Rules about cash in South America

[mikewrit]

Several discussions in our roll call and elsewhere strongly suggest that officials in Argentina particularly insists on payment in cash, notably 10 and 20 bills that must be new. So we have been trying to collect enough fresh 20s to cover all the official mordida. Is this legend accurate? Do customs and airport officials really decline to accept 100 and 50-dollar bills? Do they decline to accept 10 and 20-dollar bills that show any signs of use?

[TracieABD]

If you are talking about the Argentina reciprocity fee, please read this thread...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1709123

 

 

 

And congratulations on 50!:)

[mikewrit]

Thanks for the congrats and for pointing to the discussion. I guess we'll try to pay any reciprocity fees for Chile and Argentina on line and also take a fat roll of new 20s just in case. As several observed in that thread, it is odd that countries would establish policies to undercut tourism. But we do do it as well.

[Traveling Library]

Private tour operators will also take USD. In all cases they took $100 and $50 (we made sure we had exact amounts + tip). As long as the bills are clean, unmarked, and not torn they were accepted. Crisp, folded bills were OK.

Tour guides, even on ships tours, accepted USD tips. Again, folded bills were OK as long as clean, unmarked, and not torn.

[mistycruiser]

Several discussions in our roll call and elsewhere strongly suggest that officials in Argentina particularly insists on payment in cash, notably 10 and 20 bills that must be new. So we have been trying to collect enough fresh 20s to cover all the official mordida. Is this legend accurate? Do customs and airport officials really decline to accept 100 and 50-dollar bills? Do they decline to accept 10 and 20-dollar bills that show any signs of use?

 

We're on all 3 legs for the SA cruise. If I remember correctly you're only on leg 2? So since you're not flying to Argentina, if you look at the info. in the listed link that was referenced previously in this thread, it supposedly doesn't require a payment for a departure flight only an arrival. Since you are joining the cruise in Chile, then whatever Chile requires is all you should need to worry about I believe.

[dr__dawggy]

We're on all 3 legs for the SA cruise. If I remember correctly you're only on leg 2? So since you're not flying to Argentina, if you look at the info. in the listed link that was referenced previously in this thread, it supposedly doesn't require a payment for a departure flight only an arrival. Since you are joining the cruise in Chile, then whatever Chile requires is all you should need to worry about I believe.

 

That information is correct AS OF THIS DATE.

 

The move to require payment on line may well be a step toward requiring payment of the reciprocity fee for all forms of entry into the country--by air, ship, or bus.

 

 

Watch closely for changes as you get closer to your cruise date...

[1982CruzStart]

Our experience earlier this year from Chile north was that anytime you were paying cash the USD bills needed to be crisp and new and they preferred they not even be folded. We did a number of private tours and in every case they asked that US $100 bills not be used. There is a lot of counterfeit $100 bills and they are very reluctant to take them. They accepted $50 bills a little more readily but really wanted crisp clean new bills in denominations of $20 or less. We were told that their banks won't accept anything but the best bills so if they get anything else they can be stuck with them with nowhere to spend them.

 

We paid our reciprocity fee at the Chile airport with a credit card and had no issues.

[ceba]

Several discussions in our roll call and elsewhere strongly suggest that officials in Argentina particularly insists on payment in cash, notably 10 and 20 bills that must be new. So we have been trying to collect enough fresh 20s to cover all the official mordida. Is this legend accurate? Do customs and airport officials really decline to accept 100 and 50-dollar bills? Do they decline to accept 10 and 20-dollar bills that show any signs of use?

 

I was told several times by tour guides that they( the tour guides) wanted new money, so I am taking newer bills. I think they don't like the wrinkled and torn bills. Also I'm not sure you saw the "Recipocity Fee" thread (on the So American ports), but the way you pay the fee at the airport is changing. After the end of December, you need to pay on line using a credit card before you arrive in Argentina. You will not be able to pay at the airport. I don't know when you are traveling, but certainly check out that thread. The website that you need to go to is also posted on the thread! The fee is $160 each!!

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Marked bills are a problem ...

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

You can always get clean cash on a ship ..

[pmacher61]

Private tour operators will also take USD. In all cases they took $100 and $50 (we made sure we had exact amounts + tip). As long as the bills are clean, unmarked, and not torn they were accepted. Crisp, folded bills were OK.

Tour guides, even on ships tours, accepted USD tips. Again, folded bills were OK as long as clean, unmarked, and not torn.

Trust me, Argentine tour operators, merchants, and the man on the street will gladly take USD that are old and dirty of any denomination if you are naive enough to trade them at the official rate of exchange which is now 4.7 pesos versus the informal rate at which USD are commonly traded which is now 6.3.

[rasybanks]

We are taking a 29 day cruise and have booked several private tours that require payment in US $. how does anyone carry several hundreds of $ in cash and not worry about it?

Thanks

[Cosmic Rays]

Very carefully, I guess and use a safe whenever possible!

[pmacher61]

We are taking a 29 day cruise and have booked several private tours that require payment in US $. how does anyone carry several hundreds of $ in cash and not worry about it?

Thanks

I am pretty sure it is against the law in Argentina to insist upon payment for any service or goods contract in USD (or any foreign currency). If the tour operator or vendor refuses plastic, then you should be within your legal rights to insist upon local currency with the peso price calculated at the official rate. If you get resistance you should seek clarification form a trade association or consumer rights group, assuming it isn't too great a hassle.

[rasybanks]

Thanks fo all the advice on carrying cash.

[Fattony]

Trust me, Argentine tour operators, merchants, and the man on the street will gladly take USD that are old and dirty of any denomination if you are naive enough to trade them at the official rate of exchange which is now 4.7 pesos versus the informal rate at which USD are commonly traded which is now 6.3.

 

Not true in every country, however. In Brazil, you would likely end up losing if you tried to use USD. Most local merchants not dealing with U.S. tourists on a daily basis won't even know the exchange rate and don't want USD because they can't necessarily use them at the supermarket, etc. I get Reais from an ATM. I certainly wouldn't walk around with a big roll of 20s many places, but I'm sure OP meant they'd keep the money in the ship safe and retrieve what they need for government fees.

[Architect]

Private tour operators will also take USD. In all cases they took $100 and $50 (we made sure we had exact amounts + tip). As long as the bills are clean, unmarked, and not torn they were accepted. Crisp, folded bills were OK.

Tour guides, even on ships tours, accepted USD tips. Again, folded bills were OK as long as clean, unmarked, and not torn.

 

I was told several times by tour guides that they( the tour guides) wanted new money, so I am taking newer bills. I think they don't like the wrinkled and torn bills.

 

The funny thing is, most counterfeit bills are crisp and new.

And they have much less equipment for distinguishing them from genuine currency than in the U.S.

 

Also I'm not sure you saw the "Reciprocity Fee" thread (on the So American ports), but the way you pay the fee at the airport is changing. After the end of December, you need to pay on line using a credit card before you arrive in Argentina. You will not be able to pay at the airport.

 

It's hard to keep abreast of all of the changing information/requirements.

Few people do as much research as we do, right? How do they travel?!

 

Edit: This last remark is a result of recent research wrt Brazil visas & inoculation req's.