Exchanging Pesos for Dollars

[mini]

Yes I got a typed letter directly from AFIP saying I had permission to buy dollars and still no banks (including Piano Banco downtown) would sell them.

No matter what the government or the banks tell you it appears the dirty secret is no one is selling dollars at the "official" rate (maybe to hide inflation?).

If anyone has been able to buy dollars from a bank I would love to hear about it. But I have tried and tried and now am stuck with the "informal market". Really sucks when you withdraw pesos at 4.3 and then have to buy dollars at 4.7.

Yikes!!! If you can't buy with afip approval we are all in big trouble.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

Have you actually done this? I have heard a lot of misinformation about how you can trade pesos for dollars and thus far I have learned the hard way how it is a bunch of BS. From receipts, bank statements, AFIP approval, I have tried it personally and it doesn't work.

Until someone comes forward and and says they have personally been able to change pesos for dollars I am a little dubious.

I am local, I cannot do it. But it makes sense that this is the place where somebody before to leave can sell the pesos he didn t use evidencing he bougth them legally and that he is a real tourist.

 

[citygirl]

Have you actually done this? I have heard a lot of misinformation about how you can trade pesos for dollars and thus far I have learned the hard way how it is a bunch of BS. From receipts, bank statements, AFIP approval, I have tried it personally and it doesn't work.

Until someone comes forward and and says they have personally been able to change pesos for dollars I am a little dubious.

I know a traveler who tried to do it at the airport and they were denied despite having a receipt showing withdrawal from the ATM. He told me they tried to do it at Banco Nacion.

i think the dirty little secret is that no one wants the pesos back at the official rate and lots of people are getting "stuck" with them, even if they should be able to exchange them.

 

[solerboy]

I know a traveler who tried to do it at the airport and they were denied despite having a receipt showing withdrawal from the ATM. He told me they tried to do it at Banco Nacion.

i think the dirty little secret is that no one wants the pesos back at the official rate and lots of people are getting "stuck" with them, even if they should be able to exchange them.

Exactly, why would anyone want to pay the "official" rate, when the market rate is so much better ?

 

[PhilipDT]

Exactly, why would anyone want to pay the "official" rate, when the market rate is so much better ?

Supposedly because they have the guarantee of the central bank buying them back for the "official rate"....

Is this actually going on, has anybody changed pesos for dollars recently?

 

[dennisr]

Why not file a complaint with the US Consulate in Buenos Aires, Citizen Services. Enough tourist complaints and maybe they would ask some questions. Everything to gain nothing to loose. They probably have Cristina on speed dial.

[email protected]

 

[gabrielfuller]

I heard that it is not illegal for short term rentals. Is that true or not? Anyone know the legality of demanding US Dollars for rentals?

 

[genialf]

So anyone bought dollars? I need to pay my rent (1 year rent). The landlady first demanded dollars, then she said she was able to withdraw dollars and I should pay her in pesos and now she is saying I should go to the black market. This is frustrating, I want to buy dollars from my argentine salary, so if anyone knows something please let me know.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

So anyone bought dollars? I need to pay my rent (1 year rent). The landlady first demanded dollars, then she said she was able to withdraw dollars and I should pay her in pesos and now she is saying I should go to the black market. This is frustrating, I want to buy dollars from my argentine salary, so if anyone knows something please let me know.

She cannot demand dollars.

http://baexpats.org/expat-life/18817-whats-deal-usd-argentina.html

If you have a 1 year housing contract, then you need a lawyer.
The law says that short term housing contracts cannot be longer than 6 months. If this is longer than 6 months, the law says that they are 2 years no matter what the contract says. The law also says that the payment in dollars is illegal and it must be done in pesos. There is no debate about that, only landlords who take advantage of the lack of proper legal knowledge of foreigners.

So, you should send a carta documento compilling your landlord to accept pesos at the oficial rate and accepting that the contract is a 2 years contract or you are going to deposit the rent at Court. Sending the carta documento protects you against illegal eviction.
Then in February you can have a mediation with the landlord, she has no chances to win at Court so she is going to settle down.

The carta documento must be done by a lawyer. It cost only 150 pesos.
You can mail Dra. Maulicino for that.
[email protected]

Regards

 

[2estrellas]

Yes I got a typed letter directly from AFIP saying I had permission to buy dollars and still no banks (including Piano Banco downtown) would sell them.

No matter what the government or the banks tell you it appears the dirty secret is no one is selling dollars at the "official" rate (maybe to hide inflation?).

If anyone has been able to buy dollars from a bank I would love to hear about it. But I have tried and tried and now am stuck with the "informal market". Really sucks when you withdraw pesos at 4.3 and then have to buy dollars at 4.7.

NeilS, I imagine you tried Banco Nación? Even they said no? Is there anything related to your status here that could have affected this? (Obviously I'm not asking you to be specific).

Yesterday I went to the AFIP to ask about bringing funds into the country (which my Argentine husband earned abroad as a government worker, everything is declared/taxes paid etc.), to buy an apartment. Of course, they told me we should be fine once we bring the money into the country. Apparently, the AFIP analyzes how much money is in your bank account to decide how many dollars you are authorized to buy. If you don't have the money here in the bank, you can't get authorized for that amount.

The AFIP guy told me once we have the money in the bank, we have to bring a bunch of documentation to the AFIP, they will analyze our case, and say yes or no. He told me they should say yes. Of course, this is extremely risky, what if they say no?! Apparently there is no way to ask permission until the money is here. Neil's comment makes me wonder if we could buy the dollars even if they say yes.

However, at least in theory my husband can buy up to 20,000 pesos worth of dollars at the moment, according to his account on the AFIP website (you can check this if you have a clave fiscal). He has to do some unrelated trámite with the AFIP first, then we are going to give it a shot, we'll see...I'll let yall know.

I was also told in a casa de cambio that tourists can change back the dollars they changed to pesos, BUT only with a receipt from a casa de cambio, NOT with an ATM receipt.

Actually it was quite interesting to chat with the AFIP guy, he said they analyze your income, how much money you have in the bank, your credit/debit card spending, if you have private health insurance, if you send your kids to private school...and then they decide if you have the possibility of saving, or not. Kind of ludicrous if you ask me, I understand they (supposedly) want to prevent money laundering, but what if my mother in law who lives off her pension wants to live on one potato a day and save the rest?