The Buenos Aires Digital Nomad Program

[MilHojas]

The government has officially launched the BA Digital Nomad Program.

The website is called BA Global and it covers the Buenos Aires-related international affairs.
There is also a special section for Digital Nomads.

They are offering a Welcome Kit that includes a SIM card, SUBE Card, discounts on accommodation in participating hostels (like 190 USD/Month) and Airport Transfer by Tienda Leon bus.

Please, check it out! And if you know anyone who may be interested in this information, please let them know.

 

[wjacobs]

Vermont pays you 10K to move. BA gives you a SUBE card. Gonna think on that one for a while and get back to you.

 

[Renzi]

Vermont pays you 10K to move. BA gives you a SUBE card. Gonna think on that one for a while and get back to you.

That's a bizarre comparison, and not a very good deal when taking into account the tax rate and the cost of living in VT, and the fact that there's nothing there except for Ben & Jerry's and Bernie Sanders.

Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, VT, United States And Buenos Aires, Argentina

www.numbeo.com

 

[MorganF]

So are foreigners allowed to come to Arg/BA again?

 

[dsp27]

This a good start but too rudimentary in order to attract a significant (and high quality) amount of people. The so-called digital nomads [I am a former one] are usually savvy travelers with a good grasp on travel arrangements, visas, accommodation etc. These people are literally semi-permanent travelers. Giving someone a free SIM and a SUBE card is a joke.
What this program might attack are the pseudo digital nomads, aka recent collage dropouts, or those doing a gap year, or worse those that at age 25 have lost themselves and need to go on a trip to find themselves (always a bad idea).
The biggest issue that this program does not tackle is the visa situation. They need to offer one-year residency options for digital nomads. 90 days ain't gonna cut it. Most "quality" digital nomads stay for at least 6 months at a place. Hopping to a new place every 3 months gets really cumbersome very quickly. Unfortunately, this would require the federal government aka Migraciones to agree to the creation of such a program, which they would not.
So it's a good start. But much more needs to be done. Fingers crossed this would grow into something eventually.

 

[dsp27]

So are foreigners allowed to come to Arg/BA again?

nope

 

[angelbeach]

The biggest issue that this program does not tackle is the visa situation. They need to offer one-year residency options for digital nomads. 90 days ain't gonna cut it. Most "quality" digital nomads stay for at least 6 months at a place. Hopping to a new place every 3 months gets really cumbersome very quickly. Unfortunately, this would require the federal government aka Migraciones to agree to the creation of such a program, which they would not.

It looks like they are planning to have a 1-year temporary visa, although it's not mentioned on that website yet. From the press release last week:

Con una potente oferta cultural la Ciudad busca atraer a “nómades digitales” | Buenos Aires Ciudad - Gobierno de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires

Con el reciente auge del trabajo remoto cada vez más turistas eligen radicarse temporalmente en otras ciudades. Sus atractivos culturales, seguridad y calidad de vida, son los aspectos clave a la hora de elegir. La creación de un visado especial de residencia, ofertas en estadías prolongadas y...

www.buenosaires.gob.ar

"El programa Nómades Digitales BA incluirá un visado especial para este público que la Ciudad y otros destinos turísticos del país están trabajando con el gobierno nacional, y que habilitará a este tipo de visitantes a residir transitoriamente en la Argentina por hasta un año."

 

[dsp27]

It looks like they are planning to have a 1-year temporary visa, although it's not mentioned on that website yet. From the press release last week:

Con una potente oferta cultural la Ciudad busca atraer a “nómades digitales” | Buenos Aires Ciudad - Gobierno de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires

Con el reciente auge del trabajo remoto cada vez más turistas eligen radicarse temporalmente en otras ciudades. Sus atractivos culturales, seguridad y calidad de vida, son los aspectos clave a la hora de elegir. La creación de un visado especial de residencia, ofertas en estadías prolongadas y...

www.buenosaires.gob.ar

"El programa Nómades Digitales BA incluirá un visado especial para este público que la Ciudad y otros destinos turísticos del país están trabajando con el gobierno nacional, y que habilitará a este tipo de visitantes a residir transitoriamente en la Argentina por hasta un año."

I will believe it when I see it. Larreta may want but Fernandez will say no. The Immigration law would need to be tweaked.

 

[Dougie]

The thought is nice, but the digital nomad program is a discount for the manuel tienda leon bus, deals on hostels, sim card, and a sube card? Is there anything beyond that?

The key is a special visa. I've met many people over the years living in Buenos Aires who worked remotely but couldn't qualify for one of the available visas. Many would just overstay visas and/or travel every 3 months.

It has to be simple and cost effective enough that people have an incentive to sign up or else they will keep overstaying. 200 USD and you get a digital nomad visa for a year with an option to renew.

 

[Jerbo]

Most people I know do not find Buenos Aires/Argentina attractive from a digital nomad perspective. The new visa designation doesn't solve any of the problems. Chief complaints I hear are: cost of flights, lack of functional banking, expense of technology (it is called "digital nomad" yet technology costs 50% more here than US), and a few others.

Argentina needs to keep in mind that pretty much every other second/third tier country is playing the same game. They all have lost foreigners and are crafting packages to attract them back. I just read how easy Barbados makes it for people to stay one year. More direct competitors like Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia and Ecuador are all developing their own packages to win the digital nomad competition.