UPDATE: There is no “legal” way to get dollars in Argentina anymore unless you plan to bring up to U$S 10,000 with you on the plane. The best bet for taking advantage of the parallel exchange rate is to use Xoom and transfer money from a US account into the country or use Azimo for those with a UK account. Read our article “Why Using Xoom Is Better Than The ATM” for more info.
UPDATE (1/1/2011): You are no longer able to get USD from Amex though you can still get pesos due to new Argentine regulations. Also, the limit has been lowered to the equivalent of U$S 4000 per month.
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Here’s a great tip for those of you looking to get US dollars in Buenos Aires with no fee or exchange rate issues:
American Express allows Platinum Card and Centurion Card holders (personal or business) to cash a personal check from your US bank at their customer service center at Arenales 707, Buenos Aires. You’ll need to bring the following with you:
- Your American Express card
- Your US passport
- A personal check from a US bank
At their offce, simply head downstairs and get into the shorter line for Platinum card holders. At the window, present your American Express card and passport. You then make out a personal check payable to “American Express” and you’ll receive dollars or pesos in return. There is no fee for this service, so it’s the cheapest way to get cash here. The only restriction is that they have a $5000 $4000 per calendar month limit. You must also sign a form stating that you do not intend to stay in Argentina for more than 12 months from the current date.