Argentina Residency

[Tinman]

My advice is to contact the local migraciones office in the province where you are and ask them what you'll need exactly.

The requirements can differ from what is listed on the ministerio del interior website and depends on who is working at the office (welcome to Argentina!)

For instance, I got all my US documents apostillized (copy of passport, copy of birth certificate, FBI record and fingerprints) but the Apostilles were not needed when I processed my paperwork in Argentina - I did not go through the Argentine consulate in the US. They told me all they needed was a plain old non-certified copy of my Passport (every page) Birth Certificate, and she just looked at my FBI fingerprint card but didn't require a copy of it. - Of course all these English documents had to be translated to Spanish by a certified translator who is a member of the national school of public translators as specified on the Migraciones website.

The migraciones office I went to required me to get "fiches y antecedentes" (Fingerprints and a background check) from both the Local Provincial Police and the Federal Police. The website only says you need it from the Federal Police. - Ask about this specifically.

Give yourself some time in case they drop some extra 'tramites' into your lap. I took vacation to file for my residency there and thought I came prepared until they told me I needed a few extra things not listed on the Migraciones website - everything worked out fine but it was a real close call.

Suerte,

Tinman

[Thomaso276]

The problem in trying to get it from Arg. is the Criminal History from USA. Birth certificate, etc. You have to present yourself for prints at a local PD. Birth Certificates should not be mailed to Arg. as well, the Appostille Stamps for various civil documents requires mailing in USA. For example, my criminal history had a Apostille from the Sec'y of State for Florida, while my BC had one from NY Sec'y of State.

You can probably accomplish these tasks with the help of a friend in the USA who can mail letters and receive papers on your behalf. The Criminal History is tougher.

There are many posts about this subject.

By the way don't be surprised if the DNI takes longer than 90 days. They were really backed up last year. And I believe Penguin will need a "Antecedentes" - criminal history check - from Policia Federal. I can't remember the address but I posted it in another report - it is around Tucuman or Viamonte the tribunales buildings.

Finally: all foreigner DNI issues are handled at the Ministry of Interior, calle 25 de Mayo around the 100 block. Although there are many other buildings for DNI's they do not handle foreigners. Your DNI booklet will specifically say it is for foreigners.

[Alan23]

enguin,

Fantastic information - thank you! Any insight on how the process would differ (being better or worse) if trying to accomplish if already in Argentina?

Alan

[Penguin]

Disclaimer: this is long and probably not interesting to anybody unless they are seriously considering applying for a "rentista visa" or already started the process.

I just wanted to share my experience in applying and receiving the "Rentista Visa" and hopefully clarify this process to others. While this visa is apparently designed for a Retiree I applied being well under the age of 30. I obviously have no pension or retirement account in the stages of payment. However, I do have some Rental Properties that I rent out in the U. S. Which I managed to use as my income.

I originally contacted ARCA and asked them two questions via email. The first one was how long the process took once I gave them all of the necessary documents. I also asked them if my real estate income would count for the minimum of $2500 pesos /$900 US required each month. They told me it would take 6 weeks once they received all of the documents before I would get my visa and that no, unfortunately my real estate situation would not qualify me. They further went on to tell me that during this six weeks I would be without my passport in the states while my passport was sent from the consulate down to Argentina and then returned back to the consulate I dropped it off in the U. S. The price they wanted to charge me $3000 US to hold my hand through the process. I decided to take this one on alone with my limited Spanish. I later discovered that the information I received from them was completely inaccurate.

I contacted the Consulate in Los Angles and she faxed over the exact requirements in English.

Here is what they asked for:

•A letter from a CPA and Financial Institution stating that I will be receiving $2500 Pesos a month for the next 2 years.

•Original or Certified Copy of my Birth Certificate.

•A letter stating no police record from a local police office or the FBI.

•Signed affidavit of no International Criminal recorded which they give you.

•Application.

•4 headshots with at a specific angle.

Note: No medical record was required, which I actually got anyway but they gave it back and said it was not necessary.

All of these documents need to be translated into Spanish and notarized by a certified translator. After all of this both copies (English and Spanish) need to get an apostle. While all of this sounds really difficult in reality it isn't, and it shouldn't take more then a week to get. The Letter from the bank was the most difficult but luckily I have a good relationship with my bank and they understood the stupidity of this so agreed to write something that apparently was close enough to work.

After I got all of these documents I made an appointment to meet with the consular in LA. My meeting was at 10am and believe it or not I was out of there by 1pm the same day with the visa. I had to pay $300US, take fingerprints, fill out some forms, etc. Obviously it helped that I had all of my documents in order and she actually commented that this was very surprising. I also offered to buy her lunch and explained that I don't have a lot of time so she did me a favor of completing the visa the same day. She said that usually it takes a day or two, but they don't need to send my passport to Argentina or anything like that.

Also, they give me two envelopes to take to Argentina. I was instructed to give one of them to immigration at EZE. And take the other one to and immigration office downtown (calle 25 de Mayo 179?) These are the documents necessary to get a DNI. This building is about 2 blocks from Plaza Del Mayo. I experienced loads of people outside trying to get in but I went straight to the guard with my US passport and he let me enter. From there you go and actually pick up the previous envelope that you already gave to them at EZE. Mine wasn't there yet so he told me to go to a different line to get an appointment for my DNI anyway and then stop back by in a couple of days to see if my first envelope has made its way from EZE. I got my appointment to come back in about 2 weeks to actually submit all of these papers for a DNI.

They told me that when I come back for my DNI I am going to need to bring both envelopes as well as a copy of my passport and a "certifcado de domicilio." Which is very easy to get from your local police station.

So now I am just waiting for my appointment next week to get my DNI. I understand that after I submit all of this info it takes about 2-3 months to actually get the DNI.

I will post a follow up once I get my DNI but I just wanted to get this up there for now so I don't forget the process. I am sure I forgot some critical info or was unclear at some point so please let me know what is missing and I will be happy to update this. I would also say that from my experience ARCA has a lot of misinformation and I would certainly be cautious before paying them $3000 US.

[Hunt99]

Thanks for the tip, Moore. This board has taught me something that I didn't know until today. Ah, the benefits of education. Now perhaps I shall review Exon123's posts about TVs for some more enlightenment.

[El Aleman]

Strad,

It's all on the immigration service's web seite: http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/

Basically, there are 2 possibilities, as an investor if you start and run a business in Argentina, and for retired persons if you have a source of income from outside Argentina of more than $ 2500.

Hope that helps,

Al Alemán

[Moore]

A second passport? The only way you can get a second passport issued is to tell the State Department that the old one was lost. Your new passport will have a new number, and the old one will go on an electronic blacklist. Imagine the problems for a traveler being detained at immigration because of passport problems.

I think the best course is to go through the hassle of getting Argentine permanent residence. Doing it this way has the added benefit of not being illegal.

I was not implying anything illegal.

"Second passports are valid for a period of 2 years and can be extended upon expiration if necessary. Second passports are issued at the State Department's discretion, usually due to one of the following circumstances:

- For US citizen who travels internationally so frequently that, due to time constraints, have difficulty acquiring traveling visas between trips.

- For safety/security reasons. For example, if you travel between Israel and anti Israeli States."

Having 2 passports (same nationality) is apparently allowed in many countries. I have a friend who has 2 German passports. I believe he got his second by telling the authorities that he travelled a lot on business and needed one for business and another for personal use.

I agree that getting the permanent residence is the way to go for someone who plans on residing here full time. But getting it is generally a Huge, Multi-year Pain in the Ass. A big enough Pain in the Ass for many people to say - Fuck That.

[Strad]

How do you obtain it? Buy an apartment or a house? Deposite certain amount of money like in Thailand?

Strad

[Hunt99]

If your plan on doing the Uruguay thing indefinitely and have reason to believe that the AR govt is going to change tourist visa rules, why not get a 2nd US passport? You could alternate passports and therefore only need two 90day stamps per year in each one. So accordging to each single passport, you're not spending more than 180days per year in the country.

A second passport? The only way you can get a second passport issued is to tell the State Department that the old one was lost. Your new passport will have a new number, and the old one will go on an electronic blacklist. Imagine the problems for a traveler being detained at immigration because of passport problems.

I think the best course is to go through the hassle of getting Argentine permanent residence. Doing it this way has the added benefit of not being illegal.

[Moore]

If your plan on doing the Uruguay thing indefinitely and have reason to believe that the AR govt is going to change tourist visa rules, why not get a 2nd US passport? You could alternate passports and therefore only need two 90day stamps per year in each one. So accordging to each single passport, you're not spending more than 180days per year in the country.

[Mpexy]

After I arrived in BA on this long stay trip, I stayed a bit over 2 months before taking a short 6 day trip back to the states, then returned a bit over a week ago into EZE. I plan to do this every two months or so for however long my overall stay lasts.

No problems or issues coming back in, 30 sec cursory glance, check, and stamp when I went through immigration. My passport has a lot of stamps, every page isn't used yet but I have a ton of mainly Europe stamps as I traveled a lot on short trips for business. So unless they're recording the prior entry digitally somewhere, it's possible the guy didn't even see I had a previous tourist entry.

[Jaimito Cartero]

Anyone have anything to share on this topic?

Well, I'd say it might be time to renew the passport!

[El Perro]

A friend dropped by this morning on his way to get his paperwork in order at immigraciones with a tale of just returning from a weekend in Uruguay and being hassled at Jorge Newberry airport immigrations. The agent told him that perpetual renewal of the 90 tourist visa was in for a change, went through his various visa renewals counting up the days of actual use, I. E. Days stayed on each tourist visa and after seeing that each one was near the maximum made a point of telling him he was near the limit of each one. He said it took him 15 minutes to get past the immigration point.

I returned recently, beginning of February, through Ezeiza using a passport so full of Argentina immigration stamps they have search for space to stamp a new one, and no issues at entering.

Anyone have anything to share on this topic?

Thanks for sharing your buddy's story. I can't shed any light, but will be very interested if there are any similar stories out there. I am sure I am one of many who plan to do the Uruguay "thing" for the indefinite future. Maybe this is only a Jorge Newberry phenomenon, or he "lucked" into an asshole with an axe to grind. Let's hope.

[Punter 127]

A friend dropped by this morning on his way to get his paperwork in order at immigraciones with a tale of just returning from a weekend in Uruguay and being hassled at Jorge Newberry airport immigrations. The agent told him that perpetual renewal of the 90 tourist visa was in for a change, went through his various visa renewals counting up the days of actual use, I. E. Days stayed on each tourist visa and after seeing that each one was near the maximum made a point of telling him he was near the limit of each one. He said it took him 15 minutes to get past the immigration point.

I returned recently, beginning of February, through Ezeiza using a passport so full of Argentina immigration stamps they have search for space to stamp a new one, and no issues at entering.

Anyone have anything to share on this topic?

I just returned to BsAs, it's my 8th time to enter the country in 16 months, I had no problems at EZE, but I have only stayed 2 weeks at a time.

[Bacchus9]

A friend dropped by this morning on his way to get his paperwork in order at immigraciones with a tale of just returning from a weekend in Uruguay and being hassled at Jorge Newberry airport immigrations. The agent told him that perpetual renewal of the 90 tourist visa was in for a change, went through his various visa renewals counting up the days of actual use, I. E. Days stayed on each tourist visa and after seeing that each one was near the maximum made a point of telling him he was near the limit of each one. He said it took him 15 minutes to get past the immigration point.

I returned recently, beginning of February, through Ezeiza using a passport so full of Argentina immigration stamps they have search for space to stamp a new one, and no issues at entering.

Anyone have anything to share on this topic?