Argentina is located in the southeastern part of the South American continent. The diversity of nature in this country captivates at first sight. Foreigners are treated favorably and warmly here, since the majority of Argentina's population is made up of immigrants.
The famous resort of Mar del Plata
Immigration to Argentina is only permitted:
- for able-bodied persons aged from 20 to 60 years;
- people who have not been convicted;
- people who also have the opportunity to bear all the costs associated with moving to this country.
Types of immigration to Argentina
There are several immigration options:
- business immigration;
- "Rentier" program;
- immigration through marriage;
- under an employment contract.
Business immigration
Business immigration is the opening of a personal business with a statutory capital of 100 thousand dollars. 25% of the amount must be invested immediately, and the rest must be paid throughout the year.
There are a couple of ways to open your own business:
- Buy or rent an office (land) where you can start a business. The biggest disadvantage of this method is that it will not be easy to attract new customers, since in Argentina they value and value their clients.
- Buy out an established business that is in good standing and generates high income. Clients attracted earlier are added to the application.
Rentier program
The Rentier program provides immigration for wealthy people whose income is more than $1,200 per month and is transferred to their account from foreign banks.
Marriage to an Argentine citizen
Immigration through marriage. You can also immigrate to the country by marrying an Argentine citizen, and then obtaining a residence permit is quite easy to obtain.
Conclusion of an employment agreement
Immigration under a labor contract. This is the best and more acceptable way to move to the country. To do this, you need to obtain an immigration visa to Argentina, which is issued for a year. Visa processing is carried out through a formal employment agreement with an Argentine organization.
Sample employment contract
Emigration to Argentina (2019)
Housing
Hotels
As a rule, upon arrival in the “silver country”, most emigrants are accommodated in inexpensive “familiar” hotels and hostels. There are many hostels in Argentina. Some of them are quite comfortable and modern, with free Wi-Fi, clean bathrooms and more or less cozy bedrooms. The cost of a bed in such hostels is approximately $15-20 per day. You can find hostels for $10 per bed.
Familiar are small hotels of old “pre-revolutionary” construction, rooms in which can be rented either daily or monthly. A day for a room for 1 person will cost about $15 here, for 2 people $20-25, and for three people – $25-35. It will be much more profitable to rent a room on a monthly basis: the monthly rent of a room for 1 person will be approximately $150-250, for 2 people $300-400, for 3-4 people – $400-500 (payment is made a month in advance). Prices vary depending on hotel location and room size.
Of course, there are better and more comfortable hotels here, with meals, their own restaurants and sports grounds, but, as you yourself understand, their prices are 2-3 times higher than in hostels and familiar hotels.
Flat rent
If you don’t want to live in a hotel, you can rent a separate apartment!
If you need to rent a house for a short period, a good option would be to rent a house directly from one of the local residents, somewhere, anywhere, and in Argentina you can rent any kind of housing, be it a small apartment for 1-2 nights, luxury apartments for a week or a whole mansion for a month.
To rent housing for a longer period, you can resort to the help of one of the many real estate agencies, with whom you will need to conclude an agreement for a period of up to 2 years. As a rule, the rate of Argentine realtors is 100-120% of the cost of the selected housing (for the selection of housing) + about 5% of the cost of the contract itself, for the agency to act as a guarantee person. In addition to the one-time payment for the apartment you found, you will also need to immediately pay the agency the first and last month (guarantor). The cost of monthly rent and payment for all utilities and other services will also need to be paid to the real estate agency.
Well, let's do the math, for example, they found you a good two-room apartment in the capital, costing $400 per month. In the first month, on average, you will need to pay:
- $1000 for the first month + $1000 for the last month to the apartment owner;
- $900-1000 to a realtor for selecting an apartment;
- approximately $100 for all utilities at the end of the month.
In total, in the first month you will have to pay about $3,200.
It is clear that in subsequent months you will only need to pay for monthly rent and utilities + the same simple commission.
Another option is also possible: find housing yourself and negotiate directly with the owner of the apartment. In this case, in the absence of any guaranteeing persons, you will, as a rule, be required to prepay rent for 3-4 months.
Well, which of these options you prefer is up to you to decide.
Buying your own property
Things are completely different if you come here with money and have the opportunity to immediately buy yourself a home.
Real estate prices in Buenos Aires are lower than in Moscow and approximately the same as in Kyiv. In other cities such as Cordoba, Rosario, Mendoza, Neuquen, La Plata, etc. housing costs 20-30% cheaper than in the capital. So you can fully count on the fact that you can sell your apartment and, without taking out loans, buy an apartment in Argentina that is even better than yours. Also, there is an option to rent out your apartment in your homeland and pay off your housing loan in Argentina.
It must be said that almost all the new houses here are quite well-kept and comfortable. Almost everywhere there are underground car parks, concierges and security. The layouts in Argentina are very good. Although you need to keep in mind that the kitchens here are very small, designed only for a sink, stove and kitchen wall. The kitchen here is considered a place exclusively for cooking, and eating is customary in a separate dining room or living room.
It is worth noting that buying your own home will not allow you to simply obtain a residence permit; it will only give you the right to apply for permanent residence not after 2 years, like everyone else, but after 6 months.
Family immigration
This immigration is only available to very close relatives. You can also immigrate to Argentina by marrying a citizen of this country. Three years after entering the country, citizenship is available.
Indigenous people of Argentina
Persons who wish to immigrate to Argentina and subsequently obtain citizenship must adhere to the following points after marriage:
- age limit: 18–65 years;
- no criminal history;
- have no serious health problems.
Children born outside the country to Argentine citizens are given the opportunity to acquire citizenship while retaining their first citizenship. As a result, they have the right to immigrate to Argentina at any time. To obtain citizenship you must wait six months.
Main immigration methods
There are several options for moving.
Labor contract
If you are planning to emigrate to Argentina under a work contract, you need to find a future employer at home. It is very important that the company has the right to hire foreign citizens. Once your employment agreement is concluded, you will be able to apply for an immigrant visa.
“I noticed that immigrants in Argentina work mainly in the service sector or in construction. Unfortunately, it doesn't pay very well. However, specialists in the field of IT and computer technology have a good chance,” Evgeniy, Yekaterinburg.
Study in Argentina
Emigration to Argentina in this way is practically no different from the previous one. You just need to look not for an employer, but for an educational institution that will agree to accept you. After successfully passing the exams, you will receive an acceptance letter. You will need it to obtain an immigrant visa.
If you are under 18 years of age at the time of admission, then your parents or official guardians must enter the country with you.
Business immigration
You can open your own business in Argentina or buy a ready-made one. The minimum investment amount is $100,000. The first 25% must be paid immediately, and the remaining amount must be paid within a year. The country’s pleasant tax policy attracts both established businessmen and those who are just planning to open their first business.
“The idea of opening a tourism business turned out to be surprisingly profitable. In Argentina, I bought a couple of cars and a minibus, made a small website and began showing local attractions to tourists. I hired a couple of people to work as guides. And if former compatriots contact us, sometimes I even get behind the wheel myself. It’s nice to see how happy people are when they can communicate with a guide in their native language,” Alexander, Moscow.
It should be remembered that starting a business from scratch can be complicated by the lack of a large number of clients. Small business is strong in Argentina, and companies stick to their customers. Buying an already established business with an established reputation, a customer base and a place in the sun may become more reliable.
Rentier program
In Argentina, there is a “Rentier” program created specifically to support the country’s economy. Each person emigrating under this program is required to submit a document confirming that his income exceeds $1,200 per month.
“I work remotely, so my bosses don’t really care where in the world the work is carried out. Decided to immigrate to Argentina. I thought for a long time which method to choose. Initially, the salary was not enough for the Rentier program, but then I learned that income from renting out real estate is also suitable. I rented out an apartment in Moscow, and the amount was enough to make me feel like a “prosperous” citizen,” Yuri, Moscow.
Family immigration
This is the easiest and fastest way to move to Argentina . You are eligible to immigrate if your parents or children are already citizens of that country. If your potential spouse is an Argentine citizen, then you can apply for citizenship 3 years after moving. Another way to obtain citizenship is by having a child.
“The decision to give birth in Argentina came suddenly. My husband was looking on the Internet for information about childbirth abroad, and then he was taken aback by the phrase: “We are flying to Latin America!” We had been wanting to move for a long time, so we decided quickly. In addition, a child born in Argentina becomes its citizen, and parents have the right to apply for a residence permit,” Elena, Yaroslavl.
Other Ways to Immigrate to Argentina
Often, emigrants decide to take an unconventional route: obtain a tourist visa in their home country, and upon arrival in Argentina, secure permanent residence. It should be remembered that, despite the apparent ease of initially collecting documents, immigration to Argentina using this method may not go according to plan. After all, to obtain a residence permit, you will need to enroll in a university, find a job or marry an Argentine citizen within the first 6 months.
“I speak Spanish well, so I decided that I could find a job in Argentina quite quickly. However, it was important for all good employers that the DNI (Argentine residence permit) had already been obtained. The visa was about to expire, so I had to return home and from there look for a potential employer. True, then I had to fill out documents for the move again, but this time under an official employment contract,” Andrey, Moscow.
Employment
The easiest way to move to Argentina is to sign a formal employment contract with an Argentine employer. To do this, you need to find a contract job in Argentina. After this, the person receives an immigration visa, which is issued for 1 year, and then, if desired, it can be extended.
graph comparing unemployment of several countries with Argentina
After an immigrant has worked for 3 years in the country, he can obtain Argentine citizenship.
Documents required for moving
Required documents to obtain a residence permit:
- passport;
- Marriage certificate;
- birth certificate;
- diploma;
- a certificate from the Ministry of Internal Affairs stating that you have no criminal record (the validity period of such a certificate is 3 months);
- income certificate (minimum $1200).
The period for reviewing documents for residence permit status is about 3 months. The visa is issued for a year, after which it can still be extended for one year, on the same grounds: private business, income from outside, etc. After two years of residence in the status of a residence permit, you can immediately submit an application for citizenship. The application takes an average of one to two years to be considered, and usually has a positive outcome for the applicant.
Business
There are several ways to set up a business in Argentina. The first is to buy a ready-made business, and the second is to open your own.
The advantage of the first method is that this business is already well-known in the country, generates high income and has an established customer base.
These two methods make it possible to officially approve a residence permit, and after two years it will be possible to obtain permanent residence.
To obtain a residence permit, an entrepreneur needs:
- Make a deposit of 100,000 pesos (upon registration of permanent residence, the money is returned);
- Deposit $100,000 into a bank account or securities account in the country (the money is returned upon registration of permanent residence).
How to apply for a residence permit and obtain citizenship of the country
A visa is not required for a stay in the country of no more than 90 days. If the purpose of the trip is a longer stay in a foreign country (work, business, education), it is necessary to obtain a residence permit. A residence permit is given for one year based on the provided package of documents. The contents of the package depend on the purpose of emigration.
If you are going to work, then to obtain a visa you must provide the consulate with an employment contract with the Argentine company for which you are going to work. The interview at the Argentine Embassy usually takes place in Spanish. Problems with language training (for those who do not know the language at all) can be solved by taking advantage of the educational services of two-week courses at the embassy, you can find out about the conditions for the provision of which on the organization’s website. The result of the interview may have to wait for six months. If you receive an immigration visa, on its basis you will be issued a temporary residence permit, which can be extended after a year.
Important! You can obtain a residence permit in another way, namely by applying for a tourist visa for one year. In this case, you can submit documents (preliminarily translated into Spanish, not English, and certified by a notary) for a residence permit already on the territory of a foreign state.
When 2 years have passed after receiving a residence permit, a person will have the right to apply for permanent residence, and after another year - to become a citizen of the country. In general, the path to obtaining citizenship takes 3-4 years.
This is important to know: How to renew your residence permit and confirm your residence
Residence permit in Argentina
A residence permit in the Argentine Republic is issued for one year. Then you can extend it for another similar period if you do not plan to leave in the near future. After two years, the opportunity to apply for Argentine citizenship opens up. This procedure has been carried out for two years.
List of documents for registration of a residence permit:
- Company registration documents.
- Birth certificate.
- Marriage certificate (if divorces exist, divorce certificates).
- Passport.
- Certificate of good conduct.
- Diploma of education.
The above documents must be notarized. In Argentina, all documents will be translated into Spanish. It is not advisable to translate them in Russia.
Having arrived in the Republic, you submit an application to the migration service stating that you are interested in a residence permit in Argentina - that is, you want to stay for permanent residence in the country. Fingerprints will also be taken there and a request to Interpol will be made.
What you need to know before you pack your bags
Argentina has a significant immigrant population. Every year at least 100,000 people from other countries, including Russia, come here. So the attitude of local residents towards visitors is rather positive. Moreover, according to statistics, about 98% of Argentines are ethnic Europeans, which means that they are all, to varying degrees, descendants of immigrants.
However, you should remember that, despite the favorable attitude towards foreigners, you will be accepted for permanent residence only under the following conditions:
- Your age is from 20 to 65 years. Older people need to obtain a permit from Migraciones (National Directorate of Migration of the Argentine Republic).
- You already have secondary or higher education or are planning to enroll in educational institutions in Argentina.
- You have no criminal record.
- You are not terminally ill.
- You have enough funds to financially support your living in this country.
- You know Spanish at least at a basic level.
“At school we were taught English, I knew just a few words from Spanish. Therefore, before the interview at the consulate, I had to seriously strain myself. Spanish lessons and songs by Julio Iglesias were constantly playing in the car. Therefore, advice to those who are going to Argentina, at least for a while: do not expect that they will speak English or Russian to you there, improve your knowledge of the Spanish language,” Anna, St. Petersburg.
If you have already chosen the appropriate immigration method, weighed the pros and cons and decided that moving is the way to go, then you need to start collecting documents to obtain a residence permit in Argentina.
You will need:
- Application for DNI.
- Civil and foreign passports.
- Birth certificate.
- Marriage certificate (and divorces, if any).
- Certificate of no criminal record.
This is what a certificate of no criminal record looks like
- Diploma (if available).
Appearance of the diploma
- A letter of acceptance from the educational institution (if you are receiving an immigrant visa in connection with your studies).
- A copy of your employment contract (if you are moving due to work).
It is important to know that translation of documents must be carried out exclusively in Argentina. Transfers made in other countries are considered invalid. Upon arrival in the country, you must submit an application to the migration service about your desire to obtain a residence permit. If all documents are in order, a new life awaits you in a new country.
“Before moving to Argentina permanently, take a tourist visa for at least six months. For the first couple of months you will enjoy the local landscapes, and only then will you realize that you will have to work hard to gain a foothold here for a long time,” Alexey, St. Petersburg.
