Thousands of Argentines, with terror of being expelled

[steveinbsas]

I dont understand what you are getting at here, because anyone whos tourist visa is about to expire can go to immigration and get it renewed for another 3 months, or they can pop over to coloina and re-enter the country.. So i am guessing there is nothing wrong with being a perma-tourist or immigration wouldnt give you the ability to continually renew the tourist visa.

You can only go to the prorrogas de permanencia (extension of stay) at migraciones once in a 12 month period to get a 90 day extension of a visa transitoria. I believe that they recently denied the extension to a member of this forum who had been doing this for several years and two others were told no more "new tourist visas" as they returned from Uruguay.

I believe the law only allows foreigners with a visa transitoria to be in Argentina a maximum of 180 days in a twelve month period, but it has not been rigorously enforced in the past. The authorities seem to be focusing on a few expats who have been coming and going on tourist visas for a number of years, but not those who have only made a few trips to get new visas. Stricter enforcement and/or changes in the regulations could come at any time.

 

[davonz]

This is interesting, so what happens when there is a renewal denial. Do they have to leave in 24 hours or something, and if entering from uruguay do they get turned back ?

 

[nikad]

I dont understand what you are getting at here, because anyone whos tourist visa is about to expire can go to immigration and get it renewed for another 3 months, or they can pop over to coloina and re-enter the country.. So i am guessing there is nothing wrong with being a perma-tourist or immigration wouldnt give you the ability to continually renew the tourist visa.

Excuse me, but " perma " and " tourist " terms do not go together, making a trip to Uruguay with the sole purpose of getting extra months as a tourist to permanently reside here obviously violates the spirit of migratory laws, and any competent judge could enforce the law and get you deported just with that, the fact that it is not enforced is what makes the difference, there is no loophole here.

 

[nikad]

From what I understand it's perfectly legal for perma-tourists to jump ship to Uruguay (or other country) every 3 months, get a new stamp, and come back. I would agree that it's an unintended (or perhaps not) loophole but I don't think you can compare it to overstaying a tourist visa in the US. We have no such loophole. Or is that not right?

Your understanding is incorrect, it is not legal. I am not American so I do not know how US law or law enforcement works first hand.

 

[nikad]

As long as the government keeps issuing them new three-month visas, permatourists have a right to stay on.

I wouldn´t say they have the right, but definitely they can do it if they want to...

 

[LAtoBA]

We are talking apples and oranges.

I am talking about the US citizens that are LIVING here full time on a tourist visa hence the term " perma tourist ". This is technically illegal. You aren't supposed to be in the country more than 6 months a year on a tourist visa. The Argentinian government hasn't cracked down on this yet, but if they do there are alot of US citizens that are LIVING here full time and yes they would then have to leave or go completely " illegal ".

Ah okay. I wasn't aware of the 6 month rule.

 

[nikad]

This is interesting, so what happens when there is a renewal denial. Do they have to leave in 24 hours or something, and if entering from uruguay do they get turned back ?

I suppose they would tell you at that time, I doubt they will make you wear pink underwear just like they did to illegals arrested in AZ before being deported...

 

[LAtoBA]

Your understanding is incorrect, it is not legal. I am not American so I do not know how US law or law enforcement works first hand.

Understood now.

 

[steveinbsas]

This is interesting, so what happens when there is a renewal denial. Do they have to leave in 24 hours or something, and if entering from uruguay do they get turned back ?

They can write in your passport that it's the last time. What happens if you do it again? They can give you ten days to leave the country. One member of the forum posted that this happened to him, but we never heard from him after that.

Rumor has it he was last seen being pushed into the back seat of a green Ford Falcon.

 

[AlexfromLA]

Yes i did read your post.. which didnt have any mention of 6 months on it.. you only added that later.

I didn't need to mention 6 months. I said " perma tourist ".

perma tourist = tourist staying here permanently on a tourist visa.

Makes sense now ?

Bottom line is, if the Argentinian government starts cracking down on perma tourists at some point, many United States citizens are going to know what it feel like to be an illegal immigrant in a country that doesn't want them.