The Truth About Getting Citizenship in Argentina
One thing about having your own web site. You can write what you want WHEN you want and I decided this morning to send a special alert after I read an article on Yahoo regarding getting citizenship in Argentina.
The entire article stated the whole scenario that you need to spend three years getting permanent residency in Argentina and then two years to citizenship, and that all-important second passport that makes you that much more free.
We at Four Flags Journal consider options important. That is the reason we advocate planting several flags in many cases. Not all people need to do that, but those with assets beyond a simple pension probably do need to plant a few flags. (New subscribers see Planting Flags, and also More On Planting Flags.)
Because we know that good information is hard to come by, we don’t criticize those who err–unless we are sure that they know better. We sympathize with the challenge to find accurate information since we are doing our best to do that ourselves and it isn’t always easy. On the other hand, when it comes to giving erroneous requirements for citizenship in Argentina, we suspect that some lawyers know better.
I’m sending this alert especially to inform, once again, new readers and to remind long-term readers who may be confused by all the erroneous information out there. The law requiring an immigrant to Argentina to get permanent residence first, and then citizenship, was changed 23 years ago. You do not need permanent residence status in order to apply for Argentina citizenship. Most people are eligible for citizenship after living for two years in Argentina.
And yet Argentina lawyers told me, several years ago, that I would need to get permanent first and I had no other information. I saw the same thing everywhere I looked–so why wouldn’t I believe it? This is part of the reason we are on the Internet. I will emphasize that it is sometimes difficult for even people like us to get reliable information but we do our best–and we are here and therefore we have contacts that can often help us.
We inform you again that permanent residency in Argentina is not a prerequisite for citizenship. The lawyer I worked with first told me it was, and I paid $1200 a year to that lawyer to renew my residency every year for four years (they said I was not in the country enough that third year and that I would need to be temporary until I showed my intention to live in Argentina). i had spent too much time that year in Uruguay, having no warning it would jeopardize my permanent status. Again, lack of good information.
I was confident that I was on track when I consulted our current attorney. We discussed my eventual goal for citizenship and and he asked if he could see my residency information. When he looked at it he said, “You were eligible for citizenship in 2009.” By then it was 2011.
What a shock! He began my citizenship procedure that very day. Only ten months, and just a few days later, a very personable, accommodating judge agreed to pose for a photo along with me, a brand new citizen of Argentina.
In addition to the money I had paid to the first attorney every year, there was the air fare to Argentina every year to renew my residency. My citizenship cost me about $10,000 plus my mother died while I was in Argentina renewing my residency and I was not there. And all of it was unnecessary and a result of erroneous legal advice.
THIS is why we are on the Internet. We do our very best to get accurate information to you. We can make mistakes, but if we do, it’s not because we were lackadaisical. I give the first attorney the benefit of the doubt. They seemed very interested in doing a good job for me and then did–on getting my residency. Consequently I think it is possible that, in Argentina, even some attorneys may still believe the old law is in effect. But it certainly can be costly.
If you notice the gift box on the judge’s desk, that is the congratulatory box of chocolates my lawyer brought me for the occasion.
We are now recommending our current Argentina attorney for various things including residency and citizenship because we have found him to be a principled and competent attorney. So far we have never had a single reader come back to us with a complaint about him. We did have a subscriber who went to another attorney, who referred him to yet a third attorney who confused him by quoting him the old law. He then contacted us, trying to understand why the attorney’s information was different from my reports. Well . . . he’s consulting an attorney who is giving him a law that has been obsolete for over 20 years. It can be very profitable as I have shown from my own experience. Or–maybe the lawyer just didn’t know. But you certainly need a lawyer who knows.
We consult frequently with Dr. Celano, about different situations when you contact us. We do not ask any commission from our attorneys that we recommend. We ask one thing–that our readers be happy with their experience. That’s it! We have dropped our Paraguay attorney, not because of any fault on his part, but because of a health issue he reported to us that prevents his prompt response at times. If that changes, we may include him again, but for now we don’t know anyone that we can recommend with confidence in Paraguay. If you have good experience with an attorney in Paraguay, please let us know because the experience of other expats is often what we go by.
As for Argentina, Dr. Celano tells us that he is expecting that country to return to the old law of getting permanent residency first and then two years to citizenship. As we keep repeating here, if you have a choice as to when you make the move to South America, we strongly suggest that you do it sooner rather than later. We think some may still be waiting to see how things progress in their current country. Just don’t forget that it may be possible to wait too long.
There are some who are coming to set up second homes as well as to diversify assets, even though they are still working elsewhere. We think that could work. And maybe someone in your family can even work on this end for you. I now have Argentina citizenship status, which opens the door for my children since they now have a “first degree” Argentina relative–me.
I also love Argentina–but that’s another subject. My Argentina citizenship gives me a certain status in MERCOSUR countries as well. There is one more factor. There is the feeling of freedom in the air where I am right now and, in the tradition of my forefathers, I love it. I am not ready to give that up for government handouts or anything else.
For our part, we expect eventually a huge wave of immigrants coming from the north, for several reasons. Obamacare is going to be part of it. Fukushima may well be part of it once the truth is known about Fukushima, and just general deterioration to the north. If you disagree, we respect your disagreement. In that case, feel free to tell everyone about it in the comments section. We will cheer and we hope you are right. But we try to cover all bases. This is our opinion and we continue to flash an alert in our newsletters that the longer you delay the harder it is likely to be. Countries become concerned when there is an overwhelming wave of newcomers. And that can raise the requirements for entry.
We have contacts within the Argentina government and we hear chatter that those in that position fear that so many newcomers will “change the culture,” and a few other things. I guess they like the culture the way it is. It would not surprise us if other popular countries down here in the south have people in government who are thinking the same. That includes Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay, to name a few.
So if you are coming to join us, we hope that it will be soon. In any event, we want you to be clear on this issue of citizenship in Argentina.
We are going to go to Monday and Thursday newsletters for a while, which will mean two newsletters a week some weeks since we have a lot to report right now. This is just a heads up so you won’t wonder what is going on.
Currently reporting to you from high on a mountainside in Chile, near Caburgua and Pucon. We get to this location only by cable car. How interesting is that? We will be telling you more later. We hope to see you soon . . . in South America. A warm welcome awaits you here!
Arlean
email: info@fourflags journal.com
To contact Dr. Gabriel Celano
(Note: Because of the large volume of inquiries, there is now a charge of $70.00 for initial consultation 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/
Copyright Four Flags Journal 2013.
I’m from sri lanka.can i apply for citizenship if i study 2 years time in there.
Do you need to apply ahead of time for a visa, or are you able to come in on your passport. If you don’t need a visa, then I would say yes. Otherwise you would need a relative or someone in the country to act as a sponsor.
Hi there!
Thanks for taking time in putting this article on web.
I am a 26 yr IT engineer from India and I am thinking to go Argentina for study (Masters). Do you think I would be able to apply citizenship?
I real wish we could offer you all from India hope in Argentina but right now it doesn’t seem to be possible. We have one person from India who just wouldn’t give up and finally got his family into Ecuador. But Argentina to us looks pretty impossible. However, we are not immigration attorneys here but that’s been our experience.
hi team
hope you guys doing well. I am form Pakistan 31 year’s old getting Doctor (Ph.D) degree in Business Administration form China. and i almost lived in China for 6 years. I know Chinese Language plus good English language skills. Do i need the same documents and need to fulfill same requirements as mention above:
The current laws governing citizenship (Ley 346, Ley 23.059, and Decreto 3.213/84) set forth very simple requirements:
1. be 18 years old or older;
2. have been living in Argentina for 2 years; and
3. apply for citizenship before a federal judge.
How about this ? Do i need Spanish language certificate. Beside i think and sure i can learn Spanish language it will be not difficult as Chinese language.
For historic reasons, federal courts are still reluctant to recognize the rights of “irregular” immigrants. They usually request the following requirements related to the abolished law 21.795:
Legal residency
Legal work
Spanish-language ability
Birth certificate apostilled and translated by public notary
Certificate of a clean criminal record from home country
Certificate of a clean criminal record in Argentina
CUIT or CUIL number.
As i mention my Nationality, Age, Education. guide me and inform me how i get in this process and how i can be the part of Spanish world.Thanks
Our attorneys tell us it is impossible to get legal status approved except for certain European and other countries. For example, we are not able to assist those from the Middle East, India, etc. Actually we haven’t been able to do so before this though we have tried.
Hi Shah, We do not actually handle immigration. We are a publishing company and we do know attorneys that you can trust and so we recommend them in countries where we know them. I do not think that as a Pakistani you can naturalize in Argentina. If you had a sponsor here in the country who would sponsor you, it might be possible. In that case I would ask our attorney to be sure. Other than that we really can’t offer hope right now.
Hey I have Argentinian citizenship and passport since my mother is Argentinian ilive in Lebanon all my life my question is that I have a 1 year old boy can he get the citizenship? Please b
Help
Hi Rami. I am the same. I am told by my lawyers that my own children have to qualify just like anyone else, unless I want to have a court case to see if we can qualify them under my citizenship. So I don’t know if you can do it or not even if you do file a legal suit. If you were born here that could change things, but not if you received your citizenship because your mother was born here. Now if you lived here that would probably qualify your son.
Hello sir, I am a student from Sierra Leone, I am planning to move to Argentina to study and live forever
But now I have no contact of a university.
Will it be possible if I enter with a tourist visa then later I change it to a student visa??
We are sorry but your country is not among those that our group is able to serve
Arlean ,
First of all thank you for taking the time and for giving us all this information .
I have double EU citizenship and I intend to study ( improve ) Spanish in Argentina, I have a big interest in the culture and history of Argentina and it is a long dream to experiment living there . So at the end of my studies I may take in consideration applying for citizenship . I am a photo illustrator so my work requiers me to travel from time to time that I why I am not sure what would be the best way to approach the studying there so I could also fit into the 2 years period in order to be able to request citizenship . Would it be enough to live there 7-8 months/ year ? 5 that would require a long term visa , or could I stay 3 month there to study 3 months out than back 3 months etc until the 2 years passes and an application would be made ? What would you advise .
Thank you for reading this and taking the time to answer , any advice would be highly appreciated .
Best of wishes
Cristian
Assuming you comply with all requirements, you can apply for citizenship if you are in the country at least six months of the year. You would apply immediately for residency upon your arrival and in two years would be eligible for citizenship. If you decide to pursue this path, we can put you in touch with a competent attorney if you need one.
Hello and thank you so much for all the information!
I only have one question if you can answer i will be appreciate it gladly.
I am US citizen and if i come to Argentina without any visa as a tourist then i can stay up to 90 days but after i arrived like 10 days later if i enroll to a University then can i apply to student visa then residency without leaving Argentina ? i mean inside the country…
Thank you soo soo much!
Hi John, if you have a U.S. passport you can enter, of course, without a visa. Then I suggest you apply immediately for residency and you would have it within the 90 days. I assume you have provable income from outside to provide for yourself in Argentina, have no serious police record and so on. And yes you can do it without leaving Argentina. If you need the assistance of an attorney, we can recommend a competent attorney for you. Just let us know.
Hello Turkey passport holder but i was living past 5 year in China
i would like go Argentina and setup a business place,i would like to know even i go there without apply any special visa (like student,working etc) after stay there can i apply for citizenship?my passport not requirment any visa for stay up to 3 month,and plus i have sponsor
Hi Yokan, We would love to help you but Turkey isn’t among the countries that we are able to serve right now.
Arlean, I posted a comment on January 27th and there has been no reply. I, and other friends are interested in using Celano and assc. and I’ve been wanting to make contact with you. If you look above, I was the last comment posted with no reply. I’m wondering if four flags and you are still up and running?
Hoping for a reply,
Jim
Hi Jim, I am so sorry it has taken this long to get a reply to you. If you have not obtained the information elsewhere already, you can contact Gabriel at gabriel@celano.com.ar. He is out of the country right now but should get your email just fine. However, if you have any problem you can write his assistant attorney zaira.vilches@celano.com.ar This is the only attorney we recommend. So many are taking people through three years of residency and then two of permanent residency before applying for citizenship (including this editor, it happened to me as well) And that is not only not necessary but very expensive! Best of luck but I think you’ll do fine.
Dear Mr.Arlean ,
I’m a Jordanian general practitioner dentist , willing to get a student visa for Spanish language in-order to get the national ID after 6 months. after that I’ll apply for 3 years master degree in Buenos Aires university.
is it possible to get Argentine citizenship while I’m in Argentine as a student?
kind regards
I don’t know if you can get a student visa as a Jordanian, but if you can and stay in Argentina for two years, you could apply for citizenship. If you are in Argentina for any reason for two years you are eligible.
Hi Dear ,
My Name is Nayef im orginally Palestinian but i was born and I lived in Qatar. Im a senior banker now and I used to play football as a professional player here . I still play Futsal as well . So I have two income but I have a plan to go to Argentine in Order to get apply for the citzenship after two years however i heard from some lawyers it needs 5 years ( they said after the permanent visa i need to stay three years). I’m thinking to visit Argentine in August and discuss about the living there and open a bank account . If its two years i would spend it in getting football coaching courses and i would be able to live there without working for a while as i will have income coming from Doha every month around minimum 2500 USD per month
Hi Nayef, You are right. Many lawyers here are giving bad information which is why we recommend the lawyer that we do. We can depend on him to tell the truth to clients. However, you sound very qualified, not only professionally but people here LOVE Futbol. But sadly your country is not among those that we are able to serve.
I know many lawyers tell you that but it is not true. But they do get to charge you every year for five years. This is why we recommend Gabriel Celano. However, to be honest we can’tseem to get anyone from the Middle East in unless you have a local sponsor. If you had a local sponsor, then I would consult the attorney to see if he thought it would work. Of course you can always try. We only try to relate what we are observing.
hello Arlean
thanks for your highly support post.
i have two questions please :
1- what is the benefits every citizen get by being Argentinian beside having home. i.e Free education in government universities , How about medication is it free and what other things may get by being Argentinian citizen ?
2- Is there any monthly taxes deduction from income ? or only paying taxes thru my things I’m billed for ? i.e electricity , water and accommodation rent … etc
Thanks in advance
There is free education and free medical. And yes there is tax on income and various other things. I think you have to buy your own medication. However, it is quite reasonable.
Dear Mr :
thank you very much for this blog and a very useful information :
i am a dentist from Syria , i am willing to resettle in other country in order to begin an new life. how can i as a Palestinian /Syrian who is still living in Syria to go to Argentine.
kinds regards
Thank you so much for your kind words. We regret that your country is not on the list of countries we are able to serve.
Dear Arlean,
Visiting as tourist and living there for 2 years as tourist with my own savings (without work) can make me eligible to apply for the citizenship process after 2 years?
Kindly advise, I was thinking to arrive there as tourist or either then apply for the student visa or if it wouldn’t work then I may stay there being a tourist (I have plenty of savings)
Hi Romario. You didn’t mention your country of citizenship. That makes a big difference. But you would need to find a job here and be able to demonstrate income to support yourself OR demonstrate income from outside.If you can qualify for a student visa and be here two years, you would be eligible. By then I’m sure you’d be working anyway.
Dear Arlean,
I am really thankful to you for your guidance and helpful information.
I am from Pakistan and I have one friend who entered in Argentina with 90 days Tourist visa almost two years before. he is from Pakistan as well so it means this time he is illegal there. so kindly guide me how can he able to Applied citizenship in Argentina? can he go for it? as I mentioned he is illegal right now.
warm regards,
Saqib
Hello Saqib, you are a good friend to try to help your friend. At one time he could obtain citizenship even if he had lived in Argentina illegally, but at the present time I don’t think there is any way for him to qualify for citizenship. As stated to others, Pakistan is not on our list of countries we are able to serve. I’m really sorry.
Hey
I am currently a Missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints here in Argentina, I will be here for 2 years with a temporary DNI for the reason of religioso.
I am looking to get Argentine Citizenship so I can move back after my mission, but I have heard from other people that you have to be working in Argentina by a company that has a CUIL registered by Migraciones. As missionaries we are not payed, it is all service but we are living in Argentina for 2 years straight.
If you could help me know if this was even a possibility to get citizenship for living here for 2 years but without working?
Muchas Gracias,
Hi Austin, I certainly think there is a possibility. To be honest I never heard that you have to work for any special company. I really think that you can apply after two years. I apologize for being this late answering you but we have had extenuating circumstances here. I suggest you email zaira.vilches@celano.com.ar and ask her if you have to be working at a government approved job. She is in Dr. Celano’s office. Best of luck.
Hello Arlean
I have a question concerning multiple passports.
In the past you said you knew of people who had more than 2 passports, one of which was from Argentina.
Do you know if it is possible for someone to have a German and Argentine citizenship plus a third or more passports?
The reason I am asking is that I have German citizenship plus another EU passport. I plan on spending an extended period of time in Argentina in the future and if at all possible I would like to be able to obtain an Argentine passport.
I understand that you may not know the answer but appreciate your efforts.
Kind regards
Ross
Argentina does not care if you have other citizenship. You can apply as a German or EU citizen. And yes, if you comply otherwise (income, clean police report, etc.) you should have no problem.
Hi
If I came to Argentina under Syria program , I’ll get
Temporary residency for two years. , am I able to
Apply for citizenship?
Thanks
Sam, we regret that your country is not among those that we are able currently to serve.
Theoretically, if I spend the 180 days of 2017 and the last 180 days of 2018 without a visa (I’m British), will I be eligible to apply for citizenship, given that I speak Spanish already? I’m looking for the quickest way to get citizenship while spending as little time in the country.
Hi Fabrice, first, it’s good that you speak Spanish. They want to see that you have an interest in living in the country. And Spanish helps. The requirement i s that you live in Argentina for two years. However, you can leave for up to six months in any one year. That’s permissible, just be sure you aren’t out more than that. After two years, you are then eligible to apply for citizenship. In our case it took ten months from application. So in a sense it really takes almost three years but it is only two years before you can apply. After that it just depends on how long it takes for the paperwork.
So, as a citizen of the United States, I do not need a visa to enter Argentina; does this mean I don’t need any other paperwork to stay in the country for the required 2 years? In addition, once I have lived in Argentina for 2 years, how do I prove it? Just from my passport?
Hi Christian. You can stay 90 days as a tourist. After that you can go to Uruguay or Chile for a few days and then return for another 90 days. Some expats have been threatened that they will not be allowed back in next time. I haven’t heard of that being enforced but that doesn’t mean it hssn’t been. Your stamped passport would be evidence. However, the best is to apply for residency as soon as you arrive. You would have it before the 90 days are up. Then after two years (of which you can leave just be sure it’s for less than six months) you are eligible to apply for citizenship which is then a matter of paperwork. Mine took ten months and I did appear at the courthouse several times (your lawyer can’t do it for you, but ours goes with you to facilitate the process).
What a great blog and I only wish I had come across it earlier. I’m an American with of course a U.S. passport. I’ve been living in Ecuador for 2 months and had my permanent residence visa before arriving and have obtained my cedula (national I.D.). I’m a little unclear as to different countries in S. America recognizing each other. So….as an American, with permanent residence visa and cedula for Ecuador, not citizenship, can I stay and live in Argentina indefinitely with those documents? And secondly, do I understand correctly that if I were marry a natural born Argentine woman I could apply for citizenship almost right away? And if so, what amount of SS monthly income is the minimum required?
Thank you so much,
Jim
Unless something has changed Argentina doesn’t have a stated amount of income that you must have.We used to tell people $800 a month but I honestly don’t know what it would be now. The inflation rate her is quite high and the dollar has fallen and it’s becoming quite expensive even for us U.S. citizens. I would want more like $1800 a month here but that is just an opinion. We think Argentina might be headed for an economic crisis but that’s just person opinion. I checked and I think Ecuador is a Mercosur country which means you can cross the borders with your residency ID (cedula). But take your U.S. passport along just in case. I cross into Uruguay and Chile with no problem but at one time going into Paraguay or Bolivia required a “reciprocity” fee so go prepared. I think you can stay in Argentina just fine but in any event you can take the ferry across to Uruguay for a day or two or into Chile and then come back. But I don’t think you’d have a problem staying here. We know what will work here, we are just not sure about Ecuador. Take your U.S. passport but just show your cedula and let us know how it works out.
Hi,
I am from Jamaica and have read your site and many others re getting citizenship in Argentina. Right now I am a freelancer and make decent money with a registered business. I also own a home which I get about US 1500 in rental income from each month.
What the best way to go about getting started on the Argentina citizenship? I don’t need a Visa to visit Argentina. I have a BSC and I was thinking of applying to the University there since I have to live for 2 years. Does the 2 years start the day I land, while I go to school?
If I don’t go to school, what other ways can I legally live there for the 2 years? I have my own company so I wont be putting anyone out of work.
Hi Beth. If you decide t come I would, of course, advise the attorney that we recommend to verify this but here is what I think. I’m just not sure if the county is Jamaica but I see no reason it should be different from a U.S. citizen. If you are getting $1500 rental I suggest a notarized statement from your tenant that he is paying you that by the month. If there i s other proof, that might work instead. Like i f you have a property manager who will sign a notarized statement that he manages the property and that you get that. Also any proof you have of your freelance income. For a U.S. citizen it might be a copy of your federal tax return showing the income. But from that maybe you can get the idea that you need to prove it. With the income you have from outside, I don’t think you’d have a problem whether you are a student or not. As long as your police record for the last five years is good and you qualify other ways. If you are serious though I’d suggest clarifying everything with our attorney. I say our attorney because there is so much bogus information out there. We ourselves were victims of it. Let us know if we can help you further.
May I know to which law are you referring to? Just to make sure this informations are still up to date.
Also do you know the address of the official website to get up to date official informations?
I am sorry Ivan but we don’t have a record of your previous correspondence. Here is the web site of the attorney that we recommend http://www.celano.com.ar/ Wishing you the best.
Arlean,
I just came across this website, looks great. I’m a US citizen who has owned an apartment in Buenos Aires for ten years and would like to finally come live there permanently. I plan to make a living through online work from the US. I won’t need much. As far as starting with the temporary residence process, I’m 12 years away from US retirement and don’t currently have the requisite passive income that it seems I’d need to get a rentista visa, from what I’ve begun to read. If it takes two years of living in Argentina to go for citizenship, what’s the best way to do that in my case? Just overstay a tourist visa or renew it every three months for two years? Should I get a student visa for two years?
Apologies in advance if you’ve already answered this, I’m just now starting to read your website.
Thank you,
Kevin
There are many .S. citizens who do just stay as a tourist three months, leave for a couple of days and come back in. We can’t say that would not change and we have heard of people being threatened they would not be allowed back in but those we know o f always did enter again with no problem. So in all honesty that is possible and if you are here two years, you can then apply. Also yes, a student visa is also a possibility. The best thing i s to come and get residency right away if you do the student visa, Then there is no issue. But either way should work. The fact that you have owned an apartment her for a long period is a big plus. If you decide to move ahead with it I’d suggest working with Gabriel Celano. He’s the attorney that we recommend. We are not paid by him, it’s just that there is so much bogus advice here and we’ve never had a problem any time that he was the attorney.
Hello Arlean,
I’ve read your great article and the majority of the questions listed here. But I still don’t get the ”Sponsor” requirement. If i could prove that my family for example and my bank account that I’m willing to finance myself during my studies in Argentina, would I still need a sponsor?? and how can i find one?
If i get accepted in one of the universities there, is it counted as a sponsor?
Waiting for your reply,
H.Saeed
Hi, and thanks for your comment. Country of origin is pretty basic. I don’t have a record of your previous comment but a sponsor would be like if you have a brother or parent or a friend in the country already who is a citizen and who is able to assure that they are willing to take responsibility for you there. In some cases that would apply, even though you are able to support yourself, you still need a sponsor if you are from certain areas of the world.
Hi there
I am from South Africa and am seeking a second passport.
Is Argentina an option for me?
Do I just need to arrive in Argentina and stay there for 6 months of the year, for two years, and then apply ?
Jesse, we took the time to verify with our attorney before responding but the answer is yes Argentina is definitely an option for you. You can check the requirements on our attorney’s site, http://www.celano.com.ar/ or on our web site. There are some income requirements, Interpol check and a few other requirements. Then yes you just come in to Argentina and immediately establish temporary residence. You have to be here at least six months of every year for two years. At that time you are eligible to apply for citizenship. In my case that process took a few days more than ten months. We hope this helps. Let us know if you need ore information.
I have a question. I am from a first world Asian country and don’t need a visa to enter Argentina(and don’t need one for Russia and USA either). I have a mid-sized computer business and have stable income but am planning to relocate the entire business and become Argentine citizen as we have almost no freedom here. I might be able to move in 2 years as I have to do related preparations for moving my business.How long would it take to get Argentine citizenship once the business relocation has been completed and I make stable income there? When do you expect the 3-year residence requirement to be reinstated? Thanks.
Hi Seloviac. I can tell you have not read our material on immigration to Argentina. You are eligible for citizenship two years after you arrive in Argentina as long as you live in Argentina at least six months of each year–assuming that you qualify otherwise. If your business is the source of the income, then you’ll need to be able to prove the income. or that you have other adequate income from outside Argentina or a job inside Argentina. This idea that three-year residency is required keeps rising and we keep trying to put it down. That law changed over 20 years ago. Today it takes two years living in Argentina at least six months out of the year, and then it takes about 10 months after you apply for citizenship to complete the process of getting Argentina citizenship. It’s about the fastest route to a second passport that we know about.
Thank you for your helpful
I plan with my wife travel to Argentina for give child next mouth,I hart some news the mother get citizenship direct with the baby and father just get Permanent residence,other one tell me father and Mather can get citizenship after give baby and no limit about time .
Is it true?
As I know after 2 year can get citizenship.
I think that you can get citizenship if your baby is born here without regard to time. But you would need to check with an attorney to be sure.
Hi, thank you for this wonderful blog. Just curious, do I need to speak spanish before applying? Is that a requirement? I am currently practicing. Thank you.
Hi Vincent, if you have an attorney you do not need to speak Spanish before applying. If you want to do it yourself I’d say in that case you would need to be pretty fluent in Spanish. When I applied I knew little Spanish, I had done what you are probably doing—practicing. It is two years after you begin the process that you appear in court. That gives you time to know the language well enough. You don’t have to be fluent but you do need to be able to understand and answer the judge’s questions. In my case, our attorney, Gabriel Celano, was with us and after the hearing the judge gave a LOT of instructions in Spanish that we had to do to complete the process. Since Dr. Celano was in the courtroom, he knew what to do. I knew enough Spanish to respond to the judge just fine, but without our lawyer present I would have been lost and unable to complete the requirements. So by the hearing you would need to either be fairly proficient–or have help. I hope this will help you.
Hi,
I am planning about studying in Argentina for three years. After getting my student visa, will i ask only for DNI once in Argentina ? Is my student visa going to be valid for the whole three years or just for a limited period ?
Sincerely
Hi Yassine, we have your message that you are from Morocco. We would really like to help you but sorry to say that right now you would need to have a relative already in Argentina or know someone else to sponsor you.
Hola Arlean.
your story and situation made it much more clear to me, but my situation is slightly different and i need your opinion on my case please.
long story short, my grandma was born in Argentina, and her familia decided to move to Syria, and live there, i’m sure u r aware of the Syrian war now, our mistake is that we didn’t apply for Argentina Nationality long time back, anywayz, i was able to track down my grandma original birth certificate, and as we speak my mother in flying to Argentina to obtain citizenship.
my question is, can me and my brothers take the nationality from her after she gets it ?
i’ve asked many lawyers, some said yes some said no, so i am still not sure.
can u please advice on the matter.
highly appreciate it.
Gracias.
I am surprised that an attorney in Argentina would tell you that you cannot get citizenship if your mother is an Argentine citizen. I believe that you can. Things do change here, so once your mother has citizenship and if you decide to come, let us know and we will check with an attorney that we KNOW will give us dependable information. There is a lot of bad information out there and much of it comes from lawyers, which is partly why we publish FFJ.
i highly appreciate you advice seniora, i have one more question if u don’t mind, my mother have been in Argentina for over a month now, and she went to immigration, with all the needed documents, and they even checked everything and told her all documents are good, however they asked for her finger prints, signature, and took photo copies from all the documents 3 times now !! without even mentioning why they keep repeating the whole process all over again !! , they just keep on saying, all ur papers r ok, may be there was a mistake in photo copying the documents or take finger prints !!
is this Normal to happen ? do we need to do something, or are we missing something ?
Hi Ammar, probably everything is okay. It seemed to me that they were forever taking my fingerprints as well. And then, when she finally gets citizenship, they will do it again for her passport.
Hello sir you are doing great work by informing and helping us thanks for that.
My age is 23 i am Indian.and I want Argentina PR and citizenship any how. I have only 1 plan that going there on student visa for a 2 years course in Argentina , after 2 year course I am eligible for applying PR? And what is sponsorship? How can I find a sponsor is it difficult to find you can help me in finding sponsor? Or is there any other way you suggest me to get pr of Argentina.
Looking forward for your reply. please help me sir.
Hello Chitransh, we would like to help you but you need a sponsor. The sponsor needs to be a relative in the country or someone else that you know who is willing to be responsible for you during your time at the University. We don’t know of any other way. Wishing you the best.
Hello sir you are doing great work by informing everyone thanks for it.
My question is … right now I am in India completed my graduation and looking for PR and citizenship of Argentina thru student visa.my plan is to study master’s degree there for 2 years after that I am eligible for PR in Argentina? You said in earlier reply that if I have to do these I need a sponsor so how can I get it? And what is sponsorship? Is finding sponsor very difficult?
Looking forward to your reply.
I only have plans if going there thru student visa.. you any better ideas for me please help me sir?
Hello Chitransh, In order to have a sponsor, you need to have a relative or friend that you already know in the country that is willing to sponsor you. We know of no other way. This includes students. If you want to know more first hand from one of our subscribers, you can find Makwana’s story on the web site. One article is entitled Never Give Up.
Dear sir , I hope everything with you fine
Kindly can you send me all information about
Residence and citizenship in Argentina
And if I qoulfied to Residence in Argentina
Note . I am Iraqi citizenship and live in Jordan
I have a visa to enter Europe and America ( USA )
Thanks
Mohanad al rifai
Mohanad@zainpack.co
Hi Mohanad, the requirements for Argentina are all on our web site. If you look at the topics to the left and click on Argentina, you can find those requirements. There are two articles. However, we are so sorry that at this time we are not able to assist you.
Hello Arlean!
First and foremost, I would just like to thank you on your valuable work online and thank you as well for sharing your experience with us.
My question just pertains to the clarity of the length of residency and the confusion I am having with the permanent residency vs. citizenship requirements.
When it is stated that the amount of time required for citizenship is 2 years minimum, what exactly does that mean? Would I need to wait a couple years to obtain permanent residency first before waiting these additional two years, or can I legally come to Argentina under a work/student visa or an immigrant visa (or only one of the two?) and start counting the days from there?
And being a Canadian citizen looking to migrate to Argentina, I just wanted to verify if I would need a sponsor in Argentina or not?
Muchas gracias por su tiempo/ Thank you very much for your time.
Hi Jose, as a Canadian citizen you would need to apply for residency when you arrive in Argentina. Then two years from when you arrived in Argentina you can apply for citizenship and it takes about 10 months, more or less, to complete the process. As a Canadian citizen, you don’t need a sponsor. If your goal is citizenship, you would just have temporary residency until you achieve citizenship.
And can I confirm with you that in order to be considered a full-time resident of Argentina, you would have to be residing inside the country for a minimum of six months out of one calendar year?
Meaning that if I spend 4 or 5 months outside the country, provided I come back and complete the 6 months required, the whole calendar year would still count towards my citizenship residency requirements? Thank you!
Yes, Jose, that is true. Six months here and then a few months out and then return. It all counts for the year.
Hi,
I have permanent residency in Argentina since 2016 but I have been living in Argentina for 9 years permanently. I had a lot of problems with paper work as I am from South Africa and had documents in different languages. I would like to become an Argentine citizen and would like to know if I still need to wait 2 years and if I can apply now. Also, do I need to register for Monotributo to be able to become an Argentine citizen?
Thank you so much.
Hi Nelieta, Based on your comment, you were eligible for citizenship 7 years ago. Yes you are can apply now. Since you already did the permanent residency, the documents may not be a problem but if you need any help, we recommend Dr. Gabriel Celano. Let us know if we can help you further.
I am a Nigerian legally living in Ghana please le me know if I am qualified
Hi Matthew. It is not easy to emigrate to Argentina if you are from Nigeria unless you have a sponsor here. If you come in as a student, sometimes the university will act as sponsor, and if you have employment here, the employer may do that. But you would need a sponsor.
Thanks for your message. Please I want to know more on how the sponsor issue work. If I again admission into a University how would the school be of help in terms of sponsoring?? What if I apply for tourists visa ?? Please I need full information
Hi Matthew, A sponsor is a relative in the country or someone you know who is able and willing to take financial responsibility for you.
I m from Uruguay mercasur but I wanna have Argentina citizenship how can I get?
If you are Uruguayan, you just have to come over and apply. You have rights to enter Argentina
on your Uruguay DNI or passport.
Hello Arlean,
i’ve been studying in argentina for 3 years, can I apply for citizenship or do I have to be a permanent resident?
Congratulations. You can apply now.
Are expected to be fluent in/speak Spanish to qualify for the citizenship? I’m a Ugandan from an anglophone culture, a university graduate who is sick and tired of the little opportunity in my homeland vis a vie employment and I’m considering moving to Argentina for greener pasteurs. Do Ugandans qualify for Argentine dual citizenship? Can you acquire the citizenship when you are not a career business person and have not built a networth significant and adequate enough but you want to move to Argentina to start over?
Hi Sebastian, you don’t have to have significant networth or any of that to come to Argentina but I checked my list and it appears that you need a visa to enter Argentina if you are from Uganda. If you need a visa, unless there is some unusual circumstance, you also need a sponsor in the country, someone here who knows you who will take responsibility for you. But if you can do that, then after two years in the country, you are eligible for citizenship no matter where you’re from. And no you don’t have to be fluent in Spanish. I was not fluent but I knew Spanish well enough that I was able to pull it off and understand and answer the judge’s questions. If you use our lawyer,he goes with you. He was with me and after the judge finished his questions he gave me a lot of instructions for completing the process and if I had not had the attorney there, I would not have been able to do it. But Dr Celano understood him and took care of everything. But you do have to know some Spanish. It isn’t hard. I took the Spanish course that is on our web site. We recommend it.
Hi Arlean,
Thank you so much for the useful tips and valuable info that you are sharing.
Which country in the Latin America(except for Ecuador) do you think has less difficulty(in terms of bureaucracy, etc) for Iranians to obtain the second passport and residency from?
We are an Iranian family with 2 little kids and we are seriously interested in moving to Latin America so that we can obtain the second passport and permanent residency for all the family members.
We have an Apartment in Iran through which we have a monthly rental income of $1500. Is that enough? If so, what else is required?
I can come to Argentina on a tourist visa or student visa but I’d like to know if we are eligible to extend our visas and lastly obtain Argentina permanent residency.
Thank you.
I forgot to mention that I am a freelance web developer and I am able to earn around $1500 monthly on top of the rental income.
Hello Sep, Definitely your income would make a very good lifestyle possible for you in Argentina. If you can prove your income from the web design and the rental, I think that just coming into the country you can then see our recommended attorney who can begin the residency for you. Once that is under way, you do not have to leave any more. You can apply for citizenship at the end of two years residency in Argentina. Since we seem to have so many problems helping people from the Middle East, if you decide you want to do this, please write this (you can even copy and paste) to me at info@fourflagsjournal.com and let me check for sure with the attorney. The reason for that is I don’t want to give you information unless I’m sure it will work for you. When you write me there, remind me that you posted in comments and I asked you to write. I answer so many emails I sometimes don’t remember all the details.
Hola
My mother was born in Argentina. Her parents were Spanish immigrants to Argentina originally. My father was British and I live in the UK and have a British passport and my husband is British. I recently discovered that I am entitled to Argentinian citizenship and an Argentinian passport. I have never travelled to Argentina, but would love to discover my heritage. Do you think it is worth accessing my right to Argentinian citizenship and an Argentinian passport? I don’t know what the cost of this would be or what the benefits might be, but I am drawn to do this.
We here at Four Flags Journal believe that diversifying ourselves international at this point in history is a very good idea so we certainly agree with getting another passport. You definitely have that right if you can prove your mother’s birth here. If I were in your place I would definitely be interested in visiting the country and taking advantage of the opportunity. We are based in Buenos Aires and we love it in Argentina. I love to say, To know Argentina is to love Argentina. But you would need to see for yourself. I am not sure the cost but you are welcome in inquire of our recommended attorney, Dr. Gabriel Celano. The reason we recommend him is that there is so much bad information out there. We were victims of it ourselves which is why we are careful about attorneys. You can write him at gabriel@celano.com.ar. If you will cc: info@fourflagsjournal.com, it will allow him to cc: us back so that we’ll know what he told you. I do not know what his fee would be for this. Best wishes!
Hi and thanks for yor advice. I have now written to the Argentine embassy here in London and have obtained my mother’s birth certificate wth apostile. I have been told that I have everything I need to obtain my citizenship and just need to send this to the Argentinian embassy and then attend an interview there. I have to think carefully about this and be sure that I want to go ahead. I wonder if there is anything I haven’t considered, any negatives such as maybe being liable for taxes in Argentina if I am a dual citizen?
It is possible that you would eventually be responsible for taxes if you live here, but you don’t need to worry about that now. If you need an attorney we recommend ONLY ONE in Argentina. That is Gabriel Celano. He is at gabriel@celano.com.ar.
this is a very nice topic and helpful, thanks alot.
but i need a clarification about if i went to Argentina by a student visa will that help me to get the citizenship of Argentina after 2 years or is should be other kind of visas like the work or tourist visa.
and i want to ask if i must stay for 2 years continuously in Argentina to get the citizenship or i can travel throughout this interval and if i can for for how long its allowed to leave ?
my info: Syrian and i live in Saudi Arabia (middle east)
Many thanks
Basel
Hi Basil,I think if you come on a student visa you need a sponsor in Argentina. But if you can do that, yes you can apply for citizenship in two years. You apply for residency at first, to allow you to stay in the country, and then for citizenship. No you don’t have to be here all the time. You must be here for six months out of every year.
Dear Arlean,
Thank you for all the valuable info you shared with everyone!
I am planning to give birth of my baby in Argentina, I heard that I shall obtain the PR in that case, how long would the PR processing take? do I need to live in Argentina to obtain the Citizenship? can I have your contact details?
If your baby is born in Argentina he or she will be an Argentina citizen. You can get citizenship based solely on having an Argentine son or daughter. In that case you don’t have to live in Argentina. You can email us at info@fourflagsjournal.com.
Hello Arlean,
I would like to thank you for your professionalism in helping others In need.
I have the same concern like Emma. All of the lawyers I contacted told me that I would need to live in Argentina for two years, even if my child is Argentinian. Is this true ?
kindly advise.
I think that you do have to live in Argentina for two years even if your child is Argentine.
Thanks Arlean for your fruitful contributions.
I need Mohamed’s advice on further requirements to obtain the residence permit for two years after getting the child citizenship. How would I apply for residence based on my child citizenship?
Many Thanks to all of you.
Tarek
Hello , I have an important Question !!! With what type of visa i must enter the country in order to apply for the Argentinean citizenship later on ! A student visa , a work visa or a tourist visa ? or is there an immigration visa ? I’m from Libya but i live in Serbia and i would LOVE to move to Argentina and have an Argentinean passport and make it my home country . please reply .
Hi Julia, I take it you are a citizen of Libya. According to our list here, Argentina requires a visa for a citizen of Libya. If you need a visa to enter Argentina, then you also need a sponsor within the country. You need to know someone here who will sponsor you. It looks as if you could come in okay if you were Serbian but you did not indicate any legal status in Serbia.
Hi
There i want to know more about Argentenian citizenship.
Thanks
It’s all on the web site.
Hi there,
I really like Argentina and it would be an honor for me to get this citizenship. Do you think it is possible to go for it even though I will still de facto live in Europe?
I mean, I will be able to go in Argentina every once in a while, but out of the 24 months required, I will be let’s say 20-22 months in Europe…
What are your suggestions?
Thank you so much!
Hi Greg, there is no way that I know of to get Argentina citizenship if you are here less than six months of each year unless you had a first degree relative who is Argentine, like your parents or a child. Otherwise citizenship requires being present in the country.
Thanks a lot for your kind answer, Arlean.
Could you please confirm that 12 months in Argentina over a period of 24 months would suffice?
Cheers,
Greg
Well, in a sense you’re right. You have to be here a minimum of six months out of each year.
Allow me to thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing this article.
I have finally made up my mind on moving to Argentina.
Warmest regards
Hi Wesam, thank you for the kind words. I just want to mention that if you need a visa to enter Argentina, you are required to have a sponsor in the country in order to get residency. You can find out from the local U.S. Embassy wherever you live, if you need a visa. We cannot help with visas, but are more than happy to help you otherwise. Arlean
Hi Arlean,
Thank you for getting back to me.
How about I apply for a tourist visa and then apply for a student visa once I enter Argentina? I read a detailed article about the requirements. I want to take spanish courses.
Also does staying on a tourist visa (renewed every 90 days) count as part of the naturalisation period?
I can’t thank you enough for your support.
Wesam
Hi Wassam, I answer a lot of emails and if you told me where your nationality is I confess I don’t remember. But if you have to have a visa for Argentina then you have to have a sponsor. And yes, even if you leave the country and return, the time in Argentina still counts. But if you do require a visa, then I think you’ll have problems with crossing the border every 90 days. If you are from a country that can enter Argentina without a visa, then the answer is yes you can do all of that. But that’s what makes a critical difference.
Hi Arlean, I’m sorry If I didn’t mention it earlier, I’m from Lebanon and I do require a visa. I’ve been living and working in Kuwait for a few years. However, what I have in mind is travel to Argentina on a tourist visa (I’m planning an expedition to summit Aconcagua) and once I’m there I want to enroll into a Spanish program and switch to a student visa. Why do I need to have a sponsor for a tourist visa? I have a relative who’s been living for over 20 years in Argentina, will an invitation letter from his side do any help?
Wesam
Hi again. I really don’t know why Argentina requires the sponsor on some countries. I’ve asked our attorney and he doesn’t know either. But you know how it is, they get to make the rules. If you have a sponsor in the country though, I think you’ll be just fine. I don’t know that you need a sponsor for a tourist visa, but I do know that to stay in Argentina, you need a sponsor. I don’t know what the procedure is, whether you need a letter from the sponsor but if you decide that you do want to do it, and you would like me to check with our attorney about exactly what you need to do, let me know.
Can a married American business-woman (who can prove her income) go there & buy property & then bring her husband into the country without getting citizenship first?
Once they are both together living there for 2 years they can both get citizenship, am I right? Does this ‘2 year residency’ have to be continuous or can the couple move in and out of the country too for as long as they wish or is there a time limit on how long you can spend outside Argentina in those 2 years?
And my last question : Is there a language requirement for the citizenship? If yes, then how fluent are we talking about? 😛
Some of the answers to your questions are published in the Four Flags Journal. It just happens that the very last article we published, is all about whether Spanish is required along with a way to be good enough with Spanish to get citizenship quite easily. Yes a woman who can prove income can come here. She doesn’t have to buy property. However, she could if she wanted to. If her income is $2100 US a month she’ll be fine. Her husband should be able to come with her, though if your decision hinged on that, we would verify it for you with an attorney since in that case it would be the woman qualifying with the income. I know if her husband qualifies, they would be okay. We like to just verify anything a little unusual since you are making decisions based on our answer. But all things being equal, the plan you set forth would work. If she gets citizenship, he doesn’t have to qualify at all. He can get citizenship on her status.
The income must be from outside that would not cease when she comes here–things like rental income on real estate owned elsewhere, interest, annuity–things like that. If she has in mind making large investments here that would pay that much in rents, that’s another issue we would need to discuss but I’m pretty sure that would work too.. Also you don’t have to be here all year but you do have to be here at least six months out of the year.
We really suggest you read the information on the web site for Argentina. It will answer a lot. you can click on Argentina on the right under Countries and it will bring them all up. It’s impossible to write everything here. Also at Four Flags Journal we are not about hyping any country. We will do our best to tell you the unvarnished truth. Most Argentines consider that now is not the time to buy real estate here.Argentina traditionally has a crisis every decade and real estate and everything else crashes with it. That’s when knowledgeable people buy real estate. However, I will tell you that we have a President now that is trying to get Argentina on solid financial footing. We don’t know if he will be successful. People who voted for him are now upset with him. Of course socialism is the problem in Argentina and people have come to expect it. The utilities, for example, have been subsidized ever since we’ve been here. It’s great but can the country sustain all the handouts? One thing the President did was do away with the subsidies and quite a few people are upset. So will he succeed or will they get upset enough to put him out? You will have to use your own judgment but if there is a crisis, that’s the time to buy. Having said that, we live here happily. We liked the super low utilities too, but we want to see the country prosper so for our part, we fully understand what he’s trying to do–we also will not be buying real estate until the price is right. I hope this helps
Thank you very much for your kind reply.
I understand now. When I first asked about real estate, I asked because there is this American millionaire guy (maybe you have heard of him?) Doug Casey. He was talking about buying property in Cafayate but I did some more digging into the matter recently and found a blog exposing Doug Casey. Basically, the blogger said that Mr Casey is a fraud who bought lots of land in Cafayete for cheap and now selling them at high price claiming it to be a beautiful place for rich people. And blog also talked about how Cafayate is in the middle of nowhere with lack of medical facilities, lower life expectancy and mosquito bites can get you killed etc.
That blog opened my eyes and I lost all respect for Doug Casey. You should probably warn your readers about this man too. I like honest writers like you telling us the reality on the ground and not lying for your own benefit.
Thanks once again.
Hi, N.A. I’ve followed Doug Casey for years, probably about 30 years. He has a research firm, and has published some investment newsletters and books on for many years. Cafayate is in the middle of nowhere but is a tourist area. Has quite a few hospedages (a families that provide rooms for tourists) and hotels. Actually he went in partnership with an Argentine who owned the land, I don’t know if there were other arrangements but that is the basis. He not only planted organic gardens, but also vineyards, at least one golf course, a polo field with horses, several swimming pools, a health club, tennis courts, a hotel, apartments and they brought in fast internet because many of the people there run their businesses from there.
A lot of people like the remote location because they think a serious financial crisis is coming in the world and that being away from high population areas is a good idea. Another Billionaire, probably the biggest financial newsletter publisher in the world, bought a ranch in the area, about two hours into the mountains, and built up there. Many very wealthy people have moved there.
So while he did get a lot of unimproved land there, they have made serious improvements and yes, it is pretty much geared for wealthy people. I don’t agree with him on everything, but I think he’s a legitimate businessman. I think I know who wrote the expose. And that’s his opinion, but judging from 30 years of history, I think Doug is legitimate. Thanks so much for telling me that you found that. It’s interesting information.
Is the other guy you mentioned happens to be Bill Bonner? I heard him mentioning a ranch.
I don’t doubt the legitimacy of Bonner and Casey’s research and analysis about the predicted economic crisis. But the way the whole Cafayate thing was marketed was not entirely honest or informative. Cafayate looks wonderful with the mountains, golf course etc – no doubt about that but a potential buyer must know both the pros & cons. I wouldn’t have found out about the negative sides of buying property there if I hadn’t come across that other blog.
What is your personal opinion? Would you recommend someone to spend few millions to get property in Cafayate? It looks ok for temporary vacation, but all the talks of mosquitos, lack of medical facilities and lower life expectancy have me worried that it may not be a good long-term option?
Which is the safest city/town in Argentina to live peacefully while still not being too far from hospitals, malls, restaurants etc? I am hearing a lot of comments in various websites about crime in Argentina. Few even have been held at gunpoint & robbed and that is terrifying.
I would not move to Cafayate but it’s a matter of personal opinion. Yes the other man is Bonner. Yes there is crime in Argentina. If you live in Buenos Aires you have to be aware of what is going on around you and take safety precautions. I checked the Internet and there appear to be two hospitals in Cafayate. It is a town of 12,000 people so I would think a hospital would be there. It is in the middle of nowhere but once you get there, the town is populated, has restaurants, hotels, stores, and a lot of tourists come there. But it is just a small town. As for the other things you’re looking for, Argentina is a big country and there are many towns with all the things you mention. Cordoba might be a good place for you to look. It is a good size town but not as large as Buenos Aires.
Hello Arlean
In theory does Argentina allow someone to get a third citizenship there if that person already has citizenship in 2 other countries?
For example if a person had citizenship in 2 EU countries could they get citizenship in Argentina also or would they have to renounce one of the other citizenships?
I appreciate any answer you can provide.
Kind regards
Ross
No you don’t have to renounce other citizenships. We have an acquaintance here with five passports.
Hi Arlean
I would like to consult you with my case,
I am a descendant of Argentinian father and got my Argentinian Id last month. my question is:
1 – how and what should i do to get nationality for my wife and two under 18 years old children.
2 – the embassy in Lebanon told me i should appoint an attorney to get a juridical decision to obtain nationality for my family.
3 – how much it cost for this attorney services in this regards, and how much it may take time.
thank you for your valuable infos.
Hi Simon and congratulations on your achievement. I don’t know the answer to your questions. I do think you’ll need an attorney and I suggest you contact Dr. Gabriel Celano and ask him. I’d appreciate it if you will cc me as well so that he will be legally free to send me a copy of his reply. That way next time someone asks me, I’ll know the answer. Here is his contact information.
Celano & Asociados Abogados
(+54 11) 4342 9433
info@celano.com.ar
Web site: http://www.celano.com.ar/
Hey guys , i’m from Tunisia and i plan to go study in Argentina.I did like this topic so much but there is something not clear about citizenship .
because i found this link
http://www.argentinaresidency.com/services/argentina-citizenship-passports.htm
i think it’s an official one , could you examine this topic guys while they are talking about 5 years to get the Argentinian citizenship.
Ahmed, this is exactly the reason we gave this article the title that we did. The TRUTH about Argentina citizenship. There is so much out there that is not true. I myself paid for 3 extra years of residency legal fees because of bad information. When I went to see another attorney about another matter, he asked to see my paperwork for my citizenship. It was then 2011 and he said, “You were eligible for citizenship in 2009.” He filed that day my application and 10 months later I was a citizen. This is partly why we publish Four Flags Journal, to try to keep these things from happening to YOU. If you want the truth Ahmed, come to our web site. And whatever you decide about Argentina, best of luck. If you need an attorney, we suggest the one described in this email.
Thanks a lot Arlean for response .
By the way i am a student in IT fields but i was wondering if Argentine citizens could offer some jobs for foreigners or they are racist ?
On the other hand i’m a little bit scared about the living there because as i know there GUNS doesn’t matter !
My question :is are Argentina safe or it depends of places ?
Thanks for answering!
Hi Ahmed. We am not aware of racism here. About security, Buenos Aires is a city of several million and any large town requires caution. Yes it does depend on places. But that too is probably common in large cities. Smaller towns are better. We live happily in Buenos Aires.
Hello Madam / Dr Celano I’m From Pakistan, A Student Consultant.I Am Dual National Of Pakistan And South Africa. I Help Students From Pakistan To Pursue Their Studies In Good Countries Like Argentine ,Our Advertisement Goes On All Major NewsPapers and TV of Pakistan. I Would Be Happy To Refer My “Argentine Going” Clients ,Contact You ,Regarding Their Residency /Citizenship Plans. AND Is It Possible For A Pakistani Citizen To Apply For A Argentine Residency/Citizenship From Pakistan? Rather Than Applying A Visit Visa And Travel To Argentine First. Like It Happens For Canada.If We Could Do That , I have Many Interested Clients Who Can Refer Their Case To You MeM And Pay Your Fees. Like This, Together We Could Help The Needy People. Thanx . Your Response Will Be Appreciated. NOOR CONSULTANCY INTERNATIONAL.
Hi Naveed, thank you so much but we have about all the clients we can handle. Arlean
Hi Arlean,
My name is Jubril and I am a Nigerian. I am a venture capitalist and I would like to invest in some countries but I am restricted by my Nigerian passport, hence my comment. I wanted to find out if there are any restrictions for a Nigerian applying for an Argentine citizenship and also how long it would take to get the citizenship with or without residency.
Thank you
Hi Jubril, It take two years living here to get citizenship. If you are from a country that requires a visa to come to Argentina, that means you would need to have a sponsor in the country. If you can do that, then I suggest you contact this attorney. His name is Gabriel Celano.
Celano & Asociados Abogados
(+54 11) 4342 9433
info@celano.com.ar
Web site: http://www.celano.com.ar/
Arlean,
i am from south korea, i am married to an Argentinian woman for for three months, we live now in newzealand, we are planning to move to argentina, do i qualify for a citizenship without living two years in Argentina, and can i apply from Argentinian consulate here in Newzealand if i am excempted from two years residency?
Yes, if you are legally married to an Argentina woman, you can apply immediately for citizenship. I think that you can apply from the consulate but I am not sure. You can always check with the consulate. I’m sure you can apply for permanent residency but our reports are that Argentina is dragging their feet on those. Not denying them just the wheels moving very slowly. In fact, we’d appreciate it if you let us know how it goes if you do apply there.
Arlean,
Thank you for writing about this topic. It sounds very interesting.
I am a U.S. citizen and have heard that the initial tourist visa can be extended for another 90 days for a total period of 180 days (6 months).
You have stated that it is only necessary to stay there for 6 month each year for a period of 2 years.
Could I apply for a passport showing my tourist visa entries as proof of residency? Or would it be required to apply for another visa to be eligible for citizenship?
That’s an interesting question and the first time we’ve had it. The normal procedure is to begin residency application as soon as you arrive from the U.S., and then you have it before you leave. However, you are kind of approaching it on what I would call a “technical” residency. Theoretically you are eligible for citizenship after two years, however you are here. I’ve heard of illegal overstays getting citizenship. It all depends on the judge. He can rule any way he chooses. Argentina naturally wants people with a sincere interest in Argentina. My lawyer was worried about my Spanish, that the judge might disqualify me if I could not respond to his questions, etc. So as you can imagine, I worked pretty hard at Spanish there for a while. And I was able to understand and respond in Spanish. However, I am going to forward your question to Dr. Celano. I would like to his response myself. I think he’ll answer you directly. Arlean
Hi Arlean,
I appreciate your answer. I have been patiently waiting for Dr. Celano. Were you able to forward Dr. Celano my question?
I know bureaucracy in most Latin American countries are quite chaotic. My idea could truly be an effortless way to get 6 months each year for 2 years before applying for citizenship.
I am curious about what Dr. Celano thinks about it.
Kallen, I sincerely apologize. I answer an incredible number of emails every day and I can’t remember what everyone wrote to me. I am wondering if you are one who wrote asking if you could do it staying here one year out of two. Other than that I’m not sure. Did I say I would ask Dr. Celano? If I did I am remiss and he is never remiss in answering email. You can write him yourself if you want. If you copy me when you do, that allows him legally to share his answer with me as well.
So…Kallen, does this truly work? Has Dr. Celano answered?
I’m sorry that I might have sounded too eager to know, but if this worked it would be an amazing opportunity indeed.
Hi Arlean,
Since few days i was searching on the internet for second home residency and passport, and finally came a cross your website, read most of the blgs. and answers, it was very useful.
I’m a Libyan (North African), i look forward to have another residency and passport for me and my family, I have some questions if you could help in answering them>
1- Is there any restrictions being from Libya or North Africa?
2- How much roughly the cost of processing residency and how long it will take through Celano & Asociados.
3-what is the reasonable budget i should have to the face the life expenses including a house rent per month?
4-Is the process required my the presence of myself and my family?
5-Is there any age restriction for the Kids.
I’m waiting your response.
Thank you very much.
Abdulsalam .
Libya.
Hello Abdussalam, we are pleased to help you if we can. Yes there is some restriction for people who hold Libyan passports. You will need a Visa and, as far as we know, that would require your having a sponsor in Argentina.The amount required for residency is in the neighborhood of $2100 U.S. per month now. It was recently increased. No restriction on children. If you can qualify and decide to come to Argentina, we can probably help you with the other issues. Arlean
Dear sir,
I live in the Netherlands and want to study in Argentina. And I am also married. What should or can I do in such a case?
If you can meet the requirements listed in the article about Argentina residency on the web site, there should not be a problem for you to get a student visa. I’m not sure if you can enter Argentina without having a visa. But if you can you could just come and then apply for your student visa after you are here.
Thank you for this article, what I understood is that one (foreign) is eligible for Argentinian citizenship after he stays at there(Argentina) at least for two years on a temporary residence permit, I am a Somali citizen, a student currently studying in Turkey, I am interested in moving to Argentina I can prove an income of 40k$ a year, my question is, does it make difference being a Muslim and a Somali? Will that make me look suspicious? And finally do failed states like Somalia,afghinstan, Yemen, Syria, qualify for Argentine visas or residence permit?
Hi Mohammad. I am not sure about the answers to your questions since I’m not familiar with the countries. If that $40,000 is independent (passive income that continues if you leave) then you certainly more than pass that test. They are not so interested in what you make now but that you will have support while you live here.
As for the other questions, I don’t know of any rules like you asked about but the key lies in whether you can get a visa to Argentina. You may also be required to have a sponsor within the country willing to take responsibility for you if necessary. So I suggest you check with the Argentina consulate at the embassy nearest you and they should be able to tell you. Best of luck. It’s a tough situation for many of us, we understand that.
Thank you Arlean,
is it necessary to get an Argentine(citizen) to sponsor me or any one with a valid documents in Argentina can sponsor me?
if i get in to Argentina and successfully gain citizenship, can i sponsor my family members like my parents and elders, and does the two year residence requirement apply to my parents?
Hi Muhammad, I think anyone here who is working or has income who has legal residency could sponsor you but if you decide you want to come and your sponsor is not a citizen, we would have to get specific information about whether they had to be a citizen If you get citizenship then your parents could apply right away based on your citizenship.
Hi Arlean,
if i get a tourist visa into Argentina and can i register in a University with my tourist visa?
and if i register with it, can i apply temporary residence permit while being on a tourist visa without re-applying a new student visa out of Argentina?
thank you for responding to us!!
Hi Mohamed, If you can get a tourist visa, then you will need to apply for a student visa as soon as you arrive. The tourist visa only allows you to stay in the country for 90 days. Also you will need a sponsor in Argentina as well and that’s something we can’t help you with. If you can get a visa and are here two years you can actually apply for citizenship if you choose to.
i quote”If you have an Argentina spouse or child, you can apply for
citizenship immediately. The two-year wait is waived.”
my questions is,in case my wife decides to give birh in argentina;how long would the processing of our residency/citizenship take?
Lastly, in case she enters argentina alone to give birth,while am in my home country here working. How would i alos get my own residency in such case;do i need to accompany her?
If you have a child who is an Argentina citizen (i.e. in this case, born in Argentina) you are eligible for citizenship. I honestly don’t know how long it would take. It’s just a matter of going through the process. My citizenship too 10 months from when I applied. I’m not sure if you would need to be here that entire time. I suspect not but if you decide to do that, we can ask Dr. Celano, the attorney. But if you have a child here, you are eligible on that basis, to apply for citizenship.
thanks a lot Arlean,you mean i and my wife can become legal residents via our newborn in argentina when we have probably overstayed our visit visa?
Victor, I apologize if you told me your country before, I don’t remember. If your wife were already in the country and had a child, you could apply immediately. Your child is an Argentina citizen and so that qualifies you.
However, there could be an issue in the event you are required to have a sponsor inside the country unless you do have one. Check with the Argentina embassy nearest you to find out the requirements. But if everything is in order and you have a newborn in Argentina, overstaying your visa is not an issue. You would apply for citizenship immediately. And no, you would not have to accompany her.
your replies have been very helpful but the problem is am yet to find a doctor who can assist my wife for the vaginal birth process,i dont want her to be induced or operated on. You have any doctors contact i can talk with or any link up?
This is REALLY an unusual request. First, doctors here practice in a more natural way than in some countries, give way less prescriptions and other things. I do know a midwife here who can have a doctor present for the birth if the family requests it. He sleeps on the couch unless needed. Or if you’re comfortable without him it’s less expensive. I can check with her. Or she might know an obstetrician. I love your attitude about not inducing. I haven’t spoken to her for a year or so. If you like I’ll try to contact her. I could also ask around for you, but of course a lot of people recommend their brother-in-law if they happen to have one who is a doctor. Would you like for me to see what I can find? Also is your wife currently pregnant? Just trying to determine if we have plenty of time.
am sorry for bringing you into all of this,please go ahead and talk to her,link me up to her. Its not urgent,but its a plan i intend to follow through to the end, thanks Arlean.
Hi Victor. I have tried to contact the midwife without success. I have herd that she had extensive surgery for cancer. I suspect that has something to do with the lack of response. I suggestthat you go to http://www.baexpats.org and ask there. Thet is an expat forum with a number of expats and almost surely you will have suggestions. I don’t know of anyone else to recommend. Best of luck. Arlean
Dear Arlean,
We are an iranian couple living it Turkey, we have heard about citizinship process in Argentina recently, i read most of comments and your responses but i would like to know if we can get a touristic visa to Argentina and come to Argentina for a short touristic visit, how can we extend our residence permit for two years?
is it possible to run a small business and get work permit?
thank you in advance
You would need to check with the Argentina embassy in your area to get a visa and I don’t know if you could or not. Not familiar with that and we don’t handle visas. To stay in Argentina you would have to qualify, either by an independent income already establish, or a student visa but you may well need to have a sponsor already in Argentina.
Hello Arlean,
If i apply for MBA in argentina as a student they will grant me a 2 years temporary visa and after that i can apply for the citizenship but the problem is after i graduate and the 2 years are over how will i remain in argentina legally while applying for the citizenship?
Note: I’m from the middle-east.
Hi Mohammad. If you come into Argentina you would apply for temporary residency right away. As soon as you have begun the process you are free to stay. Same with citizenship. It really doesn’t matter why you are here, if you are here for the two years, you are eligible to apply for citizenship. As long as the application is in process, you are free to stay.
After two year study visa holder can apply permanent residency?
Two year will count on student visa
Yes you can apply for residency, but after two years you can apply for citizenship if you want to.
Hi Sukhjit. You didn’t say which country but since you posted on an Argentina post we will assume Argentina. If you come
in on a tourist visa you can make an appointment with Dr. Celano and he will begin the residency process for you. If your tourist visa is for 90 days you will probably have temporary residency before it expires.
Dear Arlean,
I’m an iraqi dentist living in the UAE, lets see if I understood this right, lets say I get inside Argentina and study for masters for 2 years (whatever the visa called, student visa i assume), so according to what you say, by the time I finish my studies I can apply for citizenship,so my question are:
1. is the above mentioned right?
2. do I need a sponsor for a student visa (the University I guess)?
3. can you please guide me to an Argentine government site where the law of naturalization is mentioned clearly?
sorry for asking too many questions and for being blunt, but I need to be sure before I go to the far side of the world!
Hello again I almost forgot!, is there a school in Argentina where I can get my degree in English (studying in English) and is fluent Spanish a must for naturalization? Thanks
Yes you can get a degree in English here and fluent Spanish is not a must, but Spanish is. My lawyer was worried about me before my hearing because my Spanish was poor. I really worked at it and was not fluent at the hearing but I was able to understand and answer all the judge’s questions. Then he made a long speech of instruction and I’d have never gotten it except my lawyer (which is the one I recommend here) was there for the hearing.
Hi again Ahmed. There is no such thing here as too many questions. We are happy to help you if we can I think that you will need a sponsor. You are eligible to apply for citizenship after you have been here two years, for any reason, to go to school, for business–whatever. Or if you come in on a tourist visa you can apply for residency when you arrive here. But the sponsor is necessary.
For the law, you might check out Gabriel Celano’s article on his web site. Also he has other items posted that might be of interest. But here is the one on immigration. I think you can locate the actual law online from thie. http://www.celano.com.ar/blog/post-9-Overview_of_income_based_residencies__RENTISTA_NonMercosur.html
thanks
You are more than welcome. 🙂
hey I’m a us citizen I’ve found a school in Argentina idea like to study idea also like to buy a little farmland I’ve spent 3 months in 2012 would I have to still spend 2 years and is that consecutive or can I just have my name on a lease or a Deed and travel around go back home for holidays is it possible to get a 2 year student visa please any help would be greatly appreciated cheers
Hi Phoenix, yes you do have to live here for two years in order to qualify for citizenship. Just owning real estate or anything like that doesn’t matter, you still have to live here. You would need to get temporary residency here soon after you arrive but you can do that just on tourist visa. Once you’re here you can see Dr. Celano if you like and I think within three months you’d have your residency and could come and go at will. BUT . . . you do have to be in the country for a minimum of six months of each year–until you get citizenship and then of course, that no longer matters.
thanks for information I’m also wondering does are temporary residency, student visa and working permit all separate documents
Hi Phoenix, you would apply for the visa in the country where you are resident. You need to consult the local embassy. I see you posted on an article about Argentina so you would need to get a visa into Argentina. We don’t have anything to do with that but once you arrive then you apply for residency. The work permit would come through the company with which you have employment. So yes, in a sense they are all different. They are all parts of the process. If possible, we would you to let us know how it goes. Arlean
Dear Arlean , thanks for those informations ,and I hope that will help thousand of people who were blinded with false information though the internet ,Anyway I have a few questions :
I from Haiti and we have free visa to travel to Argentina and my girlfriend and I are going to Argentina every year since 2009 for vacation till now just to eat choripan with chimichurri sauce loll but my question is do you think black people can obtain citizenship from that country ? Cause I never saw a black Argentinian even in the soccer team
Second :can you please ask the attorney who worked for you if he already work for a black person during is carreer ? Once again thanks for that blog and congrats .
Regards !
Hello, Michael, you are right. seeing anyone black here is very rare. Brazil has many and if you see anyone black here they are usually here from Brazil. We have not dealt with anyone black in the past but there is no restriction here against any group but it gets more complicated if you need a visa. Since you can travel to Argentina visa free, there is no problem that we know of.
Dear Arlean,
I am in need to get in touch with you perhaps via email as I have become terribly excited after coming across your blog a few days ago. I’m pretty determined now to find a way to get to Argentina and stay as long as needed to get citizenship and maybe spend my life there if I found an okay job.
I’m a Syrian, unfortunately these days, and I have been living in Malaysia for over 4 years. However, in Malaysia, I have no chance in hell I could become a permanent resident or a Malaysian despite the fact that I’m in the country legally and have a Malaysian wife and a son. The system here is designed to make it impossible for foreigners to remain in the country.
I really need to change my nationality, not only because of how much travel restrictions I face, but because I am also heavily discriminated against wherever I go. I cannot get a good job. I cannot do anything in my life. I’m almost fed up with life as a whole.
I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy and a M.Sc in Pharmacology, yet here in Malaysia, I cannot apply to register under the Malaysian Pharmacists Board to practice my profession. Not now and not ever. And I cannot move to a country where I could apply under the board, such as Canada or New Zealand, because of my damn nationality.
I speak perfect English and I also speak Spanish very well. I had studied Spanish for over three years in el instituto Cervantes de Damasco before it closed.
Could you please please contact me via email so I could ask you a few things. I don’t think I can apply to go to Argentina this year because of financial problems. However, I’m pretty determined on doing the move early next year.
Best regards
One question. Can you get a tourist (or other) visa into Argentina. I think you would need to check with an embassy in your area. If you can, then probably we can help you. Also, I know we are facing a lot of frustrations right now–all of us so don’t give up. You might like one story on the web site entitled Never never never give up. It’s about one of our subscribers. So hang in there.
Thanks Arlean for the response. I intend to visit the Argentinian embassy in KL to ask next month, but I think I can get a tourist visa because Syrians are still allowed visa-free entrance to the Ecuador as far as I know; and we usually would get a tourist visa quickly to Asian countries and Russia. I expect the countries in South America would not block me for being Syrian if my papers were in order.
I hope I will manage to make the move early next year and hopefully you will be there to help. My Spanish is rusty but I think with your help I could register in a course to freshen up on my vocabulary.
If it is not too much trouble, I would just want to ask you a few questions (feel free not to respond):
1) How much roughly does a Spanish course cost in Buenos Aires.
2) How much is the average rent for an apartment, or if you could just tell me how much income I should expect to need on monthly basis to survive.
3) How much on average would the attorney fees and the process cost when applying for citizenship later?
4) Do you know whether or not El Universidad de Buenos Aires offers English-based PhD programs in Pharmacy or Biology (I’ll look into it myself but if you know, then it would be helpful).
5) Lastly, I hope you could tell me whether or not the Pharmacist Board in Argentina accepts registration applications from foreigners (This information does not usually get posted on the internet for most countries. One can only know by asking a registered Pharmacist or calling an officer at the Pharmacists Board).
I’m grateful to you for this wonderful blog and I hope you could answer some of my questions here. I would appreciate it if you would befriend me on facebook to stay in touch (you can find me using my name or my email). Thanks!
WOW! Lots of questions but we’ll help you if we can. If you find in your research that you can indeed enter Argentina, and you decide that you are serious about cvoming, then get back to us, okay? We’ll try to get some answers for you. But when you do, sorry to ask this but include the information. We have a lot of emails and it isn’t always easy to remember the details.
i plan to come and study in Argentina and later getting PR and then citizenship.
however there is a lawyer/advisor told me that student visa is just for studying and i cannot even get PR.
PLEASE is that right as i am confused now.
First, Nana, you didn’t tell us your country of origin. That could make a difference but if you are in Argentina for two years, for whatever reason, you can apply for citizenship. I also think you can apply for residency. There is no reason to get permanent residency (assuming that is what PR means) since that takes three years and a person can get citizenship here after two years.
Dear Arlena
thanks for your quick response
ok. I am from Sudan thus please advise
second what is different between permanent residency (PR) and citizenship and which is important
regards
Nana
Permanent Residency means you are just that, a permanent resident. It takes three years, and probably a little more. But you are not a citizen. Citizenship means you are the same as born in the country with citizen privileges and responsibilities, a passport if you apply for one, the right to vote, etc. We can help you if you can get a visa into Argentina. You’ll need to check with the local consulate where you live. A tourist visa will work or a student visa.
Hi,
As an Indian citizen. Can I come to study in Argentina for two years and then apply for citizenship? Or is the process more complicated than that?
David
Hi David. If you are in Argentina you can then apply for residency and later for citizenship so the answer is yes. It doesn’t matter if the visa is tourist or student, makes no difference as far as we can tell. Things do change but that is currently the situation.
I am a kenyan leaving i. angola i want to give me full information about geting citizenship for argentina
Hi Mahad, thanks for your comment. All of our information about getting citizenship in Argentina is on the web site under that title. I will add though that if you need a visa to enter Argentina, then you will also need a sponsor within the country. Such as a relative or perhaps a friend. We do not handle immigration except for passing on information to you. If you can qualify for Argentina we can recommend a very good attorney to you. Arlean
we know a visa has a limit to expeird the period that they give you to stay there.so woud they renew me when that time finish reply me please mr arlean
Hello sir,
I am Moroccan pharmacist recently graduated, I am interested for Argentina citizenship, my Spanish is not very well but it has some basic knowledge, can you please tell me what are the requirement and how to get a sponsor to get in Argentina?
looking forward for your reply.
Thank you, Gracias
All of our information about getting citizenship in Argentina is on the web site under that title. I will add though that if you need a visa to enter Argentina, then you will also need a sponsor within the country. such as a relative or perhaps a friend. We do not handle immigration except for passing on information to you. If you can qualify for Argentina we can recommend a very good attorney to you. Arlean
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 Mohammed. If you want to emigrate to Argentina you will need to obtain a visa. To obtain a visa, you would need to contact the Argentina embassy in the country in which you are located. If you do get a visa, you will need to prove income from outside the country or else employment within the country. After two years in Argentina you can apply for citizenship. If you do come to Argentina on a visa, we suggest you contact our Argentina attorney, Dr. Gabriel Celano, to begin temporary residency.
Hi Mohammed, the requirements for citizenship in Argentina are listed on the web site. However, I will add that if it is necessary for you to obtain a visa to enter Argentina, then you also need to have someone in Argentina who will sponsor you–such as a relative or someone else to act as sponsor. If you have that, then we can recommend a very good lawyer to help you if you need that service. Arlean
Hello,
I am a UK citizen, and am interested in acquiring an Argentina passport.
I read on the net that Argentina only ‘recognizes’ dual nationality for a limited number of countries (together with Argentine nationality) – and the UK was not on that list.
Does that mean that I would not be able to retain my UK nationality if I acquired an Argentine passport?
Dear Richard, we have never heard of any restriction on UK citizens as far as dual citizenship is concerned–or anything else, really. However, you can always check the consulate in your area. In the UK there should be one nearby but I certainly don’t think there’s a problem.
Arlean
I WANT ARGENTINE CITIZENSHIP
Can you tell us a little about you. From what country is your citizenship
Hello Arlean
You previously stated that the Lawyer said that one “would need to be in Argentina at least six months of each year.”
I am aware that it is a general rule worldwide that someone becomes tax resident in a country if they stay in that country for 183 days or more.
So my question is – given what was said about the 6 month rule – could someone stay in the country right up to the 183 day limit as possible (eg 182 days) and still have that time count as one year completed for the purposes of obtaining citizenship or would one actually have to go beyond the 183 days for that year to count?
In other words is it necessary for someone to be a full tax resident (min 183 days per year) in order to obtain the citizenship?
If one would have to stay beyond the 183 days (per year) and be a tax resident to count would one be taxed on all their worldwide income or just locally sourced income?
Also would one have to disclose ALL their worldwide assets if they are a tax resident during the 2 years?
Finally besides an income tax, is there any wealth tax and if so would that be applied to all worldwide assets or just local assets?
I would appreciate any feedback that you can provide on this.
Kind regards
Ross
Ross, I can’t say how things will be in the future in Argentina. Things are changing everywhere in the world but I have been here for six years almost nonstop and no one has asked me about worldwide assets or anything else.
I think that technically there might be a wealth tax but these countries down here do not work the same as the States. It takes a while to get used to it. Frankly some of us at FFJ have missed some great opportunities because it took us a while to figure that out It is very frustrating to a lot of expats that things are so different and disfunctional. But many actually like it.
Just to add a little color to this comment, I have an attorney friend who moved to Uruguay after giving up on the legal system in the U.S. She tells me, “I want to live in a country that cant find its backside with both hands.” And she does! Again, no guarantees but that’s how it’s been. Beyond that you would need to talk to an accountant or an attorney. This is just my opinion. If there were and you want citizenship here, you’d just have to bite the bullet and do it. There are only two countries in the world that tax citizens after they leave-the U.S. and I think Zimbabwe, or some such country. With any other system you can vote with your feet. However, if we live in a country it does seem we should support that country. You are taxed here on almost anything you buy. Which makes things more expensive here than elsewhere but it seems to work.
Thanks for your reply.
I appreciate it was probably too technical a question to ask.
In any event anyone who would have a real intention to seek a second citizenship there would need to consult a lawyer with expertise in obtaining citizenship and a good tax accountant.
Kind regards
Ross
Hello,I am chinese citizenship.Can I get argentina citizenship?is It difficult for chinese?Thank you for your kind reply.I am looking forward to hear from you.
Dear Qiang, As far as we know, you can get citizenship here as a Chinese citizen.
Hello Erlean
I am an electrical engineer graduated from china and stays in Saudi Arab and my nationality is Pakistan.
I want to come Argentina on any legal basis like student visa, or something else
but all in legal way.
so as a student living studying there for 3 years or more but still on student visa can a student apply for citizenship while continue his education at the same time.
best regards ALI
Hi Ali, you can immigrate to Argentina on a student visa. You can apply for citizenship here after two years in the country. Being from the Middle East it is possible you could be required to have a sponsor inside the country. If you decide to pursue this in Argentina, we recommend you contact the attorney that we recommend, Gabriel Celano at gabriel@celano.com.ar
Best wishes, Arlean
I interested in moving to Argentina and getting the citizenship, I am from GHANA in Africa. Please update me on how to start the whole process and the cost.
Hi Matthew, we are not familiar with whether there are any special requirements for people from Africa. We suggest you contact the attorney that we recommend, Dr. Gabriel Celano at gabriel@celano.com.ar.
If you don’t mind, if you write him would you include us at info@fourflagsjournal.com? If you do that, he will be free to then include us in his answer to you so that we will know what he tells you. Best wishes, Arlean
thank you for posting, my name is djibril i am from djibouti, intrested in getting argentine citizenship. do the 2 years rule of residency mean 2 years of permananet residency or if you stay in argentina with a residence permit more then 2 years wheter for educational,work, etc purposes then you can apply for a citizenship.
best regards
Hello, the two years is from the time you set foot in Argentina. Once you are here you would apply for residency–which would be temporary residency. It takes longer to get permanent residency than it does to get citizenship. You can apply for citizenship in Argentina after you have been in the country for two years. In my case it took 10 months to get my citizenship once I applied for it.
Two years only and then access to naturalization, does it allow to vote in elections and some government jobs like police and some political career?
I am applying student visa self financed, if my studies are more then two years should i apply for naturalization and get new passport too is it really possible.
Yes, Ali, if you get citizenship in Argentina you are just like any other citizen, you can vote, hold a government job–whatever. If you decide to come, you may need a sponsor, as stated before. You will need to get residency soon after you arrive, then after two years you can apply for citizenship.
Hi, my name is Anna, I am a US citizen. My 17yo son Eddie was born in the US to an Argentine father who now lives in Argentina. Eddie has held a US passport since he was very young. We’ve been down to visit his family in Argentina in 2004 and 2011. He has the opportunity to go down and visit his family on his own this summer for two months. He is considering doing part of his senior year of high school in Argentina and possibly attending the University of Burnos Aires for college. Can you tell me what the pros and cons would be for him to obtain dual US/Argentine citizenship?
I, myself, hold the same two citizenships. I also find that living in a different country is an education in itself. I don’t know if your son speaks Spanish now but if he does, he would certainly develop that skill further. This is just my opinion, of course, but I really don’t see any cons.
Hello
Firstly I would like to thank you for putting together this very informative and interesting website.
I am an EU citizen and have been thinking about the possibility of a second passport. I would be eligible for another passport from another EU but I do not think that would offer the best level of diversification. That being the case I have been thinking about South America and particularly Argentina, which is a country that I have never been to although it is a place that I am fascinated by.
This brings me to my question: In your article you say ” Most people are eligible for citizenship after living for two years in Argentina.”. Does this mean that a person would have to live for 24 months straight in Argentina or does it mean a person would only have to stay for say a number of months in the country for the 2 years? If so how many months?
Or would a person say have to spend 24 months in the country over a longer period ie 3 or 4 years?
Any clarity on the length of time one would have to spend in order to obtain citizenship would be much appreciated.
Kind regards
Ross
Hi Ross, our Argentina immigration attorney, Dr. Gabriel Celano, tells us that you would need to be in Argentina at least six months of each year.
Thank you Arlean for going to the trouble of finding that out for me. It was useful for me and I am sure it will be of interest to the other readers of this great website also.
By the way that length of time sounds quite reasonable. It is something I would to be in a position to avail of in the medium term.
Kind regards
Ross.
Hello Arlean
I hope you do not mind as I have a follow up question:
You kindly told me that the Lawyer said that one “would need to be in Argentina at least six months of each year.”
I am aware that it is a general rule worldwide that someone becomes tax resident in a country if they stay in that country for 183 days or more.
So my question is – given what was said about the 6 month rule – could someone stay in the country right up to the 183 day limit as possible (eg 182 days) and still have that time count as one year completed for the purposes of obtaining citizenship or would one actually have to go beyond the 183 days for that year to count?
In other words is it necessary for someone to be a full tax resident (min 183 days per year) in order to obtain the citizenship?
If one would have to stay beyond the 183 days (per year) and be a tax resident to count would one be taxed on all their worldwide income or just locally sourced income?
Also would one have to disclose ALL their worldwide assets if they are a tax resident during the 2 years?
Finally besides an income tax, is there any wealth tax and if so would that be applied to all worldwide assets or just local assets?
I would appreciate any feedback that you can provide on this.
Kind regards
Ross
Is it easy for Australians to get a second passport with Argentina? How many of the 24 months do you have to be physically present in Argentina?
Australian citizens can easily get residency and then citizenship if they qualify. You can find requirements on the web site or contact your local Argentina embassy in Australia. Yes you do have to be here at least six months of each year.
Hello, Arlean.
I’m a libyan citizen and been surfing online searching for a short time citizenship but good at the same time and i ended up in Argentina.
Anyhow i’m asking about the methods that i need to follow to obtain this citizenship.
Thanks in advance for your answer.
Hi, as posted in other comments, you can get residency and/or citizenship here if you have a sponsor in the country. If that is the case for you, and you need our help, we can direct you to a really dependable attorney.
My name Tariq Hajahmed iam Carry a Palestinian travel document issued by Syria iam working in Saudi Arabia. I want asylum or immigration to Argentina If you have any legal counsel information on e-mail tariq_656@hotmail.com
Tariq, I regret to tell you we can do little here for people for your area of the world. If you have a family member who already is living legally in Argentina, we can help you. But otherwise I’m so sorry that we cannot.
I wonder ,are black people welcomed in Argentina? and if i apply for citizenship can i get it ? (I’ve never seen black Argentinian!)
You are the second person to ask me this question recently. I don’t know of any problem with black people in Argentina. You will definitely be in a minuscule minority. The only black people I see here, normally, are people visiting from Brazil. But I’ve never heard any sign of an attitude toward them in the years I’ve been in Argentina. I think the country of your birth might be more critical as far as getting residency and citizenship is concerned. .
Aloha – we are San Francisco – Hawaii residents for last 40 years –
Decided to make the leap to Southern Hemisphere for all the usual reasons out there for those who remain aware of worldwide events.
Have found your Blog to be more than a little interesting in that it supplies essential information that flies in the face of much of what is found elsewhere. Thank You –
We have now been in Argentina for some 6-8 weeks – jumped over to Colonia for a check on Banking- less than fruitfull – and that was done with an Argentinian lawyer in tow.
Are you open to an email conversation- off the blog – for a more in-depth query regards material covered.
We will be going back to Uruaguay – Montevideo – next week, have started an email with Fisher & Company – are pursuing your suggestions on Residency attorney -(site down currently however) –
We suspect we will be torn between the two countries -however, going back and forth could be a good thing for several reasons — Looking for your insight on these matters.
Mu’e Mahalos –
Stephen & Marlene
Aloha! And congratulations on y our decision to make your escape! 🙂
You shouldn’t need a lawyer to open a bank account if you went to the Banco Republica though I’ve never dealt with Colonia. I know many Argentines do. I’ll be interested to know why it didn’t work out. If you need an Argentina attorney I could not say enough for our attorney Gabriel Celano. The reports that we get are always rave reviews. Never a complaint. We do not ask a commission from our recommended attorneys except (and we tell them this) that people we send them be happy. I was given such bad advice by several other attorneys in Buenos Aires that my citizenship cost several thousand dollars more than it should have.
Four Flags Journal email address is right on the newsletter for anyone to write off the web site. Im case you are not a subscriber, it is info@fourflagsjournal.com but the extra information is always on the newsletter, including password for restricted posts. We answer all emails.
Contratulations again. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Right here is the perfect blog for everyone who would like to find
out about thhis topic. You understand a whole lot its almost hard to argue with you (not that I
personally will need to…HaHa). You definitely put a
brand new spin on a subject that’s been written about for
many years. Great stuff, just wonderful!
Dear Arlean,
Thank you for your contribution to the universe of knowledge surrounding one’s quest for liberty. I have been living in Colombia for two years and am now very interested in going to Buenos Aires to work on achieving Argentine citizenship. If I may ask, what advice or direction would immediately come to mind?
Cheers,
Thomas
Hi Thomas, I assume you’ve read in the Four Flags Journal about getting citizenship in Argentina to be sure you can meet the requirements. If you are proficient in Spanish you can do it yourself. If not, we suggest you contact our wonderful attorney, Gabriel Celano. 54 9 11 4400-9278 or 54 11 4342-9433 gabriel@celano.com.ar.
We think Argentina citizenship a good idea. Among other things, it’s fast compared to Uruguay and other countries since you are eligible two years after your passport is stamped in Argentina. And with the Argentina passport you have rights in other MERCOSUR countries. Good luck. Arlean
Hi Arlean,
Thank you for the articles, they are really helpful. I’m wondering what’s your opinion on how the coming election would impact the immigration policy regarding obtaining citizenship through naturalization? I am considering the path of moving to Argentina for citizenship because I have a really horrible passport (some country from Asia). Currently I reside in the United States and it takes forever to get PR and citizenship.
Hi May, To answer your question, in South America things can change in a heartbeat almost. We don’t see any change in naturalization laws but that doesn’t mean a whole lot. Many people are waiting for the outcome of the election for many reasons but not, as far as I know, having to do with immigration. I am wondering what your nationality is because of what you said about your passport. That can make a difference in the ease with which a person can gain legal status in some parts of South America.
Thanks for your information but I have two questions. At first if you on tourist visa and you over stay are you going to get deported? My second question is where can you get the FBI report from? Its only for american citizen since FBI is in america? And if you committed a crime in the past in another country can you still be a citizen in Argentina? Also if you get marry or have a child in Argentina how long do you have to wait before you can apply? thanks
Hi Cedric, first, before I comment, we are in South America and things can change here at any time. But as of now, people have stayed in Argentina for a very long time–illegally. Even worked in that status. AND applied and obtained citizenship under that status if they could prove when they entered Argentina (a stamp on your passport qualifies). We don’t recommend that but it has been a common practice here. Next, I think that if the arrest is over 5 years old they don’t pick up on it. However, the nature of the crime might make a difference. Yes the FBI is for U.S. citizens and as far as we know, is not applicable for others. In our case we had the FBI report and then they requested an Interpol report (international). We suggest you contact the Argentina embassy closest to you and they should be able to tell you what is required in your case. If you marry or have a child here, it’s pretty certain you can get citizenship, but in all cases only after living here for two years. Even marriage does not shorten the time–although all depends on the particular judge.
Hello, Thank you for the informative posting. As I understand it, if I retire to Argentina, I will have to pay 35% tax on my social security. Is this correct ?
Thanks for the info.
No, that isn’t true. Where did you hear that? If you get citizenship though they will want to charge an asset tax on everything you own in the world–if they know about it, which is another issue. You would also be taxed on earnings, no not your retirement.
Hello again Arlean,
I changed my retirement direction from Argentina to Uruguay based on the info that I would be taxed 35% of my Social Security. I got that info from reading the Argentine government website relating to taxation. It stated something to the effect that the tax applied to all income, no exclusions. My wife and I were really looking forward to moving to Mar del Plata, but the taxation thing altered those plans. We are now heading for Uruguay, Costa del Oro vicinity.
We anticipate that the costs in Uruguay will be about twice what they are in Argentina, but getting a good retirement location is the important issue. Thanks again for your insight.
Hi Erich, we have been waiting to talk to someone professional about your information about taxing your Social Security. We really don’t think that is correct but we did not want to tell you the information is incorrect until we have it on good authority. We have lived here off and on since 2004, this last time for four uninterrupted years and I never heard of that tax. But just because we never heard of it does not mean it does not exist. If I were you I would not change the course of my life because of something I read on the Internet until I had it on good authority.
Plus keep in mind that things change in these countries. About two years ago Uruguay put in a wealth tax, where they tax you on all assets anywhere in the world–every year. That’s in addition to real estate taxes, etc. When they heard the sucking sound of ex pats pulling up tent stakes to vacate the country, they modified it with a five year grace period for ex-pats, then it kicks in in 5 years. This, of course, is part of the reason for flag planting–having more than one passport, yes, but not living in the country where you hold citizenship but living where you are a guest. There are lots of possibilities with flag planting. We’ll get back with information on the tax on retirement.
Hi Arlean. Thanks a lot for giving a hand on this. My case is a peculiar one. I was born in Mar del Plata Argentina but my parents forgot to get me my ID and they lost the paperwork from the hospital too. I lost contact with them altogether when I was about 4 years old. I dont know where they are, dont even know what their names are. I was adopted by a retired US citizen in 2003 and as she wasnt an argentine citizen yet wasnt either able to adopt me so I just stayed with her and never went to school here nor anywhere and kept it all a secret all these years. Last summer I got arrested for taking a lick in the street outside a bar, didnt have any ID with me of course they fingerprint me and said to me I didnt exist for im not in the system. My mom bribed them to let me go but now I am all paranoid of going out. If I cant prove that I was born somewhere then I will never be able to get my citizenship right. Oh God what should I do. I found out that the falklanders can under argentine law ask for a DNI. They consider those people citizens even when the officials here dont have any records or information regarding them. So I came up with this idea of pretending to be a kelper, just present myself before a judge and fake one of those creepy english accents saying how I am an argentine born in the falklands so argentine as the next, and that I dont want anything to do with the folks there on the islands so save your breathe and dont even ask them about me just gime my DNI. please ask mr celano whether this could work. thanks a lot. john
ps. Im contacting through a friends email adress.
Hi, John, It sounds like you are in Argentina. Is that correct? And how old are you?
John, in going through comments I can’t see where we responded to your question about getting citizenship when you were born in Argentina but have no record. I suspect someone answered you by email but I decided to post a response for others who might read it. It doesn’t matter whether there is a record. You have been in Argentina over two years and so you are eligible to apply for citizenship. I am sure you can prove residency since you have lived here all your life. Since I am sure you are fluent in Castellano, you can just go to Imigraciones and ask what you need to apply for citizenship and do it all yourself. Or you can contact Gabriel Celano at 54 11 4342 9433 or 54 9 11-4400-9278.They are wonderful and handle everything for you. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.
Arleane,
Did you have to give up your US citizenship to acquire the Argentinian one? If not – do you still file your tax return with IRS? How do you rate Argentinian medical care compared to the USA?
Hi Lemuel, dual citizenship is legal in Argentina and in the U.S. No I did not give up my U.S. citizenship. I am a dual citizen. And if you are a U.S. citizen and have taxable income, you have to pay taxes to the U.S. and file a tax return no matter where in the world you are. There are also extra forms that we have to file now if we have a total of $10,000 outside the U.S. even if there are no taxes owed. Other than the extra forms, nothing changes when you move outside the U.S. However, if you work for a salary outside the U.S. you have a tax exemption, I’m not sure what it is now, I think $104,000, used to be $92,000. In that case you do not have to pay taxes to the U.S. on wages, but you still do on capital gains. Of course if you were actually here, you would need a tax adviser to tell you what you need to do in your particular case. Medical care in Argentina is very good. I believe it to be at least as good as in the U.S.
Hi Arlean,
I am Ramandeep living in Arg from almost 2 years and have DNI could u pls tell me can I apply citizenship right now or 2years should be on Permanant residency visa I got my pr 8 months ago and how long it takes to get citizenship is it easy process if we working in regional Argentina area accept In bueno aires does it make any different could you pls send me about good attorney information pls reply soon regards
You can apply now. It takes about a year to get citizenship. In my case it took a few days over ten months. However, I did have permanent residence, but you can get citizenship when you have been resident in Argentina for two years. You did not say what area you are in. If in Buenos Aires province, we recommend Gabriel Celano. I am in Montevideo right now and don´t have his contact information handy but you can find it on the web site where we deal with Argentina citizenship. He is in Buenos Aires in the Alto Palermo area.
Hi Arlean,i been waiting my citizenship over 2 years and they keep telling wait we will call u for ceremony but keep saying over a year,i living in villa bellester,san martin,pls help me any good immigration lawyer can help me m really in stress,i already submitted requested documents 4 months ago since then it did not cleared on internet status,what is the reason it delaying,my refugees status friend got citizenship in year&half,some get 1 year 3 months pls help me,want to travel overseas but waiting for citizenship help me in regards with thanks in advance
I apologize but we don’t really deal with refugee status at all. I hope everything is in order by now.
Hi arlean,waiting citizenship over 2 years,every time i go to office they say we call u next week for ceremony but nothing happened yet pls help me
Hi, I don’t know the answer. I hope things have worked out by now. I’d like you to let us know. Sometimes the only way we find out about changes is from someone’s experience. Let us know if you have had the ceremony and what country you are from. We don’t deal with immigrations here at Four Flags Journal but we do try to keep up so that we can tell people where to go for help.
Hi sir i want to get citizenship how plz advise Me thanks
Hi Muhamad, I assume you mean you’re interested in citizenship in Argentina. If you go to the Argentina section you will see an article on how to get citizenship provided by the Argentina attorney that we recommend. Gabriel Celano. You will need certain documents. You did not mention your country and that could make a difference as far as what you need. Why don’t you read that and then if you are not sure about what you need, let us know. You would have to come here, get residency so that you could stay in the country, and after you are here for two years, apply for citizenship.
Arlean
Arlean,
Thanks for keeping everyone informed about citizenship.
I didn’t know that citizenship without residency was an option for me until I had spent 13 years in Argentina as a permanent tourist. I learned otherwise thanks to the BAexpats forum. I traveled every 90 days to Colonia, Uruguay, by boat for the day to renew my tourist visa.
I’m a retired USA citizen collecting $800 in social security benefits, my only source of income. I love my simple life here. Tango brought me to Buenos Aires to visit in 1996, and I finally moved in 1999.
Like you, Arlean, I hired a lawyer to handle my citizenship case in Buenos Aires that took 17 months to complete. Now there are people doing the process themselves through the federal court system. It’s not easy, but it can be done. One needs to know the language and how to deal with bureaucracy.
I proudly became an Argentine citizen on August 15, 2013.
Very good and helpful comment, Janis. Also confirms how difficult it is sometimes to get the right information. And congratulations on your citizenship!