| Argentina |
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Useful information |
| Arriving at the country |
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Most countries get a 90-day stay permit and don’t need a visa, just a current passport. Neighbor countries need an ID only. If you need to stay over 90 days you should go to the Immigration office (Av Antartida Argentina 1355, Capital federal. Telephone number: 4311-3514/7695)
You can bring domestic animals with the necessary documentation and vaccination. But, no plants, fruits, vegetables or perishable foods are allowed (marmalade, fresh produce, etc).
If you are bringing your car or renting one you need a valid international drivers license. |
| Extending Visa |
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One option is to cross the border at least 24 hours to get a new stamp at your passport.
Also yYou are allowed to extend your visa with another 90 days. You can do that at any immigration office. For adresses see this site http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/ Click at ' Delegaciones' in the menu on the left. A map with all delegations will be shown. You can click on any to see one nearby where you stay, there are a lot. Price level of extending is 300 pesos in 2010. You can extend only once. |
| Bank and Commercial hours
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Regular banking hours are Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Regular store hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Shopping malls and certain supermarket chains are open every day 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. On certain main streets of the city you will also find stores open on Saturday afternoon. In the interior of the country, people are used to doing siesta, so stores are closed between 1:30 and 4 p.m.
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| Electricity |
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Argentina uses a 220 Voltage, 50 Hz
and has standarised on type I sockets
and plugs.
Type C plugs and power points are still commonly
found in older buildings. |
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| Credit Cards |
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You can charge your purchases in most stores, bars and restaurants in the city, with any of the most important credit cards. Keep in mind that in some cases a 10 to 20% overprice might occur, over cash prices.
American Express, Ph: 4312-1661
Visa, Ph: 4379-3333
Diners, Ph: 4765-2200
Mastercard, Ph: 4331-2555 |
| Taxes |
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All purchases or consumptions are charged a 21% tax called I.V.A. (a type of sales tax) and in some cases tourists can get a refund for it when leaving the country |
| National Holidays |
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January 1st: New Year’s Day
April 21st: Good Friday
May 1st: Labor Day
May 25th: First Patriotic Government
June 10th: National Sovereignty
Day
June 20th: Flag Day
July 9th: Independence
Day
August 17th: Anniversary of the death of General Jose de San Martín
October 12th: Columbus Day
December 8th: Immaculate Conception Day
December 25Th: Christmas Day |
| Language |
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Although Argentina's official language is Spanish, Argentinian Spanish is different from the Spanish spoken in Spain. In some ways it sounds more like Italian than Spanish. There are also many other languages spoken in Argentina, including Italian, German, English and French. Indigenous languages that are spoken today include Tehuelche, Guarani and Quechua. |
| Currency |
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The legal currency is the Peso. It is used the symbol $
and when referring to US dollar, you will find u$s .
there are coins and paper money,
from 5 cents to 100 $ . see them here |
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| Telephone Cards |
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You can purchase telephone cards of different values according on the call you have to make, in many kiosks, magazine and street stands.
You can use the card from pay phones or home phones, for you don’t have to slide it in the phone. You have to call a free number that appears on the card.
Most operators speak Spanish, Portuguese or English. Calls are cheaper using this system. |
| Meals |
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Although there is no exact meal schedule in Argentina, breakfast is usually taken during the mid-morning hours, and is small, usually consisting of coffee or tea, possibly accompanied by toast or pastries. The lunch hour starts around noon or 1:00pm, and is generally a large meal. Dinner starts at about 9:00pm at the earliest, and oftentimes much later, and is also a large meal. |
| Buenos Aires |
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General information |
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The city of Buenos Aires is characterized as having a strong European influence, which is reflected not only in the city´s architectural design (very clearly European), but also in the composition of the population, the majority being of Spanish or Italian descent. Buenos Aires is a great metropolis (population around 11 million) characterized by the presence of the river and the port. The city has intense cultural and nightlife, and is a large commercial and business center. |
| Climate |
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The four seasons are clearly distinguished in Buenos Aires. In the winter season (June to September), the temperatures do not usually go below 0º C, maintaining an average of 8-10º C. In the summer months (December to March), the temperature is rarely higher than 32º C, maintaining an average of 27º C. The spring (September to December) and fall (March to June) usually have average temperatures between 18° C and 20° C. |
| Kiosks |
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In addition to the option of Telecentros and Locutorios mentioned above, there are also several cyber-cafes in Buenos Aires |
| Telephone centers and cards |
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Small public telephone centers are found throughout the city and are called “Locutorios” or “Telecentros.” These businesses offer services including use of phone booths from which you can make local or international calls, fax service, oftentimes mail services, and in some cases internet access, generally at a minimum cost of about $1.00 per hour. Visitors can obtain pre-paid telephone cards which can be used to pay for calls made from public phones found in Telecentros, Locutorios, and kiosks, or pay phones located in the streets. |
| Kiosks |
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Dispersed throughout the city, you will find hundreds of “kioskos.” These are small shops which sell cigarettes, snacks, and beverages, as well as selected useful products such as aspirin, personal hygiene products, etc. Here you will be able to find these useful products, conveniently available to purchase on the run. The majority of the kiosks remain open late into the night, and some are open 24 hours. |
| Laundry |
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There are several laundromats located throughout the city. Most of these offer self service washing machines as well as “valet service,” which costs around $6 per large bag of clothing. With this service, you can leave your laundry, and the “lavandería” will wash, dry, and fold it for you. You can pass by later that day or when it is convenient for you to pick up your laundry. Many lavanderías can also deliver your laundry to the place where you are staying. |
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