[Paisleychick-lj] Let the bureaucracy begin

[Beatrice M's blog]

[![][1]][2]   
[AFIP offices][3]   
Originally uploaded by [blmurch][4]. 

We found a couple of good websites with step-by-step instructions on starting businesses here in Argentina. [One from India][5] and another from a website called ["Doing Business".][6] We also have two books in Spanish about how to start a Sociedad Responsabilidad Limitada (SRL) and a Sociedad Anonimo (SA), so we're not just going off of random, but very informative websites. We have also talked with a Notary and an Accountant here.   
  
On Monday we found our local AFIP office to obtain our CDIs. AFIP is the tax office (Administración Federal de Ingresos Públicos) and a CDI is an identification number (Clave de Identificación). [The AFIP website][7] doesn't list all the local branches - just the four main ones here in Capital Federal. It is not until you look for [how to apply for a CDI][8] that you are prompted to enter in your street here in town that it tells you which branch you need to show up at. In our case it was Agencia 41. Personally, I think there should be a page listing all the branches with a search box to enter in your street to find the branch appropriate for you.  
  
On Tuesday, Kragen went to Inspección General de Justicia (IGJ) to reserve the name of the company. We now have thirty days to make an application to start the business. On Wednesday morning we met up with an accountant referred to us by friends who have their own SA. Unfortunately, a crucial bit of information was misunderstood when Kragen made the appointment. They are in San Isidro, a suburb, north of the city, not in the city itself.   
  
We got up early this morning and walked in the brisk morning air to the nearby train station. There was a long line (we were probably around twentieth or so), which I got in to buy tickets. The train came before we got very far, so I suggested we get on the train, so not to be late for the meeting downtown and just pay when we get off. We disembarked at Ministro Caranza to transfer to the D line of the subte to get us downtown and the ticket collectors were not happy that we didn't have tickets. We paid a fine of eight pesos each and they gave us receipts. We finally arrived to what we thought was the right street around 9:10, a little late for our 9:00 appointment, but not too bad. We couldn't find the right number. The buildings skipped it. We called the office to make sure we had the right address and found out much to our chagrin that we were in the wrong town! When Kragen got the directions earlier he thought that Alem en San Isidro was the intersection, not the street in a different city. Ooops. Ahh language barriers, how I love you.... not  
  
Once we figured out our mistake and apologized for our probable arrival around 10:30, we hoped on a bus to Retiro train station. We then hopped on the Tigre train and disembarked this one in San Isidro. We arrived around 10:15 and finally met up with the accountant, who suggested we start a SA instead of a SRL for tax reasons. We now have many more steps to take, including finding the right Argentine person with whom to partner up on this with. But, the process is started and soon enough we will be fully legal and able to work "en blanco". I never thought we'd be starting a business, but I guess my years of administrative work will come in handy, even though this is so very different, I know how to push paper around and get things done. Kragen can contract code and I'll keep the paperwork in order.  


   [1]: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2099/2401546015_4c39139288_m.jpg
   [2]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/2401546015/ (photo sharing)
   [3]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/2401546015/
   [4]: http://www.flickr.com/people/blmurch/
   [5]: http://demotemp279.nic.in/trade/international_tpp_lac_23_argentina.asp
   [6]: http://www.doingbusiness.org/ExploreTopics/StartingBusiness/Details.aspx?economyid=9
   [7]: http://www.afip.gov.ar/
   [8]: http://www.afip.gov.ar/genericos/guiaDeTramites/categoria_list_detail.aspx?id_padre=637

URL: http://paisleychick.livejournal.com/337147.html