What are my visa options?

[nikad]

Well, I read some minutes ago on another forum that some expats get the " rentista " visa by presenting tickets and bank account statements showing regular deposits into their accounts, I will try to get you the email address of the person that posted this if it helps.

 

[nikad]

To obtain any of the visas that require an income received outside Argentina, you will have to PROVE that you really have the income. Just depositing $1000 a month into a bank account (even for a year) probably won't satisfy the immigration authorities. This means you will need docs from lawyers, CPA's, and or bank officials that are notarized and bear the seal of Apostille.

If I remember correctly, you posted that you thought your wife might work here, but you wouldn't be able to include that income to qualify for the visa unless she was "legally" employed and that implies that she had already qualified for a work visa (which then would probably allow your entry as a family).

You indicated that ARCA would not deal with you unless you could show $1000 a month. The income threshold might be even higher for a family of three, but I'm not certain. I was told that I needed to show a monthly income of $1000 dollars/$3000 pesos a month by a pseudo-immigration attorney two years ago, but when I went to actually present my docs (without him) I was told that $2000 pesos a month would suffice to obtain the visa rentista.

When I renewed in August, I was told to deposit $2000 per month into an ARGENTINE bank account to satisfy the requirement in the future. I was only granted the renewal after I went to a bank near migraciones and opened an account. I was told that in the future, ATM receipts will not be accepted.

If he works as a freelancer, and can show deposits into his account, let´s say he is a web designer and has several clients that pay him per projects or maintennace, do you think it will suffice the requirement ( he might be able to prove this somehow ) ?

 

[Validitorian]

If he works as a freelancer, and can show deposits into his account, let´s say he is a web designer and has several clients that pay him per projects or maintennace, do you think it will suffice the requirement ( he might be able to prove this somehow ) ?

If I am "he" then no - I'm not a freelancer. I work full-time for a company, but I work from home as a front-end web engineer.

 

[Validitorian]

Perhaps someone who is working "independently" here and has obtained a resident visa can shed some light on the subject.

That would be superb.

 

[Fishface]

I think the guy really needs to think this through properly - bringing a young family here without the local support of family and/or money is madness.

I think getting a 'rentista' visa is a 'slim-to-nothing' chance based what has been said and will probably spend plenty of money on lawyers finding this out.

your best option would be to stay in your job or work 2 jobs - SAVE some money $50k at least, do some indepth research - and most of all have a holiday here to see if it lives upto your expectations/budget/family, learn Spanish and plan for the unexpected because it happens here.

there is a global recession going on - you might loose your job next month - ARG could have another fiscal colapse.

its a nice idea/dream to look forward to - but scraping by in any country is awful.

 

[Validitorian]

I think the guy really needs to think this through properly - bringing a young family here without the local support of family and/or money is madness.

I think getting a 'rentista' visa is a 'slim-to-nothing' chance based what has been said and will probably spend plenty of money on lawyers finding this out.

your best option would be to stay in your job or work 2 jobs - SAVE some money $50k at least, do some indepth research - and most of all have a holiday here to see if it lives upto your expectations/budget/family, learn Spanish and plan for the unexpected because it happens here.

there is a global recession going on - you might loose your job next month - ARG could have another fiscal colapse.

its a nice idea/dream to look forward to - but scraping by in any country is awful.

Thanks for your concern, Fishface.

I'd still like to hear how others moved to Argentina while retaining their U.S. Job.

 

[nikad]

A lot of people just live on tourist visas.

 

[jedard]

Thats right folks. just lie and keep lying, sooner or later it will catch up with you.
Do it right the first time and you will not have to look over your shoulder. this is a very corrupt country and there is always someone looking to make some money even if it means turning in there best friend.
jed

 

[steveinbsas]

Thats right folks. just lie and keep lying, sooner or later it will catch up with you.
Do it right the first time and you will not have to look over your shoulder. this is a very corrupt country and there is always someone looking to make some money even if it means turning in there best friend.
jed

Being here on a tourist visa and working on computer isn't illegal and doesn't entail lying. Getting a work visa could be difficult but would be far more desirable and also eliminate the need for all three of you to leave the country every six months (to stay legal). That little trip to Colonia isn't cheap and it isn't always convenient. I sill haven't heard if the new visa fees will apply each time you reenter. That would be a deal killer for most.

One question for Validitorian: Have you ever visited Buenos Aires, or is this all a computer generated fantasy? If the latter is the case, I'll have to agree with fishface and suggest a visit before getting serious at all about a move. Quite a few individuals have "moved" to BA without having ever even spent a day here. I daresay that only a few find the haven they were hoping for, though many of us do love it here. But even a holiday can create a false positive (impression, that is).

It takes time to find the good and the bad here. There's plenty of both.

 

[Validitorian]

One question for Validitorian: Have you ever visited Buenos Aires, or is this all a computer generated fantasy? If the latter is the case, I'll have to agree with fishface and suggest a visit before getting serious at all about a move. Quite a few individuals have "moved" to BA without having ever even spent a day here. I daresay that only a few find the haven they were hoping for, though many of us do love it here. But even a holiday can create a false positive (impression, that is).

It takes time to find the good and the bad here. There's plenty of both.

There's good and bad everywhere, such is the way of the world. Right now, I am doing research (and have been doing for a few weeks now) - I'm not one to jump into things without testing the waters first, but I'm also not one to be scared into inaction due to the "unknown."

In the net-enabled world we live in, there are very few things you can't do remotely, and visiting a foreign country is something I believe you can do adequately if you do the right research. The things I can think of that I don't get to experience without being there:

• Language Barrier - It will be difficult to communicate without knowing Castellano, but not a deal-breaker as all 3 of us will begin taking lessons immediately. I will also arrange a concierge, as I did when I visited Brazil for 2 months.
• Some parts of culture - How will we fit in?

Honestly, I'm having a hard time thinking of anything else that I can't find out from the internet. I am also a "glass-half full" kind-of guy. What's the worst that can happen? Everything that is a consequence of moving can either happen to me right now with the same ramifications, or can be easily remedied. If I lose my job, I will find another one. I am in a small enough niche to be able to get a job very quickly, without it being so small that nobody needs it.

There are pros and cons to every decision, and of course I will weigh them all against each other. The fact remains that the worst that can happen isn't as bad as the best that can happen. If we end up not liking Argentina for whatever reason, we'll move. Will we potentially lose some money? Of course, but what if we fall in love with it? I would be losing money if I "test" BA by buying 2 plane tickets (my wife would insist on coming, of course) and then returning just to go right back.

That's my philosophy at least. If yours is different and it works for you, more power to you. In the end, though, I'm not one to fret about the "what-if"'s - I'll just do what I have always done - deal with them when they happen, because they are unavoidable.

Inaction is just another form of action, and who's to say that wouldn't have a worse outcome?