Corruption in Argentina?

[travellingbum]

How big is the problem with corruption in Argentina. Living as an expat down there, do you have to pay money under the table when dealing with officials (visa extensions, work permits etc.) Or are officials ashamed of extracting bribes from foreigners, while they happily bleed their own nationals without battering an eyelid. I remember some years ago when hitchhiking in Indonesia, we were always waved through police checkpoints when the cops noticed me sitting next to the driver. Unless you're breaking the law, in Indonesia, they're ashamed of taking money from or in front of a foreigner. A westerner in any case. I can't imagine us having to pay a bribe as we don't plan to break the law. The only thing I can thing of, is if we get pulled over while renting a car which we intend to do in Salta, Mendoza and Bariloche.

 

[soulskier]

I believe Stan has some corruption stories. I have lived in Argentina full time since 2005 and never had issues with the government or any kind of bribing.

We did have a problem with someone claiming to be an employee who wasn't, but that was more extortion than corruption.

 

[RWS]

TB, I've not lived in Argentina, only visited there frequently in the course of many years, usually for a month or so at a time. No surprise, then, that I've never been asked for "assistance" or felt "the bite".

But I have many Argentine acquaintances, friends, and relatives (my kinsmen have lived in Argentina for more than a century and a half, five generations). None of these, rich, poor, or middling, has ever told me that he's paid or been asked for a bribe (or "convenience fee"), and more than one has bluntly told me that he's never paid such an irregular charge. Of course, what qualifies as "irregular" might vary . . . .

Argentine corruption is legendary. I suppose that most of that resides -- indeed, is rife -- in the rarified realms of nationalization and resale. I doubt that at my ordinary, everyday level there's much more than in the typical southern European state.

 

[Fishface]

on another thread someone said

>>...A DNI can take up to a year if you go through normal channels. 600pesos knocks that down to 45 days, the 1200 turns it around in 10. Fine line between bribe and fastrack, honestly don't know which it is but it doesn't seem unreasonable or immoral to pay it. Its all above board at any rate.

my question is - is the 'fast track' (if it exists) official? I just can't see anyone going to the registro civil with 1200 pesos and asking for a 'fast track' or is that the case?

who hands it over and who recieves it?

 

[Napoleon]

I'm also interested in Fishface's question.

 

[danc]

I married an argentine in 2006. We tried to go through the normal channels to marry in a civil cermemony, however the endless red-tape and runaround made it impossible. We were introduced to a judge who was open to receiving small "gifts" in exchange for a fast track through the cumbersome govt process. It worked like a charm.

 

[criswkh]

There are two fast tracks "gifts" and "who you know." We have experience the latter one. Thank you fellow amigos. Of course if you live in some parts of the US the same rules apply.

 

[niceguypaddy]

i cannot get a good contact to help me with my DNI to bend the rules, so I have to go the normal channels. they say that there is lots of corruption and that you can buy your way faster but in relation to the DNI I have yet to experience this.

 

[perry]

Soulskier there are some who have an agenda here and he is clearly one. Regarding Corruption I find Argentina less corrupt than Asia and Southern Europe . I have never been asked for a bribe here and find that my personal rights are respected.

 

[nikad]

There is corruption, but I wouldn´t say it is generalized, it takes a very sharp knowledge of the language and the slang, to maybe be able to tell who is willing to take a bribe, if you try to do it with the wrong person, they will make you feel really embarrassed. Only twice in my life I gave bribes, I felt pretty uncomfortable, and that was throughout a period of 34 years! Things can be done the right way, that doesn´t mean they won´t be a royal pain in the a**, but it is doable.