glasgowjohn
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Spain often forgets that Argentina ( and other countries ) looked after Spanish refugees after the Civil War.
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EJLarson
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Maybe the Spaniards remember, and it annoys them.
Absolutely, citizens of South Africa need Schengen Visa. Click here for details.
P.S. Citizens of SAfrica also need visa for Russia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_South_African_citizens
cwo4uscgret
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Just a comment from a retired US CBP Officer, ex-Customs Inspector; with a screen name on another forum of: NOBODYASKEDMEBUT... Tact and diplomacy aren't family traits and then they made me a Chief Warrant Officer in the military!
Although frustrating at first I learned that the inability of someone to speak English is not a bar to entry to the States. It made it a whole lot easier to do my job but I couldn't hold someone up for their lack of English.
Documents: the best advice I can give (and I need a new passport mines been through the washer twice now...a bit frayed, can't even read my Argentine visitor visa anymore) is know before you go and make sure you have everything you need with you. About 4-5 years ago the US a changed requirements for US Citizens crossing the land border from Canada or Mexico. You'd be surprised how many people (who cross the border 2-3 times a week) claim they don't know the requirements. It got to the point that we'd document it in the computer and tell them how many times they've been told! Know before you go means up to date valid documents; visas if needed; whatever the country's website says you need. Smile! I don't speak Spanish, French, or East Indian; but I know how to say hello - it goes a long way.
Act like you need their help; be humble! My biggest complaint was the "arrogant traveler" the one, you know them, who think the border is an impedement to their travel. I had a traveler throw his passport and referral slip on the counter and said hurry up I have a plane to catch! Last I saw of him was handcuffs and a free ride back to Canada to stand trial for attempted murder.
Sorry to preach but I've seen why some border guards/customs are the way they are! I never had any complaints filed against me while I was with Customs; I don't like rude abrupt co-workers either; and have read them the riot act for their attitudes as well.
I can't speak for other countries but I know that Argentina, with the help of the Urugauyan immigration was nice to me; the first time I was here...after I got my tourist visa in the passport I missed getting an entry stamp in the passport and taking the ferry to Colonia Uruguay Immigration noticed it and walked me to Argentine Immigration. Mea culpa politely explained (with the help of my Colombian wife) how I goofed up at the airport...they were polite and fixed it. It was obvious that I legally entered Argentina but I played the humble traveler and all is well. The other day, landing in Córdoba from Miami they didn't even give my faded almost unreadable tourist visa a second look!
Sorry to ramble, sound like a preacher, but I just wanted to give you a different point of view.
Although frustrating at first I learned that the inability of someone to speak English is not a bar to entry to the States. It made it a whole lot easier to do my job but I couldn't hold someone up for their lack of English.
Documents: the best advice I can give (and I need a new passport mines been through the washer twice now...a bit frayed, can't even read my Argentine visitor visa anymore) is know before you go and make sure you have everything you need with you. About 4-5 years ago the US a changed requirements for US Citizens crossing the land border from Canada or Mexico. You'd be surprised how many people (who cross the border 2-3 times a week) claim they don't know the requirements. It got to the point that we'd document it in the computer and tell them how many times they've been told! Know before you go means up to date valid documents; visas if needed; whatever the country's website says you need. Smile! I don't speak Spanish, French, or East Indian; but I know how to say hello - it goes a long way.
Act like you need their help; be humble! My biggest complaint was the "arrogant traveler" the one, you know them, who think the border is an impedement to their travel. I had a traveler throw his passport and referral slip on the counter and said hurry up I have a plane to catch! Last I saw of him was handcuffs and a free ride back to Canada to stand trial for attempted murder.
Sorry to preach but I've seen why some border guards/customs are the way they are! I never had any complaints filed against me while I was with Customs; I don't like rude abrupt co-workers either; and have read them the riot act for their attitudes as well.
I can't speak for other countries but I know that Argentina, with the help of the Urugauyan immigration was nice to me; the first time I was here...after I got my tourist visa in the passport I missed getting an entry stamp in the passport and taking the ferry to Colonia Uruguay Immigration noticed it and walked me to Argentine Immigration. Mea culpa politely explained (with the help of my Colombian wife) how I goofed up at the airport...they were polite and fixed it. It was obvious that I legally entered Argentina but I played the humble traveler and all is well. The other day, landing in Córdoba from Miami they didn't even give my faded almost unreadable tourist visa a second look!
Sorry to ramble, sound like a preacher, but I just wanted to give you a different point of view.
Very helpful indeed, cwo4uscgret
I agree that be humble, patient and to keep a polite demeanour at the immigration desk at all times even if the officer is not doing the same.
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Can you throw some light on..why in days of "biometric passport"..a immigration officer would still think that the passport is fake?
I agree that be humble, patient and to keep a polite demeanour at the immigration desk at all times even if the officer is not doing the same.
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Can you throw some light on..why in days of "biometric passport"..a immigration officer would still think that the passport is fake?
cwo4uscgret
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ceviche - although it's getting harder to do considering someone's passport is linked to a computer file out there there are still people with "older" passports. Most Passports are good for ten years as those expire the old style ones are being replaced with biometric ones. One thing to remember though is that computers can and are hacked! The People's Republic of China's military has one unit with the sole purpose of hacking the US Government Computer Systems. According to the Office of Personnel Management not only my computer records but also my wife's records for several million federal government workers and spouses has been compromised by the Chinese Government. I don't think it would be that difficult the hack computer files for passport records...
Regarding fraud documents you'd be surprised just how sophisticated the forgers have gotten. Heck one criminal group will "rent" you a legitimate green card (stolen or given to the group by the owner traded for drugs or money). They can get pretty close to match someone with a card that almost looks like them. If the person safely crosses the border then someone meets them to collect the card! All it takes is one officer not paying that close attention.
Regarding fraud documents you'd be surprised just how sophisticated the forgers have gotten. Heck one criminal group will "rent" you a legitimate green card (stolen or given to the group by the owner traded for drugs or money). They can get pretty close to match someone with a card that almost looks like them. If the person safely crosses the border then someone meets them to collect the card! All it takes is one officer not paying that close attention.
camel
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To be fair, the border is a huge impediment to travel.
cwo4uscgret
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Camel so you propose open borders?
lamarque
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Ok reading this thread i thought that i should share my experience traveling 2 to 3 times a year for the last 5 years to Europe with my Argentine Passport. To get into Europe you need your argentine passport, that all the requirement, now if they see you suspicious they can ask you for health insurance and the hotel you are staying for at least the first 2 days (i never got asked but I know that this can happen). My recommendation is to just book a hostel for 1 or 2 nights, doesn’t matter how long you stay in Europe is just in the rare case they ask you and you can get a cheap insurance, normally many credit cards of Argentinean banks give free insurance for your travel in Europe so you can check that out, of course you have to be a client of that bank and have the credit card.
Now for what I have seen in airports custom in Spain, they were more tight in the past 5 to 10 years ago, now a days they rarely check anybody coming from Argentina unless the person seems very suspicious as they doubt anybody is going to work in there (there is no employment at all, especially on the younger people, and salary if you get a job there is not good anyway).
I always take my time to leave the plane as I hate to be pushing through people to get my things, I just stay sitting on the plane until the hall get free, so normally I am one of the last in the queue, I never saw a person getting stopped or detained in the airport, sure it can happen but mostly the whole passengers of the flight coming from Buenos Aires pass fairly fast through the customs.
Tip one, don’t go with invitations letters, they are of no use only make the official to start inquiring if you are staying at someone place that don’t help (the only cases I have heard of people having problem are when they present this letter, so avoid it, you don’t need it when travelling with your argentine passport), presenting this letter actually make things worse because then they can start thinking that maybe you have family there or a girlfriend and you are looking to stay, just stick to what I said before, get 2 night at a hostel for your arrival that´s all.
Tip two, Say hello with a smile in Spanish and you will be rarely even bothered with any further inquire, remember this only work if you have argentine passport, DNI is of no use in the Airports.
Travelling in brazil and rest of south America, I only travel with DNI inside south America (Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, not sure about Colombia and Ecuador) and that is the only legal requirement as argentine, now I don’t know what happen with DNI if you have a temporal residency in Argentina or if you are not Argentine, I never saw a DNI for foreigner so I don’t know if there is a special mark on it saying that you are not Argentinean.
Sorry if it got long, I hope this give some light on the matter. I just finish this month my dual Italian passport, so no more bothering for me, but to be fair it was never a problem to pass through Spain or any other country in Europe, and I found officers fairly friendly there, so I would say to not add all the custom officers in Spain in the same bag, I actually found customs there way more relaxed than when I arrive in Ezeiza.
Now for what I have seen in airports custom in Spain, they were more tight in the past 5 to 10 years ago, now a days they rarely check anybody coming from Argentina unless the person seems very suspicious as they doubt anybody is going to work in there (there is no employment at all, especially on the younger people, and salary if you get a job there is not good anyway).
I always take my time to leave the plane as I hate to be pushing through people to get my things, I just stay sitting on the plane until the hall get free, so normally I am one of the last in the queue, I never saw a person getting stopped or detained in the airport, sure it can happen but mostly the whole passengers of the flight coming from Buenos Aires pass fairly fast through the customs.
Tip one, don’t go with invitations letters, they are of no use only make the official to start inquiring if you are staying at someone place that don’t help (the only cases I have heard of people having problem are when they present this letter, so avoid it, you don’t need it when travelling with your argentine passport), presenting this letter actually make things worse because then they can start thinking that maybe you have family there or a girlfriend and you are looking to stay, just stick to what I said before, get 2 night at a hostel for your arrival that´s all.
Tip two, Say hello with a smile in Spanish and you will be rarely even bothered with any further inquire, remember this only work if you have argentine passport, DNI is of no use in the Airports.
Travelling in brazil and rest of south America, I only travel with DNI inside south America (Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, not sure about Colombia and Ecuador) and that is the only legal requirement as argentine, now I don’t know what happen with DNI if you have a temporal residency in Argentina or if you are not Argentine, I never saw a DNI for foreigner so I don’t know if there is a special mark on it saying that you are not Argentinean.
Sorry if it got long, I hope this give some light on the matter. I just finish this month my dual Italian passport, so no more bothering for me, but to be fair it was never a problem to pass through Spain or any other country in Europe, and I found officers fairly friendly there, so I would say to not add all the custom officers in Spain in the same bag, I actually found customs there way more relaxed than when I arrive in Ezeiza.
Just for completeness' sake: My previous comment about traveling to Brasil or other Mercosur countries using only a DNI was indeed related to "extranjero" DNIs, both temporary and permanent. They are fairly clearly marked as such. A born citizen of Argentina is different (and indeed, I know that Paraguayans can travel between Mercosur countries with only their national cedulas, no passport required - I'd forgotten about that), although even a naturalized citizen of Argentina still has that mark on their DNI (at least my friend, who got citizenship about 3 months ago still has his original DNI, and his passport actually lists what country his "previous"" nationality was) and I'm assuming they might have the same problem, but I don't know.