how long can stay ?

[Neil Logan]

Good Morning All !
Happy 2009 to one and all.I was under the impression that a british national can stay in Argentina For an unlimited time.As Ive found my information is some what to say the least conflicting ,most people ive asked have been from USA but I think Its different for us Brits ?I arrived from Spain on December 3rd am looking for employment so Im a bit worried can any one help !!

 

[Neil]

I believe 90 days as a tourist....

http://www.expedia.co.uk/daily/wg/P39659.asp
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling...h-america/argentina?ta=entryRequirements&pg=4

 

[steveinbsas]

I was under the impression that a british national can stay in Argentina For an unlimited time.

Hi Neil, I'm really curious. How did you ever get that impression?

One of my favorite restaurants in San Telmo is decorated with flags of most countries...except for two: The USA and the UK.

I don't think Brits have any special immigration status around here, unless you are in the Falkland Islands (better known to Argentines as the Islas Malvinas). As long as those islands are under British control you can probably stay (and work) there as long as you like, but keep in mind that Argenitna still wants them back.

For now, you have a 90 day visa that you can rewnew for an additional 90 days at the office of migraciones on Antardida. Be sure to go before your present visa expires.

 

[Napoleon]

ps- If you don't get caught, you can stay for ever.

 

[dimsim]

hey napoleon and co
my 90 days expired on friday... can i go monday and renew it or am i going to get kicked out or in some trouble or whatever ?
is it 100 pesos still?
cheers

 

[syngirl]

once it's expired you have to leave the country and come back in -- the renewal needs to be done before expiration. When you leave the country you will have to pay a $50 fee (and of course your buquebus / airline ticket etc). If you're planning on heading home in a few weeks anyway you could just pay the fine on your way out of ezeiza.

Brits don't get any special treatment I'm afraid. The only countries that do as far as I know are those that are part of Mercosur. Unfortunately in terms of finding (legitimate) employment this could be an issue -- however there are a lot of people working en negro here (argentines and foreigners alike) so you may find something, it depends on what sort of work you're hoping to find.

From now until March the city's going to be pretty quiet and a lot of companies won't take on new people until then -- it may be a good time for you to figure out your visa situation and decide whether or not you want to stay! suerte

 

[steveinbsas]

ps- If you don't get caught, you can stay for ever.

Can anyone elaborate on what happens if you do get caught?

 

[jp]

We left recently to go back to the UK, and my girfriends visa had over run by 5 days. The kindly lady at the airport just smiled and said we needed to be careful, because usually we would be fined, but this time she just sent us through with a cheery wave.
No mention was made when we returned 2 weeks later.

I have a friend who has lived here 5 years as a tourist. During the slightly drawn out and corrupt process of trying to get his permanent residence sorted (complicated by lack of birth certificate and no means to resolve this) the people working his case unexpectedly turned nasty and they decided to deport him as they said he must have been working illegally to sustain himself. Got resolved through some strings being pulled and favours called in, but was very unpleasant for him.

If you live here, best to do it legally.

 

[Napoleon]

Regarding:

Going Monday when it expired on Friday-

I went on a Monday when it expired on SUNDAY. My last stamp was for the 29th of September and this was the 29th of December. (So the numbers matched as long as you don't know how Calendar's work.) AND, I had mentioned that the office was closed the previous week due to a holiday (Boxing Day/ Dec 26th). I think that these two things added to me not being fined.

Also, sometimes people are nice. Sometimes they're not.


RE: NOT getting caught, then getting caught...

I'm of the belief that it is best not to give them any ammunition. If you stayed here for 5 years and then had to leave and pay a fine, you might be able to return that afternoon. But you also might not be able to come into the country again. It's hard to tell in the 2nd/3rd world.

 

[syngirl]

A warning as well to those who do stay long term without having their residency sorted out -- be prepared for some questioning when you get to your home country. They have to let you in if you're a citizen, but if you haven't been filing taxes while you're away, you may find yourself looking at a nasty audit. I usually bring through a copy of my income tax report with me. On my entry to Canada a couple of times before they've grilled me a bit on where I'm getting my income from, but all they really want to know is whether or not they've been getting their money.

I'm self-employed and still maintain residency in Canada so continue to file my taxes there -- if anyone has any info about income tax agreements between Argentina and other countries and can help me figure out whether filing for non-Residency status for tax purposes would be beneficial, that would be great help.