Hello all! Given how possibly complicated / expensive / uncertain the procedure of paying a fine in EZE is, would anyone recommend taking a weekend trip to Uruguay to exit and renew one's visa? My situation is that my flight in mid-January leaves 2 or 3 days after the 90 day window lapses. I've also read that I can get the visa renewed in-country, but that might also be quite the hassle as well.
Ironically, expats continue to make "visa runs" to Uruguay and Chile to avoid overstaying their 90 day tourist permit because they think it keeps them "legal" or "legit" with migraciones, unaware that "abuse" of the tourist visa is a "crime" that can be grounds to prevent thier reentry while overstaying the tourist permit is not actually considered a crime.
An Argentine lawyer who specializes in citizenship for extranjeros has repeatedly advised those who ask the question about the visa runs to "overstay" instead of leaving the country to get a new tourist permit. He has made it clear that is is better to overstay and pay the (now $12.5000 peso) fine than make a "visa run" which may have less than the desired result.
Going to Ururguay to get a
new visa does not kep you "legal" in the eyes of Argentine immigration, even if they actually give you a
new visa when you return. You are not
renewing your first 90 day permit. Whatever happens depends on the individual official at the point of entry,
If you make a "weekend" trip" to Uruguay but return before your previous permit has expired, you may not receive a new permit. In that case, you would only have however much time is left on the original permit before you are in an overstay status.
If you leave on the last day of your current permit, and return the next day, it will look "obvious" to the border official that you are "abusing the toursit visa" and, althought it is unlikely that you
would be denied reentry, you
could be denied reentry. It haas happened to others on thier first visa run.
Geting a 90 day extension at migraciones is cheaper than paying the overstay fine: It is not difficult, and it can be done in a lot less time than a weekend trip to Uruguay, but it will take more time than paying the fine at the airport.
If I was in your situation I would pay the fine at the airport, unless I never planned on returning to Argentina. In that case, I would refuse to pay the fine. I would just say no and go.