Khairyexpat, wow, great work! It's very clear and detailed. What a great overview of the different paths to legal residence.
Te felicito!
One thing to clarify, perhaps, regarding: #2.6 - Studying Spanish (i.e. the Spanish as a foreign language courses in the Centro de Idiomas in the UBA for example) does qualify you for a type of residency: transitoria. This is the same category of residency as given to tourists; it has a duration of 90 days and is only renewable one time, for a total of 180 days per calendar year and it does NOT entitle you to work nor does it, as you (very clearly!) indicate, lead to permanent residency.
There are different sub-categories of residencia transitoria (mostly not pertinent to the interests of longtime "permatourists" who want to regularize their immigration status, since by definition they are
transitory, i.e. not valid for very long!) but it's worth noting that several of these sub-categories qualify you to engage in paid work, seasonal migrant workers and, business and technical visitors (e.g. businesspeople and academics?). Sources:
Tramites.gob.ar,
Título IV, Capítulo I, Artículos 51 y 52 - Ley 25.871 (Argentina's Immigration Law)
From the non-Mercosur Residencia Temporaria
page of the DNM:
NOTA: LAS INSTITUCIONES EDUCATIVAS DEBERÁN ESTAR REGISTRADAS ANTE ESTA DIRECCIÓN NACIONAL Y OTORGARAN LA CONSTANCIA DE INSCRIPCIÓN AL INTERESADO DETALLANDO EL TIPO DE ESTUDIO A CURSAR.
LA RESIDENCIA A OTORGAR PODRÁ SER TEMPORARIA O TRANSITORIA CONFORME LOS ESTUDIOS
This is to say, if the course you're enrolled in lasts 3 months, or even 6 months (or if they have the impression it does for some reason), you will be granted residencia transitoria.
(btw DCExpatstudent did you go to the DNM or CDR and ask about whether you can cambiar de categoria from transitoria to temporaria? What documentation did you present from your school aside from the constancia de inscripción electrónica? It might be worth stopping by with a printed copy of the your carrera's plan de estudio so than can see clearly the duration and modality of your course of study..)
