5 Americans rejected at the border yesterday

[steveinbsas]

I did visa runs for over 5 years and know an american who did them for over 10 years!! Sometimes it isn't a case of stupidity but not easily qualifying for a visa..

If and when there is a reform that requires migraciones to apply the law equally, I would not want to be in their shoes.

I didn't move to France in 2006 because I could not quality for a visa to live there year round. Now I'm glad I didn't.

I've run out of sympathy for those who can't qualify for a visa to live year round in Argentina and live here without accepting the responsibility to comply with the laws...as well as those with residency based on foreign incomes who worry about transferring too much money because they don't want to pay the applicable income tax(es)...and apparently don't.

 

[Stantucker]

I did visa runs for over 5 years and know an american who did them for over 10 years!! Sometimes it isn't a case of stupidity but not easily qualifying for a visa.

I'm relieved to have a DNI and no longer have a pit in my stomach every time I go through immigration, but the "crackdown" never seemed to happen. I agree with others here that it seems highly dependent on the individual officer.

BC2 has claimed that Macri instituted some racist and islamic-facist policies here. I forget exactly what he was referring to, but BC2 seems to be the law expert.

You mean the law that allows the govt to deport immigrants that have committed a serious crime? You're calling that racist? I know the case is always cited of the Peruvian woman that was selling drugs and deported, separating her from her children. This woman was selling drugs to school children, no less. She could have taken her children back to Peru with her, or if she was really concerned about not being separate from her children, she shouldn't have been selling drugs in the first place. But I guess there shouldn't be any limits, even selling drugs to school kids. And your're also calling racist the law that allows the police to stop anyone and ask for their ID? I don't have any problem with the police asking me for ID at any time or place, because I have absolutely nothing to hide.

 

[semigoodlookin]

It is whtat it is. I also did the visa run for many years with no problem, although it started to get a little more uncomfortable towards the end. If you're doing it that the risk will always be there. And I agree, the clamp down that some people have been promising for as long as I have lived in Argentina (10 years) has never come. We've always had these stories happen every so often and I don't see the frequency increasing. Still, for those who are doing the visa run tactic, play with fire...

 

[TruchoTango]

Sometimes, being here without legal residency is honest.

It took me a year to "comply" with the requirements for my residencia. I put "comply" in quotations because Migrations changed the requirements twice during my first year attempting. Plus, they didn't understand the source of my income. I had to explain to them over and over again that I understood they would like to see a rental apartment with a rental contract, like other residencia rentistas. But mine was even harder to sell than an apartment and so the source of income was even more secure.

I tried my darndest for a year to get compliant. I turned in every document as soon as I could.

 

[Weyland]

You mean the law that allows the govt to deport immigrants that have committed a serious crime? You're calling that racist? I know the case is always cited of the Peruvian woman that was selling drugs and deported, separating her from her children. This woman was selling drugs to school children, no less. She could have taken her children back to Peru with her, or if she was really concerned about not being separate from her children, she shouldn't have been selling drugs in the first place. But I guess there shouldn't be any limits, even selling drugs to school kids. And your're also calling racist the law that allows the police to stop anyone and ask for their ID? I don't have any problem with the police asking me for ID at any time or place, because I have absolutely nothing to hide.

Just quoting BC2. He is an expert on Argentine law, which I am not.

 

[Stantucker]

If and when there is a reform that requires migraciones to apply the law equally, I would not want to be in their shoes.

I didn't move to France in 2006 because I could not quality for a visa to live there year round. Now I'm glad I didn't.

I've run out of sympathy for those who can't qualify for a visa to live year round in Argentina and live here without accepting the responsibility to comply with the laws...as well as those with residency based on foreign incomes who worry about transferring too much money because they don't want to pay the applicable income tax(es)...and apparently don't.

Steve, I agree with what you've said, but what about those of us who have residency here and have not been paying taxes on our worldwide assets? The way I understand it that law has been on the books for years, even though it hasn't been enforced (and let me add that I pay taxes every year on the assets I have here through an accountant). Aren't we just as guilty of not wanting to abide by the law and pay our fair share as those who don't want to pay income taxes here on foreign income? If the govt comes asking for us to pay taxes on those worldwide assets, are we going to be willing to do that?

 

[jblaze5779]

If the gov asks me to pay taxes on my worldwide assets I'll be on the first plane back to the states and the gov can deal with losing the 35% of my salary they already take.

 

[Anna3313]

Thanks for sharing Bajo. As somebody wanting to become a permanent resident do you think it's smart to begin the process now? Or do you believe the government will change the regulations soon? The problem I've faced over the years is that each time I was ready the process changed or additional paperwork was needed. I had to go back to my home country many times for the death and illness of relatives which caused my background check to be void and unusable. This coming year when I return to Buenos Aires I plan on staying for good but want to do it the legal way. I'm just a bit afraid to begin a process if the rules will change again and require different documents, or perhaps certain types of Visas won't exist anymore (i.e. Rentista). Do you see the path to residency via rentista remaining a stable option? I would go straight for citizenship but I don't have $6000 to put towards it and likely won't for many more years of saving. I was living off of my savings account while living in Buenos Aires so I won't be able to give that much money to start a citizenship process this year but could likely set-up to apply for the rentista visa while home in the States. I appreciate your constant advice here.

And, Steve, while I see where you're coming from...the situation is not as simple as, "you're not fortunate to fit into a VISA category...too bad." Sometimes even trying to file the paperwork, having it lost, having to redo it, spending all your money on things like this...let's just say it's not for lack of trying that I'm not legal here. And some of that does have to do with the way the laws and rules are implemented. Some folks have zero problems when applying for their residency/citizenship. That has not been the case for me. It's also devastating how many people asked to help me and then fell back on their offers. So, my road to Argentina has not been easy but it's one I don't regret because Buenos Aires feels like home to me and I intend to make it my home just as soon as I can get a solid footing on how to go about it.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

It is whtat it is. I also did the visa run for many years with no problem, although it started to get a little more uncomfortable towards the end. If you're doing it that the risk will always be there. And I agree, the clamp down that some people have been promising for as long as I have lived in Argentina (10 years) has never come. We've always had these stories happen every so often and I don't see the frequency increasing. Still, for those who are doing the visa run tactic, play with fire...

It is not a tactic, the visa run is a mistake.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

Steve, I agree with what you've said, but what about those of us who have residency here and have not been paying taxes on our worldwide assets? The way I understand it that law has been on the books for years, even though it hasn't been enforced (and let me add that I pay taxes every year on the assets I have here through an accountant). Aren't we just as guilty of not wanting to abide by the law and pay our fair share as those who don't want to pay income taxes here on foreign income? If the govt comes asking for us to pay taxes on those worldwide assets, are we going to be willing to do that?

If you pay all the taxes here, you probably have to pay about 110%.