there is "technically" nothing they can really do about it (wouldn't want to be carrying any work gear and the sort for them to find if they decide it's worth a interrogation maybe they'd have actual recourse then). I don't really think they have much legal ground to eject people who don't overstay (I chatted with my father-in law to be over it (lawyer), and he went on about Argentina having an excellent "rights of all persons" that protect transitory/illegal folks).
I'll be switching back to just using digital nomad visas till marriage, looks like you can even renew then now per the migrations website.
P.S. business class not worth it on the boat, wouldn't buy again. Maybe on the longer trips.
