90 day visa

[JeffLiff]

So I did my colonia renewal yesterday, and noticed something:

The stamp they gave me on my passport now says "3 months" instead of "90 days" it said last time. Anyone know anything about this? Is it not a strict 90 days anymore?

 

[Popper]

I have stamps with both - entry stamp from 1/6 says nothing, 5/18 says "TA-3 meses" and 6/28 says "Tourista 90 days". I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Attorney in BA]

All terms in the Immigration law are stated in days, not months.

However, Argentine law (Civil Code, section 25) states that terms of months or years end on the same day the respective month has, regardless of the number of days the months or years have. Thus, a term beginning on the 15th of a month, will end on the 15th of the respective month.

If the month in which the term starts has more days than the month in which in term ends, and if the term runs from one of the days when the first of these months exceeds the second, the term will end on the last day of second month (Civil Code, section 26). Both are free translations, if in doubt, check the original in Spanish (http://www.infoleg.gov.ar/infolegIn...9/109481/texactley340_preliminar_tituloII.htm).

On the other hand, you don't have to do a Colonia Renewal every 90 days. You may renew your tourist visa -only once- staying in Argentina. Thus, you could stay up to 180 days without leaving the country.

If you have any further doubts, you may contact us at www.fandinoabogados.com or by email at [email protected]

 

[jla2117]

hi all. since we're on the topic... can someone clarify whether, after 180 days as a tourist in argentina, one can leave the country and then re-enter for, technically, another 180 days?

thanks very much in advance.

 

[Popper]

I'm not familiar with a 180-day visa, but with a tourist visa you can leave before the term of the visa and re-enter to obtain a new visa. Are you a US passport holder?

 

[erindanelle]

I think the 180 days that Attorney in BA was referring to is 90days on a tourist visa plus 90 days after paying to reissue it and not leave the country. If you leave during that time, your new tourist visa will be valid of the date you re-enter the country, and only for 90days/3months.

I was under the impression that you can pay to renew the tourist visa every 2nd time. Or at least never twice in a row. You have to alternate paying, and actually doing the colonia/country of choice visa run.

 

[syngirl]

Legally in most countries one is only allowed to stay for a maximum of 180 days out of every 365 days on a tourist visa -- ie you're only allowed a maximum of 6 months out of every year. As far as I know there are no "180 day visas", there are only 90 day visas, that can be extended once for a total of 180 days. Then technically you are supposed to exit the country and not enter again until another 180 days have passed. In places such as the UK you get a bunch of stamps in your passport specifically stating the dates you entered and if you try and enter again they will turn you away. Although Argentina stamps your passports, so far I've never come across an agent that has enforced this.

After 180 days your country as well as the other country that you have been staying technically can argue your residency status. ie "Snowbirds" -- Canadians that head to Florida for the winter -- know that they've only got a max of 180 days in the States or they may have to pay taxes as well as have problems the next times they head back in. Also in terms of trying to switch to non-resident status for your home country (and thereby save some taxes) the 180 day rule really has a large say in the opposite direction -- ie you cannot stay more than 180 days in your home country if you have non-Resident status, or you'll suffer by way of your taxation.

Argentina in the past has never cared too much about all this. If Argentina operated the way Canadian or American Border Services act there wouldn't be nearly as many foreigners down here. The official rules in Argentina are the same as other countries, it's just that the border agents don't enforce them. However, perhaps these increases in visa fees are signs that that may change -- but really I doubt it -- I think what's happened is that they've finally clued in that it's a good money-making scheme so more than likely they will allow the continued abuse of the 90 day visas as long as people are happy to pay increased penalties.

 

[Attorney in BA]

I think the 180 days that Attorney in BA was referring to is 90days on a tourist visa plus 90 days after paying to reissue it and not leave the country. If you leave during that time, your new tourist visa will be valid of the date you re-enter the country, and only for 90days/3months.

I was under the impression that you can pay to renew the tourist visa every 2nd time. Or at least never twice in a row. You have to alternate paying, and actually doing the colonia/country of choice visa run.

This is correct and it is what i meant by saying that you can only renew it once.

 

[jantango]

So I did my colonia renewal yesterday, and noticed something:

The stamp they gave me on my passport now says "3 months" instead of "90 days" it said last time. Anyone know anything about this? Is it not a strict 90 days anymore?

My April 2009 entry stamp says 3 months, and my July 16, 2009 entry stamp says 90 days. It depends what the immigration employee decides to stamp/write in a passport.

I have been leaving the country every 90 days for the majority of ten years. Only four or five times have I gone to Migraciones to pay for an extension rather than leaving the country.

I actually enjoy the trip to Colonia and will continue to go there rather than deal with Migraciones.

Maybe if everyone who has "tourist" status left the country every 90 days instead of paying the 300 peso fee, Migraciones might reconsider what they charge. Buquebus costs less.

 

[clucking]

This thread is a bit old, but I came in on May 21 and my flight out (back to the US) is on August 20. There are 91 days in between these two dates. Am I ok or do I need to pay the US$250 fee to bump up my flight one day to August 20th? I am, by the way, living here on a tourist visa for hopefully the next 2 years, so I don't want to get on the bad side of migraciones.