FOR THE TLDR GENERATION, SUMMARY: PATIENCE!
I was quickly getting sick of paying an extra 10% for credit card purchases, high ATM fees for cash, and of course the looming knowledge that sooner or later I'd be paying bills here and would need a bank account. So I set off to get my first Argentina Bank Account. The lawyers I was working with said it would be eventually needed anyway for the Rentista Visa I was applying for. They told me I should get a CUIL (Código Único de Identificación LaboralCódigo Único de Identificación Laboral), basically my Argentina Social Security Number.
I obtained my CUIL without appointment easily at an ANSES near me, fairly easy process with the precaria and my passport. I don't know what ANSES stands for, but they are everywhere.
I had a list of banks that were foreigner friendly from my lawyers, but they were all pretty far away in the city center, I live in a suburb a ways off from there. So I decided to try my luck with the branches in my area. These were the same banks, just different branches from some on the list. I visited three banks, the fist Santander was no luck, they were polite but explained without the DNI I wouldn't be able to open an account there. Next was Banco Colombia, same answer but not polite! Finally I visited Banco de La Nacion, a big branch. The employee asked me a lot of questions about the sources of my income, my intentions on how long to stay, etc. I had brought only my passport and CUIL number. But he told me I could send him additional financial documents. All of which I had for the rentista visa I was applying for. I also had a translated letter from a CPA about all my income sources, my lawyer recommended it for the immigration process, it seemed excessive at the time, but I was sure glad to have it when it came to the bank! Patience...
La Nación ended up being a false hope. After asking me for more and more documentation via email, they eventually rejected me because I did not have a dni. So it was back to the drawing board, the next day I set out to visit three Banks. However, I got lucky with the first one! Galicia bank. This also happens to be my girlfriend's bank, so I guess that will be convenient in the future if we both need to go. I dressed a little more formal, which may have helped, but who knows. I brought all my apostle documents which I needed from immigration, they didn't ask me for anything other than my CUIL, precaria, and passport. They looked at my passport probably a million times, but there weren't a lot of questions or anything. Just a lot of waiting, all very polite and professional. I downloaded the application. I did need an Argentina number which I did not have for the phone, but they let me use my girlfriend's number. Patience...
After Galicia told me I had an account my lawyers informed me I should deposit cash into the app for my immigration process. I had no debit card, no account number, just merely a "Welcome to Galicia" email and a verbal discussion at the bank that I'd be able to access all of that stuff... "Soon." "Soon" never came, on my next trip to the bank, they told me it turns out my passport photo was refused, I retook the photos, and then had an account, and account number. I deposited the money as instructed. Roughly $1,200 USD. But I had no debit card still, only the account number. However the money was deposited. I was told I would be able to get my debit card, and the documents needed for the lawyers and process "Friday."
They delivered the card to the wrong address, my first Airbnb, to change my address online I would need the debit card.... Figure that one out. A few phone calls got the card sent to the right place. It still didn't work, a bank trip later and the card worked, but the "token" code to receive international transfers would not work. So I had an account I could only withdraw cash from or deposit cash to, no transfers! Another bank trip... Patience.
I then received an email from Galicia telling me all was well! It was time to activate the token! NOPE! Got an error message 3x trying at home and at the bank. Another visit. From their they eventually set up a call with a more central branch, or technical support, the cloud? I don't know. Whoever it was, they got it up and running. The timeline was well over a month from the first visit to being able to fully use all the features. Patience...
Final Thoughts: Patience. I "opened the account early May and was not able to use it completely until Mid June. Common sense stuff, be polite, don't blame the person behind the counter. All the Galicia staff were excellent with me. I can't imagine not speaking Spanish or whatever the language is of the foreign account you are trying to open, so if you are not fluent, bring someone who is. The whole process sort of goes along with the whole life of being an expat in general. This is not going to function like the United States. The process is much smoother there. My later visits I started bringing a book to read for anticipated wait times. The quickest visit was 30 minutes, the longest was at least 2 hours. All part of the adventure. But finally I had my account, I could start transferring my money from my foreign income, and I could start living! With Patience...
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