Proof of means/income when applying for permanent residency (and later on citizenship)

[georgesayns]

Hello

I'm currently on my third tourist visa (including one I overstayed by a year), and I plan on moving here permanently to be with my gf, who is argentinian.
Our plan has always been to eventually get married and get me resident status (and later on, citizenship) that way.

However, it seems one is always asked for proof of means/income when applying.

As regards temporary residency, I did some digging around and found out that you can (or could, at some point ?) get a "sponsor". Fortunately, my gf has more than enough money for the two of us, so that should be doable, and I should be able to renew it each time with my gf as a sponsor.

I'm more worried about permanent residency/citizenship, though.

Right now, I have about 8000e in savings and I'm giving language classes (en negro ofc) which barely cover the expenses associated with my minimalist lifestyle. I also have no degree or experience that would enable me to make any kind of money anywhere down the line, especially not in Argentina, of all places.

Even if I were to double my clients, I might be able to make roughly 4x minimum wage, but I would still have no "legitimate" source of income (I get paid through a mp account that doesn't belong to me).

So you can see how that sort of throws a wrench in the works: I might be able to get a temporary residency (the only one one can get through marriage, apparently) using the sponsor trick, but I'd basically be stuck at that stage forever. Obviously I'd like to avoid that, especially since I don't know how many times that can be renewed (and, you know, I would like to have some stability sometime in the not too distant future).

Anyway, I'm looking for any information regarding the actual income that would qualify as "solvencia", how likely it is that I will get asked for hard proof, whether there are differences between the processes for residency and citizenship, etc. Any testimony would be greatly appreciated. Also if anyone has some creative tricks to make my income appear legitimate, I'll gladly take it (though I suspect it would involve losing a sizable portion of it to exchange rates).

Thanks in advance

 

[Alby]

There is no sponsor arrangement. You need to marry your girlfriend. With that, you will get temporary residency for one year, renewable for two more years. At the end of the third year, you can apply for permanent residency, if you are still married. There is no income requirement in that category, so stop doing complex maths.

You have no other path to temporary residency and then permanent, based on the information you have provided.

 

[steveinbsas]

Our plan has always been to eventually get married and get me resident status (and later on, citizenship) that way.

However, it seems one is always asked for proof of means/income when applying.

Fortunately, my gf has more than enough money for the two of us...

I'm more worried about permanent residency/citizenship, though...

As indicated in the previous post, getting married to your Argentine gf is the only path for you to get temporary residency which is renewable annually. If she has "enough money" for the two of you, migraciones, may not care if you can't show any personal income en Blanco.

As the husband of an Argentine citizen, you will be able to apply for citizenship after two years of temporary residency during which you have not left the country, so you won't have to wait for the end of the third year to apply for permanent residency.

It sounds like you are presently in Argentina. Given your previous history, getting married ASAP may be worth serious consideration. If you leave the country before getting married and getting temporary residency, you may need to lan on staying out of the country for six months before trying to return. Hopefully, your relationship will survive the separation.

 

[nikad]

What Alby said is correct. The only instance where you could use a sponsor y citizenship ( your wife ). At any point, once you have your DNI through any kind of legal residency, you can register to monotributo ( self employed ) with ARCA, just so any income you make is en blanco. In Argentina a legitimate income is not necessarily registered, for citizenship purposes it means it cannot be the source of criminal activity.

 

[georgesayns]

Thanks for the responses !

I will look into the monotributo thing, that's reassuring to know.

I am curious though, what makes everyone so sure that the sponsorship thing doesn't exist anymore ?

Just to be clear, when I say sponsor, I mean someone with sufficient means, who signs a notarized document stating they are willing to cover your expenses, in the event that proof of means is required -not just someone who "vouches for you" so you can get a visa.

The "carta de invitacion" thing is still up on the TAD platform, and it seems it can be used for a variety of reasons (not just work related residencies). So that would seem to indicate that you can still do it.

That and I found information on official websites (consulates) giving detailed information as to what sort of proof would be accepted for a student visa, and these include the sponsor part. (one of them was a consulate in india, if memory serves)

I just find it bizarre that they would expect someone applying for a student visa to be making x times minimum wage already. Then again, few things make sense here.

So, is it just something that is no longer valid? Was it stated explicitly in last year's decree? Did anyone try it recently?

And yes, obviously marrying would be ideal (though I hear it's not even that simple) but it's a big step and we've only been together two years. Plus I don't know if there are "pre-nups" in Argentina and her well-off family might get worried, understandably so.

 

[Alby]

It's hard to prove something that doesn't exist doesn't exist. Trust us. Most of us have been in this residency game for years. (If you say you saw a unicorn somewhere and I said it doesn't exist and you say "are you sure?" I've got nowhere to go.)

 

[steveinbsas]

Thanks for the responses !

I will look into the monotributo thing, that's reassuring to know.

You will have to already have temporary residency to become a monotributo...

I am curious though, what makes everyone so sure that the sponsorship thing doesn't exist anymore ?

In the past a few individuals have used the word "sponsor" when referring to an Argentine employer who is licensed tlby migraciones to hire foreigners. I don't recall anyone applying for a student visa ever saying that they had to find a financial sponsor in Argentina, only that they had to demonstrate that they had the means to support themselves while living here as a student.

Just to be clear, when I say sponsor, I mean someone with sufficient means, who signs a notarized document stating they are willing to cover your expenses, in the event that proof of means is required -not just someone who "vouches for you" stttou can get a visa.

Just because I never heard of it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Still, if it did, I should have heard about it before now.

The "carta de invitacion" thing is still up on the TAD platform, and it seems it can be used for a variety of reasons (not just work related residencies). So that would seem to indicate that you can still do it.

I believe that the "Carta de invitacion" was only mentioned once before in this forum, and in that case it was regarding a school.

That and I found information on official websites (consulates) giving detailed information as to what sort of proof would be accepted for a student visa, and these include the sponsor part. (one of them was a consulate in india, if memory serves)

I just find it bizarre that they would expect someone applying for a student visa to be making x times minimum wage already. Then again, few things make sense here.

So, is it just something that is no longer valid? Was it stated explicitly in last year's decree? Did anyone try it recently?

I don't know the exact amount of "support" a student is required to show to migraciones, and I don't know if the monthly support can be provided by others. Perhaps parents would be acceptable. It would probably not have to be as much as for the visa rentista or pensionado.

Here's a list of all of the posts that include the word sponsor:

Search

baexpats.org

 

[victoriarob]

Thanks for the responses !

I will look into the monotributo thing, that's reassuring to know.

I am curious though, what makes everyone so sure that the sponsorship thing doesn't exist anymore ?

Just to be clear, when I say sponsor, I mean someone with sufficient means, who signs a notarized document stating they are willing to cover your expenses, in the event that proof of means is required -not just someone who "vouches for you" so you can get a visa.

The "carta de invitacion" thing is still up on the TAD platform, and it seems it can be used for a variety of reasons (not just work related residencies). So that would seem to indicate that you can still do it.

That and I found information on official websites (consulates) giving detailed information as to what sort of proof would be accepted for a student visa, and these include the sponsor part. (one of them was a consulate in india, if memory serves)

I just find it bizarre that they would expect someone applying for a student visa to be making x times minimum wage already. Then again, few things make sense here.

So, is it just something that is no longer valid? Was it stated explicitly in last year's decree? Did anyone try it recently?

And yes, obviously marrying would be ideal (though I hear it's not even that simple) but it's a big step and we've only been together two years. Plus I don't know if there are "pre-nups" in Argentina and her well-off family might get worried, understandably so.

No, you don't need to show financial means (or indicate a sponsor) when applying for temporary residency via civil union / marriage. I received my precaria via this route recently, and while there is plenty of paperwork to prepare, nothing related to financial means. If you're hesitant to marry your girlfriend right now, look into the "union civil conjugal" arrangement. You'll find a few posts about it in the forum.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

There is no sponsor arrangement. You need to marry your girlfriend. With that, you will get temporary residency for one year, renewable for two more years. At the end of the third year, you can apply for permanent residency, if you are still married. There is no income requirement in that category, so stop doing complex maths.

You have no other path to temporary residency and then permanent, based on the information you have provided.

With DNU 366 he has to show an honest way of living like in citizenship decree 3213/84 and the only way they accept is tax paying by your wife.

 

[georgesayns]

No, you don't need to show financial means (or indicate a sponsor) when applying for temporary residency via civil union / marriage. I received my precaria via this route recently, and while there is plenty of paperwork to prepare, nothing related to financial means. If you're hesitant to marry your girlfriend right now, look into the "union civil conjugal" arrangement. You'll find a few posts about it in the forum.

Was this after decree 366 2025? And they didn't ask for anything, not even a sworn declaration?

With DNU 366 he has to show an honest way of living like in citizenship decree 3213/84 and the only way they accept is tax paying by your wife.

Do you reckon this would still be valid under the regimen de separacion de bienes (which we would probably choose when we do marry)?
This is a rather specific question but I understand you are a lawyer.