Need advice on digital nomad visa vs work visa

[Alby]

Also in case of leaving the country to avoid tax residency I really don't know where I'd go. Going back to germany/europe would have implications on tax so ideally it would be some other country. But where would I go? And would there be additional things that need to be prepared in this case? In my mind it just overcomplicates things but maybe there's a super easy solution that I'm not seeing yet.

There are wonderful, interesting, affordable countries here in South America. Take her with you to one for six weeks in one part of the 12 months. Rent an Airbnb, continue working remotely. Then do the same thing in another country later in the year.

Or do one stint of 90 days (to avoid two re-entries and the doubling of the risk of re-entry denial).

The thing that is not clear in your story is the fact that you are still studying, until 2026. Can you complete your degree completely remotely? You're work is part-time, so perhaps your income isn't great. Argentina is terribly expensive now, but other countries in the region are wonderfully cheap.

I think the root problem is this: you are looking for a solution that gets you here full time (with no absences) and gives you the peace of mind of knowing that it is 100% cut and dried legal (and therefore safe) from an immigration and tax perspective. Unfortunately, in your particular circumstances, that solution probably doesn't exist at the moment, and you are going to drive yourself nuts if you keep trying to unearth something that isn't there. You are going to have to come to terms with living a little on the margin.

 

[redlobster]

Also in case of leaving the country to avoid tax residency I really don't know where I'd go.

You're supposedly coming here to be with your girl - and now you're ready to spend six months every year elsewhere just to avoid tax residency? That’s what I call commitment!

And you do realize that over 40% of people in Argentina earn their living informally, right?

 

[Alby]

I think the root problem is this: you are looking for a solution that gets you here full time (with no absences) and gives you the peace of mind of knowing that it is 100% cut and dried legal (and therefore safe) from an immigration and tax perspective. Unfortunately, in your particular circumstances, that solution probably doesn't exist at the moment, and you are going to drive yourself nuts if you keep trying to unearth something that isn't there. You are going to have to come to terms with living a little on the margin.

If I may make an additional guess here: You want to draw up a multi-year plan to come and live in Argentina full-time that covers all legal bases (including taxation requirements in both jurisdictions and immigration rules in Argentina). You want that plan to be fool-proof. You want to discover what documentation you will need to obtain and prepare. You want to know exactly what steps to follow and when. And you want to feel confident that each step will work as you foresee it working, on time, and leading seamlessly to the next. In particular, you envisage a point in the near future when you can sign this plan off in your head, and then stop worrying about it so that you can get back to focusing on your studies, work, and relationship, confident that the legal and administrative aspects of the move to Argentina are completely under control.

If that is your expectation, let go of it. Life isn't like that. And life in Argentina is even less like that.

You need shorter-term horizons (one to two years at the most). You need to be flexible and recognise that even a two-year plan will need to be adjusted frequently when things fail to turn out the way you had imagined.

You also need to understand that it is impossible to live in Argentina doing everything 100% by the book. Everybody, to some extent, in some part of their affairs, has to make compromises at the margins. So, embrace a bit of ambiguity in your current project; if you can't do it now, your prospects of being happy long term in Argentina aren't great.

 

[foobar]

@Alby Just to avoid confusion I'm not planning to go anywhere until I have finished my degree, probably around may 2026. Any information I'm collecting now is for the time after that. Yes, I'm early and lots of things will change in a year but I want to get an impression on what options there are and familiarize myself with the general steps involved.

Something I really don't understand in this forum is this: There seems to be a spirit of overstaying regularly, doing visa runs, commission a lawyer to apply for residency in court no matter how long you've already been in the country etc. etc. Now everyone is going nuts because Milei introduced a decree that largely just regulates what every major western country has long included in their immigration laws already. Most of you don't care about any of the present rules, you just do however you like and are now fed up that the government tries to turn this behavior down. What exactly were you expecting?

We've already established that there's the perfectly legal option, including DNI and temporary residency, of working via an employer of record. Yes, it's expensive and I'll need to dicuss with my employer wether or not it's worth it for us but stop pretending this solution doesn't exist!

Also I've clearly stated multiple times now why I prefer a more permanent solution over the temporary one. Yet y'all keep pushing the temporary one as if there were no alternatives.

I don't need anyone explaining to me how life works, I've already made my fair share of experiences myself and I know what works for me and what doesn't. Y'all know me since a couple messages in an online forum and pretend to be able to decide what's the best option for me.

I'm very grateful for all the responses and ideas I've received here! It helps a lot and already gave me some new options and things I would've never considered on my own. But still, I'd ask y'all to stop suggesting the temporary solutions involing either just the tourist visa or the digital nomad visa. We've discussed both options in detail already and I don't feel that there's much to add to that. And again, I don't need nor want anyone to convince me of anything. I need to decide on my own and if I end up making a bad decision it's on me to put up with the consequences.
Of course if there's any other options we haven't spoken about so far I'm still very happy to get to know about them. Thanks to everyone!

 

[Alby]

@Alby Just to avoid confusion I'm not planning to go anywhere until I have finished my degree, probably around may 2026. Any information I'm collecting now is for the time after that. Yes, I'm early and lots of things will change in a year but I want to get an impression on what options there are and familiarize myself with the general steps involved.

OK, that is clearer. None of this starts for another 12 months at the earliest, and in the meantime, you are stuck with the heartache of distance. Presumably then you will be able to work full-time for your employer and therefore have more income.

 

[carpenter29]

Hello! I am in a similar situation, kind of. I'm extremely nervous about getting back into Argentina. Here's a bit about my situation:

I have been living in Cordoba for about 3 years. I, and for no good reason, have just recently started to look into getting paperwork. I am now visiting the states, and when I left Argentina 2 weeks ago, was told that since it was my 3rd time overstaying in the country and paying the fee while leaving, there's a chance I don't get let back in the country when I try.

I'm really trying to figure things out before going back (I'd like to go back in the beginning of August, but am hesitant to do so without having this figured out first).

I'm hopeful about the nomad visa, but am not extremely up-to-date on how it works. I am going to be looking into that heavily. I am from the US, work for a US company (although get paid more like an Argentinan). Can anyone give any advice / suggestions? I'd really like to talk / discuss this with someone who has some knowledge. Anything to calm my nerves and enable me to purchase flights for going back to what has been my home for so long!

I accept that I should have done this a long time ago. I am, however, 100% ready and in 'figure it out' mode. Thank you in advance!

 

[Yuyo]

Hello! I am in a similar situation, kind of. I'm extremely nervous about getting back into Argentina. Here's a bit about my situation:

I have been living in Cordoba for about 3 years. I, and for no good reason, have just recently started to look into getting paperwork. I am now visiting the states, and when I left Argentina 2 weeks ago, was told that since it was my 3rd time overstaying in the country and paying the fee while leaving, there's a chance I don't get let back in the country when I try.

I'm really trying to figure things out before going back (I'd like to go back in the beginning of August, but am hesitant to do so without having this figured out first).

I'm hopeful about the nomad visa, but am not extremely up-to-date on how it works. I am going to be looking into that heavily. I am from the US, work for a US company (although get paid more like an Argentinan). Can anyone give any advice / suggestions? I'd really like to talk / discuss this with someone who has some knowledge. Anything to calm my nerves and enable me to purchase flights for going back to what has been my home for so long!

I accept that I should have done this a long time ago. I am, however, 100% ready and in 'figure it out' mode. Thank you in advance!

Hey,

I have no experience experience with overstays, but anecdotally can say a lot of folks on the forum stick to is as gospel. Maybe the 3rd time comment is just to scare people out of it.

As for the nomad visa, I just got the application sent in last week for my 3rd one. They're 6 month transitory that can renew 1 time each. To my understanding, no legitimate pathway to permanent, just good for the term. So the long term value will depend on your personal situation.

Aside that, here's the federal application page https://www.argentina.gob.ar/servicio/tramitacion-de-ingreso-electronica-nomadas-digitales
Heads up, employment contract and proof of pay didn't cut it for mine this go, they're asking for a "note" from your employer saying your expected to remain employed for at least 6 months.

Feel free to ping if you have questions on that process, its a pretty crummy outdated system (online application/fee>embassy email and fee over phone+any additional items>head office eventual emails a pdf visa to use on entry).

Btw, there's tons of deeper advice on the forum about longer term permanent options if you'll eventually want that.

 

[steveinbsas]

As for the nomad visa, I just got the application sent in last week for my 3rd one. They're 6 month transitory that can renew 1 time each. To my understanding, no legitimate pathway to permanent, just good for the term. So the long term value will depend on your personal situation.

Perhaps the long term value will be if, after the fourth consecutive nomad, the two year continuous physical presence requirement for citizenship will have been satisfied and the foreigner can apply for citizenship.

As recently posted, it may be possible for a foreigner who has temporary residency to apply for citizenship after the first year. Even if that's possible, I doubt that anyone who has a digital nomad visa will be able to do the same

Nonetheless, I wonder if, after they have been physically present in the country for two years, migraciones will accept their application for citizenship. I have not yet seen anything that indicates that two years of 'legal temporary residency" is a prerequisite for citizenship.

 

[Yuyo]

Perhaps the long term value will be if, after the fourth consecutive nomad, the two year continuous physical presence requirement for citizenship will have been satisfied and the foreigner can apply for citizenship.

As recently posted, it may be possible for a foreigner who has temporary residency to apply for citizenship after the first year. Even if that's possible, I doubt that anyone who has a digital nomad visa will be able to do the same

Nonetheless, I wonder if, after they have been physically present in the country for two years, migraciones will accept their application for citizenship. I have not yet seen anything that indicates that two years of 'legal temporary residency" is a prerequisite for citizenship.

I was wondering about that under the old rules, since some people were saying to just overstay to 2 years and apply anyways. But under this new decree rule of "can't leave country at all for 2 years", I'm not sure how that'd work. You're supposed to be out of country when applying for the visa, so somewhere between the 6 month+6 month renewal you'd have to leave for a month or so for that to process.

Maybe it'll eventually get worked out in the courts.

 

[steveinbsas]

I was wondering about that under the old rules, since some people were saying to just overstay to 2 years and apply anyways.

Actually, an Argentine lawyer who specializes in citizenship for foreigners without a DNI frequently said to come to Argentina as a tourist and apply for citizenship immediately through the court system. That may still be possible, but at a cost of well over five thousand dollars.

Not long ago he referred to the nomad visa as a "booby trap," though he spelled it differently, the meaning was clear.

But under this new decree rule of "can't leave country at all for 2 years", I'm not sure how that'd work. You're supposed to be out of country when applying for the visa, so somewhere between the 6 month+6 month renewal you'd have to leave for a month or so for that to process.

It looks like that's the fly in the oinment, at least as far as migraciones is concerned. If the judges are not bound by or simply ignore the terms of the new decree and only follow the National Constitution, that might still be a path for citizenship, especially if you can ignore migraciones while your case is pending. Even if it's still possible to go this route, I doubt that you will find a lawyer who will provide a guarantee in advance that you will receive a favorable decision.