"Cambio de Categoria" Student Visa to Work Visa: Can anyone help?

[oxente!]

Hi Hi,

I have a temporary residency and a DNI. I was able to get them because I did graduate school here and was able to request residency as a student enrolled in a program lasting 12 months or more.

My residency is set to expire on December 31st, 2010. I have already finished my program so I can´t request a student visa renewal (unless I quickly find a program to enroll in before December -- difficult since my enrollment likely would not be registered until March when most programs officially begin -- the required "constancia de inscripción")

HOWEVER I do work here legally -- my employer will give me a contract but they have never hired anyone that didn´t already have permanent residency so they don´t know anything about it and I have to basicly figure it all out myself.

Does anyone have any experience with changing the CATEGORY of your temporary residency? Especially in this case of changing it to a WORK contract vs STUDENT?

I asked the legal counsel of that my work uses to sign documents, etc and they quoted me 4,000 pesos and said I might need to get a new DNI too!!!! I can understand that I will have to pay 600 pesos (standard renewal fee) but 4,000 seems insane!!!!

Or does anyone have cheaper lawyer contacts that could give me price quote?

Any help on this is much appreciated!!!!

After all the hard work to get my DNI, etc the thought of losing it makes me a little crazy...

 

[steveinbsas]

Did you see this post regarding renewal of a work visa? Before you pay $4000 pesos, I suggest you go to migraciones and ask if it can be done. Also take the list below with you and ask if they require anything else. I think the key factor in your success will be the answer to point number four.

I looked at my DNI and the only change of category I see is from temp to permanent, but even if you have to get another DNI, it isn't very difficult now and costs less than $50 pesos.

Thanks for the info, Alex! I got the visa renewed this morning, so I figured I´d post the full list of what they asked for:

1. Carta de Contunidad Laboral
2. AFIP Constancia de Inscripcion (download from afip.gob.ar with Company´s CUIT)
3. AFIP Aportes (download from afip.gob.ar with employee CUIL)
4. Requirentes - This your employer should have. It is proof that they are registered with Migraciones to hire foreigners.
5. Last 9 pay stubs
6. Antecedentes penales
7. Passport
8. Photocopy of first page of passport
9. 600 pesos

Make sure you go with copies of everything. They will keep the originals of:

1. Carta de Continuidad laboral
2. Antecedentes

They will keep copies of the rest of the list.

 

[oxente!]

Hi Steve,

Yes I saw the previous post but I am not renewing a work visa rather changing the category of my residency to be linked to a work visa instead of a student visa. I can´t renew a work visa because I have never had one.

I am not sure if I need to present all the paperwork for a first time work visa or not since I have residency as well as a DNI.

You´re right -- it might be easier to just go to "informes" at Migraciones and start asking around.

 

[steveinbsas]

Hi Steve,

Yes I saw the previous post but I am not renewing a work visa rather changing the category of my residency to be linked to a work visa instead of a student visa. I can´t renew a work visa because I have never had one.

I am not sure if I need to present all the paperwork for a first time work visa or not since I have residency as well as a DNI.

You´re right -- it might be easier to just go to "informes" at Migraciones and start asking around.

I am aware of what you intend to do. I posted the list because I thought it might help you prepare the papers you need to present to migraciones when you apply for a work visa. Your situation of course is a bit different from someone applying for a visa for the first time. At least migraciones already has a file for you with your birth certificate and other docs that you (hopefully) won't have to provide again.

Actually, I don't think you will be changing the category of your visa. Your current temporary visa will expire unless you renew it as a student and you will need to apply for a new (temporary) visa if you want one based on work. The change in category which can be noted in a DNI refers to the change from temporary to permanent resident status. It remains to be seen if you will really need a new DNI if and when you are granted a work visa.

It is really important to use the appropriate terms when dealing with migraciones. If you ask for a cambio de categoria of your student visa, they might not understand your intent. An individual with a student visa can never receive the cambio de categoria from temporary to permanent resident. It is possible they will tell you that you can't make the cambio you ask for when you actually need a different type of visa.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

The info posted is incomplete.
Take a look at this link:
http://www.argentina.gov.ar/argentina/portal/documentos/visado_trabajadores.pdf

The company that hires you has to be registered at the migration office and you need a lawyer or a gestor for that. They have to be registered at the Migration office.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

Actually, I don't think you will be changing the category of your visa. Your current temporary visa will expire unless you renew it as a student and you will need to apply for a new (temporary) visa if you want one based on work. The change in category which can be noted in a DNI refers to the change from temporary to permanent resident status. It remains to be seen if you will really need a new DNI if and when you are granted a work visa.

It is really important to use the appropriate terms when dealing with migraciones. If you ask for a cambio de categoria of your student visa, they might not understand your intent. An individual with a student visa can never receive the cambio de categoria from temporary to permanent resident. It is possible they will tell you that you can't make the cambio you ask for when you actually need a different type of visa.

This is correct. When you have a student visa it just finishes. When they talk about cambio de categoría this is because to apply for the Argentinian citizenship you need to have 2 years of temporary residence uninterrupted and after that you apply for a permanent residence. After 3 years you can apply for the citizenship or you can stay like that for ever.

 

[natykerouac]

Is this all still correct as of 2014?

 

[Bajo_cero2]

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