Moving to Argentina - Visa options and process?

[ARGlife]

Hello,

I am new to this forum.
Short bio.
American.
Under 40 years old.
Work: Remote financial professional. (not digital nomad)
No prior Spanish language

Situation.
I want to move to Argentina, obtain a legal visa, then obtain citizenship in 2+ years. Currently, I am having a difficult time figuring out the appropriate visa.

1. Initially, I was planning on filing for the Rentista, using X savings well beyond the requirements per year. However, I have read it's tough to receive approval for the Rentista visa. I don't have a traditional passive income.

2. Then, I thought about filing for the Pensionado, again, using X savings well beyond the requirements per year. However, I wonder if I set up an entity with the annual requirements funds or another method. I haven't read if there is an age requirement as well.

3. Then, I thought about a student visa. Yet, I don't know which educational programs are available, and I have no prior Spanish language, so the course/program would need to be in English. I would be ok with taking a Spanish learning course/program.


What are my options, and what other visas exist? How do people (Americans) move to Argentina and obtain a long-term visa without retirement income?

Am I missing something?

 

[Alby]

Hello,

I am new to this forum.
Short bio.
American.
Under 40 years old.
Work: Remote financial professional. (not digital nomad)
No prior Spanish language

Situation.
I want to move to Argentina, obtain a legal visa, then obtain citizenship in 2+ years. Currently, I am having a difficult time figuring out the appropriate visa.

1. Initially, I was planning on filing for the Rentista, using X savings well beyond the requirements per year. However, I have read it's tough to receive approval for the Rentista visa. I don't have a traditional passive income.

2. Then, I thought about filing for the Pensionado, again, using X savings well beyond the requirements per year. However, I wonder if I set up an entity with the annual requirements funds or another method. I haven't read if there is an age requirement as well.

3. Then, I thought about a student visa. Yet, I don't know which educational programs are available, and I have no prior Spanish language, so the course/program would need to be in English. I would be ok with taking a Spanish learning course/program.


What are my options, and what other visas exist? How do people (Americans) move to Argentina and obtain a long-term visa without retirement income?

Am I missing something?

The rentista visa might be a possible option for you, but, indeed, it is very hard to get (and from what you say it seems you may not, in fact, quality at all) and will in any case blow your citizenship timeline out by several years. Others can comment on the pensionista alternative, but most probably you have to be able to document an actual official pension payment for life. Another poster on this board has the exact same objective as you and is using the student visa: but in your case it doesn't appear to be an option since you have no Spanish.

To achieve your objective, you will have to change your circumstances: either get a job here with an Argentine employer and earn peanuts, make a business investment here, become a scientist, become a sportsperson or artist, become a religious person who performs ecclesiastical functions here, develop an illness that can only be treated here, become an academic, seek political asylum/find humanitarian grounds, or marry an Argentine.

There is no visa for someone in your situation. Which probably make sense, if we think about it.

 

[SJL]

Hello,

I am new to this forum.
Short bio.
American.
Under 40 years old.
Work: Remote financial professional. (not digital nomad)
No prior Spanish language

Situation.
I want to move to Argentina, obtain a legal visa, then obtain citizenship in 2+ years. Currently, I am having a difficult time figuring out the appropriate visa.

1. Initially, I was planning on filing for the Rentista, using X savings well beyond the requirements per year. However, I have read it's tough to receive approval for the Rentista visa. I don't have a traditional passive income.

2. Then, I thought about filing for the Pensionado, again, using X savings well beyond the requirements per year. However, I wonder if I set up an entity with the annual requirements funds or another method. I haven't read if there is an age requirement as well.

3. Then, I thought about a student visa. Yet, I don't know which educational programs are available, and I have no prior Spanish language, so the course/program would need to be in English. I would be ok with taking a Spanish learning course/program.


What are my options, and what othere
visas exist? How do people (Americans) move to Argentina and obtain a long-term visa without retirement income?

Am I missing something?

I would advise you to apply at a consulate near your home. Email them for an interview and see what they say. In the long run it will be easier and they may be inclined to help you. Not speaking Spanish and applying in Argentina is going to be very difficult. Your chances of a visa are better at a consulate near you and they speak English.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

Consulates are a waste of time。
You do not need a visa to come. So, just come and bring with you the FBI Criminal Check apostilled. Get a second set of fingerprints taken in paper there in case you need to update it. Also bring the birth certificate, both apostilled and you translate them here.
Once you are in Argentina you have 2 options: 1) second class citizenship that normally is called legal residency that is alike a green card. As you can see the system is restrictive and difficult to get or 2) you can apply for citizenship straight. You do not need legal residency neither the 2 previous years to apply. But you need the 2 years for getting the letter of citizenship.

 

[SJL]

You now have two opinions and neither of them may work. Or both. Coming all the way to Argentina and not being able to get
residency is not going to be fun. Choose well. I will say it is not as easy as some people say it is.

 

[SecretShopper]

Knowing Spanish is critical for any type of sensible route. It's simply not possible to get a student visa without being fluent in Spanish. All universities that have careers that will be applicable for a visa will require you to prove fluency if you come from a non Spanish speaking country. I was investigating 4 different universities all with the same requirements. When it was time to prove fluency I had to have a 30 minute conversation in Spanish.

The options that bajo mentions simply aren't good options unless you really plan to stay in Argentina forever. It will take about 5 years of rejections and about 7-10k in legal fees to fight those rejections. Not a viable option if your goal is a second citizenship but you don't plan on sticking around full time for years on years.

 

[Monroy]

A big step is to be able to enter with a tourist visa, and here they can guide you, in the national registry of persons, about your different options.

You shouldn't always have a plan in your country of origin, but there are many facilities once you arrive in the country where you want to stay, but it depends on each person.

 

[SecretShopper]

A big step is to be able to enter with a tourist visa, and here they can guide you, in the national registry of persons, about your different options.

You shouldn't always have a plan in your country of origin, but there are many facilities once you arrive in the country where you want to stay, but it depends on each person.

When you visit Argentina I recommend outside Buenos Aires Argentina Polo Day, a great place to get to know another important part of Argentine culture: polo. https://argentinapoloday.com.ar/

This is not good information for him. He is obviously trying to resettle somewhere and start over on a 20k budget. Coming all the way to Argentina and staying a couple months and finding out of doesn't work because he can't get a visa will eat half of that. He needs know his real options before coming if he really has a set amount of money.

 

[Rich One]

An option is to enter on a tourist visa then register here for the Univ. of BA Spanish course, which qualifies you to obtain a student visa. Then....

 

[SecretShopper]

An option is to enter on a tourist visa then register here for the Univ. of BA Spanish course, which qualifies you to obtain a student visa. Then....

Are you sure that will get you a student visa? As far as I know you need a "Carrera." Have there even been proof of anyone getting a student visa from taking Spanish classes here?