An Argentine importer pays an overseas supplier through the official foreign exchange market. The importer's bank buys the supplier's currency on its behalf, classifies the payment under the right concept code of the Banco Central de la República Argentina (BCRA) and checks that the conditions in the Exterior y Cambios rules are met, before sending the payment by SWIFT or through a correspondent.
The documents decide the timing. For goods, the key document is the registered customs entry; for services, the contract, the invoice and the date the service was provided. The method decides the protection: a transfer to a trusted supplier, a documentary collection or a letter of credit for higher-risk orders, or the Local Currency Payment System (SML) for trade with Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
| Method | Best for | Main advantage |
|---|---|---|
| International bank transfer | Established suppliers | Familiar and suited to high-value B2B invoices |
| Specialist international payment account | Recurring suppliers in several currencies | Better visibility and currency workflow |
| Documentary collection | Established suppliers where document control matters | Documents released against payment or acceptance |
| Letter of credit | New, large or higher-risk suppliers | Bank payment commitment against compliant documents |
| SML payment | Trade with Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay | Paid in local currencies without a US dollar leg |
| Yuan payment | Chinese suppliers that accept renminbi | Removes the dollar conversion |
| Trade finance | Inventory-heavy importers | Funds deposits, shipments or the stock cycle |
Points to weigh:
The rule that changed importers' planning came in April 2025. Under BCRA Comunicación A 8226, imports of goods with customs entry registered from 14 April 2025 can be paid from the date the entry is registered, with no waiting period. Earlier rules required a waiting period after customs entry before payment.
| Payment | Rule (A 8226 and Exterior y Cambios) |
|---|---|
| Goods with registered customs entry | Payable from the date of registration |
| Sight payments by individuals and MiPyME companies | Allowed for goods shipped from origin from 14 April 2025 |
| Advance payments for capital goods | Up to 30% of FOB value before customs entry; 80% in total including sight payments and trade debt |
| Services from unrelated providers | Payable from the date the service is provided or accrued |
| Services from related parties | Payable 90 calendar days after the service is provided or accrued |
Some tariff positions are excluded from the advance and sight payment rules, and the BCRA continues to adjust the framework: Comunicación A 8481 of 14 September 2026 is the latest update to the consolidated text. Confirm the treatment of each import with your bank's foreign trade desk before committing to payment terms.
Having the documents ready before requesting the payment is what makes the zero-day rule work in practice. The bank checks them against the concept code before buying the currency.
| Payment | Documents usually required |
|---|---|
| Goods after customs entry | Commercial invoice and the registered customs entry |
| Advance or sight payment for goods | Order or contract, pro forma invoice and, for sight payments, shipment evidence |
| Services | Contract, invoice, date of provision and whether the provider is a related party |
| Letter of credit | Application with the agreed documents list, then the supplier's compliant documents |
ICBC's Multipay Comercio Exterior lets importers check customs entries and shipping records online alongside their payments, which shortens this step for frequent importers.
For established suppliers on agreed terms, a bank transfer remains the default. Santander, for example, processes transfers abroad online for all BCRA concept codes; requests received before 13:00 are processed the same day, and the funds reach the beneficiary within 48 to 72 business hours depending on the country.
Measure the full cost: the exchange rate, the commission and any correspondent deduction. A USD 100,000 transfer that arrives short leaves the supplier's ledger open and can hold up the next shipment. Agree in the contract who pays correspondent charges, and use the charge option that lands the invoice in full where the supplier expects it.
Importers paying many suppliers in several currencies can gain visibility and a better currency workflow from a specialist international account or platform. It must work within the Argentine rules: the FX operation is executed through the local market, and the specialist adds coverage, documentation and reporting on top.
Before relying on one, confirm which flows it can carry for an Argentine company and how it interacts with the local bank. Our comparison of cross-border payment providers for Argentine businesses sets out each option.
The protection an importer needs depends on the relationship and the amount. A first USD 500,000 order from a new manufacturer calls for a letter of credit; a regular order from a supplier of several years does not.
| Situation | Suitable method |
|---|---|
| Regular order from an established supplier | Transfer on agreed terms |
| Established supplier, documents must be controlled | Documentary collection |
| First large order from a new manufacturer | Letter of credit |
| Supplier in Brazil, Paraguay or Uruguay | SML or transfer |
BBVA, ICBC and Santander all offer import collections and import letters of credit. ICBC's Multipay Comercio Exterior lets importers request letters of credit and track SWIFT messages and customs entries online.
Where a supplier needs a deposit to start production, stage the payments against milestones rather than paying in full upfront. A common structure is 30% on order and 70% against the bill of lading or an inspection report.
Check how each stage is treated under the BCRA rules before agreeing it. Payments before customs entry are subject to specific conditions, including the 30% cap on advances for capital goods, while the balance after customs entry can be paid from the date of registration.
On a USD 250,000 order with a thin margin, the exchange rate between order and payment can decide whether the import is profitable. Make the currency and timing decision part of the purchase approval, not an afterthought at payment.
The zero-day rule allows payment as soon as goods clear customs, but it does not oblige the importer to pay then. A deposit paid 90 days before the goods are sold is capital tied up in stock, so negotiate supplier credit terms where the relationship allows, and use import finance where it does not.
BBVA and ICBC offer import finance in US dollars. The guide to trade credit for importers and exporters explains how lenders assess import finance.
Email fraud, in which an email that appears to come from the supplier announces new bank details, is one of the largest payment exposures for importers. Payments sent abroad on the importer's instruction are very hard to recover.
Plan each payment from the shipment and customs dates. Know when the goods will ship, when the customs entry will be registered and which documents the bank needs, and prepare the payment so it can be made on the day the rules allow.
| Step | Timing |
|---|---|
| Deposit, where agreed | On order, within the advance payment rules |
| Documents from the supplier | At shipment: invoice, bill of lading, packing list |
| Customs entry registered | On arrival |
| Balance payment | From the date of registration |
The commission is the visible part of the cost. The exchange rate and correspondent charges scale with the payment and usually decide which bank is cheaper.
| Illustration on USD 250,000 | Cost |
|---|---|
| Rate difference of 0.3% | USD 750 per payment |
| Over 12 payments a year | USD 9,000 |
| Correspondent deduction of USD 40 per payment | USD 480 a year |
The figures are arithmetic, not quotes. Ask two banks for a rate and commission on the same amount at the same time, keep the quotes on file and review the main bank's pricing every six months.
Keep each shipment's file together: the FX confirmation, invoice, contract, shipping documents, customs entry, beneficiary verification and internal approvals. It supports the accounts, the tax position and any query from the bank.
Foreign-owned importers often buy goods and services from their own group. Goods follow the same customs-entry rule as any import, but services from related parties can be paid only 90 calendar days after they are provided or accrued, and principal payments on debt owed to related creditors need prior BCRA approval unless an exception in point 3.5.6 applies.
Group purchasing and intercompany invoicing should be planned around these timings. Agree intercompany terms that match the rules, so that invoices do not fall overdue on the group ledger while the Argentine company waits for access.
Helm, the firm's own business account and payments platform, gives importers payout accounts in their suppliers' currencies, conversion through licensed providers and the invoice, bill of lading and customs documents attached to each payment, with balances held by licensed partners. For Argentine importers it sits beside the local bank, which executes the FX market operation under BCRA rules.
It suits importers with regular supplier payments across several countries. The firm's trade payments service sets up the corridors, and our guide to business bank accounts in Argentina compares the banks. For the accounts behind import and export flows more widely, see the guide to business bank accounts for importers and exporters.
A bank transfer is usually the default for established suppliers. Newer or higher-risk relationships call for documentary collections, letters of credit or staged payments.
Yes. For goods with customs entry registered from 14 April 2025, BCRA Comunicación A 8226 allows payment from the date of registration.
In some cases. Advance payments for capital goods are capped at 30% of FOB value before customs entry, and individuals and MiPyME companies may make sight payments for goods shipped from 14 April 2025.
Services from unrelated providers can be paid from the date they are provided or accrued; services from related parties after 90 calendar days.
Not necessarily. The total cost includes the FX rate, the commission, correspondent charges and any deduction by the receiving bank.
Yes, on specific corridors: SML for Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, and yuan payments to China through banks such as Banco Nación.
Yes. Banks such as BBVA and ICBC offer import finance in US dollars, subject to credit approval.
Buckingham Capital Consulting arranges supplier payment routes, foreign exchange and multi-currency accounts for Argentine and Latin American importers through licensed partners, and has obtained payment and e-money licences for firms including Nexpay, Global Send and Dzing Finance since 2013. Its trade payments service plans each importer's payment routes around the BCRA rules and the supplier corridors it uses.
Speak to an expert: WhatsApp +44 7563 115980, Telegram @buckinghamcapital or info@buckinghamcapitalconsulting.co.uk.
This article is general information, reviewed against the regulator’s published requirements on the date shown. It is not legal advice; the regulator’s current publications take precedence.