Immigration For Dummies

..................................................................LAST UPDATE SUPERSEDES ALL PREVIOUS POSTS


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.....................................................HOW MORE SIMPLE CAN IT BE ?
............................................................(yet it took me over 9 years) #4
If I had to do it all over again today, knowing this, I could get my Precaria (from A to Z) in less than 3 weeks.


Citizenship and Immigration are 2 completely separate processes (absolutely nothing to do with each other).
Citizenship can be acquired directly without Immigration. (Unique to Argentina.)

NO DNI PROCESS will be started before successful completion of either Immigration or Citizenship. #1.



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IMMIGRATION: The Netty Gritty:

#1.
The Horse Before The Carriage.
#1.1. Your 1[sup]st[/sup] task is to select and identify the Residency Category you´re choosing to qualify under.​
#1.2. Then you start to gather the 7 Documents: the 6 standard + the ONE individual that supports your specific chosen category, e.g. PensionStatement or PreContractWorkOffer or UniversityAdmission or MonthlyRentalIncome … you get the picture.​
#1.3. Then you present your case at Retiro, and they grant or deny your Residency request.​
#1.4. If Residency is granted, then and only then you apply and get the DNI.​
#2.
Residency Categories Requirements:
#2.1. Pensionado. Retired Passive Income. Monthly Minimum UNSPECIFIED. (I took a gamble and passed with ~ $1100 US. ….. Does any one know?)​
#2.2. Rentista. Monthly Minimum very clearly specified (currently = $8000 peso). . There is no DISCRETION on the $8000, .. they have no opinion, they don´t estimate or evaluate what it SHOULD be on an individual basis, how many members in your family, cost of living, … nothing of the sort. But they have to verify if the source is acceptable, if it´s laundry, ... etc. For Rentista .. MONTHLY PASSIVE INCOME is the criteria, e.g. Rent, Stock dividends, trust fund, interest, Capital Gains, etc (NO assets, NO Salary).​
If you have a million Dollar sitting in the Bank, only the interest is your Monthly Income. If the interest is below $8000 peso, then you have to convert some of your $1 million to a Trust Fund that will pay you Monthly Passive Income. Or buy a real state property that pays you Monthly Passive Income (rent). Set up a Panamanian company (they say it´s easy to do), with creative accounting it will regularly pay you a Passive Monthly Income in the form of stock Dividends (NOT Salary).​
#2.3. Work. Employee sponsored by an Argentine Employer.​
Some employer will sponsor your Work Res if you accept min. wage. (Teach English, IT, .. etc).​
With Argie partner, you could legally register an Argentine Business Investment to get a Work Res. for your self as a Manager of that Business. ( notice you are not applying for or getting a Business Investor Res.).​
#2.4. Family.​
#2.4.1. Family: Marriage to Argentine Permanent Resident. doesn't have to be Argentine Native or Citizen, (Perm. Res.). #16.
#2.4.2. Family: Parenting an Argentine Child. (Perm. Res.). #16.
#2.4.3. Family: Being a Child of an Argentine Parent. (Perm. Res.). #16.
#2.4.4. Family: Family re-union. (Temp. Res.).​
#2.5. ....Investor: Minimum of $300,000 pesos (latest figures) investment to employ and Create Work for Argentines. .​
#2.6. ....Student. Certified institution will give you the 1 Individual document.​
#2.6.1. Student: Full Program will grant you a Temp. Res.
#2.6.2. Student: Short minor programs only lead to Trans. Res..​
(even studying Spanish will qualify).​
For those who think that they don't fit in any category, Student Residency seems to stand out as a ONE simple panacea to remedy ALL (if you comply with all it´s conditions). #3B.. #20..
#2.7. ....Medical Purposes.
#2.8. ....Religious Members.
#2.9. ....Artists.
#2.10. Sports.
#2.11. Political Asylum.
#2.12. Refugees.
#2.13. Scientists.
#2.14. Academics.
#2.15. Diplomat.
#2.16. Humanitarian.
#2.17. Special.​

#3.
I booked my 1 week "Turno" online. Went by myself, ... all alone.
With the expectation: "Here we are ... My first day in a long grueling bureaucratic 6 months nightmare ".
Aside from answering few questions, paying $600 peso here (Res. fee) and $40 peso there (DNI fee), there is nothing else to do but wait while they do all the work.
He asked 2 questions:
Q: "Why are you here?" .......................A: "Pensionado."
Q: "Why so many passports?" ............ A: "Canadian passport expires every 5 years."
In less than 2 hours I walked away with my PRECARIA. I was shocked.

#3A.
Instantly on the spot you get a PRECARIA until they mail your DNI when it's ready.
(Or instead of waiting for the mail, you can go pick it up yourself from RENAPER).
Instantly on the spot you can do anything & everything: (Driver License, Bank Account, Cross Borders, .. etc)
Precaria + Passport = DNI

#3B.
Temp. DNI expires each time Temp. Res. expires.
Temp. DNI has to be renewed each time you renew your Temp. Residency.
Perm. DNI also expires, but not for 10 or 15 years.
DNI = a permit to live and work. (without a distinction of the Residency Category, e.g. a Student Temp. Res. can work, and after 3 years obtain Perm. Res.)
Temp. or Perm. Resident = a citizen/national of another country.

#4.
What took so long and caused 9 years of confusion? .. 3 things:
#4.1. Getting to understand the law took me 8 years. A complete Immigration process is mandatory, regardless if I'm living here as a tourist .. (don't work, drive with my own Canadian License, etc ...) It is the written law, (even if currently Argentina is NOT enforcing its own laws, . creating the illusion that it is OK to do the Colonia Run). Draw of the luck, 1 in a 1000 they will enforce the law, ... and it WILL be GRAVE ( ultimately … 10 days to leave the country, .. they say .. ). Understand The Perma-Tourist Saga here. See also #19.
#4.2. Getting to know the process (putting the million pieces of the puzzle together to get the full picture), and pinning down the exact requirements (I got my Precaria, without knowing the Monthly Minimum .. still till this day .. don't know).​
#4.3. Understanding and gathering Documents. A FOREIGN Document or a LOCAL Non Governmental Document, can NOT be accepted at face value (Worldwide standard bureaucracy). Has to be Legalized OR Apostlled. ( AND translated if not in Spanish). Passport is a WORLDWIDE document (is exempt .. only needs a Legalized Translation). I wasted few months and a lot of money trying to do it the hard way, before I knew that there is a better way.​

#5.
Canada is NOT a signatory of the Hague, (Apostille is not an option for Canucks)

#6.
RCMP Criminal Record could be obtained in less than 1 week, like this:
Your commesaria here, will take your ink fingerprints.
You FedEx that to one of the hundreds of certified agents in [Canada], they will digitize it and send it to RCMP, Receive the result (3 days regular, 1 day rush), Legalize it and FedEx it back to you here.

#7.
I don't think there is a similar service for digital FBI background check for Yankees.
May be you can have a digital live scan if you're in the US and get your FBI report in 3 days.
But you can not FedEx your commesaria ink fingerprint from BA.
(I could be wrong, .. it is a new digital world .. things are changing).

#8.
If resided in Argentina the last 5 years, Criminal Record [Canadian], is NOT required.
WASTE OF TIME & MONEY.

#9.
Criminal Records from ALL countries you resided in, in the Last 5 years. Say you left [Canada] to Argentina 4.5 years ago. During which you went to Uruguay for 1.5 years. You will need 3 Criminal Records: [Canada] + [Uruguay] + Argentina Atecedentes.

#10.
With Canadian Passport, Birth Certificate is NOT required.
WASTE OF TIME & MONEY.

#11.
Documents DO EXPIRE. So plan the chronological order in which you gather them.
RCMP expires in 90 days.
Antecedentes Argentina expires in 90 days.
Certificado de Domicilio expires in 30 days.

#12.
A Bill in your name can substitute "Certificado de Domicilio". For example "Luz", "CableVision", "Telefonica" or "Agua". .... "Luz" or "Agua" bill is more stronger than "CableVision". "Certificado de Domicilio" from Police is the strongest (most official of them all). It is very easy to get. Cost only 10 peso. It will be delivered to your door steps within 48 hours, and will eliminate any doubt. (Don't understand why would anyone bother to recommend a bill in your name instead of the Police "Certificado de Domicilio"). Argentine Atecedentes is digital ($40 pesos 4 days …... $100 pesos 1 day …… $150 pesos 6 hrs).

#13.
LAST entry Date (not 1st entry Date ) will be the official IMMIGRATION "DNI Fecha Ingreso al Pais".
Previous entries are considered tourist entries, (even though they count for BOTH IMMIGRATION & CITIZENSHIP Residency Requirements).

#14.
Your DNI number remains the same when you transition from temporary to permanent & will always be marked in red "EXTRANJERO", and the numbers prefixed with "9". (as opposed to Mercosur DNI or Native DNI, or DNI acquired through Citizenship, these will not be marked as such).

#15.
Bank Account needed? Never the issue been raised or discussed [in my case].
(On a side note, I previously managed to have a bank account as a tourist with my passport only).

#16.
Marriage to a PERMANENT RESIDENT (doesn't even have to be an Argentine Native or Citizen) or fathering a child will lead directly to PERMANENT DNI right away (no PRECARIA no 3 years of temporary Res. & DNI's). (Tempting .. No? ... In my desperation I briefly contemplated the idea, but thank God didn't do it). Extremely complicated nightmare and dangerous tramite. They will find out if you were married before, even if you say you were not. They will ask for divorce papers (and even previous marriage certificate). Even if you decide to go ahead anyway, are you gonna fight for 2 years to get divorce after? No "Prenuptial" in Argentina. Your spouse will have the right to 50% of what you accumulate during marriage. Crazy stupid idea, to put it mildly. Playing with fire, you might get burned.

#17.
Citizenship NEVER to be lost or revoked. It's even difficult (next to impossible), to renounce ones own existing citizenship. It's perfectly normal to acquire dual and multiple citizenships. Only very few countries prohibit dual citizenship (e.g. Germany, Singapore.. etc). Argentine Permanent Residency could be lost if you live somewhere else for more than 2 years. Residency could be revoked,... for example if indicted in a crime. US Permanent Residency could be revoked, for merely having INTENTIONS to live or acquire Residency in another country. Rules differ from one country to another. An [Argentine/Canadian] dual citizen will be under Argentine law while in Argentina, under Canadian law while in Canada, but while in any other country, can choose which citizenship to use.

#18.
Overstaying tourist visa earns you IRREGULAR STATUS (initially $300 peso fine). Up until you get a court order to leave the country within 10 days (1 in a million chance), then ultimately it becomes illegal. (Unique to Argentina). #19.
For most of the rest of the world, it'd earn you an ILLEGAL STATUS right from the start (punishable by jail & black listed not to re-enter the country again).

#19.
Deportation:
Very Few Lucky Ones will get caught overstaying their tourist visa and will have their passport stamped "Ultima Prórroga" (Last Extension). Also, Very Few of the Above Very Few will once again get lucky one more time, when trying to re-enter the country with "Ultima Prórroga" stamp in their passport and will be denied entry visa. If you paid the $300 peso overstay fine before you left, .. next time on your entry they most probably will ignore the law and give a new 90 day stamp, even if you have the "Ultima Prórroga" stamp in your passport. ( yes .. yes … it all depends on iimmigration officer mood at the moment). 1 in 1000 WILL get lucky. It certainly DOES happen. 3 cases have been reported on this forum in the last few months. #23.WARNING: If you did not pay the $300 pesos overstay fine before your exit, don´t try to re-enter without legal counsel pre planned before arrival. Rest assured you will be in big trouble, .. 100% guaranteed !
Also be aware of the receprocity fee. Eye for an eye retaliation fee, … you could be back on the same plane you arrived on, if you don´t adhere to the letter.

#20.
"Cambio de Categoria" To change Residency from Temp. to Perm. or from ¨Tourist¨ to ¨Temp. Res.¨, you ask for a "Radicacion turno". To renew Temp. Res. you ask for a different turno: "Prórroga turno", (They will through you out if you book the wrong turno). Permanent Residency can be obtained after accumulation “Tener Arraigo” of THREE (3) previous ONE year Temporary Residences (No Transitory Res. allowed), regardless of the Temp. Res. Category or combinations of Temp. Res. Categories you accumulate, e.g. (1 year Student + 1 year Rentista + 1 year Pensionado), with a minimum of 6 month stay in the country for each year, with an UNINTERRUPTED renewal each year. You start the renewal process sixty (60) days before the end of each of the 3 years. By letting one Temporary Res. expire, ALL previous accumulation will be lost. You'll have to re-start all over again ANEW.

#21.
The 1 INDIVIDUAL Document is a collection of ALL the components required to support the specific Res. Category applied for.
For example: The 1 INDIVIDUAL Document of a Student Res is a LOCAL LEGALIZED Document composed of 3 components:
………………Certficado de Alumno Regular,
.....................Certificado Analítico con Materias Aprobadas (transcript),
.....................and a "note" from your Master's or Doctoral program.

#22.
For 80%......of straightforward average cases, ... that is all you need to know.
................... Everyday, thousands are processing their own immigration at Retiro without specialized legal representation.
10%............special cases may need extra info, ... dig deeper in the OP by SteveInBA.
10%............are severely complicated acute cases ( + those who couldn't be bothered), .. seek professional counsel.
#24.
#23.
The power of Immigration Officer:
I will leave you with this final remark. IMMIGRATION OFFICER DISCRETION at the borders is far reaching, … almost absolute in so many countries around the world (Argentina is no exception). He and he alone, (.. and yes depending on how he feels at the moment) can decide to deport you on the spot right there and then, … put you back on the same plane you arrived on. He/she can deny you entry even the FIRST time you visit the country. The only difference is that in Argentina 1 in a 1000 will exercise this power, in the rest of the world the opposite, 999 out of 1000 you will get caught. Better be honest, even if you overstay, don´t make him feel like a fool, trying to pull one over him.

#24.
A very special thanks and gratitude to @kettle for his meticulous guidance and tremendous valuable input.
I have ZERO legal background.
For 9 years as a permaTourist I did not know any of this, till I came across BAExpats by accident.
I sifted through few selective posts of SteveInBA's Mammoth thread "Argentine Citizenship for Foreigners", to figure out my case.
Other posts skimmed over my head..... SEVERAL YEARS worth of 1000´s of posts with heated legal jargon arguments.
I'm not soliciting anything or giving any advice. Just offering my time to share my own personal experience.
Hoping it may be useful to someone who doesn´t know, the same way SteveInBA's OP was helpful to me.
I get a kick & a sense of satisfaction when I learn how to do something new. (fix my car {when I was younger}, do my Int´l taxes {when I worked in the US}, .. ). Even if at the end I hand it over to a professional, it's comforting, .. I'm not totally in the dark.
Says who .. an old dog can't learn a new trick?

#25.
Your valuable input, .. (Info / Content / Value Added) UPDATES, ADDITIONS or CORRECTIONS are most welcome.
You will be helping someone who doesn't know and needs to know.

#26.
Important Addresses:
Direccion Nacional de Migraciones (Retiro)..........Av. Antartida Argentina 1355
Argentine Ministry of External Affairs....................Arenales 819
Colegio de Traductores Publico ...................... ....Av. Corrientes 1834
Registro Nacional de Reincidencia.......................Tucumán 1353
Registro Nacional de las Personas.......................Hipólito Yrigoyen 952
Registro Nacional de las Personas.......................Jujuy 468
Poder Judicial de la Nacion...................................Talcahuano 550

Tramite Migraciones.............................................http://www.migracion...dni_extranjeros
Turno Migraciones................................................http://www.migracion...e/?turno_online
Antecedentes Penales..........................................http://www.jus.gov.ar/rnr-crtificado
Antecedentes Penales..........................................http://www.dnrec.jus.gov.ar
Argentine Citizenship For Foreigners....................http://baexpats.org/...for +foreigners
Registro Nacional de las Personas .......................http://www.mininteri...per/renaper.php


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Hi khairy, thanks so much for this. Only one question/ comment regarding permanent residency. I was told within the last month by an immigration attorney that there is no residency requirement to remain in the country once you receive a permanent DNI. He has many foreign clients who have been living abroad for years, and returned to Argentina within the last year only to make the change from the book typeDNI to the card, that is required for all residents by the end of this year. They came, they changed it and they returned to their native countries. Anecdotally I also have a friend who did the same...
 
@lacoqueta: Please excuse me, ... as I´m not comfortable answering questions.
I´m only sharing my own personal experience as a 9 years permaTourist who knew nothing, till I cam across BAExpats.

But, hopefully the following Dr. Rubilar´s reply would correctly address your question.

With the new DNI, they expires, the problems is going to rise when you want to renew it or if you loose it and you want to apply for a new one.

Immigration Law:
ARTICULO 62. [background=rgb(179, 217, 226)]— La Dirección Nacional de Migraciones, sin perjuicio de las acciones judiciales que correspondieran deducir, cancelará la residencia que hubiese otorgado, con efecto suspensivo, cualquiera fuese su antigüedad, categoría o causa de la admisión y dispondrá la posterior expulsión, cuando:[/background]
[background=rgb(179, 217, 226)]c) El beneficiario de una radicación permanente hubiese permanecido fuera del Territorio Nacional por un período superior a los [/background] [background=rgb(179, 217, 226)] dos (2) años[/background][background=rgb(179, 217, 226)] [/background] [background=rgb(179, 217, 226)] o la mitad del plazo acordado, si se tratara de residencia temporaria, excepto que la ausencia obedeciere al ejercicio de una función pública argentina o se hubiese generado en razón de actividades, estudios o investigaciones que a juicio de la Dirección Nacional de Migraciones pudieran ser de interés o beneficiosa para la República Argentina o que mediara autorización expresa de la autoridad migratoria la que podrá ser solicitada por intermedio de las autoridades consulares argentinas.[/background]
 
Thanks again for posting that. I'm remembering now the former discussion about the literal law and applied law, and the risks involved.
 
Thanks again for posting that. I'm remembering now the former discussion about the literal law and applied law, and the risks involved.


Ms Lacqy,

bajo cero2 had answered that query of yours a month ago.
 
@ceviche, yes I remember now. The sinus infection I have must've affected my brain! Or early onset senility.
 
@[background=rgb(230, 230, 230)]khairyexpat[/background]
[background=rgb(230, 230, 230)]Is it AR$8000 or US$2000 in order to qualify for an Argentinean Green card, nee Residence card?[/background]

[background=rgb(230, 230, 230)]Do you know if my Social Security monthly pension of US$2250 is sufficient to show the Argie inmmigration ?[/background]
[background=rgb(230, 230, 230)]Appreciate any commento on this.[/background]
 
@[background=rgb(230, 230, 230)]khairyexpat[/background]
[background=rgb(230, 230, 230)]Is it AR$8000 or US$2000 in order to qualify for an Argentinean Green card, nee Residence card?[/background]

[background=rgb(230, 230, 230)]Do you know if my Social Security monthly pension of US$2250 is sufficient to show the Argie inmmigration ?[/background]
[background=rgb(230, 230, 230)]Appreciate any commento on this.[/background]

@Hybrid-San :
#2.2. Rentista. Monthly Minimum very clearly specified (currently = $8000 peso). . There is no DISCRETION on the $8000, .. they have no opinion, they don´t estimate or evaluate what it SHOULD be on an individual basis, how many members in your family, cost of living, … nothing of the sort. But they have to verify if the source is acceptable, if it´s laundry, ... etc.
FIRM $8000 pesos Argentinos, .... not a penny less.
(Buckaroos Argentinos ....... P E S O S)
It´s an anomaly (Arbitrage) because of the current blue rate (it never changed since the Dollar was 3 pesos, now the Dollar is 16 ). Hurry ...hurry and apply. This will not last forever, I´d imagine they will have to raise it soon to keep up with the Dollar. There will never be a better day to apply than today.

As a Pensionado, I can attest to my own personal experience.
#2.1. Pensionado. Retired Passive Income. Monthly Minimum UNSPECIFIED. (I took a gamble and passed with ~ $1100 US. ….. Does any one know?)​
 
@kettle by the way many thanks back for your clarification on here as I now have everything sorted out! :)
 
FIRM $8000 pesos Argentinos, .... not a penny less.

Whmmm, but the other Argentina living sabio thinks that sum is not enough, but either way, if taking my transcript pension figure to
Argentina consulate in San Fancisco, CA then can get it translated to Spanish when coming to Bs As.

Then what is the nex step?.. Go to Extranjeria Argentina and apply for a provisional Residence?
 
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