A foreign resident who obtained a DNI and opened a Galicia account through their first job reports it has worked well and never needed to switch. They find the home banking and app excellent, ranking Galicia and BBVA as the best options for online banking in Argentina.

An Argentine freelancer receiving payment from a Canadian employer via SWIFT to their Galicia account reported losing 20% of the transfer to intermediary bank fees (3 intermediary banks before Galicia). Other commenters noted that under $3,000/month SWIFT is acceptable, but above that rates become disadvantageous. Wise has withdrawn from Argentina for new accounts. The legally required channel for service exports is via MULC through a bank. Santander was suggested as offering a $0-fee arrangement via Wallbit.

A foreign student new to Buenos Aires needed to pay rent deposit in USD cash but had no local bank account. Multiple locals advised using Western Union to transfer money from abroad and pick up ARS cash, then go to a casa de cambio (exchange house) to convert to USD. One commenter shared their working setup: WU on Cordoba 1591 → Casa de Cambio Rimini on Paraguay 654. ATMs that dispense USD require a local bank account, which non-residents cannot open.

Multiple Reddit commenters recommend Brubank as the fastest way for a foreigner with DNI to open a bank account in Argentina. It is 100% digital, supports both ARS and USD accounts, and cards can be applied for online. Reba and Naranja X were also suggested as virtual alternatives.

An Argentine freelancer reported using PayPal to Prex (Argentinian fintech/prepaid card) to receive USD from Fiverr, then transferring to a bank account with very low commission. Prex AR recently stopped charging fees for PayPal withdrawals. However, other commenters noted this is technically non-compliant with BCRA rules requiring service export income to go through MULC via a traditional bank.

Multiple expats on Expat.com forums report that opening a bank account in Argentina without residency is nearly impossible. Two long-term expats with 18-20 years experience each confirm they never maintained personal Argentine bank accounts, relying entirely on cash and money transfer services. One confirmed they were told directly by banks that residency is required. HSBC was suggested as the only possible option for non-residents but not confirmed to work.

A foreign resident who obtained a DNI and opened accounts at both BBVA and Banco Provincia reports both work fine. They found BBVA's home banking excellent, noting ICBC, Patagonia and Banco Nación are outdated. They mention that every bank must provide a free basic account (caja de ahorro en pesos) with debit card by law.