Starting Over... with pets

[karlaninas]

Hola!
We are 2 Canadians looking to move from BC to Argentina within the next 6-12mths.
We have a cat and a dog (golden retriever) * this is my biggest concern as we want to minimize the stress on them during the process.
We have an online coaching business for income plus savings but would love to eventually buy a property to have Airbnb's/camping etc
We are looking at Neuquen, San Carlos di Bariloche, Mendoza and/or Cordoba as possible places to land.
We are thinking of renting an Airbnb ourselves as our initial accommodation until we get settled?
I am currently learning Spanish to be fluent by the time we arrive.
ANY tips regarding any of the above would be amazing.
We appreciate ANY guidance anyone might have.
Thank you so much.

 

[LuckyLuke]

Howdy Karla,

Welcome to the forum. Much of the guidance you seek can be found by searching previous conversations with key words like immigration, banking, pet travel requirements, purchasing property, etc.

It would be impossible to guide you on the entire process of moving down here and integrating successfully in one single thread. So you would probably want to narrow down your question to what step you are on in the process and what exactly you need help with.

I believe I am the only expat in Neuquen capital. If you do end up choosing that location, I would be happy to provide any insight.

 

[steveinbsas]

We have an online coaching business for income plus savings but would love to eventually buy a property to have Airbnb's/camping etc.

Unfortunately, neither an online coaching business or savings will be acceptable sources of income to Argentine migraciones to qualify for the temporary residency which would allow you to legally stay in the country for more than six months of a "rolling" year, and since the latest decreto which applies to foreigners living in Argentina went into effect on this 29th of May, what you are hoping to do is less possible than ever.

Search this title for more info:

Immigration changes: Health, Education, Deportation​

 

[on the brink]

Hello Karla..... Ask your vet for the paperwork to bring animals to Argentina. It is no hassle, but try to arrive on a weekday so the admitting vet fee is lower.

You may try coming in as tourists to start with, and see how you like it. And learn as much Spanish as you can - not speaking the language is a handicap. You can probably manage without it, but it makes the landing much harder.

 

[steveinbsas]

Unfortunately, neither an online coaching business or savings will be acceptable sources of income to Argentine migraciones to qualify for the temporary residency which would allow you to legally stay in the country for more than six months of a "rolling" year, and since the latest decreto which applies to foreigners living in Argentina went into effect on this 29th of May, what you are hoping to do is less possible than ever.

One way you can obtain temporary residency and legally stay in Argentina for one year at a time is with the student visa, and, if you stay in Argentina for two full years without leaving and meet the additional requirements, you may "qualify" for citizenship.

On May 31st Nikad posted this:

Things to keep in mind for student visa (temp residency - legal status)

For a student visa, the course must: Be longer than 90 days. Be from an institution registered with the RENURE (Registro Nacional Único de Requirentes de Extranjeros). Offer official enrollment documentation (letter of acceptance, certificate of studies, etc.). These institutes are recognized...

baexpats.org

 

[steveinbsas]

Search this title for more info:

Immigration changes: Health, Education, Deportation​

Here's the link:

Immigration changes: Health, Education, Deportation

https://www.infobae.com/politica/2025/05/14/el-gobierno-anuncio-su-reforma-migratoria-que-incluira-mas-requisitos-para-la-residencia-a-extranjeros-y-deportacion-expres/ According to the presidential spokesperson, the new immigration reform will include the following points: Anyone with a...

baexpats.org

 

[Alby]

Unfortunately, neither an online coaching business or savings will be acceptable sources of income to Argentine migraciones to qualify for the temporary residency which would allow you to legally stay in the country for more than six months of a "rolling" year, and since the latest decreto which applies to foreigners living in Argentina went into effect on this 29th of May, what you are hoping to do is less possible than ever.

Search this title for more info:

Immigration changes: Health, Education, Deportation​

Exactly. Without wishing to sound too rude or unwelcoming, a Canadian can't simply "move" to Argentina any more than an Argentinian could simply move to Canada. Argentina is a sovereign country with its own immigration categories and processes.

 

[karlaninas]

Howdy Karla,

Welcome to the forum. Much of the guidance you seek can be found by searching previous conversations with key words like immigration, banking, pet travel requirements, purchasing property, etc.

It would be impossible to guide you on the entire process of moving down here and integrating successfully in one single thread. So you would probably want to narrow down your question to what step you are on in the process and what exactly you need help with.

I believe I am the only expat in Neuquen capital. If you do end up choosing that location, I would be happy to provide any insight.

completely fair point. thought I'd put it out there for the masses for anyone that might want to contribute some insight. How do you find Neuquen?

 

[karlaninas]

Unfortunately, neither an online coaching business or savings will be acceptable sources of income to Argentine migraciones to qualify for the temporary residency which would allow you to legally stay in the country for more than six months of a "rolling" year, and since the latest decreto which applies to foreigners living in Argentina went into effect on this 29th of May, what you are hoping to do is less possible than ever.

Search this title for more info:

Immigration changes: Health, Education, Deportation​

thank you for your time in replying. What are the expectations of us from the government then? To own or start a new business? to work for an existing one? or come as students or retirees? From your link you provided, if we enrolled in school simply to learn Spanish fluently, that would be enough to qualify? We are happy to contribute to the economy and to communities 100%.

 

[Alby]

The only option is to buy a ticket, arrive (sans cat and dog), recieve the standard 90-day tourist entry, renew it for another 90 days at a Migraciones office and then leave.

You may be able to obtain a study residency, say for Spanish classes (if there is a language institute whose course has official accreditation with Migraciones (perhaps unilkely in the cities you mention)), but in any case these must be renewed every 12 months and the renewals won't go on indefinitely. Apart from that, based on the information provided so far, you don't fit into any immigration category.

Lots of people come and go as tourists over a long period of time, crossing the border and returning, or simply overstaying the 90 days and risking being caught and deported. That sort of arrangement can go on for a year or two, or longer, but it doesn't seem to equate to settling down and starting over. You can't open a bank account, for example, using this modality (known colloquially as "permatourism").