Tourist visa renewal and renewal and renewal....

[tana]

Hello After the 3rd time that you over stayed (over 3 month) they can retain you in uruguay, nobody tells you that, but I learned that in one of the trips to Uruguay taking my son and husband out for the porposes of visa expiring, now I got both legal.
Also getting a new passport does not help because they have your info in the computer. Being from both countries, USA and Argentina, at least here they let people over stay a couple of times, in the US you can't even do it ones and you can not get in ever again!!!

 

[gayla]

From Aug 2003 to Jan 2007 I was here without permanent residence status, thus forced to shuttle back and forth (visiting family, getting to see Chile & Uruguay in order to keep that visa up to date). I usually spent about 10 months a year in Argentina and 2 months traveling abroad.

After about 10 trips, an immigration officer in Rosario told me that I could alternate the trips to "the exterior" with a stamp at Migraciones at the nearby Port. So 2 months and three weeks later, I went to that office, where the official affirmed that policy. Then he surprised me by saying, "But why do it? Just pay the fine when you leave--it's only 50 pesos. The cost of the stamp is 100 pesos." I paid the 100 pesos as I just can't bear to break the law. I did the same at least three more times.

In 2005 I married an Argentine citizen. So before that, I always (truthfully) told the immigrations officer at Ezeiza or wherever that the purpose of my visit was to see my my fiance. After that I (truthfully) said I was living with my Argentine husband and still waiting for residency papers (and got them 18 months after submitting the papers).

Now I show that residency letter whenever leaving or entering Argentina, mentioning that I am still awaiting the issue of my DNI by the verrrrrry slow Registro Civil, and the Migraciones officers welcome me back and smile sympathetically (truly my best experiences with bureaucracies here). However, sometimes the airline agents at check in will insist on taking my residency letter to show some invisible supervisor behind the counters, returning with a vague warn me that I could have problems with Migraciones. So far, not one, todo al contrario.

I wish all of you out there the best with your visas, Migraciones, and the Registro Civil, which treats its own citizens so poorly that I never take it personally.

 

[steveinbsas]

I believe tana was referring to what happens if you overstay the 90 day visa without getting the extension or if you overstay the extension: three "strikes" and you could be (kept) out.

You must go to migraciones to get the 90 day extension before your initial visa expires. You must leave the country before the extension expires to avoid getting the "strikes" that can lead to being denied reentry.

Yes, it is clear that many have been successfully doing it (going to Colonia and returning the same day) for years and years.

You just have to be mindful of the expiration dates.

BTW: It's OK to go to migraciones a day or two before the first 90 days are up. if you go a week early they'll give you the extension, but it will be for 90 days from that date.

 

[steveinbsas]

...
Now I show that residency letter whenever leaving or entering Argentina, mentioning that I am still awaiting the issue of my DNI by the verrrrrry slow Registro Civil, and the Migraciones officers welcome me back and smile sympathetically (truly my best experiences with bureaucracies here). However, sometimes the airline agents at check in will insist on taking my residency letter to show some invisible supervisor behind the counters, returning with a vague warn me that I could have problems with Migraciones. So far, not one, todo al contrario.

I traveled out of Argentina with my residency letter while waiting for the DNI. It was essential to show the letter at EZE, as the 90 day immigration stamp in my passport had expired as had the 90 day extension.

At check in the agent took the letter to show to the supervisor and there was no warning. As I went through migraciones on the way to the gate the agent looked at the letter and everything was fine.

 

[Nan]

I have an expat friend who's been here for almost three years now. He alternates visa renewals with visits to family in the Sates. I always go with him to migraciones (he doesn't speak Spanish) and they've never asked any questions (even though my friend has only one page left for stamps in his passport). They give you a number, you pay 100 pesos, you get the stamp and they show you the 'salida.' If there's a law, they don't pay much attention to it. At least that's my friends experience.

 

[criswkh]

steveinbsas--funny about your visa. When we arrived in June we couldn't leave the country until our visa was granted. Which took three weeks. We are now working on DNI, but they told us they aren't issuing DNI for non Argentina until the "new" system is in place. Again...longer waiting period.

 

[steveinbsas]

steveinbsas--funny about your visa. When we arrived in June we couldn't leave the country until our visa was granted. Which took three weeks. We are now working on DNI, but they told us they aren't issuing DNI for non Argentina until the "new" system is in place. Again...longer waiting period.

I arrived and was granted the usual tourist visa in May 2006. In August I was granted the 90 day extension which would have expired in November. I applied for the visa in early October and it was granted three weeks later.

I took the "residency letter" from migraciones with me to the airport in December. It showed that the residency visa had already been granted. The DNI was ready in March, but bears the same October issue date as the visa.

I never tried to leave without the visa.

 

[syngirl]

To be honest, I think Argentina's the only country I've ever been to where the customs officers are thoroughly charmed by the tale of a relationship with an Argentine boyfriend/girlfriend. It's kind of cute... and a little scary, lol is that how all these efedrina transporters get in and out of the country?

Whatever you say, don't say your studying and DON'T say your working. If you do, you could find yourself in a worse situation wherein they start to question why you don't have a work or student visa.

(Seeing as we're near holiday time, here's a tip for any of you that have Argentine other-halfs going back with you for the first time to visit your home country, it's the opposite -- never let them mention you as their boyfriend/girlfriend, they could easily find themselves rejected at the border, even if they already got their tourist Visa from the embassy. The guys at the border may decide that your other half is attempting to immigrate illegally and they'll find themselves on the next plane back to BA. They need to say they are visiting friends and family and have a list of where they are going, bank statement etc. Once they've been approved once for entry into your country and they go back home like they said they would, they shouldn't have any problems for any future trips and should be able to get the longer term multiple-entry visas no problem thereafter.)