clamping down on perma-tourists

[EliA]

Any updated information on what the overstay fee is these days? I believe it used to be $300 pesos but someone mentioned in a thread at some point that it might be going up.

My current visa expires in February and since I don't plan on leaving Argentina until I go back to the states I'm tempted to let it.

Alternately, any news on the renewal fee going up as well? My roommate won't have the luxury of an expired visa and will have to renew si o si.

 

[steveinbsas]

Any updated information on what the overstay fee is these days? I believe it used to be $300 pesos but someone mentioned in a thread at some point that it might be going up.

My current visa expires in February and since I don't plan on leaving Argentina until I go back to the states I'm tempted to let it.

Alternately, any news on the renewal fee going up as well? My roommate won't have the luxury of an expired visa and will have to renew si o si.

The overstay fine and the 90 day extension fee are both $300 pesos.

These are the latest figures and, as both were raised significantly last year, I doubt they will increase again in the near future.

 

[EliA]

Dumb question alert: if I overstay my visa by more than 90 days, do I get charged the overstay fee twice upon exiting? Just trying to cover my bases here.

And to everyone who thinks we should all be law-abiding citizens (a group I am 98% of the time a part of), sorry, I am probably going to break this law. But I work for a U.S. company and spend all my dollars here and am in no way a drain on the Argentine system so please don't berate me!

 

[steveinbsas]

Dumb question alert: if I overstay my visa by more than 90 days, do I get charged the overstay fee twice upon exiting?

No, you won't.

 

[mini]

And to everyone who thinks we should all be law-abiding citizens (a group I am 98% of the time a part of), sorry, I am probably going to break this law. But I work for a U.S. company and spend all my dollars here and am in no way a drain on the Argentine system so please don't berate me!

I think you are breaking more that one law; over staying at this point is just "one more". So who cares!?

 

[ReemsterCARP]

The problem is that many expats will simply break some migration laws because everybody tells them that is not such a big deal because there is little enforcement of the laws. Although, especially in Latin America there's always a difference between theory (the law itself) and practice (its application), practices can change! Whatever sparked the government's interested in tightening the enforcement of migration laws: deal with it!

Some feel that, because they're spending loads of money there, the Argentine government shouldn't complain about them breaking the law. That's very arrogant and disrespectful towards Argentine law. The whole reason why this country is functioning so badly is because nobody cares about the rules which result in all the daily annoyances and CRIME/INSECURITY that both Argentines and expats have to put up with.

I was looking for the exact document stating rules about the amount of days a "tourist" can spend on a yearly basis in Argentina (regardless of the tourist-visa), but couldn't find it. I'm sure there is such a document because I read about it when applying for my student visa a few years ago.

 

[citygirl]

Reemster - if you do find the doc, I would be interested in reading it.

I have read several times on here that legally, one can only be here 6 months out of 12 on a tourist visa. However, I have never seen the document clearly spelling that out. And since the perma-tourists who leave the country every 90 days and return and/or get a renwal are stamped in/out by migraciones, I would hazard a guess that they could not do it if it were a direct violation of the law. But it's Argentina so I could be wrong

 

[steveinbsas]

I was looking for the exact document stating rules about the amount of days a "tourist" can spend on a yearly basis in Argentina (regardless of the tourist-visa), but couldn't find it. I'm sure there is such a document because I read about it when applying for my student visa a few years ago.

This is the only "official" information I have found so far. It does not quantify the total number of days in a year that one may stay in Argentina with a tourist visa. The "HABILITACION DE SALIDA" is actually what most refer to here as the "overstay fine."


RESIDENTE TRANSITORIO, categoría TURISTA artículo 24 inciso a de la Ley 25.871

Se considerara residente transitorio a todo extranjero que obtenga de la Dirección nacional de Migraciones, una admisión en tal carácter

TURISTA: para descanso o esparcimiento, contando con los recursos suficientes para ello.
Los plazos de admisión son de hasta TRES (3) MESES PRORROGABLES POR OTRO PERIODO SIMILAR

PRORROGA: se puede efectuar en la Dirección Nacional de Migraciones, en el horario de 8 a 14 horas, edificio 4 sector prórrogas, o bien en las delegaciones del interior de país, o bien en los pasos fronterizos habilitados por la DNM.

Requisitos:

• Pasaporte vigente o Cédula de Identidad vigente (países limítrofes).
• Tasa de renovación MERCOSUR: $ 100. NO-MERCOSUR: $ 300
• Residencia transitoria vigente *

*En el supuesto que la vigencia del visado haya expirado, NO PODRÁ PRORROGARSE TAL RESIDENCIA, a fin de hacer abandono del territorio nacional, deberá solicitar una HABILITACIÓN DE SALIDA.

HABILITACION DE SALIDA: la puede tramitar en la Dirección Nacional de Migraciones, en el horario de 8 a 20 horas, edificio 4 sector Dirección General de Movimiento Migratorio, o bien en las delegaciones del interior de país, o bien en los pasos fronterizos habilitados por la DNM.

ATENCIÓN IMPORTANTE: la misma tiene una validez de DIEZ (10) días corridos desde la fecha en que se expide tal Habilitación, durante ese periodo usted deberá hacer abandono del país, si se le venciera ese plazo, deberá solicitar una nueva Habilitación de salida y abonar nuevamente.

Requisitos:

• Pasaporte vigente, cédula de Identidad vigente o Documento Nacional de Identidad vigente de su país de origen, (esto último con los países Brasil, Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Perú, Venezuela, Ecuador y Colombia).
• Tasa de habilitación MERCOSUR: $ 100. NO-MERCOSUR: $ 300

Here is the "complete" immigration law:

http://www.gema.com.ar/ley25871.html

 

[steveinbsas]

Here's more information in English from a govt website:

http://www.argentina.gov.ar/argentina/portal/paginas.dhtml?pagina=1245

It includes the following:

" The maximum permanence time granted by the consular offices is of ninety (90) days, that can be extended only once, for the same period granted before, going to any of the delegations of Dirección Nacional de Migraciones (National Immigration Office), before expiration of the term originally granted. To get an extension of time the corresponding fee has to be paid."

There is no reference to the maximum number of days a foreigner can be in Argentina on a tourist visa in a twelve month period .

 

[objectiveous]

Some feel that, because they're spending loads of money there, the Argentine government shouldn't complain about them breaking the law. That's very arrogant and disrespectful towards Argentine law. The whole reason why this country is functioning so badly is because nobody cares about the rules which result in all the daily annoyances and CRIME/INSECURITY that both Argentines and expats have to put up with.

Equating overstaying a visa with, say institutional corruption or laws preventing murder and theft, is odd, to say the least.

All laws are not equal.