Reciprocity fee and permanent residents

[syngirl]

In late 2008, the program added Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Republic of Korea, and the Slovak Republic to the list of countries (under various laws - either as EU countries, or the new pilot program law, etc).

Canada recently added Czech Republic and MEXICO to the list of countries required to apply for tourist visas to enter the country. They added these two countries specifically because they were having overstay and refugee claim problems with both --

Canada slaps visa requirements on citizens of Mexico and Czech Republic, citing surge in refugee claims by visitors from those countries.​

That was in July.

No surprise, headline this month:

Mexican travel to Canada plummets after Ottawa imposes visa restrictions
​

I think visa fees in Canada are to dissuade foreigners from showing up and overstaying, or worse, applying for refugee status, which immeditaly results in at least 2 years of bureaucracy to get the person out of the country.

I think visa fees in Argentina are just to make money out of an already existing situation. Argentina's not about to start kicking out foreigners when they know they bring in a decent bit of $$ to the country. But they're definitely going to take advantage of the situation and make money out of it if they can. If tourism suddenly takes a big dip because of it, then I'm sure they will reduce or get rid of the fees all together.

 

[sergio]

"I actually wonder if adding the reciprocity fee is an effort to light a fire under the State Department to undergo/finish whatever process is necessary to add Argentina."

Marcale, your post was very informative. I really appreciated it. As for the above comment, you give the Argentine government more credit than they deserve. I don't think they care in the least about the convenience of the Argentine traveling public. The people who can afford to travel are very likely to be anti-Kirchner. No votes gained by helping the upper classes.

 

[mikew]

Coming from my wife, who works for the diplomatic school here, permanent residents will not be charged the fee.

 

[steveinbsas]

Coming from my wife, who works for the diplomatic school here, permanent residents will not be charged the fee.

Though this question was specifically asked about permanent residents, I don't think temporary residents will be charged, either...even if they have not yet received their DNI, as the fee applies specifically to those entering the country on a visa transitoria (tourist visa).

 

[windy]

Today 1st of Jan i collected two American couples and one canadian couple from EZE all paid the fee (the canadians U$S70) The Yanks U$S131 none cpmplained and all accepted that that it was fair enough. Tha Canadians got a one visit visa ,The yanks got a ten year visa.
Whats good for the goose is good for the gander.
Vamos Cristina

 

[sesamosinsal]

Today 1st of Jan i collected two American couples and one canadian couple from EZE all paid the fee (the canadians U$S70) The Yanks U$S131 none cpmplained and all accepted that that it was fair enough. Tha Canadians got a one visit visa ,The yanks got a ten year visa.
Whats good for the goose is good for the gander.
Vamos Cristina

It's too bad that this policy will never change the U.S. (and probably Canada and Australia) policy on the matter. That is the point, right? Look out, there are 5-year-olds running the foreign affairs departments in the U.S. and Argentina...

No muerdas la mano que te da de comer.

 

[ghost]

The fee is exactly what it says it is, A Fee. It is not a visa nor do they process a visa or do any form of investigation and almost no work.
Not counting Canadians or Australians, there are approx 400,000 US visitors to Argentina, yearly. Multiply $131 USD by 400K and you arrive at a pretty nice little cash grab which is generated out of a small low cost operation at EZE only.
Argentina needs cash and this an easy target.
Now , considering that the Queen has direct access to this cash I would assume that we are watching Nestors campaign fund being built.
Easy money.

 

[sergio]

Yes, Windy...VAMOS CRISTINA! You can be sure the money will be well-spent on education, health services, nutrition, the environment etc. No doubt about that!

 

[ghost]

Bus rides, choripan and a glass of vino. Buys a vote. And leaves some surplus for Botox.

 

[steveinbsas]

I think it's time that someone pointed out that almost any US citizen can get a visa to live in Argentina year round on an income of less than $1000 USD per month, but most Argentines cannot stay in the US more than six months of the year no matter how wealthy they are.

If Argentina was seriously interested in reciprocity perhaps they would end this inequity, too.