Mercado Pago - Can I top my account up using a foreign debit card?

[SinPulgas]

...Or using Western Union or Remitly, but I don't think they work for Mercado Pago, only traditional bank accounts...

I use Moneygram (another money transfer service) to transfer to Mercado Pago. I've been using it for a few months. Select "transfer to wallet." There's no fee, and the rate (when factoring in the WU fee) is better than Western Union most of the time (but worse than dolar blue these days).

...I raise the point of AFIP as many people from other countries don't realise their accounts can be tracked and are reported for reasonably low amounts, less than $350 USD....

Movements of money above certain (low) amounts have always been reported to and monitored by the AFIP at least during the 20 years I've been here, but that doesn't mean that it's a problem. There've been very few problems reported in these forums over the last 20 years by people who do transfers, and there are many posts by people who transfer much more than the amounts reported to the AFIP all the time, without ever having a problem. I'm one of those. I'm retired and I transfer money when I need it, frequently well above the amounts monitored by the AFIP. Of course, I could justify these transfers if it should ever become necessary, but it never has.

...I know several people who had their MP accounts blocked for receiving funds and not being able to justify them...

I've never heard of this happening here, and I've never seen this reported by anyone here on baexpats. That being said, if they couldn't justify the funds, maybe those people were doing something was raising obvious red flags.

...Just someething to keep in mind if you transferring in regularly, at some point, you may be required to present paperwork so it's good to keep track and keep things in order from the get go...

I'd say that's always good advice in Argentina.

 

[arvest]

If you have a DNI why not open up a local bank account and attach the Argentine debit card to the account, that way you can fund the Mercado Pago account via cash deposit into your Argentine bank account

 

[cwilfong17]

Hi Wondering if anyone has done this or can check if possible!

I want to get a Mercado Pago, I will get my DNI first. Once i have my account running. Can i top up ARS using a foreign debit card like from my Norwegian bank account? If so are there fees etc?

What the best way to top up?

Any insight appreacited!

So I’m not sure if this is something you are still looking for or not but I found a great App that I highly recommend called Remitly. I send money to my wife’s mercadopago (still waiting on my DNI) using my US debit card basically instantly. Usually takes 5-10 minutes although only a few times has it taken longer several hours and one time the money was supposedly deposited but wasn’t showing. Customer service was great the money was in her account the next morning. I’ve used it 50+ times and only twice has the money taken more than 10 minutes to arrive. The fee for me using my US debit card is 4.99. The rate is generally around 100 pesos less per dollar than WU but having the money directly delivered to Pago is usually worth it.