No Afip Dollars For Travel! - Update Jan 28Th

[GS_Dirtboy]

I thought my experience with AFIP today would be beneficial to others. I'm traveling to the US tomorrow for 10 days. This is a last-minute trip so there wasn't much time to prep. This process applies to Perm Residents with AFIP accounts.

Went to AFIP to fill out the paperwork to get Dollars. Here is how it works: You will need first a clave fiscal (password) for your AFIP account. If you don't have this you'll need to present a photocopy of your DNI (both sides). They'll give you instructions on how to go online to change your password along with instructions on how to then apply for Dollars.

Once you've changed your password follow the easy step-by-step instructions to apply for your travel dollars. Takes about 10 minutes to input the information they need. Once you input your info you hit apply and then the program gives you a response.

So far, with all of my attempts, I've gotten denied for any Dollars. I started with $4000 and worked my way down to $500. I have my salary in Pesos and all in white so I don't think it's that's I'm not paying taxes. When I went to the bank later and explained to them what happened they rolled their eyes and said that I was just wasting my time.

So.. what's a poor expat to do if you've gotta get home?

You need to use the system to your advantage. As others here have said, one of the most valuable things you can have is one, two, or three Argentine credit cards that you can use abroad to make purchases in Dollars but you pay back here in Pesos at the official rate. You can't withdraw cash abroad but you can purchase items. Yes, you get a surcharge of 15% but that's much better than purchasing Blue Dollars here to then travel with.

This process also works if you have ongoing expenses in your home country. You can pay these expenses using your credit card online and then pay the credit card bill here at the official exchange rate. You are essentially buying Dollars at the official rate (+15%) and paying with Pesos.

Probably a good idea to keep enough Dollars on hand that you can use in a pinch for airfare or travelling expenses in case of an emergency.

Have a nice day.

GS

 

[lamarque]

I thought my experience with AFIP today would be beneficial to others. I'm traveling to the US tomorrow for 10 days. This is a last-minute trip so there wasn't much time to prep. This process applies to Perm Residents with AFIP accounts.

Went to AFIP to fill out the paperwork to get Dollars. Here is how it works: You will need first a clave fiscal (password) for your AFIP account. If you don't have this you'll need to present a photocopy of your DNI (both sides). They'll give you instructions on how to go online to change your password along with instructions on how to then apply for Dollars.

Once you've changed your password follow the easy step-by-step instructions to apply for your travel dollars. Takes about 10 minutes to input the information they need. Once you input your info you hit apply and then the program gives you a response.

So far, with all of my attempts, I've gotten denied for any Dollars. I started with $4000 and worked my way down to $500. I have my salary in Pesos and all in white so I don't think it's that's I'm not paying taxes. When I went to the bank later and explained to them what happened they rolled their eyes and said that I was just wasting my time.

So.. what's a poor expat to do if you've gotta get home?

You need to use the system to your advantage. As others here have said, one of the most valuable things you can have is one, two, or three Argentine credit cards that you can use abroad to make purchases in Dollars but you pay back here in Pesos at the official rate. You can't withdraw cash abroad but you can purchase items. Yes, you get a surcharge of 15% but that's much better than purchasing Blue Dollars here to then travel with.

This process also works if you have ongoing expenses in your home country. You can pay these expenses using your credit card online and then pay the credit card bill here at the official exchange rate. You are essentially buying Dollars at the official rate (+15%) and paying with Pesos.

Probably a good idea to keep enough Dollars on hand that you can use in a pinch for airfare or travelling expenses in case of an emergency.

Have a nice day.

GS

You forgot a little detail, you actually can get dollars with your credit cards outside the country, you need a speciall password that your credit card company give you when you are outside, you need to call the company and then they give you the pass, the limit per credit card is only 20% of your maximum CC limit, in other words with a 24.000 pesos credit card you can only buy 960 usd per, i have try this just a month ago and work but is not to many dollars and in order to buy enought you need lot of credit cards and with big credit limit, you can duplicate the limit when you travel out of the country by calling the credit card company in Visa, not sure about mastercard.
The second choice you have to get dollars is familiar help in your case. The bank guy is right you have to use the sistem is the only way, dollars buy by afip only work if you have big sallary or you have been working for a long time, and even then you have problem with it.

 

[mjohnstone]

If you're visiting friends/family in the US, you could get hold of dollars by offering to pay for their expenses (restaurant, supermarket, purchases, etc) with your credit card and having them pay you for said purchases in cash. That's what a lot of argentine tourists have been doing in Brazil or elsewhere, even asking unknown people standing before/after them at a supermarket queue.

 

[citygirl]

Even if you had gotten approved for dollars, there is a *very* good chance the "system would be down" when you went to pick them up. It's happened to far too many people I know to be a coincidence. I have heard - totally unverified - that there is a limit to what amount of dollars they will release and as soon as they hit it, the system gets shut down, leaving even those with permission to buy dollars out of luck.

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

If you're visiting friends/family in the US, you could get hold of dollars by offering to pay for their expenses (restaurant, supermarket, purchases, etc) with your credit card and having them pay you for said purchases in cash. That's what a lot of argentine tourists have been doing in Brazil or elsewhere, even asking unknown people standing before/after them at a supermarket queue.

Yes, that exact thought hit me today at lunch. I've put my family on notice to bring cash. Thanks!

 

[Inferno.]

So.. what's a poor expat to do if you've gotta get home?

If you are a US Citizen just open a Paypal Account in the US and one here. You are going to be able to send yourself a payment with a cost of around 3.9%. This means you will pay the official rate for that + 3.9% of that (paypal's fees) + 15% of the original amount. For example, if you buy 1000 USD, you will end up in paypal with 961 USD and you will need to pay around (5 + 15%) 5750 ARS in argentina for credit card costs. Then just make an ACH transaction to your bank account through paypal at no cost. This will work with international credit cards from argentina.

If you are already in the US, just signup to Square Up, Go Payments, Paypal Here, Groupon Payments, etc. They will send you a card reader to your home and with your iphone, ipad or android device, you will be able to accept payments. This will work with credit cards and debit cards as you need to swipe them. They have a lower fee, at around 2,75%.

The ToS of those sites don't allow this type of behavior, as you are esentially buying money and providing yourself with a cash payment. Now.. you are not hurting anyone, you are paying Visa, the Bank, Paypal, etc, so, it is a matter of you, if you feel confortable. I had to be for a few months in the US and I was unable to get cash due to the stupid government policies, so I was able to create my own workaround using my imagination. Not many people have us bank accounts in argentina, but I suppose you do as you are not from around.

Regards,

 

[Rich One]

If you're visiting friends/family in the US, you could get hold of dollars by offering to pay for their expenses (restaurant, supermarket, purchases, etc) with your credit card and having them pay you for said purchases in cash. That's what a lot of argentine tourists have been doing in Brazil or elsewhere, even asking unknown people standing before/after them at a supermarket queue.

Are there some limits to this scheme? Could I give my relatives in the USA an extension of my CC or give them my sec. code so they can buy their needs online, and save the Dollars for me, then transfer them to a Colonia Dollar account...? Assuming you trust your relatives?

 

[lamarque]

Are there some limits to this scheme? Could I give my relatives in the USA an extension of my CC or give them my sec. code so they can buy their needs online, and save the Dollars for me, then transfer them to a Colonia Dollar account...? Assuming you trust your relatives?

There is no limit to this. How you think families in here maintain childrens stuyind outside the country? they use a mix between family help and CC extensions. This is not big secret anyway

 

[Conorworld]

GS_Dirtboy I give you credit for your patience in this and anyone else in Argentina that has to go through all those hoops to buy foreign currency. What a messed up situation the current administration have created.

 

[jago25_98]

prepay cards, bitcoin, banco piano gold, uruguay... all should be quick... a little wildthough...