Moving in January!

[kevinscott]

Hola!

I'm from the States, moving to BA from January through May. Super excited to meet folks and explore!

I've got two questions:

1) I've got a round trip ticket dec 27 - may 24. I believe visitors can get 90 day visas. Will immigration give me a hard time if I show up with a 5 month long round trip ticket? If I show proof that I'm leaving within 90 days, say, with a round trip ticket to brazil in march, would that be sufficient? I'm just not sure how strict they are about enforcing those time limits.

2) is anyone a musician? I play guitar, bass and piano (and sing) and would love to meet any other local musicians. I'm hoping to find a great local guitar teacher.

Cheers,

Kevin

 

[ilovearg]

Hey!
I booked an open ticket for one year. I was not asked about my ticket and before arrival I was told by a friendly lawyer I know that the immigration laws in Argentina are quite relaxed. British people get an automatic visa for three months, and my experience has been no questions asked. You just have to leave every 90 days and I have used that time to travel to Uruguay, Bolivia and Peru. I am not sure about the visa requirements for the USA - but I think they are the same, other than I noticed the other day when friends visited me from New York that they we asked to pay an entrance fee. Good luck.
Robert

 

[elhombresinnombre]

I've got a round trip ticket dec 27 - may 24. I believe visitors can get 90 day visas. Will immigration give me a hard time if I show up with a 5 month long round trip ticket? If I show proof that I'm leaving within 90 days, say, with a round trip ticket to brazil in march, would that be sufficient? I'm just not sure how strict they are about enforcing those time limits.

No problem. Even the most conservative interpretation of tourist visas makes it clear that after your first 90 days you are permitted to renew the visa for another 90 days. You may do this by going to migraciones and paying a fee. Alternatively, leaving the country and coming back again has the same effect. Alternatively, doing nothing and overstaying your initial visa will make you liable to a fine on exit. The fine is the same as the visa fee at migraciones.

If you are a US citizen, you will need a visa to visit Brazil and a Brazillian visa fee will be payable. If your only reason for visiting Brazil is to renew your Argentine tourist visa it will be more expensive than the migraciones fee or the exit fine.

Most people get another 90 days by taking a trip to Uruguay: there's no fee to pay for entry to Uruguay and the only cost is the cost of the trip.

 

[kevinscott]

Ok, thanks both! Sounds like I shouldn't have any problems then.

 

[Carlosgreat]

You ll be fine...and just curious are you going to Patagonia or just BA ?since you can cross to Chile as well to renew it

 

[kevinscott]

Geez, thanks for all your help guys.

Carlosgreat: I'm going to BA, but I have a friend in Santiago I'm hoping to visit while down there.


Before I posted here, I emailed the Argentinian consulate and I just received this response:


Dear Sir:

1- If you are a U.S. citizen and you are traveling as a tourist to Argentina; is not required a tourist visa.You have to have a valid passport and a round trip ticket, you can remain in Argentina for 90 days.

2- Your ticket has to show you will not stay more than 90 days, otherwise the airline will not allow you to board the airplane.

3- You will be charged a reciprocity fee of US$140.00 payable cash or credit card, valid for 10 years with multiple entries.

Sincerely,

Consulate General of Argentina



Dmbailey, it sounds like #2 (not being able to board the plane) is exactly what you experienced. I'm wondering if I should just change my round trip ticket to be under three months (and pay a fee) and then extend it back, once I'm in BA (yet another fee).

It sounds like, from your experience, if you had had your ticket booked to Brazil, you would have been all right. But you had an open-ended ticket, right? I wonder if they'll give me a hard time if I arrive with a round trip ticket to Chile (clearly showing my intent to return to Argentina).

I hate leaving this up in the air! (no pun intended.) Being denied getting on the plane by U.S. would really be some salt in the wound.

 

[BaltRochGirl]

There haven't been any documented instances of people being denied their plane tickets at the airport, but there have been a lot of people, myself included, who have had to deal with difficult ticket agents who ultimately printed the boarding passes. Get to the airport early and be prepared to be insistent that a round trip ticket or a ticket leaving within 90 days is not required just recommended, once you arrive in Argentina they will not question you about your future travel plans.

 

[Cor]

Hmm... i honestly think the less info you give to the airport staff the better. I've never been asked how long I'm traveling for, where I'm going to and from in the US. I only booked a one way ticket from LA to BA (and I've been here for almost 2 months) and I came down to BA last year too. Both times, no one has ever asked me to see my return ticket. I'm planning to exit the country before 3 months hit but i don't anticipate any trouble renewing my entry to BA. Oh and I was asked in Argentina how long i'd be staying and i said 3 months (which is a lie as i have no idea how long i'll be here but it'll definitely be longer than 3 months) and the immigration officer even had a sidebar with me telling me how i need to take a trip out of Argentina and renew my entry. I think the penalty fee if you don't exit the country is just $300 pesos...which is the same as going to Uruguay during the off peak season. I say just play the role as a nomad!

 

[ellieb]

Be careful! All this 'don't worry about it' advice is fine, just have your story sussed. I can give you my full visa experience here! I moved here 9 months ago on a 3 month tourist visa. I wanted to apply for a work permit but everyone (even the Argentine embassy) said cross the border after 90 days. Just after the 90 days I had to go back to London for work, everyone told me to pay the fine at Ezeiza airport as opposed to going to Uruguay before. This was no problem at all. I paid AR$300 fine (despite going through customs 3 times for them giving me the wrong paperwork). I then had to change my flight last minute to go back to London via New York (seriously) and was worried what the US Customs would say. The customs in Argentina said 'Íts none of their business what we do in our country'. Fair enough. No hassle at JFK shockingly. But I got absolutely interrogated at Heathrow asking questions what I'd been doing, how long I'd been there, and of course my legal paperwork hadn't been processed yet so I was working illegally etc...

On the way back I had a one way ticket and Iberia at Heathrow refused to let me board the plane until I had proof I had bought a forwarding ticket! So at 430am I had to go on the internet and buy a ferry ticket costing US$300 to Uruguay!! Even then they weren't convinced. REally unnecessary stress. And they took my Marmite.

Again, no hassle in lovely Buenos Aires. What I strongly recommend is talking with you r travel agent - get them to change your itinerary so you have a return ticket and pay at a later date or not at all. My travel agent completely understood the situation. Unless you get an asshole. So yes you may be lucky not to get any questions and loads of my friends have but seriously for peace of mind and not having to fork out money at 430am, try and get it sussed. Good luck. You'll love it when you get here...

 

[rcmedia]

When I came to Argentina from Canada last week nobody in either country said anything to me whatsoever... when I arrived in BA at the airport all Argentine customs did was ask for my entry fee, then they stamped my passport for the full 90 days and said have a nice stay!