USD account for prospective rentista visa

[elrefri]

Thanks!

 

[Terrell]

I've been reading in the shadows for quite some time but today I registered to ask the community a question as I am bewildered. Is anyone else in this conundrum: To receive a pensioners' visa I must establish a bank account. Yet to establish a bank account, I first must have the DNI. Several banks have told me: "Sorry, but no DNI, no bank account."

And even if I could open one, what assurance have I from Migraciones of them fulfilling their end of the bargain? Because this issue is the last step in the process. All the other documents and requirements have been accepted via Radex. Yeah, I know: their country, their rules. But the rules cut both ways and I don't trust them.

Is the visa overstay penalty administrative or criminal in nature? Because overstaying is looking to be the best option. For $20 or whatever, if overstaying is akin to a parking ticket, why bang my head against the wall? It's certainly not my preference, but it seems a viable option. Thanks in advance.

 

[Terrell]

In my experience, you will be able to submit the initial rentista application before having the bank account -- and you'll need to, since you'll need to bring the precaria to the bank to have any hope of opening an account.

Getting a bank account without a DNI, though technically legal, is a challenge. Banks are apparently not required to give you one, just allowed to give you one (according to the manager of my branch). You do have to get an account and start showing transfers before you get the DNI, though. I was able to get an dual account at Santander by escalating the issue to the branch manager and arguing repeatedly that the bank and Migraciones had conflicting rules with circular logic. He said they would close my account after 90 days if I didn't bring a DNI by then, but so far they haven't. By default it was a dual dollar/peso account, and I was able to receive dollars via Swift and then extract them as USD cash.

Our attorney advised us that the rules on this are changing, so I believe the new rules are that it has to be transferred in USD via Swift transfer. Previously you could transfer the correct peso amount through Western Union to your bank account. Essentially the amount per month has doubled.

Julia, thanks for the distinction between required vs. allowed. Now I understand that reason why the banks have denied my requests to open an account to satisfy the requirements of Migraciones. Attached is (I believe) the appropriate normativa which was sent to me by an immigration attorney who, apparently failed to see the distinction. The only good immigration attorney in my years here has been Celano and I was foolish to not use him this time, thinking that with Radex, I could do this myself. I have been to +50 countries and have lived in many of them. Migraciones Argentina, hands down, is the most dysfunctional.

I will make one final attempt at Banco Galicia headquarters on Juan D. Perón. If they tell me to get lost, fine. I will execute my Plan-B. Thanks for your precise answers and concise writing.

 

[Terrell]

Julia, thanks for the distinction between required vs. allowed. Now I understand that reason why the banks have denied my requests to open an account to satisfy the requirements of Migraciones. Attached is (I believe) the appropriate normativa which was sent to me by an immigration attorney who, apparently failed to see the distinction. The only good immigration attorney in my years here has been Celano and I was foolish to not use him this time, thinking that with Radex, I could do this myself. I have been to +50 countries and have lived in many of them. Migraciones Argentina, hands down, is the most dysfunctional.

I will make one final attempt at Banco Galicia headquarters on Juan D. Perón. If they tell me to get lost, fine. I will execute my Plan-B. Thanks for your precise answers and concise writing.

Here's the actual BCRA link if anyone is interested: https://www.bcra.gob.ar/BCRAyVos/inmigrantes-preguntas-frecuentes.asp

 

[elrefri]

@Terrell
With a precaria and a CUIL number (that you can get an ANSES once you get your precaria), a few branches still opens bank account with CUIL + precaria.

Galicia won't open account without DNI in CABA, I'm almost 100% sure.

I just Pmed you.

 

[elrefri]

@julia_en_ruta

I'd have two more questions if you don't mind.

1) You confirm that the maximum USD allowance to deposit per year at Santander (at least with your account) is USD $12000?
2) Once you reach the $120000 USD or whatever limit per year, you can still deposit more in ARS you think?

I may deposit the full amount required for one year of visa rentista. Not sure if I should do a few single transfers of USD $2000-3000 VS one big of $12000. To bypass the USD anual limit, I may opt to transfer the rest in ARS pesos to my Santander account (20% or so that will be missing).