DNI

[steveinbsas]

Hi, Can anyone tell me if it is possible to obtain a DNI with a tourist visa? Thanks! Steve

 

[Elpanada]

Hi I do think that it is possible but I don't know anything about it really but bear in mind that if you go about doing so that you might be in for a very long wait. I recieved my DNI 7!!! months after I first went to the office. 7 months is an insane time to wait for a document like that and since tourist visas are only valid 3-6 months then your DNI would be expired by the time you got it. You might want to contact people such as the people at http://www.argentinaresidency.com/ for advice on getting a DNI, but I honestly have no idea if they can help you out any or not. Best of luck either way

 

[realba]

no, you can't get a dni without a legal work/rentista/pensionista/representante/estudantil visa. and any visa you have must be valid for over a year to qualify for a dni. the dni is a local, argentine document so why would they give it out to a tourist who's not living legally in the country?

7 months is a pretty typical wait. i was lucky and got mine after 3, but god knows how hand writing a couple of lines in a crappy little mini-passport type document could take more than a couple of weeks.

ARCA (the link posted by elpanada) is an obscenely expensive company that charges around us$3-4000 to do the work any decent immigration lawyer can do for us$1000-1500. they'll get the job done but they'll also cost you a year of hard currency living in argentina. avoid and find someone who'll do it for less. there's a link to gabriel celano somewhere in the forums, somebody i can recommend to help you with this issue.

 

[jasonphos]

I arrived in the country on June 26th, 2006 on a permanent visa, and had my DNI interview this past Monday, July 31st. Now I've got to wait 120 days - 4 months - to get it. Hmm. I was hoping to get it faster. Anyways, I hope that helps some people. If you have any questions about my experience, then let me know. Jason

 

[sapphos]

RealBA, right on the money. No you cannot get your DNI with a tourist visa. You can however apply for a CDI with your passport which will allow you to open a savings account, buy a car, buy property. Sometimes people get mixed up about which things you can get with which visas. ARCA is very very expensive, and although I've heard they're good, I've not met one actual person who used them, and it's true, you can find attorneys to do your immigration paperwork. I looked at one company that did it for around 800 US. But you need to be careful who you choose, try to get recommendations from people who you know have ben successful in getting their paperwork through. And yes, the DNI wait can be long, frustrating and painful. My friend is Argentine and her husband is American. They finally got the DNI appointment after months and months.

 

[steveinbsas]

Thanks for the information. I was able to get the additional 90 days by going to the migracion office as suggested. It was easy and fast. All they wanted was a copy of my photo page of my passport and the page with the original stamp when I entered the country (and 100 pesos). Yes, I need a CDI! I would appreciate information how to obtain one! What papers do I need and where do I apply for this card (regristro civil?)? I am also trying to find out if I can apply for the visa rentista IN Argentina or if I need to return to the Us and apply there.

 

[BikiniGirl]

So you could extend your visa here, Steveinbsas? How much did you have to pay? !00 pesos? As much as I know it is necessary to have the Argentine residency or have a permanent job here, if not I don't think you can have a DNI without that. Does anyone know anything?

 

[realba]

This is something i wrote a while back as a comment on someone's blog. It's regarding opening a bank account, but you need a cdi to open an account so it's pretty much a description of what you have to do to get the cdi:

"Opening a bank account without a DNI is a pretty easy process but a bit of a hassle. You go to the police Comisaria that corresponds to your hotel or wherever you're living. Each barrio has one. Ask anyone in your building or in the shops nearby which comisaria corresponds to your barrio. It may well not be the one closest to where you're staying by the way. You then pay a small fee (around 15pesos i think last time i organised this for someone) and ask for a "constancia de domicilio". The next day, a policeman will call round, confirm you're living there (in a hotel, apaprtment, wherever you are. And don't worry, they're not there to check your immigration status!) and will leave you with a signed and stamped form stating that that is your legal domicile in Argentina. I should point out that AFIP may well accept an apartment rental contract in place of the constancia but many foreigners don't have one. Short term rental leases may or may not be permissible. To save having to queue up at AFIP only to be told your documents aren't in order i'd get the constancia. I should also point out that you don't have to be physically present when the police come around. Your flatmate, hotel owner or concierge can confirm to the policeman that you're living there.

OK, so you have your constancia. Go to the AFIP office that corresponds to your domicile (again it may not be the one closest to where you are), take at least 3 photocopies of the constancia and your passport (photo page and the page of your last entry stamp into argentina) and a good book to read as you'll most likely have to wait for at least an hour. Ask for a CDI number. If they ask you why you need one just say it's for 'escritura'.

With your CDI number you can, in theory, open a bank account. The problem is that my bank, Banco Frances, won't accept a police 'constancia' anymore as proof of domicile (they did when i first arrived a couple of years ago). You need a rental contract. If you really, really need to open an account then get a short term rental for a week or so and take the contract along to the bank. You should now be able to open an account. "

What i've been finding recently is that some Comisarias are now saying they won't give you a constancia if you've been living in a place for less than 30 days. if that's the case then lie or get the doorman or a friend to lie when the policeman comes round to check you're there.

good luck.