Getting Usd Into Argentina

[anachman]

Do any of you American ex-pats have recommendations on getting US Dollars into Argentina (other than bring with on a plane)? We plan to stay for a year on tourist visas in Bariloche. I'll be earning my income in the US and would like to find a way to get those funds periodically into Argentina in USD in order to exchange at the blue dollar rate. Avoiding fees and official exchange rates being the goal.

Also, is there risk to bringing more than $10k into the country and declaring it - risk of seizure or forced exchange at official exchange rate?

 

[French jurist]

Not sure if cuevas exist in Bariloche? A cueva allows you to make a wire in USD abroad & get the money here. Otherwise you can go to Chile to withdraw Chilean pesos & convert to USD (3% loss)

Also note that the 10K USD limit is per group in the US (if I'm right) while per person entering in Argentina (per adult I guess).

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Do any of you American ex-pats have recommendations on getting US Dollars into Argentina (other than bring with on a plane)? We plan to stay for a year on tourist visas in Bariloche. I'll be earning my income in the US and would like to find a way to get those funds periodically into Argentina in USD in order to exchange at the blue dollar rate. Avoiding fees and official exchange rates being the goal.

Also, is there risk to bringing more than $10k into the country and declaring it - risk of seizure or forced exchange at official exchange rate?

Frenchie is right that, from Bariloche, it probably makes sense to do occasional dollar runs to Osorno or Puerto Montt.

 

[ElQueso]

Bring as much cash as you can and declare extra if need be. Even if you find a solution for getting dollars there in Bariloche, it will take you awhile to find that connection, I'd imagine. There must be cuevas, or local contacts with cuevas here in BA, but they're not going to be as common as they are here, and in fact, even as many as there are here, it is difficult to get into one because it's more or less illegal (at least along tax/AFIP lines) what they are doing by selling dollars at a discount and not paying attention to the limit AFIP has set on how much who can buy.

Chile is probably a good bet though, better than finding a cueva.

As tourists coming in, I don't think you'll have problems with customs seizing any of your money - unless you don't declare it over the limit and they find it. I agree with Frenchie, I think the limit here is per person, but you might want to verify that, and probably minors don't count, but I wouldn't swear to it. There have been myths in the past about people in customs flagging you as a robbery victim when you leave, but I don't believe this and have seen no evidence of this. I don't think customs is going to hold 30% or anything like that, except, possibly, if it's an inordinately high amount maybe. If you are going to be here for awhile carrying a lot of money is reasonable.

Just make sure it's as well-protected as you can make it!

 

[icaroballa]

Also DO NOT change it all at once. The peso is crazy at the moment, going up and down. So try to keep as much in dollar as you can so you can get more value for it later.

 

[fred mertz]

Since you said "we plan to be.......", This means that at least 1 other person is accompanying you. Why not have everyone take US$9,800? I don't know, but I would doubt that only Argentines in BA are hungry for U.S. dollars.

 

[anachman]

Since you said "we plan to be.......", This means that at least 1 other person is accompanying you. Why not have everyone take US$9,800? I don't know, but I would doubt that only Argentines in BA are hungry for U.S. dollars.

Thanks for all the info. I've been trying to find an "official" reference that says it is $10k per person. I am coming with my wife and 2 little kids. If we are all flying together, do you think we can bring in $20k without declaring?

 

[Tilda]

Can't the kids "bring" 5000 each? Maybe someone else knows.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Since you said "we plan to be.......", This means that at least 1 other person is accompanying you. Why not have everyone take US$9,800? I don't know, but I would doubt that only Argentines in BA are hungry for U.S. dollars.

Why not $10,000 exactly, which is the limit?

 

[Tilda]

http://www.afip.gob.ar/turismo/#exenciones

This page seems to have valid information.

Scroll down or search for the phrase "Ingreso/Egreso de valores".

10000 per person older than 16, and 5000 per person younger.