Work Visa- police clearance disaster

[BellaLove]

I am American and currently live in the US. My career is international in nature and I have recently been offered a post in Buenos Aires to start in 1 month.

However, I have only recently become aware of Argentina's strict (to say the least) rule of the job-seeker submitting police clearances from EVERY COUNTRY they have lived in within the past 5 years.

I have lived in a total of 4 countries in the past 5 years due to my job. The bureaucratic hoops I would have to jump through in order to attain police clearances from each of these countries are momentous and time-consuming.

One of the countries told me I would have to FLY THERE to pick it up in person, another country told me it would take about 3 months.

Mind you, my start date for the job is at the end of July.

I was wondering how strict the Argentine government actually is about this.
For a work visa, I need to submit my passport, which has all the countries I have lived in in it. However, what if I submitted a NEW passport and a police clearance only from the USA, implying I have never traveled before, hence, never lived anywhere else?

Would Argentina have any way of knowing the difference? Do they have the capacity to search on American passports to get their background history? I know the US would be able to do this search on American passports, but can Argentina do it on American passports?

What I'm asking is- how anal are they??

At this point, if they are as anal as they seem to be- it may cost me my next job as it seems that my prospective new place of employment does not want me to come over on a tourist visa to begin work. They also want to follow the rules exactly.

Any advice would be very much appreciated. Also feel free to write me at [email protected]

Thanks so much

 

[solerboy]

I lived in Spain for 6 years prior the BA. The Spanish refused to give me a police certificate, so I never told the Argentine immigration officials I ever lived in Spain. They never asked which countries I had lived in and assumed I had been in the UK all my life. No problems at all.

 

[sesamosinsal]

Interesting. Where are you reading about it being five years? As I understand it, you need the police report from every country you've lived in for more than a year during the last three years.

http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/accesible/?nomercosur_temporaria

 

[BellaLove]

Bradlyhale: I saw the 5 year rule on the website of the Argentine Embassy in Washington DC. It is under the "consular" section. Apparently I am not able to post URL's on this forum or else I would post it.

Solerboy: A very important question: when you submitted a copy of your passport, didn't it have stamps and visas from spain? If so, did Argentina overlook them?

I am a little concerned because I already handed over a copy of every page of my passport to my company and to their "advisor" who does the work visa stuff. So obviously the "advisor" is aware I have been living in other places.

 

[citygirl]

If you just submitted your US background check, it would take far longer than a few weeks to get the FBI report and then get it apostilled (several months is more likely).

 

[solerboy]

Solerboy: A very important question: when you submitted a copy of your passport, didn't it have stamps and visas from spain? If so, did Argentina overlook them?

No, because I am European Citizen, movement between EU countries does not incurr a passport stamp.

 

[florence]

BellaLove, Don't trust the website for the consular section of the U.S. embassy in Washington. When I appied for temporary residency in 2011, the most recent update on the website for the rules was in 2007. I may be the last person in the world who got a rentista visa with only a local police report because I held their feet to the fire and made them follow the website information (because the one person there who could have told me diferently was on vacation for a month). I don't know the answer to your question, but dono't believe the website. Call them.

 

[Panini]

However, I have only recently become aware of Argentina's strict (to say the least) rule of the job-seeker submitting police clearances from EVERY COUNTRY they have lived in within the past 5 years.

I have lived in a total of 4 countries in the past 5 years due to my job. The bureaucratic hoops I would have to jump through in order to attain police clearances from each of these countries are momentous and time-consuming.

It's pretty standard in developed countries AFAIK. Seeing as you're from the USA you've obv never had to apply for a visa for there.......then you'd know what strict is ha!

 

[steveinbsas]

The official website of migraciones is up to date: http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/accesibleingles/?nomercosur_temporaria

Here are the requisites for the work visa:

MIGRANT WORKER REQUIREMENTS

DOCUMENTS TO SUBMIT:

a) IDENTITY: Identity Card, Passport or Certificate of Citizenship with photo, originals. These documents must be in force and in good condition and submitted with a full set of copies including blank pages.
b) CERTIFICATE OF ARGENTINE CRIMINAL RECORDS Issued by the National Registry of Reoffend, or Federal Police. Only requires to those over 16 years.
c) CERTIFICATE OF LACK OF CRIMINAL RECORD issued by the competent authorities of the countries where they have resided for a period exceeding ONE (1) year, during the course of the last THREE (3) years. Only requires to those over 16 (sixteen) years.
d) AFFIDAVIT of lack of criminal record in other countries (it will be produce in migration at the time of application for residence). e) ENTRY. Country entry seal stamped to a travel document or migration card.

CERTIFICATE OF DOMICILE OR AN INVOICE OF ANY PUBLIC SERVICE WITH YOUR NAME (ABL, electricity, water or gas)
Settling tax: NON MERCOSUR $ 600
TWO 4X4 COLOR PHOTOS (It must be current, taken from the front, half bust, with the head completely uncovered, color, white even background, allowing appreciate faithfully and in all its fullness the holder's facial features when manage the procedure).
A) Labor pre-contract signed by the parties.
The pre-contract must specify:
Parties’ personal data, tasks to be performed by the foreigner, working hours, length of the labor relationship, address where the foreigner will work, remuneration to receive (it must comply with the collective bargaining agreement of the activity to be developed) and tax identification number (CUIT) of the employer.
If the employer was represented by a third party, must accompany the Power naming him.
The signatures must be certified by a notary public or before an agent of this National Direction when starting the application for residence. (In the sector report there is a model of a labor pre-contract)

B) Proof of employer's registration with the federal administration of public revenue (AFIP)
C) Proof of employer’s registration in the Single National Registry of Foreigner Applicant of the National Direction of Migration (NDM Regulation No.: 54618/08)

Note: within thirty (30) continuous days from the start of the residence application shall submit to the sector of receiving documentation, evidence of early register, issued by the federal administration of Public Revenue (AFIP) and signed by the employer.

 

[Crema Americana]

I probably wouldn't say I "lived" there, just that it was an extended visit. Not sure if it would really fly, but you may be okay with just the FBI background check.

Unless your company has a streamlined process of acquiring the background check and getting it apostilled, the chances of it coming back, making the appointment with immigration, and gathering all other documents needed by the end of the month seem very slim. But I hope it works out for you.