Questions for my upcoming trip to Argentina

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    Hello All


     I will be making an exploratory trip to Argentina in the last 2 weeks of August, including 5 days in BA and 5 days in Mendoza.


    I have a number of questions that I would be very grateful if people could help me with.


    1. Exchange rate. The “Blue Rate” is around 1.95 times the official exchange rate, correct? Other exchange rates available from the exchange houses and with your credit card. I reserved a hotel with my TD / Canada trust card (Visa) and got an exchange rate of about 1.75times "official" , but still not as good as the “Blue” rate. Does the exchange rate vary from Master Card to Visa, or from individual bank card issuers (TD, Charles Schwab, JP Morgan, etc.) or by country of the currency , or any other way?


    2. Further to above, would it still be a good idea to bring $USD Cash, say $1000 to $2000, for the better “Blue” exchange rate, and because Credit Cards may not be accepted everywhere (i,e. Cabs, etc,). Are the “Blue Dollar” to peso exchange sites still readily available in BA and Mendoza?


    3. I have heard that you can come into Argentina for 90 days on a passport stamp, get an extension for another 90 days , just like in Colombia and many other countries. However, I have also heard that you can then just fly out of the country, come back in, and repeat the process and stay for another 90 days, with another 90 day extension after-words. In other words, even with just a passport, there is no limit on how many days you can stay in the country in one year, as long as you leave for a day after the first 180. Is this true?


    4. I understand that by “Law” you cannot open a bank account without a Visa and DNI. I am not sure that this is the case with private medicine insurance. In Colombia I got enrolled in a private medical system 11 years ago with just passport, without a Visa or Cedula (same as DNI). I also have heard , that (in Colombia) if you shop around, you can open a bank account without a cedula. This is despite the law saying you need a Visa/cedula to do so in both cases. Is this possible in Argentina , using just a passport to obtain private healthcare insurance and opening a bank account, despite what the “law” says?


    5. My long-term goal is to obtain a visa and DNI for myself and my wife, who is Venezuelan. Based on previous experience in Colombia, and reviewing the Cancilleria de Argentina website, I think a Rentista Visa is my best option. I have come up with the links from their web site below, as well as the pertinent descreta.

    https://www.argentina.gob.ar/.../obtener-una-residencia...

    https://www.argentina.gob.ar/.../disposici%C3%B3n-1732...

    https://www.boletinoficial.gob.ar/.../pri.../287842/20230606

    Does anybody know if there are any other sources (links) which are more up to date or accurate?


    6. Further to above, does anyone know if my wife (common law) can be included as “family” with my Rentista Visa?

    I will be discussing items 5 and 6 in more detail with a lawyer and the Cancillería/migraciones people when I get to Argentina.


    Thank you very much for any advice that can be provided.

    Sorry for my late reply.


    1-2. Definitely bring cash (moreover after the PASO). Not even credit cards can keep up with the surge in the blue rate.


    3. Those trips abroad with the purpose to “reset” the 90 days count are a hit or miss. I did it once and it worked, but it was just to buy me time because I was getting married to a local to make things simpler (spoiler alert: it was a love marriage!).


    4. I got my health insurance with Hospital Italiano with my foreign passport, way before getting married and getting a DNI. They gladly took my money (and weren’t the only ones!)


    5. She is a Mercosur citizen and she can live here easily. You should be sponsored by her!

    I don’t know the procedure for Mercosur immigrants as I was not one.


    6. While common law doesn’t apply here, so common law marriages are not recognized, you can do a Union Convivencial and gets the same immigration benefits of a spouse.