Mercosur residence in Argentina: the fast track for South American nationals

Key rules

1. The treaties (Laws 25.902 and 25.903)

The two agreements have the same 16 articles. The text differs mainly in who counts as a "State Party". In Law 25.903 the parties are the four Mercosur States Parties (art. 2). In Law 25.902 "States Parties" means "member States and associated countries of Mercosur" (art. 2), and the signatories include Bolivia and Chile. The Law 25.902 agreement enters into force when all six signatories notify Paraguay, the depositary (art. 14); the Law 25.903 agreement needs the four Mercosur States (art. 14). The date each entered into force internationally is not in the Argentine sources downloaded for this page (unconfirmed).

The core rules, quoted from the Law 25.902 text:

• Object (art. 1). Nationals of one Party who wish to reside in another can obtain legal residence "by proving their nationality" and presenting the documents in art. 4.
• Who is a national (art. 2). People with original nationality of a Party, or nationality acquired by naturalisation held for five years.
• Two ways to apply (art. 3). (1) At the consulate of the receiving country before travelling; or (2) inside the receiving country, before the migration services. The in country route applies "regardless of the migration status with which the applicant entered" and "implies exemption from fines or other more serious sanctions" (art. 3, last paragraph). This promise is broader than current Argentine practice (see trap 3 below).
• Temporary residence of up to two years (art. 4.1). Documents: passport, identity card or consular nationality certificate (a); birth certificate and civil status, and naturalisation certificate if relevant (b); certificate of no criminal record in the country of origin or the countries lived in during the five years before arrival or application (c); sworn statement of no international criminal or police record (d); for in country applications, an Argentine criminal record certificate (e); a medical certificate if domestic law requires it (f); and the fee (g).
• Legalisation (art. 4.2). For in country applications, documents "only need to be certified by the consul of the applicant's country accredited in the receiving country, without any other formality".
• Change to permanent (art. 5). The applicant files "within the ninety (90) days before" the temporary residence expires, with the temporary residence record, identity document, Argentine criminal record certificate, proof of lawful means of living for the applicant and the cohabiting family, and the fee.
• Late filers (art. 6). People who do not file before the temporary residence expires fall under the receiving country's general migration law.
• Free movement and work (art. 8). Residents may enter, leave, move and stay freely, subject to public order limits, and may take up any activity, self employed or employed, on the same terms as nationals.
• Equal rights (art. 9). Equal civil, social, cultural and economic rights and freedoms, "in particular the right to work" (9.1); family members who are not nationals of a Party get a residence of the same term as the person they depend on (9.2); treatment no less favourable than nationals in labour law, especially pay, working conditions and social insurance (9.3); free transfer of earnings and savings to the home country "in accordance with domestic law" (9.5); children's right to a name, birth registration, nationality and education, even if the parents are irregular (9.6).
• Most favourable rule (art. 11). The agreement applies without prejudice to domestic rules that are more favourable to migrants.
• Denunciation (art. 16). A Party may withdraw by written notice to the depositary; it takes effect 180 days later.

2. The Migration Law (Law 25.871)

• Art. 23 l, nationality. "Native citizens of Mercosur States Parties, Chile and Bolivia, with authorisation to remain in the country for two (2) years, renewable, with multiple entries and exits." InfoLEG notes that DNM Disposition 29.929/2004 (Boletín Oficial 21 Sep 2004) treats the list as illustrative, covering all Mercosur States Parties and Associated States.
• Art. 28, agreements prevail if more favourable. People covered by migration agreements are governed by the agreement and by the law, "in the case more favourable to the migrant". Different treatment for countries in the region is expressly allowed, "prioritising the measures needed to achieve the final goal of free movement of persons in Mercosur".
• Art. 20, precaria. Once the application is filed, the DNM may issue a provisional residence ("residencia precaria") valid for up to 90 calendar days, renewable by reasoned decision. It allows the holder to stay, leave, re enter, work and study. Since DNU 366/2025 (art. 4), the precaria and its renewals do not count as residence for arraigo (the settlement period for permanent residence) or for naturalisation.
• Art. 22, permanent residence. A permanent applicant must show sufficient economic means to live in the country and no criminal record that could justify refusal (as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 5).
• Art. 25. A temporary resident must leave when the authorised term and its extensions end; otherwise art. 61 (order to regularise, then expulsion) applies (DNU 366/2025 art. 7).
• Art. 29, impediments. Since DNU 366/2025 (art. 8), "conviction" means any conviction, final or not, and "record" ("antecedente") includes an indictment order ("auto de procesamiento"), the close of the preliminary investigation with a request to go to trial, or equivalent acts. Grounds include false documents or failing to disclose criminal records (a), convictions for offences carrying three years or more (c) and less than three years (d), entering by avoiding migration control (i) and, since DNU 681/2026, hate speech against Argentines because of nationality and desecration of national symbols (m). The DNM may waive impediments on humanitarian or family grounds, but never for intentional crimes against life, sexual integrity or constitutional order.
• Arts. 30 to 33, DNI. Permanent and temporary residents can get a DNI (art. 30). A temporary resident's DNI runs for the same term as the residence and is renewed with each extension (art. 32). It shows nationality, permanent or temporary status, the file and resolution number, and the expiry date (art. 33).
• Art. 34, health insurance sworn statement at entry. Foreigners seeking admission must sign a sworn statement on the purpose of entry and on having health insurance (DNU 366/2025 art. 9). It becomes enforceable only when regulated (art. 123 bis).
• Art. 51, work. Permanent residents may do any paid work, employed or self employed. Temporary residents may do so "only during the period of their authorised stay".
• Art. 53, irregular work. A foreigner without a residence or without migration authorisation to work may not work, employed or self employed.
• Art. 54, address. The foreigner must report the real address, set a legal address and an electronic address where notifications are valid, and report any change of address within three business days (DNU 366/2025 art. 14).
• Art. 62, cancellation. The DNM cancels a residence, among other cases, for fraud or undisclosed records (a), conviction for an intentional crime carrying prison (b), and absence from Argentina of six months or more for a temporary resident, or one year or more for a permanent resident (e), unless authorised (DNU 366/2025 art. 16).

3. The regulation (Decree 616/2010)

• Art. 22 c. Permanent residence by arraigo after two continuous years of temporary residence for Mercosur and Associated State nationals, and three continuous years for everyone else.
• Art. 23 l. The list of countries in art. 23 l is illustrative. When a bilateral or multilateral migration agreement exists with the foreigner's country, it governs, "unless the application of Law 25.871 and this Regulation is more beneficial for the applicant".
• Art. 30. Permanent and temporary residents must start the DNI procedure with RENAPER within 60 days of notification of the residence grant. After that, they first need a residence certificate from the DNM.
• Annex II art. 1. The DNM sets the requirements and procedures for Mercosur and Associated State nationals, both in Argentina and at consulates. This is the delegation under which Disposition 1637/2022 was issued.
• Annex II art. 12 e and f. Extensions and changes of category must be requested within 60 days before a temporary residence expires. A spontaneous filing within 30 days after expiry pays a 50% surcharge on the fee.

4. The DNM procedure rule (Disposition 1637/2022)

Disposition 1637/2022 was signed on 28 Jul 2022 and published on 4 Aug 2022. It applies from publication (art. 3). InfoLEG lists no later norm that amends it (checked 26 Oct 2026).

• Beneficiaries (Annex I art. 2). The eleven native nationalities and eight naturalised nationalities listed in the Summary. The disposition describes Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay and Venezuela as Mercosur States Parties and Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Guyana and Suriname as Associated States. Changes in membership or suspension status after 2022 are not reflected in the disposition and were not checked (unconfirmed). They do not change eligibility, because the DNM page and the disposition both list the nationalities by name.
• Choice of criterion (art. 3 b). Mercosur nationals may use art. 23 l or any other art. 23 subcategory (worker, student, rentista and so on), except recognised refugees, who use art. 23 k.
• Temporary residence requirements (art. 4 a). Fee or exemption (I); identity document listed in Annex I of the Mercosur travel documents agreement (CMC decision 46/2015) or a consular nationality certificate with photo (II); regular entry (III); address within the jurisdiction of the DNM office handling the file (IV); Argentine criminal record certificate from the National Recidivism Registry, from age 16 (V); criminal record certificates from every country where the applicant lived for more than one year in the last three years, from age 16, legalised (VI); sworn statement of no international criminal record (VII); and an electronic address (VIII). No job, income, sponsor or birth certificate is required for an adult.
• Change to permanent by arraigo (art. 5 c). The request can be made from 60 calendar days before the temporary residence expires until 30 days after. Within the 30 days after expiry there is a 50% surcharge; after that the right lapses "de pleno derecho". The applicant must show two continuous years or more of temporary residence and presence in Argentina for more than 50% of the term granted. A late filer must also prove presence during the late period.
• Brazilians (art. 5 f). Permanent residence under Law 26.240 requires regular entry, and the same documents as a Mercosur temporary residence (art. 4 a).
• Minors (art. 6). Consent of one parent is enough even if the child has two legal parents (citing DNM Disposition 1489/2017). A legalised birth certificate and the parent's identity document are needed; the consent is signed before a migration officer.
• Validity of certificates (art. 7 e and f). The Argentine certificate is valid for 90 calendar days for filings outside RaDEX. A foreign certificate is valid for 90 calendar days unless it states otherwise. If it expired after the applicant entered Argentina but was valid on entry, and the applicant has not returned to the issuing country, it is still accepted. If the applicant last entered Argentina before age 15, no foreign certificate is required for the countries lived in before that entry.
• Legalisation (art. 7 f and h). Legalisation by the issuing country's consulate in Argentina is valid only for Mercosur countries. Documents from outside Mercosur must be apostilled or legalised by the Argentine consulate abroad. Where a more favourable agreement on simplified legalisation exists, it applies.
• Translation (art. 7 i). Documents in a foreign language need a translation by an Argentine sworn public translator, legalised by the translators' association. Brazilian documents in Portuguese are exempt: passport, identity card, birth and marriage certificates and criminal record certificates, under the Mercosur agreement on exemption from translation approved by Law 25.901, unless there are well founded doubts about their content.
• Consular route (arts. 8 to 14). Consulates can grant entry permits and visas for permanent and temporary residence. An entry permit is valid for one year and becomes effective on regular entry (art. 10). The consul must interview the applicant (art. 12 a I).

A drafting problem: Disposition 1637/2022 still says the fee is payable under "Decree 231/09 and amending norms" (art. 4 a I, art. 5 c I, art. 7 a). Decree 231/2009 was repealed by Decree 584/2024 art. 17. The fee that applies today is the Decree 584/2024 fee, as the DNM fee table shows. The exemptions now live in Decree 584/2024 arts. 4 and 5.

5. The Brazil agreement (Law 26.240)

• Object (art. 1). Brazilians in Argentina and Argentines in Brazil can turn transitory or temporary residence into permanent residence.
• Irregular migrants (art. 2). Brazilians in an irregular situation can request regularisation with the art. 3 documents. Those who entered clandestinely must first leave and re enter regularly.
• Documents (art. 3). Passport or valid identity document and a copy (a); certificate of no criminal record in the countries lived in during the five years before the application (b); sworn statement of no national or international criminal record (c); proof of entry (d); and proof of fee payment (e).
• Translation (art. 7). Documents are exempt from translation unless there are well founded doubts, citing CMC decision 44/00.
• Nullity (art. 8). The permanent residence is void if any information turns out to be false.
• Rights (art. 6). The same free movement, work, equal rights, family, labour equality, remittance and children's rights clauses as the Mercosur agreement.
• Denunciation (art. 10). Six months after notice, without prejudice to pending files.

The DNM residences FAQ (question 3) confirms Law 26.240 is "in force, to date" and that the procedure runs through RaDEX.

6. Social security

The Mercosur Multilateral Social Security Agreement (Law 25.655, sanctioned 18 Sep 2002) applies the law of the State where the work is done (art. 4) and totalises insurance periods across States Parties for old age, invalidity and death benefits (art. 7 and Administrative Regulation art. 6). A worker transferred by a company in one State Party for professional, technical or managerial work can stay under the home system for up to 12 months, extendable exceptionally with consent (art. 5.1 a). The agreement is between Mercosur States Parties. Whether it covers Colombians, Peruvians, Chileans or other associated state nationals, or whether a bilateral or Ibero American agreement applies instead, was not checked (unconfirmed). Payroll details are on Hiring foreigners.

Comparison: Brazil, Uruguay and other Mercosur nationals inside Argentina

The DNM text on legalisation says "only valid for Mercosur countries" (Disp. 1637/2022 art. 7 f), while the same disposition defines "Mercosur" in art. 2 as "all States Parties and Associated States". Read together, legalisation by a Colombian or Peruvian consulate in Argentina could be valid. The DNM Mercosur page, however, separates documents "issued in countries belonging to Mercosur". This is ambiguous; apostille is the safe option for associated state documents (unconfirmed).

How Brazil and Uruguay treat Argentine and other Mercosur nationals under their own laws is an international comparison.

COMPARISON: to be sourced by editor

Step by step

Who files: the applicant personally; a parent for a minor. The DNM says no agent ("gestor") is needed and the only payments are those generated by RaDEX (DNM Mercosur page). System: RaDEX ("Radicación a Distancia de Extranjeros"), the DNM's online residence system, followed by one in person appointment. Location: the applicant must be inside Argentina (RaDEX steps page).

1. Check eligibility. Native national of one of the eleven countries, or naturalised national of one of the eight for five years or more (Table 1). Check that you entered through a migration control point. RaDEX checks legal entry and may ask for the entry record or passport stamp (RaDEX steps page).
2. Collect foreign documents before you travel. Criminal record certificates from every country where you lived for more than one year in the last three years, if you are 16 or over (Disp. 1637/2022 art. 4 a VI). Get them apostilled, or legalised by the Argentine consulate. If the issuing country is in Mercosur, legalisation by its consulate in Argentina is also valid (art. 7 f and h). Watch the 90 day validity (art. 7 f) and the exception for certificates valid at entry. Brazilians who may want Law 26.240 should cover the last five years (agreement art. 3 b).
3. Translations. Spanish documents need none. Portuguese documents from Brazil listed in Disp. 1637/2022 art. 7 i need none. Anything else needs an Argentine sworn translation legalised by the translators' association.
4. Get proof of address in the jurisdiction of the DNM office that will handle the file (Disp. 1637/2022 art. 4 a IV). The kind of proof accepted is set by DNM Disposition 396/2022, which was not downloaded for this page (unconfirmed).
5. RaDEX step 1. Register with an email you check often, choose the Mercosur temporary criterion (or Law 26.240 permanent if Brazilian), and load all family members in one order so minors are exempt from the residence fee (RaDEX steps page; Decree 584/2024 art. 5 II). Click "Finalizar Orden". The system shows the residence fee, the DNI fee and the criminal record fee (DNM residences FAQ, question 12).
6. Pay. Card payments are credited immediately; cash payments take five business days (RaDEX steps page). The DNM pages disagree on where to pay the DNI fee in cash (Banco Provincia or Provincia NET on the RaDEX page; Correo Argentino in the FAQ) (unconfirmed). When all payments are credited you receive credentials for step 2.
7. RaDEX step 2. Upload images of your documents; phone photos are accepted (RaDEX steps page). The Argentine criminal record request is built into RaDEX, so you do not need to apply separately, unless you choose a preferential appointment, in which case you must obtain it outside RaDEX and bring it (DNM Mercosur page).
8. Appointment. Within 24 hours you should receive an appointment at the DNM office nearest your address, or a request for more documents (DNM residences FAQ, question 19). Bring originals. The DNM may ask for additional documents (DNM Mercosur page).
9. Precaria. The DNM may issue a precaria for up to 90 days, renewable. It lets you work and study (Law 25.871 art. 20). Renew it online from 15 days before expiry (FAQ, question 16). If the DNM's own delay causes the extra renewals, renewals from the second onward are free (Decree 616/2010 art. 20 d). How quickly precarias are issued at or after the appointment in practice is not published (unconfirmed).
10. Track the file online with the file number and date of birth (FAQ, question 17).
11. Decision. Temporary residence for two years (art. 23 l). The DNM does not publish a standard decision time for Mercosur files (unconfirmed). A refusal can be appealed (appeal fee 50 UMSM; see Visas and residence for appeal terms).
12. DNI. Start the DNI within 60 days of notification (Decree 616/2010 art. 30). The DNI fee is paid in RaDEX; the card is delivered by certified mail to the declared address (DNM DNI FAQ, question 3). RENAPER also lists a "first identification for foreigners" procedure at a Civil Registry or RENAPER centre after the residence is granted. How the two channels fit together for adults is not explained on the official pages (unconfirmed).
13. Live the two years. Keep your address updated within three business days (art. 54). Do not stay abroad six months or more (art. 62 e). Keep your presence in Argentina above 50% of the term (Disp. 1637/2022 art. 5 c VII).
14. Change to permanent. File in RaDEX from 60 days before expiry (or up to 30 days after, with a 50% surcharge). Bring proof of economic means: last three payslips, ARCA registration and last three monotributo payments, an accountant's certification of income for the last three months legalised by the professional council of economic sciences, or other evidence of sufficient lawful means; a sworn statement alone is not accepted (DNM economic means page). Pay 50 UMSM, plus the DNI and criminal record fees.
15. New DNI as a permanent resident (RENAPER tariff, change of category: ARS 20,000).

From abroad. You can instead ask an Argentine consulate for an entry permit and visa (Disp. 1637/2022 arts. 8 to 12). The entry permit costs 50 UMSM and a consular residence 300 consular units (DNM fee table). The consul interviews you, digitises the file and sends it to the DNM within 15 business days (arts. 12 and 14). Consular appointment availability and the peso value of a consular unit were not reviewed (unconfirmed).

Costs and timelines

Table 1. Who qualifies under art. 23 l

Sources: Disp. 1637/2022 Annex I arts. 2 and 9 b I; DNM Mercosur service page. The Argentine laws approving the adhesion of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru to the Law 25.902 agreement were not located in this run (unconfirmed).

Table 2. Fees: Mercosur and associated states against other nationalities

Source: DNM fee table ("Cuadro Tasas Migratorias") under Decree 584/2024; 1 UMSM = ARS 1,000 (Decree 584/2024 art. 2). USD at the 23 Oct 2026 dólar MEP rate of ARS 1,563.90 (unconfirmed).

The peso value of a consular unit was not in the sources (unconfirmed). The table on the DNM page does not show the letters of Decree 584/2024 art. 1, and the art. 1 list was not legible in either downloaded copy of the decree, so the exact scope of the exemptions in arts. 4 and 5 (which refer to "incisos b) to g)") cannot be mapped row by row (unconfirmed). InfoLEG lists no norm that changed the UMSM value after Decree 584/2024 (checked 26 Oct 2026), but art. 3 lets the Chief of Cabinet change it by resolution (unconfirmed).

Table 3. Other official costs

RENAPER says people who paid for a DNI or passport before 6 Mar 2026 are not charged the difference from the new tariff. The resolution that set the tariff is not named on the page (unconfirmed). The criminal record fee is generated inside RaDEX for standard filings (DNM residences FAQ, question 12); whether the amount charged there equals the five day rate above is not stated (unconfirmed). The National Recidivism Registry page for foreign document holders is addressed to people aged 18 or over, while the DNM asks for the certificate from age 16; a separate page covers minors.

Table 4. Deadlines and terms

Table 5. Timeline of norms

Worked examples

Facts. A native Colombian civil engineer, aged 34, single, has lived only in Colombia for the last three years. A Córdoba construction company offers a job from February 2027. The engineer enters Argentina through Córdoba airport in early November 2026 with a Colombian passport and files through RaDEX the following week, choosing the standard (not preferential) appointment. Whether Colombian nationals need a visa to enter Argentina as tourists is not in the sources (unconfirmed). The engineer wants to know the timeline to a DNI, to legal work and to permanent residence.

Step 1. Before travel (October 2026). Obtain the Colombian criminal record certificate (Colombia is the only country lived in for more than one year in the last three years: Disp. 1637/2022 art. 4 a VI). Apostille it, because Colombia is not a Mercosur State Party, so legalisation by the Colombian consulate in Argentina would not be valid (art. 7 f) (unconfirmed). Note the 90 day validity (art. 7 f). Because the certificate is in Spanish, no translation is needed. A birth certificate is not on the DNM list for adults (art. 4 a), although the treaty lists it (art. 4.1 b); the DNM rule is the more favourable one and applies (treaty art. 11; Law 25.871 art. 28).

Step 2. Filing costs (November 2026).

If the engineer pays for a preferential appointment, the criminal record certificate must be obtained outside RaDEX and brought on the day (DNM Mercosur page). Using the 24 hour certificate: 50,000 + 50,000 + 20,000 + 2,400 = ARS 122,400 (US$78.27). The preferential fee buys an earlier appointment, not a faster decision (DNM residences FAQ, question 10).

Step 3. Timeline to work. Under Law 25.871 art. 20 the DNM may issue a precaria once the application is filed; it allows work. Under art. 53, without a residence or a precaria that authorises work, the engineer cannot work. So the realistic sequence is:

Assume, for illustration only, that the residence is granted on 1 Mar 2027 (unconfirmed). The DNI then shows a temporary residence expiring on 1 Mar 2029 (art. 33 d), assuming the term runs from the grant date (unconfirmed).

Step 4. Professional practice. The residence lets the engineer work. It does not license the engineer to sign engineering work in Córdoba. Recognition of a Colombian degree and registration with the provincial professional body are separate procedures not covered by the migration sources (unconfirmed). An employer can hire the engineer as an employee while the licence is pending, but tasks that legally require a registered engineer may have to wait.

Step 5. Change to permanent (early 2029). The window opens 60 days before 1 Mar 2029, so from about 31 Dec 2028 (Disp. 1637/2022 art. 5 c). The treaty window of 90 days would open about 1 Dec 2028 (art. 5); whether RaDEX accepts a filing that early is not confirmed (unconfirmed). The engineer must have been in Argentina for more than 12 of the 24 months and must not have left for six consecutive months. The precaria period before 1 Mar 2027 does not count toward the two years (Law 25.871 art. 20). Proof of means: the last three payslips (DNM economic means page).

If the engineer misses the window and files within 30 days after expiry, the DNM fee becomes 75 UMSM (ARS 75,000) and the total rises to ARS 167,000 (US$106.78). After 30 days the right to change category lapses and the engineer must start again under the general law (Disp. 1637/2022 art. 5 c; treaty art. 6).

Step 6. Comparison with a non Mercosur engineer. A non Mercosur engineer hired as a migrant worker under art. 23 a pays 100 UMSM per step and needs three years of temporary residence for permanent residence (Decree 616/2010 art. 22 c), plus a sponsoring employer registered in RENURE. On the assumption used in the general residence page (one year grants renewed twice), that is 100 + 100 + 100 + 100 = 400 UMSM, ARS 400,000 (US$255.77), before DNI and criminal record fees, against 100 UMSM (ARS 100,000, US$63.94) for the Colombian engineer (unconfirmed). The Mercosur route saves a year, the sponsor and three quarters of the DNM fees.

Variation: spouse and child. If the engineer moves with a Colombian spouse and an 8 year old child, filed in the same RaDEX order: spouse 50 UMSM (ARS 50,000); child exempt from the residence fee (Decree 584/2024 art. 5 II); DNIs 3 × ARS 20,000 = ARS 60,000 (the RENAPER table charges ARS 20,000 for a foreign child's first identification); criminal records for the two adults 2 × ARS 1,000. Filing total: 50,000 + 50,000 + 60,000 + 2,000 = ARS 162,000 (US$103.59). The child needs the consent of one parent signed before a migration officer and a legalised birth certificate (Disp. 1637/2022 art. 6).

Cost to do it (Example 1, single engineer): DNM, DNI and criminal record fees ARS 142,000 (US$90.80) over two years; capital none; months: about 4 months from entry to a residence decision on the illustrative dates (unconfirmed), 24 months of temporary residence, permanent residence in early 2029.

Facts. A native Brazilian software founder moves to Buenos Aires in January 2027 with a Brazilian spouse and a 6 year old child, all entering regularly. The founder plans to set up an Argentine company and wants to know: (A) the cost of the standard Mercosur route (two year temporary, then permanent) and (B) the cost of the direct permanent route under Law 26.240; and what each means in practice. Company formation costs are outside this page (see the entities section of the guide).

Common points. The founder and spouse need Brazilian criminal record certificates. Portuguese certificates need no translation (Disp. 1637/2022 art. 7 i; Law 25.901). Legalisation by the Brazilian consulate in Argentina is valid, because Brazil is in Mercosur (art. 7 f). Under Law 26.240 the certificates must cover the five years before the application (agreement art. 3 b), while the DNM generic rule asks only for countries lived in for more than one year in the last three years (Disp. 1637/2022 art. 4 a VI), and art. 5 f of the same disposition sends Brazilians to the art. 4 a document list. The safer course is to bring five year coverage (unconfirmed). The child is under 16, so no criminal record certificate is needed for the child.

Route A: Mercosur temporary, then permanent.

Route B: direct permanent residence under Law 26.240.

Difference. Route B saves ARS 162,000 (US$103.59) in official fees, a second appointment and two years of temporary status. The fee saving is small. The legal difference is larger:

• Health care. Since DNU 366/2025, only permanent residents have access to the public health system on the same terms as Argentines; in national facilities, others receive routine care only on presenting health insurance or paying (Law 25.871 art. 8). Emergency care cannot be refused to anyone. Provincial and City of Buenos Aires facilities are not addressed by art. 8 (unconfirmed).
• University. Undergraduate studies at state universities are free for Argentine citizens and permanent residents; universities may charge others (Law 24.521 art. 2 bis, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 35). Not relevant to a 6 year old now, but relevant to the spouse if they want to study.
• Absences. A temporary residence is cancelled after six months abroad; a permanent one after one year (art. 62 e). A founder who travels to São Paulo for long fundraising stays is safer as a permanent resident.
• Citizenship clock. Naturalisation requires two years of continuous legal residence with no trips abroad (Law 346 art. 2). Whether the residence must be permanent is not stated; precaria time does not count (Law 25.871 art. 20).
• Tax residence. Permanent residence may change the date from which the founder is an Argentine tax resident. The income tax rules are discussed on Hiring foreigners and in the tax section; they were not re checked for this page (unconfirmed).

The open question in Route B: economic means. Since DNU 366/2025, art. 22 requires every permanent applicant to prove sufficient economic means. The DNM permanent residence page lists, for Brazilians under Law 26.240, only "prove nationality with a valid identity document", and Disp. 1637/2022 art. 5 f (written before DNU 366/2025) asks for the temporary residence document list. Law 26.240 itself (art. 3) asks for no proof of means. It is therefore unclear whether the DNM now asks Brazilian applicants for proof of means (unconfirmed). Treaty art. 5 of Law 26.240 keeps more favourable domestic rules, and art. 4 says the permanence granted "does not exempt the applicant from domestic law", which cuts the other way. A pre revenue founder without payslips should prepare an accountant's certification of income for the last three months legalised by the professional council, or evidence of savings and their lawful origin (DNM economic means page). If the DNM refuses Route B for lack of means, Route A remains available, because the art. 23 l temporary residence needs no proof of means.

USD view. At the 23 Oct 2026 dólar MEP rate, the whole family's official Argentine fees are about US$104 on Route B and about US$207 on Route A. Brazilian certificate and consular legalisation costs are extra (unconfirmed).

Cost to do it (Example 2): Route B ARS 162,000 (US$103.59) for a family of three; Route A ARS 324,000 (US$207.17); capital none for residence (company capital, if any, is a corporate law question); months: Route B, permanent from the decision date (processing time not published (unconfirmed)); Route A, 24 months of temporary residence first.

Practical traps

1. The precaria clock does not run. Since 29 May 2025, months spent on a precaria do not count toward the two years for permanent residence or for naturalisation (Law 25.871 art. 20). A slow decision means a later permanent residence.
2. Missing the change window. The DNM accepts the change to permanent from 60 days before expiry to 30 days after, with a 50% surcharge after expiry; then the right lapses (Disp. 1637/2022 art. 5 c). Diary the date on your DNI.
3. Irregular entry. The treaty promises regularisation "regardless of the migration status with which the applicant entered" and without fines (art. 3). Disp. 1637/2022 requires regular entry (art. 4 a III), and Law 25.871 art. 29 i makes entering by avoiding migration control an impediment. Decree 616/2010 art. 29 tells the DNM to take "special account" of Mercosur nationals caught by impediment i. The treaty and domestic rules conflict here; in practice, expect the DNM to require regular entry (unconfirmed).
4. Overstaying tourists. A person who entered regularly as a tourist and overstayed is irregular (art. 53 c), but entered regularly. The treaty exempts them from fines (art. 3). Whether the DNM charges the exit or debt fees in the fee table to Mercosur overstayers who then file is not confirmed (unconfirmed).
5. Non final criminal proceedings now count. Since DNU 366/2025, a non final conviction or an indictment order counts for art. 29 (art. 29, closing paragraphs). Failing to disclose a record is itself an impediment (art. 29 a) and a cancellation ground (art. 62 a), even years later.
6. Five year or three year criminal record coverage. The treaty (art. 4.1 c) and Law 26.240 (art. 3 b) speak of five years; the DNM asks for countries lived in for more than one year in the last three years. The DNM rule is more favourable and is what RaDEX asks for, but Brazilians using Law 26.240 should bring five years.
7. Naturalised for less than five years. A person naturalised in Colombia three years ago does not qualify under art. 23 l and must use another criterion, at the non Mercosur fee (Disp. 1637/2022 art. 2).
8. Venezuelan, Guyanese and Surinamese naturalised nationals do not qualify at all under art. 23 l (Disp. 1637/2022 art. 2).
9. Six months abroad. A temporary resident who stays abroad six months or more loses the residence (art. 62 e). Separately, the presence test for permanent residence requires more than 50% of the term in Argentina.
10. Address changes within three business days. Failure is not itself listed as a cancellation ground, but notifications go to the last address and the electronic address, and false addresses can lead to cancellation and expulsion (art. 54).
11. Proof of means for permanent residence. Since DNU 366/2025, a sworn statement is not enough (DNM economic means page). Freelancers should register with ARCA early so they have three monotributo payments when the window opens.
12. Fee references in the DNM disposition are outdated. Disp. 1637/2022 still refers to Decree 231/2009 for fees and exemptions. Rely on the current DNM fee table and Decree 584/2024, not on the amounts or exemptions in the old decree.
13. Health and university charges. A Mercosur temporary resident may be asked for health insurance or payment for routine care in national public hospitals (art. 8) and may be charged at state universities (Law 24.521 art. 2 bis). Buy health insurance on arrival.
14. A residence is not a professional licence. Engineers, doctors, lawyers, accountants and other regulated professionals need degree recognition and local registration before signing regulated work (unconfirmed).
15. Employers. Employing someone whose precaria or residence has lapsed exposes the employer to a fine of 50 SMVM per worker (Law 25.871 art. 59), which is ARS 19,560,000 (US$12,507.19) at the SMVM of ARS 391,200 in force from 1 Oct 2026 (CNEPSMVM Resolution 4/2026 art. 1 b). Keep copies of each precaria renewal.

Recent changes

• 31 Jul 2026. DNU 681/2026 in force (published 30 Jul 2026): new refusal ground art. 29 m and cancellation ground art. 62 h (hate messages or incitement to violence against Argentines because of their nationality; desecration of national symbols; expressly excluding ideological dissent and political, academic or civic criticism); art. 63 c replaced.
• 6 Mar 2026. RENAPER tariff applied from this date: foreigner DNI ARS 20,000 (RENAPER tariff page).
• 11 Nov 2025. Decree 793/2025: references to the Ministry of the Interior in Law 25.871 now refer to the Ministry of National Security.
• 29 May 2025. DNU 366/2025 in force. Changes relevant to Mercosur residents: precaria up to 90 days, not counted for arraigo or naturalisation (art. 20); economic means for permanent residence (art. 22); new family reunification subcategory art. 23 ñ; health care for non permanent residents (art. 8); stricter impediments and cancellations (arts. 29, 62, 63); DNM inspection powers (art. 53 bis); three day address rule and electronic address (art. 54); state university fees for non permanent residents (Law 24.521 art. 2 bis); naturalisation by the DNM after two years without leaving the country (Law 346 art. 2). Files started before 29 May 2025 continue under the earlier rules (DNU 366/2025 art. 44).
• 6 Jul 2024. Decree 584/2024 in force: UMSM fee table, Mercosur rate of 50 UMSM for residence, extension and change to permanent; repeal of Decree 231/2009.
• 4 Aug 2022. DNM Disposition 1637/2022: current Mercosur requirements.

Pending changes

• Treaty against DNU on equal rights. The residence agreements promise equal social rights (art. 9.1) and equal access to education for children (art. 9.6). DNU 366/2025 limits public health care and free university studies to permanent residents. Law 25.871 art. 28 applies the more favourable rule to people covered by migration agreements. Whether the DNU limits can lawfully be applied to Mercosur temporary residents is unresolved in the sources. Treaties approved by Congress generally rank above laws under the Constitution (unconfirmed).
• Congressional review. DNU 366/2025 (art. 48) and DNU 681/2026 were sent to the Permanent Bicameral Committee under Law 26.122. Their status in Congress was not checked (unconfirmed).
• Health insurance sworn statement at entry (art. 34): not enforceable until regulated (art. 123 bis). No regulation found (unconfirmed).
• Ministry of Health conditions for routine care of non permanent residents (art. 8): implementing rules not reviewed (unconfirmed).
• Disp. 1637/2022 not updated after Decree 584/2024 or DNU 366/2025 (fee references; economic means; precaria). A new DNM disposition may follow (unconfirmed).
• Decree 616/2010 not aligned with DNU 366/2025; the downloaded text was not checked for later amendments (unconfirmed).
• Mercosur membership changes (for example the status of Venezuela and Bolivia) after 2022 do not appear in the DNM rule (unconfirmed).

FAQ

1. I am Colombian. Do I need a job offer to live in Argentina? No. Under Law 25.871 art. 23 l and Disp. 1637/2022 art. 4 a you need identity, regular entry, an address, criminal records and the fee. No job offer, sponsor or income proof is needed for the two year temporary residence. You will need proof of economic means two years later for permanent residence (art. 22).

2. Can I work while my application is pending? Yes, if the DNM issues a precaria. It allows you to work and study for up to 90 days, renewable (art. 20). Without a precaria or residence you cannot work (art. 53).

3. Is it Law 25.902 or Law 25.903? Both. Law 25.903 approves the agreement among the four Mercosur States Parties; Law 25.902 approves the version that also covers Bolivia and Chile, to which other countries later adhered. Both were published on 16 Jul 2004. The DNM lists both as the legal basis (Disp. 1637/2022 art. 1).

4. How much does it cost? The DNM fee is 50 UMSM, ARS 50,000 (US$31.97), for the temporary residence and the same for the change to permanent (DNM fee table). Add ARS 20,000 (US$12.79) for each DNI (RENAPER) and the Argentine criminal record fee. Children under 18 who file with a parent pay no residence fee (Decree 584/2024 art. 5 II).

5. I am Brazilian. Should I apply for temporary or permanent residence? You can ask for permanent residence directly under Law 26.240 (DNM FAQ, question 3; Disp. 1637/2022 art. 5 f). It costs the same as one temporary step and gives permanent status from the start. Whether the DNM will ask you for proof of economic means after DNU 366/2025 is not clear (unconfirmed). If you cannot show means yet, the temporary route needs none.

6. Do I need an apostille? Foreign documents must be apostilled, or legalised by the Argentine consulate in the issuing country. For documents from Mercosur countries, legalisation by that country's consulate in Argentina is also accepted (Disp. 1637/2022 art. 7 f and h). Brazilian documents in Portuguese need no translation (art. 7 i).

7. Which criminal record certificates do I need? The Argentine one (requested inside RaDEX for standard filings) and one from each country where you lived more than one year in the last three years, if you are 16 or older (Disp. 1637/2022 art. 4 a V and VI). Brazilians using Law 26.240 should cover five years (agreement art. 3 b).

8. When can I become permanent? After two continuous years of temporary residence, filing from 60 days before expiry, with more than 50% of the time spent in Argentina and proof of means (Decree 616/2010 art. 22 c; Disp. 1637/2022 art. 5 c; Law 25.871 art. 22). Time on a precaria before the grant does not count (art. 20).

9. Can I apply from my home country? Yes, through an Argentine consulate: entry permit (50 UMSM) or consular residence (300 consular units) (DNM fee table; Disp. 1637/2022 arts. 8 to 12). The entry permit lasts one year and becomes effective when you enter (art. 10). RaDEX itself only works from inside Argentina.

10. Can my non Mercosur spouse join me? The treaty gives family members who are not nationals of a Party a residence of the same term as the person they depend on (art. 9.2). Domestically the family reunification criterion (art. 23 ñ) applies, at the non Mercosur fee. If the spouse's nationality requires a visa, the treaty says the residence must be processed at a consulate unless domestic law waives that (art. 9.2). See Visas and residence.

11. Will I lose my residence if I spend time back home? A temporary residence is cancelled after six months or more abroad, a permanent one after one year or more, unless the DNM authorises the absence (art. 62 e). Absences also affect the 50% presence test.

12. Can I get Argentine citizenship faster as a Mercosur national? No special Mercosur rule appears in Law 346 as amended. Naturalisation requires two years of continuous legal residence without any trip abroad (Law 346 art. 2, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 37).

Primary sources

• Law 25.903, Mercosur Residence Agreement, InfoLEG text [immigration/mercosur-residence/l25903_mercosur_residencia]
• Law 25.903, InfoLEG record (BO 16 Jul 2004, issue 30443, p. 5) [l25903_ver]
• Law 25.903, InfoLEG linked norms [l25903_vinculos]
• Law 25.902, Residence Agreement for Mercosur, Bolivia and Chile, InfoLEG text (reused) [labor/foreigners/l25902_mercosur_residencia]
• Law 25.902, InfoLEG record (BO 16 Jul 2004, issue 30443, p. 3) [l25902_ver]
• Law 25.902, InfoLEG linked norms [l25902_vinculos]
• InfoLEG searches for Laws 25.902, 25.903 and 26.240 [search_l25902, search_l25903, search_l26240]
• Law 26.240, Argentina Brazil permanent residence agreement, InfoLEG text (reused) [labor/foreigners/l26240_brasil]
• Law 26.240, InfoLEG record (BO 7 May 2007, issue 31149; in force 27 Nov 2008) [l26240_ver]
• Law 26.240, InfoLEG linked norms [l26240_vinculos]
• DNM Disposition 1637/2022, Mercosur residence requirements, InfoLEG text with Annex I [dnm_disp1637_2022]
• DNM Disposition 1637/2022, InfoLEG linked norms (none) [dnm_disp1637_vinculos]
• DNM Disposition 2529/2009, InfoLEG record and text (repealed) [dnm_disp2529_2009_ver, dnm_disp2529_2009, dnm_disp2529_vinculos]
• Law 25.871, Migration Law, InfoLEG consolidated text (reused) [mig_l25871_texact]
• Decree 616/2010, regulation of Law 25.871 (reused) [mig_d616_2010]
• DNU 366/2025, original text, BO 29 May 2025 (reused) [mig_dnu366_2025]
• DNU 681/2026, original text, BO 30 Jul 2026 (reused) [mig_dnu681_2026]
• Law 346, Citizenship Law, InfoLEG consolidated text (reused) [mig_l346_texact]
• Decree 584/2024, migration fees, InfoLEG text (reused) [mig_d584_2024]
• Decree 584/2024, argentina.gob.ar text [d584_2024_arggob]
• Decree 584/2024, InfoLEG linked norms, checked 26 Oct 2026 [d584_vinculos_20261026]
• DNM Disposition 784/2024 (cruise passenger fee; checked and not relevant) [dnm_disp784_2024]
• Law 25.655, Mercosur Multilateral Social Security Agreement (reused) [labor/foreigners/l25655_mercosur_ss]
• CNEPSMVM Resolution 4/2026, minimum wage (reused) [labor/foreigners/cnepsmvm_r4_2026_smvm]
• DNM fee table (reused) [mig_tasas]
• DNM Mercosur temporary residence service page (reused) [mig_dnm_tmp_mercosur]
• DNM permanent residence page (reused) [mig_dnm_permanente]
• DNM proof of economic means (reused) [mig_dnm_medios_subsistencia]
• DNM residences index (reused) [mig_dnm_residencias]
• DNM residences FAQ (reused) [mig_dnm_faq_residencias]
• DNM DNI for foreigners FAQ (reused) [mig_dnm_faq_dni]
• RaDEX general procedures (reused) [mig_dnm_radex_pasos]
• RENAPER tariff table [renaper_tarifario]
• RENAPER first identification for foreigners [renaper_dni_primera_extranjeros]
• RENAPER DNI FAQ [renaper_dni_faq]
• National Recidivism Registry, certificate with a foreign document [rnr_cert_doc_extranjero]
• National Recidivism Registry, certificate overview [rnr_antecedentes]

Related pages

• Visas and residence
• Hiring foreigners
• Mercosur trade agreements
• Argentina's digital nomad visa and remote work residence
• What is Argentina's digital nomad visa, and how do I apply?
• How do I get Argentine citizenship?
• How do I get residency in Argentina?
• How does a foreigner get a DNI in Argentina?