The Argentinian Flag
Immigrant with Capital
This visa requires the investment of at least $102,000 pesos ($40,000 USD) in a “productive activity”. This includes agricultural land that produces an annual harvest, a ranch that produces milk or beef, or other “productive activities”. The acquisition of a any property does not mean you can get automatically get this visa. Buying a Buenos Aires apartment for your personal use does not qualify as a productive activity.
Contracted Personnel
This visa is available if you have already obtained a job offer from a company in Argentina. It is necessary for you to obtain the job while outside Argentina. If you are already in Argentina, you cannot obtain this visa. This visa is designed for companies who are searching for employees outside the country, not for foreign nationals already inside Argentina who are looking to compete in the job market with Argentine citizens.
Representatives of Foreign Companies
If you own a company abroad and can show proof of ownership, you can obtain a visa that will allow you to live in Argentina. Proof of the company’s good standing will be required and will need to be certified by the Chamber of Commerce and the Argentine Consulate.
Financier
This is a very broad and flexible visa. The applicant must only prove that he or she has a guaranteed income of $2600 pesos monthly ($900 USD) and that this income can be transferred to an Argentine bank. This income can include an annuity, receipts from a trust, distributions from a business you own, etc. You must simply prove that the income is not tied to job located abroad and that the income will continue once you relocate to Argentina.
Glowing river waters feed into to an Argentinean lake.
Entrepreneurs / Businesspeople
Entrepreneurs or businesspeople who wish to enter Argentina using this visa will need to prove their business experience, provide commercial references, and an endorsement of the Argentine consulate.
Pensioner
If you are receiving payments from your country’s national pension system (i.e. Social Security in the USA) or you have a private pension from your former employer you might qualify under this visa. You need only prove that the monthly income totals $2100 pesos ($700 USD) or higher and that the money can be transferred to Argentina on a monthly basis.
Student
The applicant must first enroll in a university. The university will then provide a certificate signed by an authority registered in the Department of Education. Please note that this visa will expire at the end of the degree program and cannot be renewed past that date. This is not an appropriate solution for clients looking for permanent residency.
Do I need to study Argentina’s history or constitution to pass the citizenship test?
No. Unlike many citizenship test around the world, you do not need to know anything about Argentina’s history or constitution. Nevertheless, you may want to learn just to become more familiar with the country you are adopting. It is not required, however.
Do I need to know Spanish to become a citizen?
You will need to be able to read in Spanish. You will be asked to read a page from a book or the newspaper. You do not need to be fluent, but you should have a basic understanding of the language. Do not worry, though. It takes 5 years from the time you first get your residency until the point where you can apply for citizenship. That is more than enough time to gain the skills you will need.
How hard is the citizenship test?
It is very simple. You are only asked to read a single page from a book or newspaper. You are not given a written exam. The only thing being tested is literacy. Before you are granted Argentine citizenship, the government wants to ensure you can read. If you plan on living in Argentina, you will acquire the skills naturally. If you plan to reside abroad, a few Spanish courses are all you will need.
What paperwork do I need?
Your residency paperwork, your passport and a new criminal records check. The paperwork is nothing out of the ordinary.
Laguazu Falls is a unforgettable sight.
When can I apply for citizenship?
You may request citizenship five years after you first obtain your temporary DNI or two years after you obtain your permanent DNI. Whether you get a temporary or permanent DNI depends on what visa you apply for. For most people it will take five years before you can obtain citizenship. However, if you qualify for a permanent DNI right away, the wait time can be shortened to two years.
Unlike many other nations, obtaining citizenship in Argentina is relatively straightforward. The first step is to obtain your visa, which will allow you to live in the country for one year on a temporary residence permit. When the year has expired, the visa can be extended for an additional year. At the end of the second year, the visa can be extended again for another year. At the end of the third year, you can extend the visa again and receive permanent residency. At this point you will be legally entitled to reside in the Argentina permanently. Two years after receiving your permanent residency, you may apply for citizenship.
Fitz Roy Mountain stands out against its backdrop of blue sky.
The citizenship proceeding is not complex. You will go before a judge who will decide whether or not to grant you citizenship. You will be asked to read a page in Spanish from a book or newspaper. You will not be given a written exam or be required to know Argentina’s history or constitution. The judge is only interested in determining whether or not you can read. As long as you have no criminal record, you are in good health, and you haven’t tried to collect welfare payments in Argentina, approval should be quick and easy. The judge is basically trying to determine whether you will be a burden to the state or whether you will contribute to society. If you are a citizen in good standing, there should not be any problems.
If you are from a developing country or from a current or former communist country, the judge will likely scrutinize your application more closely. The judge will want to know how long you’ve lived in Argentina during the two years that you’ve had your permanent residency to see whether you’ve broken ties with your former homeland and that you’ve fully integrated into Argentine society. If you are from a developed country, you will typically receive much less scrutiny.
