Has anyone had to show their DNI or Passport while shopping at the Grocery Store in Buenos Aires?

[Aussieland]

Aussieland has lived in Buenos Aires a long time but never have I ever had to show my real ID. I like my anonymity and although I always get asked for my DNI # I always just give them a fake ID number. But today while shopping for groceries at Carrefour at Paseo al Corta shopping mall, they made me show a copy of my passport. I didn't have it on me. All I had was my DNI but I didn't want to enter the system and have them track my DNI number. They already rang up all my groceries and I had an entire shopping cart full. I was going to leave but I waited in line for a while and didn't want to go through all of that hassle.

I told them I had been shopping there for many years and never got asked for this but they said it's a new policy. I'm not sure why. I didn't want to show my DNI card at all. My local friends told me they don't dare pay for anything except cash as they tell me Big Brother (and AFIP) are watching to see how much people are spending and are going to track it against stated income on tax returns.

I didn't know what to do but I had my Dropbox app on my phone and I showed them a copy of my passport. They told me they would allow me this time but they said that I always had to have an ID next time if I wanted to use a credit or debit card. This seems really strange and never happened in all my years living in Buenos Aires. What is going on? Am I living in some alternate universe? Is this happening to other people too?

 

[earlyretirement]

Aussieland has lived in Buenos Aires a long time but never have I ever had to show my real ID. I like my anonymity and although I always get asked for my DNI # I always just give them a fake ID number. But today while shopping for groceries at Carrefour at Paseo al Corta shopping mall, they made me show a copy of my passport. I didn't have it on me. All I had was my DNI but I didn't want to enter the system and have them track my DNI number. They already rang up all my groceries and I had an entire shopping cart full. I was going to leave but I waited in line for a while and didn't want to go through all of that hassle.

I told them I had been shopping there for many years and never got asked for this but they said it's a new policy. I'm not sure why. I didn't want to show my DNI card at all. My local friends told me they don't dare pay for anything except cash as they tell me Big Brother (and AFIP) are watching to see how much people are spending and are going to track it against stated income on tax returns.

I didn't know what to do but I had my Dropbox app on my phone and I showed them a copy of my passport. They told me they would allow me this time but they said that I always had to have an ID next time if I wanted to use a credit or debit card. This seems really strange and never happened in all my years living in Buenos Aires. What is going on? Am I living in some alternate universe? Is this happening to other people too?

Yes, this happened to me as well. I was in Carrefour as well. I just posted the receipt in another thread of the receipt. This was last month. They always ask me for my DNI # but I just make up a fake one sometimes. But when they ask for a physical ID, I always carry around an expired California Driver's license. The ID # changes in California when they issue a new one so the # is meaningless. I never tell them I have a DNI and just act like a tourist. That ALWAYS works for me.

I don't think this is a new policy. I get asked for ID on the rare occasion but I almost never do. I've NEVER in any restaurants and I dine out about 3 times a day every day for meals.

 

[Betsy Ross]

NEVER EVER carry around your passport. I see tourists doing this in the supermarket and I shake my head. I don't understand why anyone would want to travel around with your passport. This is a total NO NO. They often times ask for ID but more times than not I don't have to. But good advice of an expired driver's license from the USA or your country. Or even if it's your real ID or license better to carry around with that then a passport which can be a hassle to replace.

I have been asked for ID in Coto on French/Pueyrredon and also on Corrientes. They also asked me in Carrefour that was mentioned above.

 

[Jeep]

Yeppers. It happened to me before. I just show them my ID from back home. Same deal. Expired and use it for everything. Almost no where asks me for an ID when they see I'm a yankee. I also took a photo of my passport (also expired) and keep it on my iPhone and that has always worked.

 

[Avocado]

Probably because of the holidays. Typically there is more fraud this time of year when people are buying presents and food and things for holiday celebrations. So my friend that works at Carrefour told me they are telling the employees to be more careful and check for ID's.

 

[Bobbie Burgers]

I was in Easy/Jumbo today and I noticed something something that I never saw before. I saw a big sign on the wall that says they won't accept a foreign credit card as payment unless you have your passport. I'm not sure if they enforce this or not but the sign is there. Next time I will take a photo and post it.

 

[Nasdaq]

I was in Easy/Jumbo today and I noticed something something that I never saw before. I saw a big sign on the wall that says they won't accept a foreign credit card as payment unless you have your passport. I'm not sure if they enforce this or not but the sign is there. Next time I will take a photo and post it.

Yep I saw this sign last week. Is it new? I never noticed it before. They usually just ask for my DNI # and I make one up. But they did ask to see my ID last week. I just showed them my passport photo on my phone and that was good enough.

 

[Avocado]

I was in Easy/Jumbo today and I noticed something something that I never saw before. I saw a big sign on the wall that says they won't accept a foreign credit card as payment unless you have your passport. I'm not sure if they enforce this or not but the sign is there. Next time I will take a photo and post it.

I don't know if that sign is new but they often times ask me for Identification there. My DH as well.

 

[Spend Thrift]

This Flaming Hot Cheeto has a passport and also I paid about $25 USD extra to also get a US passport card. It's the same size as a driver's license but it serves as official ID as passport as well. I figured if I lost or get this stolen it wouldn't affect my US passport which would be a pain to replace. No one has ever rejected me to use this as an official ID. It literally says USA passport card on it.

Flaming out tip of the day!

Get a Passport Card

Compare the U.S. passport card and passport book so you can decide if you want to apply for one or both documents.

travel.state.gov

 

[McDonald]

This Flaming Hot Cheeto has a passport and also I paid about $25 USD extra to also get a US passport card. It's the same size as a driver's license but it serves as official ID as passport as well. I figured if I lost or get this stolen it wouldn't affect my US passport which would be a pain to replace. No one has ever rejected me to use this as an official ID. It literally says USA passport card on it.

Flaming out tip of the day!

Get a Passport Card

Compare the U.S. passport card and passport book so you can decide if you want to apply for one or both documents.

travel.state.gov

I have a US passport card that I also carry around but it didn't work for me at Western Union. I had to go all the way back to my apartment and get my actual passport so take note it won't work at Western Union.

 

[VINO]

It happens to me and I just show my driver's license. I don't think it's a big deal. In the USA many places check your ID when you buy stuff. I'm not sure what the big deal is at all. They are only doing their jobs. No big deal.

 

[James Bond]

I was in the Jumbo on Cerviño / Bullrich yesterday and for the first time they made me open my backpack when I went into the store. It was from the stores rent a copy security guard. That has never happened to me before. I noticed the same thing at the supermarket. Is this a new trend for gringos? I have never had it happen in all my years living in BA.

 

[StatusNomadicus]

they said that I always had to have an ID next time if I wanted to use a credit or debit card.

i've only been asked this at Carrefour Market (big ones), and the weirdo employees at the Chino markets (which i avoid because they're 95% rude and don't speak Spanish)

but yes, i have left items on their desk twice now in 3 weeks, because they want to see the physical passport. my passport is being renewed at the US Embassy (stupid rule where they take your old one, illegally, unlike any other embassy), so i literally can't show it. but even showing a photo, color copy, several other cards, other photo IDs, doesn't work. Carrefour Market has some weird rules. and Chinos are just stupid and probably think you're going to Dispute Transaction or something. they always make me sign the receipt and write my passport # even though no one else does, and there is no line to sign. did i mention i despise the chinese supermarkets?

 

[StatusNomadicus]

They are only doing their jobs. No big deal.

right, but we are asking because it's new. as in, in the past week, new.

 

[StatusNomadicus]

NEVER EVER carry around your passport

just heads-up some stores will refuse you. happened twice to me this week, no matter what other stuff i showed them.

 

[Uncle Wong]

i've only been asked this at Carrefour Market (big ones), and the weirdo employees at the Chino markets (which i avoid because they're 95% rude and don't speak Spanish)

but yes, i have left items on their desk twice now in 3 weeks, because they want to see the physical passport. my passport is being renewed at the US Embassy (stupid rule where they take your old one, illegally, unlike any other embassy), so i literally can't show it. but even showing a photo, color copy, several other cards, other photo IDs, doesn't work. Carrefour Market has some weird rules. and Chinos are just stupid and probably think you're going to Dispute Transaction or something. they always make me sign the receipt and write my passport # even though no one else does, and there is no line to sign. did i mention i despise the chinese supermarkets?

I don't find the Chinese markets are rude. Quite the contrary, I've been in many in different neighborhoods (what's the deal by the way, are they all different owners). I see them all over the place. But they are always friendly to me. I speak Chinese and Spanish and have spoken to some in both. True they aren't all smiles but I've found no one really is all smiles in Buenos Aires right now. People mostly feel stressed out which I don't blame them.

I"m not sure about the issue signing the receipt. I have to do this in many places including all over the USA. I just write down any #.

right, but we are asking because it's new. as in, in the past week, new.

just heads-up some stores will refuse you. happened twice to me this week, no matter what other stuff i showed them.

Yes I asked some people I met that have lived here a long time and the requiring the actual passport seems to be new as of the past 2 weeks. I'm not sure what has changed or why they care? Is there some increased fraud or chargebacks? There must be some reason for this? @StatusNomadicus will they allow you to use a USA driver's license? I do this and so far they have all let me do it.

 

[Pink Panther]

just heads-up some stores will refuse you. happened twice to me this week, no matter what other stuff i showed them.

right, but we are asking because it's new. as in, in the past week, new.

Yes I have only been forced on this the past week. I have been here many years and never had to show my actual passport. I finally in one store showed my DNI as I had things on the counter. But I wrote in a fake DNI # when they asked. Lucky the people behind the counter are very lazy.

 

[StatusNomadicus]

the requiring the actual passport seems to be new as of the past 2 weeks

yep, which is why this thread was created i'm not sure if this is a language barrier, but when you say "I"m not sure about the issue signing the receipt. I have to do this in many places including all over the USA. I just write down any #"

in response to my "they always make me sign the receipt and write my passport # even though no one else does, and there is no line to sign"

...my point was that signing isn't required. there's no line to sign. there's no requirement stated on the receipt 'i agree to pay' like in the USA. that's why i'm saying it's stupid; it's prima-facie unnecessary, and the tiendas chinas have 100% of my 8 visits required me to sign somewhere on the receipt, and write my passport number, and check my driver license and passport copy (some reject the copy, and want the original, which is stupid. they just say documento! documento! louder and louder, and most of them don't speak much Spanish). i'm a big fan of assimilation if you're coming to another country...which every single employee i have met has failed to do

you speak Mandarin and maybe blend-in a little bit more than a latino or gringo, and you're not surprised that they treat you better?

my point is that they do things differently, unnecessarily, and are much more rude about requiring a physical passport. the cashier at Carrefour Market apologized to me. the tiendas chinas just say "documento, documento" in louder voices and then act like you ruined their night by patronizing their business. i think the reason for signing is they are stupid and ill-informed. did i mention their customer service is the worst i've seen in a month of Buenos Aires?

 

[Spend Thrift]

yep, which is why this thread was created i'm not sure if this is a language barrier, but when you say "I"m not sure about the issue signing the receipt. I have to do this in many places including all over the USA. I just write down any #"

in response to my "they always make me sign the receipt and write my passport # even though no one else does, and there is no line to sign"

...my point was that signing isn't required. there's no line to sign. there's no requirement stated on the receipt 'i agree to pay' like in the USA. that's why i'm saying it's stupid; it's prima-facie unnecessary, and the tiendas chinas have 100% of my 8 visits required me to sign somewhere on the receipt, and write my passport number, and check my driver license and passport copy (some reject the copy, and want the original, which is stupid. they just say documento! documento! louder and louder, and most of them don't speak much Spanish). i'm a big fan of assimilation if you're coming to another country...which every single employee i have met has failed to do

you speak Mandarin and maybe blend-in a little bit more than a latino or gringo, and you're not surprised that they treat you better?

my point is that they do things differently, unnecessarily, and are much more rude about requiring a physical passport. the cashier at Carrefour Market apologized to me. the tiendas chinas just say "documento, documento" in louder voices and then act like you ruined their night by patronizing their business. i think the reason for signing is they are stupid and ill-informed. did i mention their customer service is the worst i've seen in a month of Buenos Aires?

In many countries no common sense. They just want to follow procedure. I used to do business in many foreign countries and as long as they see some rubber stamp on it or some writing they assume it will be ok. Once in Asia I just made my own rubber stamp and stamped it the same color as some documents and I never had issues.

I don't speak Spanish but I go into these Chinese corner markets and they seem as emotionless as any other Carrefour Express. Locals don't seem too friendly compared to other Latin American countries I have frequented. But that may be due to the piss poor economy. Who can blame them?

 

[StatusNomadicus]

Locals don't seem too friendly compared to other Latin American countries I have frequented. But that may be due to the piss poor economy. Who can blame them?

yeah, true, but i have had some people (once a week) ask where i'm from, etc., and help me when i'm trying to get cash-back unsuccessfully. the chinese tiendas 90% of the time can't even pronounce the word "Argentina" correctly, without a hard "G" - how long have they been living here and using the society, without even learning how to say Argentina in Spanish?

and if the locals hate the economy, but they voted for Massa like over half did in CABA, i'd blame...well...them