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Once again, Argentina has made a major change to their policies with little advance notice. The rentista visa, which is a popular option for expats wishing to live legally in Argentina, now has an income requirement of AR $8000/month per person. This represents a 333% increase from the previous amount of AR $2400/month. This law became effective on July 29, 2010, by Disposition Nbr. 1534/2010 of the DNM (Spanish).
Most expats who live in Argentina are on tourist visas, which are only valid for 90 days. The tourist visa may be renewed at Migraciones for an additional 90 days, after which time you must leave the country. This has lead many to do the “expat shuffle” – taking the morning Buquebus ferry ride to Colonia, Uruguay and returning to Buenos Aires that evening. This technically fulfills the requirement of leaving the country and gets you another 90 day visa stamp. This practice has been “tolerated” by Argentine immigration, even though several people reported being questioned about the number of tourist stamps in their passport. Once again, one never knows when they might change their policies and disallow this.
Other expats simply overstay their tourist visa and pay the relatively small AR $300 penalty when leaving the country. There have never been any problems with doing this and re-entering the country at a later point. I personally know several people who were here for many years on an expired tourist visa.
For those who are looking to be here on a more permanent basis and would like to have a long-term legal visa and DNI (the Argentine equivalent of a social security and national ID card), there are few options: marry an Argentine, have a baby here, or get a visa. Unfortunately, the visa options are limited – you cannot simply get one because you “want to live in Argentina.” The main types of visas are student visas, work visas, rentista visas, and investment visas. (Other types also exist, but these are the most common. Consult an Argentina immigration attorney for other options.)
Student visas only apply to students, work visas require your company to provide one for you, and investment visas require a minimum investment of AR $1,500,000 plus approval of the Argentine Ministerio de Industria for your project. That pretty much left the rentista visa as one of the few viable alternatives and now it has become more limited. The new requirement to prove and bring AR $8000 per month in passive income into the country will leave many people scrambling for alternatives as it applies to both new and renewal visa applications. (Rentista visas are granted for 1 year at a time and must be renewed for 3 years before one can apply for permanent residency.)
So, does this affect you? Let us know in the comments.
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23 responses so far ↓
1 Guest Pelado // Jul 31, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Thanks for the writeup. Would you happen to know what the requirements are to be considered a student?
Full time? (3 courses or more working towards a degree?)
Part-time? (Perhaps a Spanish course, an art course, 1 class at a time?)
Is there a difference? I'm thinking that the lawyer would know.
2 Buenos Aires Expats - Online Community of Expatriates and guide to living in Buenos Aires, Argentina // Jul 31, 2010 at 4:58 pm
[...] 31 July Argentina Increases Rentista Visa Income Requirements[Discover Buenos Aires] Once again, Argentina has made a major change to their policies with little [...]
3 Percy // Aug 1, 2010 at 7:32 pm
This is an interesting article.
One thing I noted was that proof of rental income was given by showing the tenant 's contract and title deeds of the property. Nothing is needed about the amount of mortgage paid. Many people have quite afew buy to let properties with a large rental income, far more than 8000 pesos a month. However if mortgage payments are taken into account actual net income could be anything, even negative. In the UK it makes sense to have a mortgage on a let property as you can get tax relief.
Due to this I see the so called proof of income as a farce.
4 DaVe // Aug 1, 2010 at 11:13 pm
Sorry, I do not know what the requirements for a student visa are. I've never met anyone who has gone through that process.
5 DaVe // Aug 1, 2010 at 11:15 pm
That is a good point, although I was told using rental property to qualify for the rentista visa was a bit more of an involved process than having a pension, trust, etc. I believe the lease as well as the mortgage paperwork does need to be translated to Spanish and apostiled, which adds to the cost of the process. Still, it can work…
6 Jerry // Aug 2, 2010 at 12:22 am
Since when have people in Buenos Aires been buying apartments with mortgages? That's so "First World" . The entire price of the apartment is paid for in cash; U.S. dollars.
7 DaVe // Aug 1, 2010 at 8:33 pm
Percy is referring to having rental property in the States, UK, etc. and then using that passive income stream to qualify for the rentista visa. Those properties tend to have "first world" mortgages.
Property that you own in Buenos Aires would not help qualify for the rentista visa.
8 mybeautifulair // Aug 2, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Good info! I can't believe they raised the income level so high!
9 mrboo // Aug 3, 2010 at 1:44 pm
Hi DaVe and thx for the post,
I'm not sure to understand what is a "rentista visa" ?
For September, we've got (my family and me) a long-term visa and we will ask for the DNI (all papers are already ok)
With an "official long-term visa" are we concerned by this monthly tax ?
10 DaVe // Aug 3, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Each visa has a specific type: student, rentista, investor, etc. The rentista is one of the more common ones. You will need to see what type you have.
Also, this is not a tax. It is a requirement that you bring that amount of money into Argentina each month for your personal use. There are some discussions on this being considered income and therefore taxable in Argentina. This would be new as most expats on visas do not pay income tax to Argentina even though they may be required to.
11 mrboo // Aug 3, 2010 at 2:36 pm
ok, i read too fast…
I've got a visa named something like "representative of foreign company" (sorry but i've only got the French term)
My wife and my kids have got a "family gathering visa" (difficult to find the good translation too)
12 deint // Aug 5, 2010 at 12:24 pm
In Cordoba they ask not only for an income of 8000 but for the proof 8000 has come into Argentina !!!!
It is 8000 per head, or 8000 for a married couple.. They don't recognise people living together if not married, so a not married couple needs to prove 16000 pesos income !!!
I heard some foreigners are making a courtcase against this law
Anybody is aware ??? Because, it can be next year 12.000 or more ?? In this case, better to plan, and pack and go…
13 deint // Aug 6, 2010 at 4:28 am
Hi,
Can anybody tell exactly when you get permanent residency with a visa rentista ??
1st visa and enter in Argentina september 2008, renewed in september 2009 and now in september 2010.. Can I go for permanent residency when I apply in september 2011 (4 years in Argentina) or is it only in 2012 ??
14 DaVe // Aug 6, 2010 at 5:43 am
From everything I have heard, after 3 years of residencia precaria, you can apply for permanent residency, so September 2011 should be the date.
15 deint // Aug 6, 2010 at 3:32 pm
Thanks a lot
16 Jim // Aug 6, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Are you talking peso or US dollars? Does AR have a retirement or pension visa. If so what are the requirements.
17 Laura // Aug 7, 2010 at 12:46 am
$ 8000 Pesos. About US$2000
18 deint // Aug 11, 2010 at 10:36 am
It seems the retirement visa is gone up to 3500 pesos also .. anybody aware of that ??
19 deint // Aug 14, 2010 at 7:02 am
Went to immigration yesterday.. No change for the moment for retirement visa.. but will go soon up to 6000
20 Julia // Sep 2, 2010 at 12:10 pm
I can always read that the thing with leaving the country, coming back and getting a new 90 days tourist visa works a couple of times. What exactly means that? How often is a couple of times? I am living in Argentina for one year and there is no way now to get a DNI as I am a freelancer (writer). I earn my money by working for clients in Europe and that is not enough for getting a DNI ( and I am not rich enough to get it by investment). So for me it is not an easy situation, as I am planning to rent an empty apartment and by furniture etc. that seems to be a risk under a tourist visa. So is there a limitation or can I renew my tourist by leaving the country as often as I want to? I am happy for any help. Thanks!
21 DaVe // Sep 3, 2010 at 1:09 pm
You can do everything you want under a tourist visa. If you plan to stay in the country for the whole year without leaving, your best bet may be to pay the $300 peso fine for overstaying the visa when you leave. If you want to "remain legal," you can extend the tourist visa for another 180 days by going to the Migraciones office. You can also go to Colonia, Uruguay for the day and when you come back you will have another 90 days. Since you're only staying for a year, you should not have any issues.
22 Julia // Sep 3, 2010 at 10:34 pm
Thank you very much! Missunderstanding! I live in argentina for one year now! And I am not planing to go back to Europe the next years. I know about all the processes at migraciones, I already did it and the thing with colonia as well. My question was if I could renew the tourist visa (by leaving country or by migraciones) as often as I want or if threre are any limits? The last time I renewed it at migraciones and there is written in the stamp by hand: ultimate prorroga. That made me a little bit nervous:-) But I guess they write it because it is only possible to renew the visa at migraciones once, then one has to leave the country. Am I right? Or do I have to expect that they will not let me in next time in Colonia?
best regards!
23 Julia // Sep 6, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Hi DaVe. Thank you very much! Missunderstanding! I live in argentina for one year now! And I am not planing to go back to Europe the next years. I know about all the processes at migraciones, I already did it and the thing with colonia as well. My question was if I could renew the tourist visa (by leaving country or by migraciones) as often as I want or if threre are any limits? The last time I renewed it at migraciones and there is written in the stamp by hand: ultimate prorroga. That made me a little bit nervous:-) But I guess they write it because it is only possible to renew the visa at migraciones once, then one has to leave the country. Am I right? Or do I have to expect that they will not let me in next time in Colonia?
best regards!
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