Interrogated by customs on flight out of Rosario. Why?

[sergio]

I am an American (norteamericana) married to an Argentino and I am commonly called gringa. At first I was offended, but it was carefully and repeatedly explained to me that this is just a descriptive word for a foreigner from Europe or North America and not intended as an insult. After all, the Argentinos call each other Gordo, Flaco, Viejo, Negro, etc. In the family, I am affectionately La Tia Gringa, but it is not just family. On our block in Balvanera, when I am not around the local merchants routinely ask my husband "Donde esta la gringa?"

I don't think the Argentine terms "gordo" etc are at all nice. It's an insensitive aspect of the culture that needs change. I don't believe that any overweight person wants to be called "fatso" or a dark skinned person "Black" etc. Calling someone "gringo" or "yanqui" is similar to a Spaniard calling an Argentine "Sudaca". People have names and should be addressed correctly not by a physical or racial trait or a sarcastic term.

 

[Fiscal]

Have you been staying more than a total of 180 days in any twelve month period (365 consecutive days)?

Technically, that might be a violation of the I-94 (aka tourist visa), even though they may not have mentioned it to you.

If you have done so repeatedly, perhaps you should consider yourself fortunate.

Of course if you're married to an Argentine you could apply for permanent residency, but if you have income and assets abroad they would be subject to taxation in Argentina.

That's undoubtedly one good reason to stick with the "tourist"visa as long as possible.

They will actually enforce the 180 day rule?

I have to pay taxes on US income and US stocks, property etc if I become a permanent resident?

 

[Fiscal]

Is it 180 days per calendar year or per 12 month period?
Edit - I see you answer the question.

 

[wineguy999]

I don't think the Argentine terms "gordo" etc are at all nice. It's an insensitive aspect of the culture that needs change. I don't believe that any overweight person wants to be called "fatso" or a dark skinned person "Black" etc. Calling someone "gringo" or "yanqui" is similar to a Spaniard calling an Argentine "Sudaca". People have names and should be addressed correctly not by a physical or racial trait or a sarcastic term.

Yet people on this board are happy to refer to Argentinos as "Argies". I was taught that that is the equivalent of wog, mick or dago.

 

[mmoon]

Yet people on this board are happy to refer to Argentinos as "Argies". I was taught that that is the equivalent of wog, mick or dago.

I’ve never heard that one, nor gringo, in Argentina. Only yankee/yanqui. On the other side, If anything, the conflict seems to be between “Argentines” or “Argentineans”...

 

[mmoon]

Maybe Argies is used on this board, but I haven’t heard it out and about. Seems like laziness in typing rather than being insensitive. Didn’t know it was considered offensive.

 

[Fiscal]

So how do you respond when people ask where you are from? Estadounidense?

 

[Fiscal]

How do all these expat English teachers making 90-day boarding crossings to Uruguay constantly evade the 180 day limit?

 

[sergio]

Yet people on this board are happy to refer to Argentinos as "Argies". I was taught that that is the equivalent of wog, mick or dago.

"Argie" is British slang. Argentine or Argentinian -- These are obviously English words. Anglo-Argentines (those of British descent whose families have lived in Argentina for decades or sometimes since the early 1800s) use "Argentine" (pronounced the British way) when speaking in English however the media in the UK often say Argentinian. They both seem fine to me. It is ridiculous to have to say "estadounidense" for a citizen of the US. There is little nationalism in Argentina and far less pan-american sentiment, so the defensive attitude about using "Americano" to refer to a US citizen strikes me as pretentious. It's used a lot in official documents but what I usually hear people say is "Norteamericano" by which they mean a US citizen though it could just as easily refer to a Canadian and even a Mexican!

 

[toongeorges]

I have to pay taxes on US income and US stocks, property etc if I become a permanent resident?

Yes, the US is one of the 2 countries in the world (the other Eritrea) where you keep paying taxes to even if you are a resident in another country. See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_taxation

When you become a resident in another country, you also have to pay taxes there.

The only way to stop paying taxes to Uncle Sam is to give up your US citizenship.

There may be a double taxation treaty in place, so what you pay as a resident in a country, you may not have to pay anymore to the US, but you stay liable to the US tax authority.