How Can I Get Back In The Country? Please Help.

[arami035]

So I left Buenos Aires on December 21st after having lived there for a year and eight months without making trips to Uruguay every 3 months.

For some reason, the airline forgot to tell me about the fee I had to pay for going over my tourist visa and when I got to customs, the officer told me I didn't have to pay the fee but I could not return to Argentina on a tourist visa.

I was going to miss my flight if I went back to check-in and payed the fee so I said ok and proceeded to board the plane.

What can I do? I have a flight back to Argentina on January 11th.

I heard that if I can show that I am returning to the states before the 3-month time limit, they'll let me back in (i.e., reserving and/or buying a flight before the 3-month limit) however, the man specifically told me I couldn't return on a tourist visa.

Any info would be helpful, thanks!

 

[jantango]

You overstayed your tourist visa, and you blame the airline?

This is a lesson for you and many others who think they can stay as long as they like and not suffer any consequences for their actions.

 

[Canick]

it is usually "luck of the draw" on who you get when you arrive and if their spouse was kind to them before work that day. In my experience it is MORE likely they will let you in without issue and wont ask for any proof of a departure in three months. if however you want to play it safe, book yourself a ferry to Colonia before your 90 days are up.
obviously i have no way of knowing if it will be an issue, but I really doubt it. It's usually more about the money grab on the way out.
again, worst case you can offer to "settle the payment you owed-now"...

 

[sesamosinsal]

If you didn't pay the $300 peso fine upon leaving, (i.e. you didn't receive the habilitación de salida), then you currently have a debt to pay. If you don't pay that debt, then they won't let you in for sure. Nonetheless, this is going to bring you unwanted attention, so you might prepare yourself to answer questions about your irregular status.

You can pay the fine through Provincia Net using a credit card. Here are further instructions.

 

[EricLovesBA]

It seems very uncommon to have trouble reentering for almost any reason, even though some clerk on a power trip will be happy to scare you by telling you otherwise. Some years back I had the much discussed "Ultima Prorroga" stamp in my passport and was very nervous about reentering. Yet when I came a few months later it was only a matter of walking over to another window, paying a few hundred peso fine, and I was good to go. If you read through the forum you will get a feel for the reality: there are no consistently enforced rules, but statistically you will almost certainly not have a problem. Always nice to have a contingency plan though.

 

[Peony54]

I'm surprised they let you leave without paying the fee. Not only the ticket agent missed it but then the customs agent let you through. You could maybe get away with it by playing dumb when you come back in if there's no written proof. If you can pay online somehow I think doing this will fix any issue you might have coming back in.

 

[sesamosinsal]

I'm surprised they let you leave without paying the fee. Not only the ticket agent missed it but then the customs agent let you through. You could maybe get away with it by playing dumb when you come back in if there's no written proof. If you can pay online somehow I think doing this will fix any issue you might have coming back in.

The policy changed in August 2013. You no longer need to pay the fine before leaving the country, but you can if you want.

 

[franksredhots]

You overstayed your tourist visa, and you blame the airline?

This is a lesson for you and many others who think they can stay as long as they like and not suffer any consequences for their actions.

overstaying your visa and blaming it on the airline? then the advice they get is to try and sneak back in while playing dumb about your debt to the Argentinian governmemt? Good lord are you American adults or spoiled middle school children. Its people like this that give the rest of us a bad name. My dog ate my homework, ummm I forgot it at home. for f**ks sake. Suck it up and go to the Argentinian consulate, explain to them the situation, ask to pay the fine and tell them it was a mistake and now that you know, it wont happen again.

 

[franksredhots]

The policy changed in August 2013. You no longer need to pay the fine before leaving the country, but you can if you want.

can you post a link to where you read this?

 

[Peony54]

Oh please. This person obviously didn't realize what they were doing otherwise would have made sure they arrived on time to the airport and made sure to pay the fee before the went to customs so playing dumb wouldn't be too far off course for them. Never did I say ooh yes let's all screw over Argentina by sneaking into the country. Did you not notice my remark below saying they should try and pay the fee online if that option exists? So sick of the snarky attitude many people on this forum have towards people seeking help and advice.

Edit: I'm not saying I think it's ok to stay in Argentina illegally but just giving my opinion on ways to handle the situation. Obviously playing dumb isn't the right way to fix a mistake someone has made.