In short: Convert before you leave Guatemala. The published route is a Guatemalan bank: Banrural lists selling US dollar and euro cash, with an active account and, for tourists, a valid passport; Banco Industrial says its 38 Multimoneda and 5 Premium branches give clients foreign-currency cash and that it charges no commission on buying or selling dollars. Neither bank publishes a walk-in route for non-customers to buy dollars. In the US, Wells Fargo says it buys “select” foreign banknotes from its own customers, without listing which, so its FAQ neither confirms nor rules out quetzales. Details as each bank published them on 25 September 2026.
This page is about the trip home: turning quetzales back into dollars. Buying quetzales when you arrive is a different question, answered in banks vs exchange houses in Guatemala, and card and ATM use is in US cards and dollars in Guatemala.
What each bank publishes
| Bank | What it says it does | Requirements it publishes | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banrural (Guatemala) | Sells “Efectivo en moneda dólar y euros”, plus dollar drafts and cashier’s cheques and international transfers | “Cuenta activa de monetarios o de ahorros”; “Si eres Turista presentar pasaporte vigente”; supporting documents for the transaction | 2026-09-25 |
| Banco Industrial (Guatemala) | Quotes buy and sell rates for the main world currencies; at 38 Multimoneda and 5 Premium branches “los clientes pueden obtener las principales divisas del mundo en efectivo” | No commission on buying or selling US dollars; the rate varies during the day; an account holder who cannot attend can send an authorised person with a signed letter and DPI details | 2026-09-25 |
| Wells Fargo (US) | Buys “select foreign currencies (paper currency only; no coins) from Wells Fargo customers” at branches, depending on market conditions | Wells Fargo customer; the FAQ does not list the currencies | 2026-09-25 |
Reading the Guatemalan side carefully. Banrural’s requirement list puts the account first and the passport second; the page does not say whether a tourist without an account can buy dollar cash. Banco Industrial’s wording about Multimoneda branches is clients. We are not converting either page into a promise that a walk-in visitor will be served.
Banco Industrial’s cash policies, in full
Banco Industrial publishes a policy list for foreign-currency cash. The rules as printed:
- No commission is charged for buying or selling US dollars or other currencies.
- The exchange rate varies during the day; official channels to request it are phone, Bi en Línea, WhatsApp, email and branches.
- For cash it buys from foreigners: “no debe exceder US$950.00 mensuales Y US$3,000 al año o su equivalente multimoneda”, with a passport bearing the entry stamp.
- Cash of any currency it buys from clients must be deposited to a Banco Industrial account in quetzales or US dollars.
- It buys cash only in eight currencies: US dollar, euro, Mexican peso, Australian dollar, pound sterling, Canadian dollar, Swiss franc and Japanese yen. No coins of other currencies.
- It re-buys foreign-currency cash it sold up to six months after the original sale, with the original receipt, subject to the condition of the notes at the branch manager’s discretion.
- A dollar cashier’s cheque costs US$5.00 or Q40.00, whatever the amount.
The six-month buy-back is the item in that list that matters for a round trip: if you bought foreign-currency cash from Banco Industrial and did not use it, the policy asks for the original receipt.
The page’s Comunícate al teléfono line is 2411-6024, open Monday to Friday 08:00 to 20:00 and Saturday and Sunday 08:00 to 18:00, as the page lists it.
On the US side
Wells Fargo’s foreign-currency FAQ is the one US bank page we captured. What it says:
- “Depending on foreign currency market conditions, Wells Fargo will purchase select foreign currencies (paper currency only; no coins) from Wells Fargo customers at any Wells Fargo branch.”
- The buy rate (what it pays for your leftover currency) and the sell rate (what it charges) differ, and its rates include costs and the bank’s revenue.
The FAQ does not list which currencies it buys, so it does not confirm or rule out the quetzal. Ask your own bank before counting on it.
Before the airport
- Go to your own bank’s branch while you are still in Guatemala. Both Guatemalan banks’ pages tie dollar cash to being a customer.
- Carry your passport. Banrural asks tourists for a valid passport; Banco Industrial asks foreigners for one with the entry stamp.
- Large amounts: cash of US$10,000 or more (or equivalent) must be declared on the DVE traveller declaration, on the way out as well as in. See the DVE customs declaration.
- Check the rate you are being offered against the day’s reference rate on our USD-GTQ calculator.
We did not capture a published price list or rate sheet for airport exchange desks, so this page does not describe them.
Sources
- Banrural, Compra y Venta de Divisas para Personas —
https://www.banrural.com.gt/site/personas/servicios/comprayventadedivisas, retrieved 2026-09-25. - Banco Industrial, Compraventa de moneda extranjera (Características and Políticas) —
https://www.corporacionbi.com/gt/bancoindustrial/compraventa-de-moneda-extranjera/, retrieved 2026-09-25 in a browser. - Wells Fargo, Foreign Currency Cash Questions —
https://www.wellsfargo.com/help/checking-savings/foreign-currency-faqs/, retrieved 2026-09-25. - Resolution SAT-DSI-1049-2023, Art. 5 (cash declaration of US$10,000 or more) — as cited in our DVE guide.
General information from each bank’s own pages as read on 2026-09-25. Banks change their policies; confirm at the branch. Not financial advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I change quetzales back to US dollars?
The published route is a Guatemalan bank, before you leave the country. Banrural’s personal foreign-exchange page lists US dollar and euro cash among the things it sells, and its requirements are an active checking or savings account, a valid passport for tourists, and supporting documents for the transaction. Banco Industrial says its 38 Multimoneda and 5 Premium branches let clients obtain the main world currencies in cash, and that it charges no commission for buying or selling US dollars. Both pages were read on 25 September 2026.
Do I need a bank account in Guatemala to buy dollars?
On what the two banks publish: Banrural lists an active monetary or savings account among its requirements, with a valid passport for tourists; Banco Industrial’s Multimoneda wording is that clients (los clientes) can obtain foreign-currency cash there. Neither page publishes a separate walk-in route for a non-customer to buy dollar cash, so ask at the branch before you count on one.
Can I exchange quetzales at a US bank?
Wells Fargo’s foreign-currency FAQ says that, depending on market conditions, it will purchase select foreign currencies, paper only and no coins, from Wells Fargo customers at any branch. The FAQ does not say which currencies are on that list, so it does not confirm quetzales either way. It also says the buy rate it pays is different from the sell rate it charges. The quetzal’s exchange-rate math is on our USD-GTQ calculator.
Is there a limit on how many dollars I can take out of Guatemala?
There is no cap in the rule we cite, but there is a declaration: cash of US$10,000 or more, or its equivalent, must be declared on entry and exit in the DVE traveller declaration (SAT Resolution SAT-DSI-1049-2023, Art. 5). Our DVE guide covers the form.
Which foreign currencies will Banco Industrial buy in cash?
Its policy page lists eight: US dollar, euro, Mexican peso, Australian dollar, pound sterling, Canadian dollar, Swiss franc and Japanese yen. It does not buy coins of other currencies. For cash bought from foreigners, it sets a limit of US$950 a month and US$3,000 a year, or the multi-currency equivalent, and asks for a passport with the entry stamp.
