Citizenship in Argentina
At the present time, Argentina seems to us to be one of the fastest and, if you qualify, easiest South American countries for obtaining that second passport. And of course, once you have status in Argentina, you can enter any MERCOSUR country on your Argentina ID. It seems to us that, even if you decide to live permanently in another MERCOSUR country, you at least already have a second passport.
There are two options for being legal in Argentina. One is legal residency and the other is citizenship. If you can qualify, citizenship is the easiest of the two. At one time you had to have permanent residency status before you could apply for citizenship. But that law changed about 30 years ago. You can move here, and after you’ve lived her for a year and a month or so later apply for citizenship. It will take about a year for the process and at the end of that year, if you have lived here for two years and fulfilled all requirements, you are eligible for citizenship.
Having said that, we want to add that things are changing all over the world. This citizenship process in Argentina is true now, but things can change. This is why we urge readers not to delay any longer than necessary. Nothing is guaranteed. We know people who obtained national status in two years. But sometimes there are glitches in the system and it takes longer. I asked one businessman here why his citizenship was so delayed and he said it was mostly because they keep losing things. Thus it is a good practice to keep copies of everything yourself. We handed our case to an Argentina attorney, which has made the process pretty painless.
If you have an Argentina spouse or child, you can apply for citizenship immediately. The two-year wait is waived.
If you apply for citizenship based on staying in Argentina for two continuous years, you will need:
a) DNI (document showing legal residence status), passport, or birth certificate;
b) Certificado de Domicilio. This is a document certifying that you live at a certain address. You can get this easily from the police. You will need to go to the police department, they fill out the form and collect ten pesos from you. The next day a police officer will deliver the certificate to you personally.
c) Evidence of your honest way of earning a living. This varies. It can be proof of retirement income, rental income from real estate in your home country, a job here in Argentina, an online business, and so on.
d) FBI report. If your case is handled by an attorney, he or she will take care of this for you. Or you can request it yourself.
e) Birth Certificate. Your birth certificate must be authenticated in your home country and both documents, certificate and authentication must be translated. If your case is handled by an attorney, most will ask you to give them power of attorney and take care of that for you. The same applies to the FBI report. Or you can do it yourself.
A woman from a country where she legally takes on the last name of her husband at marriage will need a certified copy of her marriage certificate, also authenticated and translated. This is true if your name on your passport is not identical to the name on your birth certificate.
We do have an attorney here that we recommend. We receive no fee for passing along his name to you. He is our own attorney and we also have very good reports from other clients. However, the process is not difficult and you can handle it yourself if you speak Spanish. If not, you will need help. The attorney fee can vary depending on your situation, but the basic for a simple case is currently $2,000 US, plus the peripheral expenses like fees for your birth certificate, translation and FBI report.
Prior to the granting of citizenship, you will need to show that you have some familiarity with Spanish. You do not need to be an accomplished, fluent speaker, but they will ask you to read a paragraph or so in Spanish and will expect you to be able to respond to a few simple questions. At present it is not difficult if you have some rudimentary knowledge of the language.
We offer a Spanish course that involves very little book study and if you start now and spend just thirty minutes on it every day you will be able to respond in Spanish. You can learn more about it or sign up for it HERE.
We hope this will answer your questions about the citizenship process in Argentina. If you have questions please post in comments since others may have the same questions. But we answer all emails. If you think we can help you, don’t hesitate to be in touch.
If you would like legal assistance with either residency or citizenship, which we consider a good idea, the attorney that we recommend here is Gabriel Celano, who made my own transition to Argentina citizenship, and that of other expats here, both smooth and swift. Mr. Celano was born in Argentina, graduated as a Juris Doctor from the University of Belgrano Law School and participated in exchange programs at San Francisco State University where he completed his law studies. After working at top law firms in Buenos Aires, Mr. Celano founded Celano & Associates, based in Buenos Aires that, for over a decade, has been helping immigrants and companies relocate, live and do business in Argentina. Mr. Celano speaks excellent English.
Contact information:
(Note: Because of the large volume of inquiries that we now receive, there is a charge of $70.00 for initial consultation with Dr. Celano or his staff by phone, email or in person. If you then engage Celano & Asociados to handle your residency/citizenship, the amount for initial consultation will be applied to the total fee.)
Celano & Asociados Abogados
(+54 11) 4342 9433
info@celano.com.ar
Web site: http://www.celano.com.ar/
Or email Four Flags Journal at info@fourflagsjournal.com
I am British and will be marrying Argentine boyfriend next year. We will live in Argentina once married and already have two children together. My British parents wish to retire and move to Argentina too. My father qualifies for a pension visa but my mother will not receive her pension for another 5 years,so is unable to enter via this route.
She is happy to invest and is open to any ideas to obtain temporay\permenant residency. She will be purchasing a properties in Argentina. Any advice will be gratefully received.
regards
Hi hopeful, it sounds like your parents can qualify on your father’s retirement, though you didn’t say the amount of his pension. Your mother can come in for residency along with him so long as they meet requirements. You probably already saw the articles by our attorney, Gabriel Celano. I suspect they would not have any problem.
Hi Arlean,
I’m wondering if my plan of studying in Argentina is ok:
As I’m required to stay in Argentina for at least 6 months each year, I’m thinking of studying Spanish in Argentina from end of June 2017 till July 2018. It will result in 6 months of studying each year. However, I don’t know if that will work because theoretically it will be only 1 year of continuous residence. Will that be possible to get Argentine citizenship? If it’s possible, then it’s probably the most effortless way to get citizenship. I am a national of Vietnam if that helps with anything.
Hi Son, If you come in June 2017 you could not apply for citizenship until June 2019. It took ten months to complete the paperwork on my citizenship once the process began and I had to go to the clerk’s office several times during that time. Are you thinking you would return in June 2019 and then begin the process of citizenship? Then to passport is another three months after you get the citizenship, possibly. Is this your plan? Probably it would work but before I tell you yes for sure I’d want to clarify this with you, then check with Dr. Celano.
Hello
Im an Iraqi citizen living in the United Arab Emirates.. Im a dentist and I want to go to Argentina to earn a citizenship can you tell me how? and how long does it take ? like is it after 2 years of tourism visa or i should have a permanent residency ? and if so, How can i get the permanent residency and how long it will take me ?
looking forward for your reply.
Thank you,
Hi, currently if you are from Iraq you will need a relative or someone else inside Argentina who will act as sponsor for you. If you have that, let us know and we can help you. Arlean
Hi
I’d like first to thank you for the great info you’re giving here.
A quick question! Does Argentina take in Asylum seekers from Syria?
Thanks
Mohamed
Mohamed, our hearts here are heavy over the situation of Syrian people and I wish we had something to offer but as far as we know, Argentina is not taking in asylum seekers. However I will consult with our attorney just in case there is something I have not heard yet. If he knows any other options I will get back to you but I’m pretty sure the answer is no.
Hi Arlean
a) I have sent an email to Mr. Celano and waiting for his response concerning the procedures for residency
b) Also, is there an email by which I can contact you? (some bits of information offered by you on this blog are interesting for me but it might be easier for me inquire in more detail by emailing you directly rather than write extensively here)
Thankyou again for taking the effort to write this blog
Best wishes
Aliza
You can contact us at info@fourflagsjournal.com. Are you a subscriber? The email is at the end of every newsletter, along with the password for protected posts, etc. Arlean
Is the pensionado visa still available? And how long would that process take, approximately, if it is? Given the current exchange rate between US and Argentine, it would be easier to qualify in Argentina than pretty much anywhere else.
Yes, everything remains pretty much the same. I think that for a retiree Argentina is the fastest. It is two years from when they stamp your passport at the airport before you apply for citizenship. My citizenship took me 10 months from application. I give my lawyer, Gabriel Celano, credit for that promptness. For a retiree citizenship in all of these countries in the southern cone is pretty easy–but Chile and Uruguay will take five years and more. Uruguay makes it three years from permanent status if you come as a family. But for a single it is about five years to citizenship there.
I have a question. I’m thinking about coming to Argentina on a student visa for two years but one of the requirements is that the person shows that he has a living. But how can a student show a living when he’s actually studying? Can they deny the citizenship for this reason.
Also, are you sure that the two years doesn’t mean two years of permanent residency?
Thanks
In Argentina you are eligible to apply for citizenship after two years living in the country. Then it takes about ten months for the citizenship process. If you are from the Middle East, India and a few other countries in that area, you will need to have someone in Argentina who is willing to sponsor you.
Hi,
Thanks for getting back. Will I require a sponsor even if I go as a student? And will I need to show an income to be eligible?
Thanks
Raj
Good day
Hello Arlean great article and it shed some light you advising at the comment section. Would like to ask regarding my case. As my father’s grandfather is a Argentinean citizen. I got a few documents showing his travels before as he was a businessman. You could probably guess that a lot of christians at the Levantine region escaped the persecutions at the hands of the ottomans during the early 1900s. Do you think by any chances I could maybe apply for it? Thanks in advance! 🙂
Hi, and thanks for the sweet comment. And no, I was not aware of that history but I’m always interested. Argentina is definitely another “melting pot” of Europeans. People escaping for different reasons. I think it makes it an interesting place.
You didn’t say where your current citizenship/passport is. That makes a difference. If you are U. S. then at the time of this post, you just need to meet the income requirements, etc. If you are from the Middle East it is harder though that is not official. We tell you that just from observation. You would need a sponsor here among other things. Your great grandparent would not help us.
Hey , well yeah I guess it would be a bit hard then. I emailed few embassies around the world regarding this. They don’t point out much other than parents to children descent. Thanks for the ideas though!
This is not to say it is impossible. There are ways but the sponsor is important. We did have a wonderful family from India who tried everything, and finally is now living happily in Ecuador. They are written up in the Four Flags Journal. The title is Never Give Up.
Dear Arlean,
We have been in Buenos Aires for 6 weeks now–I just found your website & have been reading voraciously–thank you for your work. We moved here from Hawaii with 6 suitcases, our original plan was to live here, get citizenship & second passport. We are seeing certain issues of concern. 1. I have been sneezing & sniffling–I think it’s the pollution 2. Banking–how would you recommend we bring our funds over from the US? We are told we need to go to Uruguay to open an account, wire our funds, go there to withdraw what we need & bring it across–do you know of a better way? 3. Mail–we’ve been told it’s impossible to get mail or mailorder because of customs–seems it may be easier in Uruguay. 4. We are having a hard time finding an apartment–we’re thinking we need a furnished one, so we will be more mobile–they are running about $1200 for a 1 bedroom–the local friends we’ve made tell us that’s very expensive & we thought we’d be able to find one for less–any suggestions? Thank you.
Marlene
Hi Marlene. My response was pretty long so I responded by email.
Dear sir hope you fine
i have a question mostly if you visit any country then if you get a job offer in that country you have to leave that country and have to apply for work permit in your home country then you come again in that country.
Is it practiced in Argentine? I mean if i come in Argentine at visit visa and get job then wither my visit visa can convert in work visa without leaving Argentina or not?
thanks regards
Mr. Zaman, we are currently checking on your question. We do know that if you are in Argentina by whatever means for two years, you can apply for citizenship. Some people have come on a tourist visa, crossed the border every 90 days (we have heard of them being told not to keep doing that but not that anyone has been stopped for it, and this has worked for some on a U.S. passport but we don’t know for sure about others) you can come on a student visa and apply after two years. Whether you can change to a work visa we decided to get an official opinion for you. We are waiting for a response.
Hello again. Since you asked so specifically, we just wanted to be completely sure before giving you information. Gabriel has assured us that if you come on a tourist visa and find work here, you can switch over to a work visa without leaving the country. Good news! And we wish you good luck!
Arlean
Hi Arlean,
Thank you for all the great information you provide on this site.
I would like to move to Argentina sometime next year and apply for citizenship as soon as I can. From what I understand, when applying for citizenship, one’s actual status of residence does not matter as long as 2 continuous years have passed since arrival in the country. If that’s the case, would it be fine to simply live on a student visa studying at a Spanish language school for a couple years and then apply for citizenship?
I may be eligible for a rentista visa but I might have some trouble proving the income as purely passive income and not salary, as it’s kind of a mix of the two. The amount itself would be enough to meet the rentista visa requirements, however.
Since I’d want to enroll in Spanish courses even if I got the rentista visa, it seems like much less of a hassle to just get the student visa. I’ve been doing a lot of research and have read of many cases of people successfully gaining citizenship straight from a tourist visa, but I haven’t come across any specific cases of someone going from student to citizen. Have you ever heard of any such case?
Thanks a lot for your time and I’m looking forward to your response.
Yes your information is correct and this country amazes me. I have known of people who gained access to the country illegally successfully applying for citizenship after two years. We certainly don’t recommend that, and it’s risky because you never know when they can start cracking down on that. Just making the point about Argentina. Having said that, yes you can be here on a student visa and get citizenship after two years. That works. If you want to write me privately with the sources of your income I can give you an opinion. But the student visa should work too if you want to go that way. And best of luck.
Hi there…..
Am Palestinian and living in brazil , I have a 2 years residence here, I wonder if I need a visa to visit argentina or can I go with my Brazilian ID card
Thanks with advance
Have a good weekend
Hi Sam, Sorry I don’t know the answer. I can tell you that some U.S. expats have been able to go from Uruguay across the border into Brazil with their Uruguay DNI (just signifies residency) but others say you will be stopped. Whether you can come this way, I don’t know. Brazil is a MERCOSUR country so technically you have residency in a MERCOSUR country. I was able to travel between Uruguay and Argentina with only a temporary DNI. In your place I would search for an expat group online in Brazil and see if anyone there knows. We are more familiar here with U.S. citizens trying to cross and Brazil charges a hefty fee, and I think Uruguay does too. But you are not U.S. so that puts you in a different category. Maybe some other reader here will have the answer.
You will need a visa to go to Argentina. Last year a footballer from Cameroon traveled with his team to play in Argentina without any argentinian visa and he was deported to Brazil. The thing that matters is your nationality and not your status in Brazil. Got to the neareste Argentian Consulate and get more nformation with them.
Hello ;
I am khedr from egypt meddle east 25 years old I wont to ask the rules to get citizenship in argantine by Investment and thank you for your effort Have a nice day
Hi Khedr, I’m just checking in. I think there is a way for you to qualify through investment but I don’t know the details. I think they call it a “rentista” but I’m not sure. I am meeting with our attorney later this week (or so I think anyway) and plan to ask him. Didn’t want you to think I’m ignoring you. He’s been away and just arriving back right before the weekend.
Khedr, we met with our attorney yesterday and verification on your question. An investment in the country alone does not qualify you for residency or citizenship. BUT if you have a business here and your income is 8,000 pesos per month, that will qualify you for residency. And in two years you will be eligible to apply for citizenship. Whatever route you take–whether you work here, have income from outside the country, or have a business, it all boils down to your monthly income.
I have a question regarding this quote “If you have an Argentina spouse or child, you can apply for citizenship immediately. The two-year wait is waived.”
I see you wrote this and then in the comment section, i believe a person in Dubai is married to an Argentinean woman but you said they needed to be in Argentina for two years.
Could you kindly tell me which one is correct? I am more interested in if my wife delivers her baby in Argentina, the child will obtain Argentinean citizenship at birth, but would my wife and i be able to apply for Argentinean citizenship immediately?
thank you
You can get immediate permanent residency if you have a first degree relative who is Argentine. The advantage of a relative (child, parent, etc) is that you do not have to qualify otherwise. Without a relative you must show that you have an adequate income from outside (like retirement or rental income, etc.) or have an investment here that produces adequate income, or come on a student visa. Not everyone can qualify. BUT . . . having a relative changes that. You don’t have to do that. But in all cases you cannot get citizenship here without living here for at least six months per year for two years. And in all cases nothing is automatic. You have to apply in every case, for residency and for citizenship. To clarify further, you can apply for citizenship immediately, without getting residency first, but you don’t actually achieve citizenship until you’ve lived here for two years. I hope this is clear.
Helo Arlean!Here is zaman native pakistan doing a job as material examiner in Dubai.
Please tell me if i come to Argentina at visit visa then what will be the way to live there forever i mean can i get work permit at visit visa or i have to apply for resident visa or i have to live illegal until 2 years completed i hope you understand my Q. please reply me
Dear Zaman, yes I understand your question. If you come on a visit visa and you find a job here, your employer will help you obtain a work visa and in two years you would be eligible for citizenship here. My question is can you speak Spanish. It’s very difficult here to work without the language. There are many English speakers here, but you’d really need good Spanish to find work. Interesting you asked about living illegal for two years. Actually there are people who do that. We don’t recommend it, but we do know that it has been done before.
Hello dear Arlean . I have wrote u a letter on email and still Im waiting your reply. Greetings and have a good day
Dear El, you wrote us on email? We don’t have any email from you. Did you send to info@fourflagsjournal.com? I don’t know why but we did not receive it. Would you want to send it again and we’ll try to answer. Thanks for letting us know.
Hi Arlean,
It’s. Tiffany from China and I am happy to find your helpful post here! I have some questions. The first one is we don’t have double nationality agreement with argentina and is it possible for me to keep my chinese passport and get the argentina one at the same time? Another thing is you wrote that we can start the process when we’ve been residents around 1 year and 3 months, but how come we could hand in those papers without meeting the requirements like residents for 2 years. Will they accept the papers? Like you said we would love to save more time and please show me the way 🙂 I really appreciate your favor!
Thanks and best regards,
Tiffany
Hi Tiffany, you are eligible for citizenship in two years. It takes about 10 months for the citizenship process from the day you file for it. That’s the reason you can begin the process in one year and three months. That way by the time you are eligible, you will have fulfilled the requirements for citizenship. If you wait and started the process at two years, it will be closer to three years before you qualify for citizenship. Here is how it works. If you decide for citizenship in Argentina, you come here and file for residency. That means you do the papers and everything then. You wll get residency but in only a year you’ll be filing papers again for citizenship. In Argentina you can be a dual citizen. We don’t know if there are any complications with Chinese. That would be a question for an attorney. We have published the contact information for the attorney that we recommend here, Gabriel Celano, who is absolutely wonderful and does a good job without fail.
Hi Arlean,
Thank you so much for your reply! I am in BA now and working on my residency. I went to the justicia nacional (national justice) to ask about the process…but they told me I only could file for the Citizenship after being resident for 2 years, that’s why I am confused how I can file it for around 1 year and 3 months…because they won’t accept my papers. Thank you for being nice and helpful all the time 🙂
Best regards,
Tiffany
I don’t know, Tiffany, things change all the time and perhaps they won’t accept your papers until you have passed your two year mark. At one time you could file so that it was all done when you were here two years. At the rate you mention, actual citizenship would take about two years and 10 months. It takes about 10 months on average to complete the citizenship. I am speaking with our attorney tomorrow about another question here and will ask. In any event you’d just have to comply. If I get any different information I will post it here.
Hi. My name is Nabih and im holding the syrian passportt.
My wife is Argentinean. we both live in Dubai and i was wondering if she can give me the citizen ship and what is the process. Can you please help?
Hi Nabih, Argentina does not give citizenship based on marriage unless you are in the country for two years. However, you can get permanent residency based on your parents having citizenship and i suspect that would apply to being married to an Argentine as well. If so, unless something has changed recently, you can apply now for permanent residency at the Argentina consulate near you. But for citizenship in Argentina it is necessary to actually live in the country for at least six months out of the year for two years.
Hoping you can lead me in the right direction. I’m American. I was living in Argentina from 2001 until about 3 weeks ago. I have my DNI & permanent residency status and valid drivers license. I have found myself unexpectedly back in the U.S. and have no idea when I will be returning to Argentina. I don’t want to lose my residency and was informed that I have approx. 2 years that I can be out of Argentina before that happens. So, I’m looking into the possibility of dual citizenship. What would be the best course of action for someone in my position? Any insight or suggestions are greatly appreciated! Thanks for your time.
Marcia Brown
Hi Marcia, Temporary residency can be lost if you are out of the country for an extended time, but I was not aware that permanent residency in Argentina could be lost. In that case, it isn’t permanent, is it? Who was it that told you that? I would check with the consulate to be sure that is true. In fact, I will check with our attorney here for you. Things do change here so one always needs to check. If you want Argentina citizenship you have to live in Argentina for two years. If you have been here for that long, then you already qualify–if you were here. It takes about 10 months to go through the citizenship process. Arlean
Marcia, our reply from our wonderful Argentina immigration attorney is as follows: “Permanent residents need to visit Argentina at least once every two years according to the regulation in order not to lose their permanent status. But the truth is that in practice we haven’t seen immigrations cancelling permanent residencies of those who do not comply.” [end of quote]
I hope this helps. Arlean
Dear Arlean,you are doing a great job and I read a facnating story about yThis is Bilal Haider Awan from Lahore, Pakistan.
I am interested to be familiar with the details about acquiring Citizenship of Argentina.
We are family of 5, Me, Wife and Three Kids.
I am 41 years young.
I am an artist and hold a Masters degree in Interior design.
Teaching Art & Design in a college, and working as an In-house interior design consultant.
I have 18 years of education, with 4 years of professional Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and 2 years professional Master’s degree in Interior Design.
I am writing to Mr. Celano as recommended by you for more guidance
Celano & Asociados Abogados
(+54 11) 4342 9433
info@celano.com.ar
Web site: http://www.celano.com.ar/
Thanks for helping mankind
Love from Lahore
Pakistan.
Bilal Haider
Thanks so much for your kind words. Good luck!
Thanks for your reply Ms. Arlean.
I have sent my query to Mr. Celano & Asociados Abogados
(+54 11) 4342 9433
info@celano.com.ar
Web site: http://www.celano.com.ar/
Waiting for the reply.
As a person who have gone through the process of citizenship, I just want your personal comments on my situation/case.
Thanks,
Love from Lahore
Pakistan.
Bilal Haider
Hi Bilal, about your qualifications, you certainly seem to me to be qualified. In all honestly it seems that people from your part of the world have problems getting established in other countries. I have no idea why. I spoke with one lawyer who thinks they fear “terrorists” but of course I know that is not the case except perhaps rarely but we have to deal with reality, whatever it is. All I can suggest is to try. One Argentina immigration lawyer told me the best way in these cases is through student visa. However, we had another subscriber who tried it that way and found it could be done, but he was required to have a guarantor or sponsor in the country. Since he knew no one here, that didn’t work for him. You can read his story in the Four Flags Journal. He and his wife were both highly qualified in the medical field and they are now happy residents of Ecuador and expecting their first child. He had tried several other countries first and we tried to help him. But we don’t offer immigration services. We only publish and try to give you as accurate information as we can. We wish you the very best.
Ms.Arlean Thank you very much for your reply,it is really sad that even in Latin america people think like that,knowing the realities that no Pakistani was involved in 60 million killings in WW 2,we did not use atomic bomb on Japan,no Pakistani was involved in 9/11 attacks.We did not kill millions of Jews in WW -2.
It is very very sad that people follow the propaganda of media but do not learn from history.
Thanks again.
Love from Lahore ,Pakistan.
Bilal Haider Awan
Hi Bilal, I know that you are right. I am not sure the reason that residents of some countries have more problems emigrating to certain countries. We just notice that sometimes to be the case with no idea the reason. One person told me that they fear too many people will change the culture of the country, for example. I don’t know if that’s true. We don’t always know the reasons. It has been suggested to me to tell people that I’m from Canada because everyone loves the Canadians. But don’t get discouraged. Where there is a will, there is almost always a way. And we will do whatever we can to help you. Arlean
Hi
I really need your help if you may
I lived in Argentina so many year and i got the Argentinian citizenship, for my work I moved to US using my Argentinian passport. I should stay in US more than 3 years then I will move again to Argentine. My question is:
Is Argentine citizenship (acquired by non-natives) ‘for life’ whether you remain resident in the country or not? if it is not and I could´t go back to Argentina before finishing the two years, what Should I do because I am using my Argentinian passport and I am in front of the US authorities an Argentinian citizen?
Thank you for your help
Yes, Ezzat, when you become a citizen in Argentina it is permanent. I understand your question since Paraguay, for example, requires that a naturalized citizen re enter the country periodically. There is no such requirement for Argentina.
Thank you for your answer Arlean.
May God bless you
If I come there as a student does that count for residency?
Hi Damon, yes a student visa is a good way to gain residency. However, there may be some extra requirements. For example Argentina requires that you have a sponsor within the country.
i am Nigerian. i live in Nigeria. i am seriously interested in getting a second passport and i really like Argentina, so an Argentine passport will be good. i need to know the first step i should take now.
Hi Phillip. First you need to be sure that you qualify. You need to have either an outside income that you can prove (like rental property elsewhere, retirement, etc.) or have a job here so that you come get a work permit, or perhaps be accepted on a student visa. There are a few other ways, like certain investments. If you have investment in mind, get back with us and we will help you further on that.
hello Arlean,
thanks for providing all these kind of information, i love Argentina so much & i want to get the citizenship ASAP.
so i have one little question for you.
i read on a website that it take 6 years in total to get the citizenship ( 3 years residency + 2 years for citizenship + 1 year for procedures )
so are you sure that the 1st 3 years are not prerequisite ???
& what is the easiest way to get a resident visa ?
thank you
Hello, Calid. That information is false. This is partly why we publish, to give you dependable information. This editor was given invalid information the same as you and DID take almost that long to get citizenship. You are eligible for Argentina citizenship exactly two years after your foot first touches Argentina (assuming you came to stay). That information you have is about 26 years old. That’s when the law changed. However, I suggest anyone interested in Argentina citizenship not delay. In South America things do change. But that is the law right now.
Arlean
wow 26 years ago ??? i was 1 year old lol
well so after 1 year without leaving the country i can apply and at the second year i be having it or i have to stay for 2 years then apply for it ?
thanks for replying
As things stand right now, if you decide on Argentina you would come and apply immediately for residency, wait about a year and then apply for citizenship because it takes about a year for the paperwork to be completed on citizenship. But your time is counted from when you enter the country. You can make trips outside–like to Uruguay or Chile or even back to your home country–but I would not be outside for long. Our attorney says you can be out for up to six months but I wouldn’t be out more than three months. In the end it is all up to the judge. And you’re certainly welcome!
that’s so elastic but if i got a job there i wudnt be able to leave the counrty anyways, but glad to know that i can leave the country for coupla months.
so please do you have any idea what kind of companies that recruit non-Spanish speakers ?
i been searching on the internet and i barely find.
thanks again
Hi again, I really don’t know anywhere a person can find a job without Spanish. Being without Spanish is fine for a retiree that probably will hang out with other English speakers, but if you want to work here you really need Spanish. There is an online Spanish course here on our web page that did the miracle of getting me able to respond to the immigration judge at my citizenship hearing, in case you’re interested. Having said that, I have known people here who were self-employed without Spanish. One of them is producing organic meals and having them delivered. We published an article about her in Four Flags Journal about a year ago. Another was selling advertising for magazines to people in the States by Skype. I also knew a stock broker in Montevideo who operated his stock brokerage in the U.S. from Uruguay via Magic Jack. But if you want to find employment here I suggest you learn Spanish. And good luck. Arlean
you have clarified everything to me…
i’m planning to move there as soon as possible.
thanks alot.
Hi I’m Steven from Scotland. I was born in Scotland so my mother’s father which my grandfather name hector he’s argentinian and born in buenos aires so am I eligible to live in argentina without hassle?
Thanks
Steven
Hi, Steven, I intended to ask our attorney about y our connection to Argentina through your grandfather but the fact is that I have not had the opportunity of late. If I hear otherwise I will add it in but while I think your connection may well hold some significance with a judge if you decide to go for citizenship here, I don’t think it gives you any rights here. However, immigrating to Argentina is not difficult if you can just qualify–either from income from outside, or a student visa to go to school here, or a work permit or other route. Even if your mother were born here, you would still have to have some legal status to live here permanently. I hope this is helpful. Arlean
i am iranian civil engineer and i want to move from my country to argentina for living and getting permanent residency with my family
please send me more information about rentista visa type law for obtain of residency .
Hi Mahmood, We’re glad you are considering Argentina. We prefer that you contact our attorney just to be sure that you get accurate information. Here is his contact information. I will notify him that he is likely to hear from you.
Celano & Asociados Abogados
(+54 11) 4342 9433
info@celano.com.ar
Web site: http://www.celano.com.ar/
Hi just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let
you know a few of the images aren’t loading properly.
I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue.
I’ve tried it in two different internet browsers and both show the same results.
Okay, many thanks for the heads up. I’m in Montevideo, just leaving for Buenos Aires, and I’ll look at when I get back. Can you tell me which articles they are on? In any event, I’ll check them all. Thanks again. Arlean
Do I need permenant residency to move to Argentina? Like if I come on a tourist stamp and I overstay what happens?
Hi, Damon. You can come on a Visa and apply for residency after you are here. We have an excellent attorney who can help you. We do not benefit from recommending him. There is just so much bad information, even from attorneys, sad to say. So we recommend one that so far has never disappointed us in his handling of subscribers. However, to get residency have to meet the requirements, which are posted on the web site as you know. If you qualify (and it isn’t hard), as things stand now you can be a citizen in two years. Many people have overstayed for years. I don’t recommend it, but it happens. They will fine you if you try to leave the country and are discovered and could be barred. Or maybe not on the bar aspect. It’s hard to tell. After all, this is Argentina! 😉
Hello ,
I want to ask about an Issue .. I’m a Syrian girl 24 years old and my mother are an argentinian citizenship by option .. My grandfather are argentinian and my grandmother are an native argentinian from mendoza . I come here to argentina ” mendoza ” 2 weeks ago and i want to take the citizenship from my mother is it possible ? Or I have to take the precaria residency then take the premanent residency after that wait two years to take the citizenship ?
Thanks
Hi and welcome to Argentina. You can get permanent residency now, based on your family connection, but you still must live in Argentina for two years. You can begin your citizenship application after you’ve lived here about a year since you will be eligible at the end of two years and it will take close to a year to get citizenship after you begin application. Good luck, Arlean.
Thanks for your replay but is there another way that is faster to take the citizenship based on the bad situation in my country ?? My all family are argentinian and live here for a long while and my mother take her citizenship 35 years ago … And if there no another way shall I begin with the precaria residency then apply to the premanent residency or I can apply to the premanent directly ?? And if I can apply for the premanent directly for how long it will take ??
Thanks
Hi again, Merna, I am not sure about the situation in Syria, you may want to leave soon I know. But assuming everything is normal, you could probably get your permanent residency in a matter of months (perhaps three months but I am not familiar with Syria) through the Argentina embassy there in Syria. You would just need to provide all the necessary records, papers, etc. And yet, in practice, the word I have is that for people in the United States applying for residency based on family connections, it is taking a very long time now. They really like to see people living in the country. If you were here you could apply and get permanent residency in a few months, but the two years to citizenship begins when you step onto Argentina from the airplane. The residency means you don’t have to leave the country every 90 days. Also, currently even if you are in the country illegally for two years, you are still eligible for citizenship at the end of the two years. But better to do it through normal channels if you can. A word of encouragement, you are in a good position with so much of your family being Argentine.
Hi Arlean.
I have sent you a couple of questions regarding Uruguay but I have been hearing from others that they are taking much, much longer to get citizenship, despite having all of their documentation and doing everything right. In some cases I have heard of people waiting 4-5 years and giving up and going to Argentina instead. Knowing that time is of the essence and I have so much to do and plan I wondered if you could answer a couple of quick questions about Argentina?
1) What is a DNI? Is that something given to you by the Argentinian government or would my US passport be considered a DNI?
2) If I were to arrive in Argentina tomorrow with my paperwork and took up residence, would I contact them immediately about citizenship or hang on to my papers for a year, then go apply? Or like Uruguay would I go in immediately and declare my intent? The reason I ask is because if the time is much shorter in Argentina it may make more sense than rolling the dice in Uruguay, only to wait and wait, then perhaps have to pick up and go to Argentina anyway. I want to plant flags and I know that at this point years can make a big difference.
3) If I went to Argentina, assuming I have everything in order and wanted to become a citizen, can I come and go in and out of the country at will while I am waiting my two years, or are there restriction? I understand that Uruguay has begun making sure future citizens are staying put for the most part and not just filing and leaving (which I understand to an extent). Would I need to basically stay put in Argentina for two years until my citizenship came through? I would like to travel and spend time in Uruguay and Chile as well, and of course would need to travel back and forth to the States for visits here and there to take care of loose ends. This is important for me to know before I make a final decision. I was quite sure I wanted to make my move to Uruguay first but the more I read and listen to others I’m not sure if that is the best first step, and I am on a somewhat fixed income…enough to support myself in either country but not enough to make costly mistakes.
Thank you for clarifying these items for me. I am just a bit confused and don’t want to make a costly mistake…in both time and money.
Your blog is wonderful…I am learning so much!
The DNI is provided by Argentina when you obtain status here as a resident and/or a citizen. It is your ID for Argentina. And yes, from what we hear, Uruguay has become problematic. One of my family members had first-hand experience and gave up. However, probably if he had persisted he could have gotten it–eventually–but he just decided not to bother.
Since I don’t know your age or how your qualifications match up to Argentina I can’t answer specifically. I suggest you go to the web site and read about Argentina. We have posted information provided by the attorney that we recommend, Dr. Gabriel Celano, and perhaps you will have a better idea about Argentina. If you come to Argentina you are qualified for citizenship two years after your foot touches Argentina according to your passport. I would contact Dr. Celano (you could even do that now at the contact email provided in the article). Be sure you have all your paperwork. In fact, you can even take the paperwork to the nearest Argentina consulate where you currently live and have everything in order before you come. But Dr. Celano can do it from here. In about a year and three months living here, you can begin the citizenship process and have citizenship at the end of that year. Yes I would see Dr. Celano immediately upon your arrival and employ him in the process. Dr. Celano says that you can be out of the country as long as it is for less than six months. I was so determined not to have anything gum up the works here that I made sure I was not out of the country for more than 30 days a year in those two years. Things often change here so I didn’t take chances. Yes I think you can visit Uruguay and Chile during the process. I’m very hesitant about giving an okay to large amounts of time outside, but than Dr. Celano is the expert.
I am hearing all the same things as you about Uruguay. Did you read all our articles about planting flags? Here is the thing about Argentina. Once you have Argentina citizenship you have access to every MERCOSUR country all the way to Colombia. There is a little waiting period, I think three years, and after that you are even free to work in other countries on your Argentina citizenship. You sort of have free run of MERCOSUR. Your comments about not wanting to make expensive mistakes is exactly why we are publishing. As stated in our welcome letter to subscribers, for us it has been so costly making this move and much of it because of false information by attorneys. In fact, many Argentinian attorneys are telling people it is 3 years to permanent and then two years to citizenship. That’s what I was told and it was false. This is why we are careful about the attorneys that we recommend. It was Dr. Celano who looked at my documentation (while we were discussing another matter) and said, “You were eligible for citizenship in 2009!” THAT was 2011! That is how I discovered I had been given bogus information and it was SO costly. I had Dr. Celano immediately begin my citizenship process and I was a citizen in 10 months and 11 days. THAT is what you get when you have an honest, competent attorney. Also we do our best here but we ask readers to let us know if they find something has changed. This is where we get much of our information–as with the current information on Uruguay.
I believe in planting flags. So you are on the right track in my opinion. At present, having citizenship in Argentina is as good as having citizenship in Uruguay because of MERCOSUR. But that can also change. These countries don’t always get along. But currently we see this as the situation. Best of luck. Also thanks for your kind words. Since we don’t charge for our work, the expressions of gratitude and knowing we are helping keeps us going.
By the way, what is the website about Argentina you are referring to when you said to take a look at it for further information? Thanks!
I just meant our web site, https://www.fourflagsjournal.com. Look across the top to “Countries” and click and you should see Argentina, and just read there. If anything doesn’t work right let me know.
Thank you! I will. I’m sorry that you had to go through as much struggle and money that you did when you made your move but I’m so grateful you have documented so that others hopefully won’t have to go through some of what you did. That was very kind and gracious of you 🙂
Hi, my grandmother born in anrgentina, buenos aires, she died 20 years ago and i wanted to know if i can get the citizenship from her im 22 years old
And i would like to move live and work in argentina:)
I’m fairly sure that you can get permanent residency based on your grandparent, but since I’m not an attorney I have emailed our advising attorney just to confirm. In any circumstance, you have to be here for two years living in Argentina to qualify for citizenship. Having an Argentina relative opens the door but you still need to do a few things–like moving to Argentina. This time of year, the courts are closed and everyone who can goes on vacation until around the first of February so it may be a while before I can confirm, but I’ll get back to you.
Arlean
Thank you for your repeat
I got a little problem, i dont got any Exact proof that she was born there, and there is no Death Certificate i got only family id that Detailed information about the family like local birth and names , and If passed nearly about 30 years do you think she still registered there?
If yes please also tell me how much time permanent residency takes
And iam able to work out on the paperwork as a tourist?
Looking forward for your answer thanks again:)
Elie, as a North American you will be surprised by the attitude toward vacation here. I get the feeling some people here think that Americans pick up money out of the gutters or that it falls out of the heavens on their heads. Of course it is a misconception. North Americans WORK! Here in Buenos Aires vacation starts before Christmas. And that is only the Christmas/New Year vacation. There are others. I want to get some business cards and just for example, I went to the shop across the street, the owner was there but he told me it is vacation until February 3. So I have to wait until February 3 to order new business cards. We rent through a property manager and my next appointment with her is–guess when–February 3. This is just an example to help you understand. We will have to wait until vacation period is over to find out about your situation. You do have a unique situation and I really need to hear from our attorney in order to give you a dependable answer. If for some reason I don’t get back to you, please don’t hesitate to email me at info@fourflagsjournal.com. You will need an attorney, I think, to help you, even if you speak the language. Gabriel Celano, our attorney, is very good at knowing what I call “work-arounds.” Incidentally we ask no compensation from the attorneys that we recommend. We only ask that they do a good job for the people we send them, and Dr. Celano always does!
Elia, I just realized I didn’t answer your question about time. If you come to Argentina, get in touch with Dr. Gabriel Celano, as mentioned previously. Dr. Celano is very good with special situations. Read the information on the web page about getting citizenship in Argentina and it should tell you everything. If you come here, with or without a relative who is Argentinian, as it currently stands you can get citizenship in two years after you set foot in Argentina if you can qualify as stated in the article. However, it is all up to the judge and having an Argentinian relative is a positive. Dr. Celano will help you to get residency immediately and then in perhaps a year and a half you can begin the citizenship process. However, Dr. Celano and I both think that this situation may not last forever as more people come to South America. We think the standards will be raised. But currently it is two years to citizenship. Yes you can come in as a tourist and proceed. If you have sufficient proof of your relative, it is possible permanent residency would be immediate. I am just not sure because she was a grandparent. My guess is that there would be a record here in Argentina but again, we need info from Dr. Celano since we are not attorneys here.
Hi, arlean how are you,? Hope you are good
First thanks alot Thanks for all the information you gave me i appreciate that.
How can i get gabriel celano the attorney? So I’ll be in touch with him
And iam waiting for your answer about grandparents RP
looking forward for you repeat.
Hi Elie, I wrote you that I think that the fact that your grandparent was Argentinian does make a difference.If your mother had been Argentinian it would quaiify you for permanent residency. But you have to actually live in Argentina for two years to be eligible for citizenship. As things stand now, if you came now, you would need to begin the residency program right away. Then in about a year and three months you would start the citizenship process and if things continue as they have been in the last couple of years, you’ll be an Argentina citizen at the end of the second year. You can only get citizenship after you have lived here for two years in any event. I have written Dr. Celano to ask if you can qualify for immediate permanent residency based on your grandmother, but in Argentina it is pretty much vacation time until February 3, so although I wrote him, probably we will not hear back until after February 3.
Arlean
For the love of God, keep writing these arlcstei.
What a sweet comment, Josie, thank you.
Hi,
I am Ramandeep singh living in Argentina almost 2 years and married with local,got DNI and want to confirm when I can apply citizenship and how long it takes to get citizenship in Arg,right now m in India from 3months,will this stay covered my citizenship time,I came in Arg in 11 feb 2012 how much it cost me apply through attorney,once I apply the citizenship can I go India in this period or have to wait for citizenship decision pls reply thanks
You said you are married to a local but did not state if she is an Argentina citizen. If married to a citizen of Argentina, it makes things easier. Once you apply for citizenship I think you would need to be in the country. You will be called for various things, to have fingerprints and different appearances. I am not completely sure the cost for legal assistance but I would guess a little less than $2,000 US with Dr. Celano.
Hi, i need attorney to handle my case for citizenship of Argentina.
Please reply me soon!
Hi Tariq. The attorney we recommend right now for Argentina is Gabriel Celano. His web page is http://www.celano.com.ar/.” target=”_blank”>http://www.celano.com.ar/. You can read what is there and his contact information is also there. He is the attorney who handled my citizenship and quite a few of our contacts. If you need more help, get back to us, okay, and we will try to give you whatever information you need. We currently do not have a recommended attorney for Chile. I’m sure there are good attorneys, it’s just that we don’t know personally. And good luck. Arlean
Hi,
Thanks for your very detailed information about the Argentine Citizenship. Could you please provide the contact information of the attorneys so that I can prepare myself. Thanks again!
Sunil
Thanks for your comment, Sunil. We have sent you the requested information via email.
Hi,
Thanks to give all information about Argentina Citizenship,
Can you pl recommend attorneys Name and Contact Details.
Thanks
Chandni
Hi Chandni, we certainly are happy to give you some ideas as to where you can get help with citizenship. We have sent you a separate email with contact information.