The Buenos Aires Digital Nomad Program

[MilHojas]

Buenos Aires seeking to attract digital nomads

Authorities to offer new visas to generate revenue during recession - Anadolu Ajansı

www.aa.com.tr

Buenos Aires authorities are set to offer special visas to attract 22,000 digital nomads by 2023, estimating a little less than $140 million injection into the economy.

 

[BAHibs]

Buenos Aires seeking to attract digital nomads

Authorities to offer new visas to generate revenue during recession - Anadolu Ajansı

www.aa.com.tr

I almost screamed out "WESTERN UNION" in my living room while reading about Stefania using ATMs at the official rate at a cost of 15 dollars a pop for three months...

 

[Rich One]

I almost screamed out "WESTERN UNION" in my living room while reading about Stefania using ATMs at the official rate at a cost of 15 dollars a pop for three months...

Using WU for small dollar transfers with a fixed fee using a US CC the exchange rate could be much lower than the announced $146 pesos per dollar..

 

[BAHibs]

Using WU for small dollar transfers with a fixed fee using a US CC the exchange rate could be much lower than the announced $146 pesos per dollar..

True, I'm transfering from France for which the fees are very low for WU transfers, it's a mystery to me as to why Western Union charges so much for USD transfers from the US in comparison.

 

[JRL]

Anyone heard anything about when the government will start offering the forementioned 1 yr visa for digital nomads?

 

[dsp27]

Anyone heard anything about when the government will start offering the forementioned 1 yr visa for digital nomads?

No but won’t count on this this year.

 

[milanesas]

I'm currently in Amsterdam and have been shocked at the number of Americans working remotely as freelancers here. Most have what is called a DAFT (Dutch American Friendship Treaty) visa that is very easy to get if you present a basic business plan for your business and deposit at least 4500 Euros in a local bank account for your expenses. Most of these people work remotely for clients in the USA and basically just want to be based in Amsterdam for a while. The visa doesn't allow you to get a job here but allows you to be fully legal besides that and it only takes a few weeks to apply and get approved. My point is that this type of program has attracted highly skilled "digital nomads" that usually have high income work and spend a lot in the local economy and are fully integrated from day 1. The Buenos Aires program, while I think has good intentions and even with the best intentions is limited by the national government and general red tape, is much more likely to attract low income nomads that don't add much to the local economy. I agree the lifestyle of BA is great and affordable, but concerns are visa, ease of getting set up (bank, living, services) and in general making it easy to work (fast internet, affordable tech, places to work, etc). I'd say this program is competing more with places like Bali, Colombia etc than leading world cities

 

[milanesas]

I'm currently in Amsterdam and have been shocked at the number of Americans working remotely as freelancers here. Most have what is called a DAFT (Dutch American Friendship Treaty) visa that is very easy to get if you present a basic business plan for your business and deposit at least 4500 Euros in a local bank account for your expenses. Most of these people work remotely for clients in the USA and basically just want to be based in Amsterdam for a while. The visa doesn't allow you to get a job here but allows you to be fully legal besides that and it only takes a few weeks to apply and get approved. My point is that this type of program has attracted highly skilled "digital nomads" that usually have high income work and spend a lot in the local economy and are fully integrated from day 1. The Buenos Aires program, while I think has good intentions and even with the best intentions is limited by the national government and general red tape, is much more likely to attract low income nomads that don't add much to the local economy. I agree the lifestyle of BA is great and affordable, but concerns are visa, ease of getting set up (bank, living, services) and in general making it easy to work (fast internet, affordable tech, places to work, etc). I'd say this program is competing more with places like Bali, Colombia etc than leading world cities

To expand on this and give BA an idea, in Amsterdam there is a big city run "iAMexpat" center that is a one stop place for life as an expat. They can process your visa, open bank accounts, teach you about healthcare, laws, language classes, networking events etc

 

[jblaze5779]

One stop shop concept doesn't exist here. You have to stop at 8 shops and they're only open m-f 10:30-1300, 1600-1730ish(or whenever they feel like closing)

You are correct. This is just something they saw in the headlines of a newspaper and half assed said "hey we're a real country too!"

 

[milanesas]

One stop shop concept doesn't exist here. You have to stop at 8 shops and they're only open m-f 10:30-1300, 1600-1730ish(or whenever they feel like closing)

You are correct. This is just something they saw in the headlines of a newspaper and half assed said "hey we're a real country too!"

Something else that occurred to me that for many people is going to be a factor, is healthcare. Is the solution that people go to public hospitals and have to figure it out on their own, buy a private insurance plan? Is there info about this in English or making it easy for someone that is in Buenos Aires for a just months and doesn't understand the intricacies of the country or speak fluent Spanish? Digital nomads are very savvy travelers usually, but the whole idea of the lifestyle is you come and go as you please and don't have the hassles of a "traditional" life, so making everyone seamless is key. A few years ago I read about this company, https://www.roam.co, that has a network of coliving/coworking spaces for digital nomads. Maybe a business ideas for BA.