Tips on extending Tourist Visa

markbsas

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Ok, now that I've been through it, maybe I can fill in a few more details on how to extend a tourist visa at the migraciones office. Thanks to all those who gave me great info last night.

I was planning to drive down from zona norte - Vicente Lopez - to the migraciones office. My wife asked me how I was going to get there, I told her, and she said "hell no, you are not going by yourself". Tip number one, evidently there is a major villa nearby, be careful especially if you don't know your way around like me.

A taxi, remis, or bus is probably a good idea as they will drop you off out front. It is really an easy drive from up north after all if you need directions let me know.

Direccion Nacional de Migraciones
Av. Antártida Argentina 1355
Mondays to Fridays from 07:30 to 18:00 hs.
(011)4317-0234

Thanks to my wife I have some more details here. We arrived and there were major lines. So my wife did some reconnaisance, she got out and asked where I needed to go. She was told 3 different things, i.e. she would need to stand in 3 different lines. My wife is Argentinian, she ain't gonna do that. So... she kept asking and asking and finally got the answer she was looking for. If it had been me I would be standing in lines all day long.

There will be a major line out front, forget about it. Go directly to building 6, (Edificio 6) go to the gate at far left side of main building from street. Go straight until it deadends, turn right and follow this around to back of building.

There will be another line going towards a tent. Forget about it. Edificio 6 is on the left. Go to the door, (there will be someone greeting people at door) and ask them for "prorraga de visa tourisma". Walk in the door and immediately to the right ask same thing from one of the people at a computer. They will give you a number. Mine was F 04, I think F is the designation for extensions.

Turn right and go straight through the building to the far end, all the way. You should see a sign that says "Prorragas de Permenencia - Stays Extended". Have a seat in front of the 3 computers on the far end. They will call your number. Ignore the other area that has a digital number.

Office opens at 7:30 and you can get a number then, but the particular area for extensions do not taking people until 8:00. But get there early, don't stand in the long lines, and it should not take you any time at all.

Bring $300 pesos, and make sure you have photo copies of your passport - page with your photo and pages with your stamps. That's it.

I hope that this helps someone here that may need to renew, mmaybe save you some trouble. Thanks again for help last night.

Good luck!
Mark
 
Here's a post I made in October. Perhaps those who don't speak Castellano and don't have someone who does available to go with them will find it useful (my directions are a bit different, but I know they are correct...just less circuitous than Mark's):

Go to the Office of Migraciones at Av. Antártida Argentina 1355 before your 90 days are up.

Enter the building (main entrance in front) and go past the information counter (to the right).

When you get past the information counter, look to the opposite wall (next to the open doorway) and you will see a window where you will receive a number for your turno (no advance appointment is required but they only give 50 per day). They may ask what you are there for or just ask what country you are from. In either case, just say "prorrogas de permanencia" or "noventa dias" and you will be given a paper slip with the number for your turn. Then go through the "doorway" to the right and proceed to the "prorrogas de permanencia" section (to the left near the front of the building...but not all the way to the windows) and wait for your number to be called.

If you don't speak Castellano all you need to say is that you would like an additional 90 days. You don't need to give a reason. If this is your first time there will be no problem, but recently they have denied the "renewal" to some individuals who have made multiple requests for the 90 day extension, even thought they have gone to Colonia in he interim.

You will than be directed to the caja at the back of the room to pay the $300 peso fee, return to the desk, and they will stamp your passport.

Be sure to take photocopies of your passport (showing both the photo page and the page with your original entry stamp).


After you have the 90 day "extension" it's a good idea to make a new photo copy of your passport (at least the photo page and the page with the stamp from prorrogas) to carry with you (instead of the actual passport). That way you can show you are legally here if there is ever a question and reduce the risk of "losing" your passport in the streets.
 
Dang Steve, I didn't even see this post of yours last night, and I did search. I guess it was late.

Actually I waited in car with baby while my wife did this recon. She does have a way of pushing through or going around lines and crowds, etc. She then returned to car, took care of baby, while I followed her instructions and got straight through.

Obviously more than one way to go about this!

Thanks!
Mark
 
About the 50 turnos...
When I went to to Migraciones to extend my tourist visa last Thursday, I got there at about 8.45, and got turno number 49. I was gloating over my luck at getting the second-last number until I saw that the people were walking in with numbers in the fiftes and sixties. So I think they might have increased the number of turnos they give.

But it's a good idea to go early anyway. After about 10 o clock, the place was filled with lawyers sliming their way to the front of queue.
 
What's the point of renewing the visa when the overstay fee is the same as the renewal?
 
orwellian said:
What's the point of renewing the visa when the overstay fee is the same as the renewal?

I would think it "looks" better that you are being pro-active vs. not doing anything until after the fact.
 
I did not want to take any chances and screw something up, then have the potential to be separated from my wife and child.

And I normally do things "straight up", although I realize this tourist visa thing is rather a grey area. Main thing is to just avoid any complications down the road
 
About the 50 turnos again...
I went there on monday and got in at about 8.45, when they told me I had to come back the day after because all the numbers had gone allready, and even though I was acompanied by my very own porteño who tried in every possible way to persuade the girl to get us in anyway it was completely impossible. So I think you should indeed consider yourself lucky if you got number 49, and possible the other numbers were for other tramites...
Also, when I got back yesterday I got my stamp and a handwritten "ultima prorroga" over it. I´ve only gotten two prorrogas before, the last one in the beginning of 2008, since then I haven´t even been in Argentina for more than a year, so I think everybody should consider the prorroga- possibility as very limited from now on...
 
markbsas said:
I did not want to take any chances and screw something up, then have the potential to be separated from my wife and child.

And I normally do things "straight up", although I realize this tourist visa thing is rather a grey area. Main thing is to just avoid any complications down the road


While I agree that it is wise to comply with the rules, even with an overstay and the payment of a fine, you fall into two categories that virtually guarantee you permanent residence anyway: you are married to an Argentine and you are the parent of an Argentine child. Unless you have a criminal history in the past five years, you should easily sail through the permanent residency process.

I suggest the first thing you do when you return to the States is apply for your FBI report. It will take up to six weeks. During that time you can get the Apostille for your birth certificate and possibly for your marriage license as well (if you were married in the US). If your wife and child are with you in the US and you are near an Argentine consulate (and have the time), you could even apply for the permanent residency there.

If the FBI report isn't ready before your scheduled return to Argentina, you can have someone you know send it to you here. I don't think the FBI will send them out of the US, anyway. The report does not require the seal of the Apostille. I'm not sure if a "marriage license" can receive the seal of the Apositlle or if it is required by migraciones.
 
Now that I have been convinced by the wife that we ARE staying for awhile (as if I ever had any choice), I'll get the necessary documents and residency taken care of. I did want to make sure that my tourist visa was intact during the process though.

Thank much
Mark
 
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