Strange Customs Experience Crossing Private Boat To Carmelo

[EdRooney]

I totally agree, Bajo, what I did has its risks, and they may even be higher now than 7 years ago. For what it's worth, every time I've taken the micro southward from La Quiaca or Salvador Maza we inevitably get stopped several times by Gendarmes on the way. I've shown them my passport (with the missing stamps) or DNI and have never had any trouble. That said, Orán is downright gorgeous in Spring and the fishing there is prime, but I'm not sure how the food is at the federal facility.

 

[Gringoboy]

I'm liking this thread; it reminds me of when I arrived at EZE in 2005, not even knowing if I needed a visa, with a one way ticket.

 

[lucha54]

I'm not liking it! Bajo keeps fareakin me out

 

[Bajo_cero2]

I'm not liking it! Bajo keeps fareakin me out

Ignorancy is a bliss.
Proper legal advice protects you from doing stupid things.
So, try to fix it because it is serious.

 

[ghost]

In Argentina the other side of the coin is always extreme.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

In Argentina the other side of the coin is always extreme.

Right, do it in the US!

 

[lucha54]

UPDATE: It has been fixed.

We went today to prefectura, me, my bf, and our friend's brother and uncle. The young nice guys who kept my roll the other day were not there, instead there were two older and much more serious guys (!!!!) but luckily at least one of the guys from Monday was there today so he could corroborate that I really went and really left the roll because surprise surprise - THEY LOST THE ROLL. We waited and hour while they looked through all their papers, then we went outside to wait because they had stopped looking and we thought we might be there all day, but then the guy comes out of another building with the roll in his hand. Finally they checked us all back into the system and gave me my stamp. They gave the captain (my friends uncle) a bunch of flak for waiting 7 days and that the rule is 'within 24 hours' but I honestly think it would have been worse if they hadn't lost the roll and not been able to find it for an hour. The guy seemed really annoyed/embarrassed so it was a little bit to our advantage (besides making my heart rate go up for an hour while we waited).

In the end I have two existing doubts:
The dates on my stamps are all messed up. My salida from Arg is dated Apr 18. My entrada and salida from Uruguay are dated Apr 20. My entrada back to Argentina is dated Apr 26. If anyone in the future asks at customs why that is, I'll tell them that about going to Uruguay in a boat and say that when we came back, I didn't get my stamp because the guy forgot (true for the salida at least, he had forgotten even though we did stop in prefectura on the way out to UY) and that I had to sort it out a few days later. Another plan is to stop using my European passport and just pay the damn fee to use my US passport next time I enter from the states, and thus avoid raised eyebrows.

Second thing is, the stamp he gave me today doesn't say 90 days, doesn't say anything. He didn't even mark the box to indicate which visa it was. Do I leave it blank? Should I circle the box next to "TA" myself or just leave it as is? Again, trying to avoid raised eyebrows or any future awkward conversations at the customs window.

 

[internationalguy]

If you "lost" your European passport they would have to give you a blank passport in which there would be no record of any stamp mishaps. Of course you'd have to pay for said replacement (cheaper than the reciprocity fee though). It would also mean less hassle in the future. Downside is you'd have to file a police report, go to the European country's embassy, and it will mean you'll need another tramite when you need to go out of the country again. Bottom line is, it depends on how many years it has left.

You mentioned a trip to the US? "Lose" the passport there. It will be a lot easier to deal with the red tape. You'll get a blank passport coming in (as opposed to going out in which they'll need to figure out when and if it was stamped). Do it this way and you make it much easier. That of course depends on how easy it is for you to replace it there (how far the consulate is and how long it takes to process and deliver. If course also how long you'll be there). My Euro passport takes about 22 days to be delivered since it's not made at the Embassy. Maybe your country is different but you'll neeed to check.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

If you write the passport, it is a crime with 8 years of jail.

 

[internationalguy]

Write the passport? No one is forging anything, just losing it.