Foreigners (Tourists & Non-Res) Cannot Use Ars For Travel

[Somewhereinba]

The Government is against tourists swapping dollars at the blue rate, every man and his dog knows where the cuevas and arbolitos are... yet they don't even bother trying to shut them down. Something tells me a lot of people up top are benefiting from the blue market as well. This is the latest way for them to look like they are doing something without shooting themselves in the foot.

 

[Joe]

The Government is against tourists swapping dollars at the blue rate, every man and his dog knows where the cuevas and arbolitos are... yet they don't even bother trying to shut them down. Something tells me a lot of people up top are benefiting from the blue market as well. This is the latest way for them to look like they are doing something without shooting themselves in the foot.

Of course, it's an open secret that apparatchiks can buy dollars at the official rate which they then sell in the black market for a huge profit.

 

[EricLovesBA]

The Government is against tourists swapping dollars at the blue rate, every man and his dog knows where the cuevas and arbolitos are... yet they don't even bother trying to shut them down. Something tells me a lot of people up top are benefiting from the blue market as well. This is the latest way for them to look like they are doing something without shooting themselves in the foot.

My take is that the arbolitos and cuevas are allowed to exist as a kind of political release valve. Yes, surely there are back door deals and officials cashing in on the profits, but at the same time, if the restrictions were strictly enforced and it were actually impossible to get dollars, the backlash and discontent might be a bit more than the regime is ready to take on just yet.

I posted a link to an article recently which called it an unofficial "multiple exchange rate system".
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/12/us-argentina-economy-idUSBRE88B1GD20120912

 

[ghost]

I would love to see an alternative plan, that is my main gripe regarding local politics here. Where is Massa or Macri with their plan?

We believe this is crazy and we would do XYZ....

Same with the expats really, it's easy shooting fish in a barrel but I have yet to here any changes proposed which would really benefit the nation as a whole. I believe that a managed transition to an open economy is necessary. Instant liberalisation would make the 90s in Russia look civilised, nor would I would support the facilitation of wealth concentration and the conbination of strongman govt and oligarchs which exist there. I'd love to see someone plot out a path but locally it seems no one will take the risk.

Stay tuned, coming very soon, the alternative plan will be implimented as a eulogy to the K government.

 

[Sleuth]

An update to this from a Flyertalk thread:

Just got back from Argentina and had zero issues paying for hotels with pesos.

Both the PH BA and PH Mendoza said that most tourists pay with cash (as I checked out of each with my piles of pesos, other hotel guests were doing the same thing). On the other hand, the Sheraton Iguazu said that most guests pay with credit cards or are prepaid. But I did not have any issues using pesos there either.

Not sure how long until the government tries to stop this though.

 

[Rich One]

It's Now Clear ... A Tourist Services provider in Argentina that wants to remit dollars abroad , must collect in dollars from non-residents
.

 

[ElCordobés]

One of the agencies that I had previously discussed issuing non-resident foreigners is now adhering to this policy. Only accepting foreign issued cards or other foreign currency. No more ARS. Of course this still doesn't apply to residents with DNI and CUIT/CUIL.

 

[thomsono1912]

I friend of mine just went to Buquebus to grab a ticket to Colonia the other day. He was not permitted to pay with pesos, only with an international credit card or foreign currency in cash. The following message is displayed on the Buquebus website:

Recuerde que si dentro de su compra hay al menos un pasajero NO RESIDENTE en la República Argentina,
deberá abonar con una tarjeta a nombre de la persona NO RESIDENTE.
Si el pasajero NO RESIDENTE usa una tarjeta de un RESIDENTE, deber´ abonar la percepción AFIP 3550 de residentes argentinos.
En en el caso de que la compra sea de todos RESIDENTES deberá ingresar EL CUIT/CUIL del RESIDENTE TITULAR de la tarjeta que abona la reserva.

Basically says if anybody within your booking it a non-resident you must pay with a credit card registered in their name.

Does anybody know if the other carriers are rejecting pesos from foreigners? Colonia express etc.

Cheers

 

[nicoenarg]

Thanks for these accounts. It is probably going to be a slow process but if the Central Bank and AFIP follow through with their "decrees", then sooner or later, everyone will start implementing these measures.

 

[Rich One]

I friend of mine just went to Buquebus to grab a ticket to Colonia the other day. He was not permitted to pay with pesos, only with an international credit card or foreign currency in cash. The following message is displayed on the Buquebus website:

Recuerde que si dentro de su compra hay al menos un pasajero NO RESIDENTE en la República Argentina,
deberá abonar con una tarjeta a nombre de la persona NO RESIDENTE.
Si el pasajero NO RESIDENTE usa una tarjeta de un RESIDENTE, deber´ abonar la percepción AFIP 3550 de residentes argentinos.
En en el caso de que la compra sea de todos RESIDENTES deberá ingresar EL CUIT/CUIL del RESIDENTE TITULAR de la tarjeta que abona la reserva.

Basically says if anybody within your booking it a non-resident you must pay with a credit card registered in their name.

Does anybody know if the other carriers are rejecting pesos from foreigners? Colonia express etc.

Cheers

I hope Sleuth does not read this message , it's my interpretation tourist service providers must collect in foreign currency from non-residents. sooner or later.