Residency at BA Migraciones, September 2011 update

Great info! I went recently and was in and out in 90 mins.

I just the Nro. expediente in the website and it came back with the following:

Estado: RESUELTO DESDE EL 22/09/2011
Disposición: 197211 - 22/09/2011
Delegación: SEDE CENTRAL - Av. Antártida Argentina 1355

Anybody know what this means? Should I expect the DNI anyday now or is that wishful thinking.

Thanks!
 
Can anyone answer the following:

Does the date on your FBI background check showing no criminal record have to be after you arrive in Argentina ?

It take 2 months to get currently and cost $35.00

Not sure how long it takes to get the apostile though , Anyone ??
 
For those of you waiting, I got my precaria on the 22nd of July and had been waiting ever since as well. I had no idea I could check the status of my case on-line but reading the above I checked. It states that my case was 'resuelto' since the 26 of July. I called migraciones but was told that no info was given over the phone so I decided to go over myself. After a long wait I was told that this indeed meant that my permit has been approved, however there is a backlog at the factory that has to print the documents. I was told to return in a month's time if I had still not received anything. Hope this helps.

Monique
 
This is great info, thanks! Quick question-- I am currently going through the process of getting a work visa and have my FBI report and apostille all set and translated/legalized, dated May 2. However, I am going back to the States on Thursday and will be reentering Argentina Oct 16.

Does anyone know if this will affect the process, leaving the country in the middle? Will I need to get a new FBI report or anything like that done, since I've left and entered the country since the original one was issued? In any case my tourist visa is 9 months expired and so I'd need to leave the country anyway to get a valid tourist visa....hopefully I won't have to start all over :( Any thoughts?

Amy
 
amymiranda said:
This is great info, thanks! Quick question-- I am currently going through the process of getting a work visa and have my FBI report and apostille all set and translated/legalized, dated May 2. However, I am going back to the States on Thursday and will be reentering Argentina Oct 16.

Does anyone know if this will affect the process, leaving the country in the middle? Will I need to get a new FBI report or anything like that done, since I've left and entered the country since the original one was issued? In any case my tourist visa is 9 months expired and so I'd need to leave the country anyway to get a valid tourist visa....hopefully I won't have to start all over :( Any thoughts?

Amy

You do not have to have a valid tourist visa to get the temporary residency, but if you leave the country you may need to get a new FBI report. If you have already submitted your documents (including copies of all of the pages of your passport) you might be OK. If you submit your docs to migraciones after you return they can (and likely will) ask for a new FBI report.
 
Anyone know if I need any additional documents to start work after obtaining the residencia precaria? I am trying to start a job and I think they are unfamiliar with the residency process. I was told I could work but, the job seems to think I need something additional.
 
jayjane said:
Anyone know if I need any additional documents to start work after obtaining the residencia precaria? I am trying to start a job and I think they are unfamiliar with the residency process. I was told I could work but, the job seems to think I need something additional.

Don't know if you already got your CUIT (if you are going to free lance) or CUIL (if you are going to be an employee) number from the ANSES? You can go and get that with your Residencia Precaria and need that before you can start work legally. Other than that I can not think of a problem.

Hope this helps
 
Hi All,

Since this forum and its search function have been very helpful in giving me all information for my residency procedure here in Buenos Aires and since the situation at Migraciones seems to change almost every week, I thought I would post the procedure as experienced by me this very morning, in case it might be of help to anybody else needing to do this in the near future.

I have Dutch nationality and qualified for permanent Residency because of my marriage earlier this year to an Argentine spouse, so details and needed documents may be different depending on your situation, but I believe the basics are the same for most residency appointments (tramites) at Migraciones in Buenos Aires.

Most important change for me was that since the 29th of August of this year, they no longer give out numbers for an appointment on the spot. The only way to get one is online at this website: http://www.migracion...le/?residencias and then click on the "continuar para obtenar su turno online" button on top of the page.

You can then choose from three dates and a timeframe on those dates (8-10, 10-12, etc). Waiting time was around a week, when I made my appointment. To make the appointment online you need to enter the barrio where you live in Buenos Aires (last week it still was the number of the Comunal, so apparently there are still some ongoing changes on the website, making it a bit easier).

More importantly you need to enter the Tramite number on your Argentina criminal record (or more accurately: the lack thereof) that you get at the Registro Nacional de Reincidencia. The number is at the top right corner below the barcode and starts with the letter P followed by 7 numbers.

So make sure you get this first (all info here: http://www.dnrec.jus...sonalmente.aspx ) before you attempt to get your turn online.

When you actually go to the appointment at Migraciones at Avenida Antartida Argentina 1355 you enter almost the first door coming from the direction of Retiro train station. This is called "building number 4" and it has some big signs outside and a stream of people entering, so you should have no trouble finding it. Inside it's one big open space with attendance windows with immigrations staff on both sides and seats in the middle. The windows are divided in different sections, clearly labeled above each section.

One thing not mentioned on the website or anywhere else that I could find, is that your Internet turno does not mean you can sit down in the Tramites Non-Mercosur section for example and wait for them to call you. You first have to attend another section. As you enter building number 4, immediately to your left you will see a section of windows labeled "Biometria/Biometrics". This is the only section that has a long line in front of it, often extending to the back of the building, and this is the one you first have to enter.

After about 45 minutes I was at the front of the line and went up to the window. Here you show your proof of appointment as printed from the Migraciones website, your passport, hand over one of your 4x4 cm photos (see required paperwork below) and have your fingerprints taken electronically. This takes about 5 minutes and from this window you receive a piece of paper that has your photo glued on and the actual number of your turn as shown on the electronic boards above the other sections of windows inside building number 4. Only then are Mercosur and Non-Mercosur nationals separated and attended to in different sections.

I was early for my official appointment but in the end nobody looked at that paper (you leave it at the Biometrics window) and the number you receive at Biometrics is the only one that counts. Going earlier therefore seems a smart idea, specially given the line at Biometrics.

With the paper received at the Biometrics windows you move about 5 meters to the section of windows directly to the right after the entrance of building number 4 labeled "Tramites Non Mercosur". It has an electronic sign and your turn should come up in a few minutes. Even though I was there just before noon, I only had 2 people in front of me. A lot faster than the Mercosur lines, even though they have a lot more windows.

When called up to the window, it's time to show all your paperwork.

The paperwork needed for temporary residence (study, work, rentista, pensionado, priests, etc) can be found here by clicking on your category: http://www.migracion...osur_temporaria

All the papers you need for permanent residency for non-Mercosur nationals (as in my case) are listed here: http://www.migracion...rmanente<br />
In short they are:

1. Passport with valid visa stamp (may be a tourist visa)
2. Birth certificate from country of birth with apostille, both translated in Spanish by official translator and legalized by the Colegio de Traductores
3. Proof of lack of criminal record from your home country with apostille, again both translated as under .2 if not in Spanish
4. Proof of lack of criminal record in Argentina as given out by the Registro National de Reincidencia (the one you need to actually make the appointment at Migraciones as mentioned above)
5. Certificado de Domicilio, obtainable for 10 pesos at your local neighbourhood police station by showing your passport and leaving the address you currently stay at. This may even be a hotel. A cop will bring it by your place within 2 or 3 days normally
6. Photocopy of all pages in your passport even the blank ones
7. 2 photos 4x4 cm from the front with a white background showing your face and upper part of your chest and shoulders

Plus the specific documents depending on why you can claim residency. In my case:

8. Marriage certificate
9. DNI of my wife
10. Photocopy of the main pages of wife's DNI
11. Photocopy of marriage certificate

I brought 2 copies of everything with me, just to be sure, as it says in a couple of places that if you don't have all your copies, you will forfeit your turn, but in actual fact they hardly looked at most of it.

One thing noticed earlier by someone on this forum, which I can now confirm, is that they do not want to see your birth certificate anymore. This can save you some money on obtaining and translating, though is of course at your own risk.

Passport, criminal records from both countries, wife's DNI, marriage certificate and certificado de domicilio were all they needed plus photocopies of Passport, wife's DNI and marriage certificate. You also need to write down the names of your parents on a piece of paper and a telephone number where you can be reached

From the criminal records and certificado de domicilio they keep the originals, so you do not need photocopies. Passport, DNI and original marriage certificate are returned directly and they keep photocopies, which is why you only need those. In the end you do not need any more photos either as the one you gave at Biometrics is scanned later, so one photo is enough.

After handing over the papers and waiting for some 5 minutes, you receive two invoices. One for 600 pesos (300 pesos for Mercosur nationals) for your immigration and one for 40 pesos for your DNI.

With these two invoices you walk to the left far corner of building number 4, where there are 4 cashiers windows. You pay the immigration invoice at cashier "1" or "2" whereas the DNI invoice needs to be paid at cashier window "4". This whole part takes no more than 10 minutes and after that you return with the stamped invoices to the person who helped you at the Tramites Non-Mercosur where you should be attended almost directly.

You get to check if all your registered details are correct and sign for them. After that they print your Temporary Residence paper (Certificado De Residencia Precaria) valid for 3 months which already allows you to work, study, travel outside the country etc., as long as you show it together with your foreign passport.

They also hand you the invoice for the DNI that has a barcode at the top which you have to hand over to the mailman to take delivery of your DNI which is sent automatically to your home address in around 30 days.

All in all I was in and out of there in about 1,5 hours with most time spent in line for the Biometrics window. Everybody was very friendly and helpful and if you follow the steps lined out on their website or in this posting, things could not be more simple, even if you speak very limited Spanish.

Unless you are in special circumstances regarding your immigration status, there seems absolutely no need to spend money on handlers or immigration experts. Process went smooth and Argentine bureaucracy really seems to have been coming a long way compared to my first visits here some 15 years ago.

The only remaining advantage I noticed today was some foreigners with local handlers jumping the queue at the Biometrics window, which saved them maybe 30 minutes, but on all other windows they had to wait their turn just the same, so you might well be tempted to spend your money on enjoying BA nightlife instead ;)

Hope this helps some people, feel free to update or correct as things inevitably change over time and enjoy your stay in this weird but, for me at least, above all wonderful country.

Kind regards,

Jobe




Thanks Jobe! Your instructions were so helpful! Just received my DNI, exectly 26 days after successfully applying at Migraciones. I followed your instructions 100% and it really turned out to be simple and easy process. Muchas gracias :)

A tip: they don't accept credit cards, so bring cash with you!! (the nearest banelco is at Buquebus)

The whole process took 2hrs15min - and we haven't had to wait in line to "biometria", which seems like another 45 mins of waiting so better take a day off.

Remember to colect all the necessary papers before! Especially copies of ALL the pages of your passport, even the empty ones (you have to have a valid visa for at least another 30 days after a date of your appointment at migraciones)
I don't speak spanish, and the guy dealing with my case was a bit rude at first, but when he noticed that I have everything according to instructions, he switched to english and it went smooth (permanent: http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/accesibleingles/?nomercosur_permanente // temporary: http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/accesibleingles/?nomercosur_temporaria )

Obtaining all the documents issued by argentinian goverment (like argentinian criminal record, legalizations etc) was also very easy and took little time.

Conclusions: Do not hire a lawyer. Do it yourself.
 
People here are SO funny. So often they will tell you they don't speak English when, in fact, they do. When I first arrived my real estate person and I had some real friction. She told me she did not speak English and my Spanish was much more inferior than it is now (and it's still pretty inferior). Anyway there was misunderstanding because of the language and once she wrote me an angry email in bold red caps. (giggle-giggle).

We are now friends, after three years, and turns out she DOES speak English. In fact, when I go in now to pay her, we speak in English. Go figure!
 
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