Visas and residence in Argentina for investors, workers and their families

Key rules

The three categories

• Categories. Foreigners are admitted as permanent residents, temporary residents or transitory residents. The DNM decides whether a change of category or subcategory is viable (Law 25.871 art. 20, first and second paragraphs, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 4).
• Transitory residence covers short stays for specific activities under art. 24: tourists, passengers in transit, border traffic, crew, seasonal workers, academics, medical treatment and "special" cases decided by the DNM (art. 24 a to h). The DNM explains that transitory residences are granted for a maximum of one year and do not give access to a DNI (DNM residences page).
• Temporary residence covers medium term stays under one of the art. 23 subcategories. The DNM grants it for up to three years depending on the criterion, and it gives access to a temporary DNI (DNM residences page; Law 25.871 arts. 30 and 32).
• Permanent residence has no expiry, is based on art. 22 and gives access to a permanent DNI (DNM residences page).
• Inside or outside Argentina. An application made inside the country is a "radicación". One made abroad is an entry permit ("permiso de ingreso") or a consular act (DNM residences page).

Temporary subcategories (art. 23)

Permanent residence (art. 22)

• Who qualifies. A foreigner who intends to settle permanently and obtains admission in that capacity (art. 22, first paragraph, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 5). Decree 616/2010 art. 22 lists the criteria: spouse, parent or child of an Argentine (a); spouse, parent, unmarried child under 18 or disabled adult child of a permanent resident (b); arraigo after two continuous years of temporary residence for Mercosur and associated state nationals and three continuous years for everyone else (c); former diplomats and international officials (d); and refugees meeting one of those criteria (e).
• Economic means and criminal record. Since 29 May 2025 every applicant must prove sufficient economic means to live in the country and no criminal record that could justify refusal (art. 22, second paragraph, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 5). The DNM accepts the last three payslips, ARCA registration plus the last three Monotributo payments, a certified accountant's income statement for the last three months legalised by the professional council, or other evidence of lawful means; a sworn statement alone is not valid (DNM page on proof of means of subsistence).
• Presence test for arraigo. To convert temporary residence into permanent residence by passage of time, the applicant must have stayed in Argentina for at least 50% of the term granted and must not have been abroad for six consecutive months or more (DNM permanent residence page; DNM residences FAQ, question 1).
• Children of Argentines. Children born abroad to native, naturalised or "by option" Argentines are recognised as permanent residents and may enter and stay freely (art. 22, third paragraph).
• Brazilian nationals can obtain permanent residence directly under Law 26.240 (DNM residences FAQ, question 3).
• Unmarried partners. DNM Disposition 4880/2015 (Boletín Oficial 13 Oct 2015), as worded by Disposition 6206/2017 (Boletín Oficial 14 Nov 2017), treats a registered "unión convivencial" like marriage for admission under art. 22 of the law and arts. 22 a), 22 b) and 23 of Decree 616/2010 (InfoLEG note to art. 10 of Law 25.871).

Provisional residence ("residencia precaria")

• Once a residence application is filed and until it is decided, the DNM may grant a 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 (art. 20, third and fourth paragraphs, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 4).
• Its extension does not create a right to a favourable decision, and time spent on a precaria does not count toward arraigo for permanent residence or toward naturalisation (art. 20, last paragraph).
• Renewal can be requested online from 15 days before expiry and the new certificate can be downloaded within the following 10 business days; the online request is only processed if the applicant is in Argentina (DNM residences FAQ, question 16).
• Renewal fee when the delay is attributable to the applicant: 5 UMSM (Mercosur) or 10 UMSM (others) (DNM fee table). Under Decree 616/2010 art. 20 d), if the agency delays the file without just cause, renewals from the second one onwards must be free.

Transitory residence and business visitors

• Transitory residents may not do paid work, either as employees or self employed, except seasonal workers or where the DNM expressly authorises it (art. 52).
• Decree 616/2010 art. 24 a) gives tourists a stay of up to three months, extendable for a similar period. Under art. 24 h) the DNM may create "special" transitory residences by general disposition. The DNM extension page lists special transitory residences for business, investments, market studies, fairs and exhibitions; for scientists, professionals, technicians, religious workers and artists; for the film industry; for railway maintenance; and for digital nomads (DNM residence extension page).
• Digital nomads. A transitory residence of up to 180 days, extendable for the same period, for nationals of countries that do not need a tourist visa who provide remote services to persons or companies domiciled abroad. Legal basis: art. 24 h), Decree 616/2010 and DNM Disposition 758/2022. The applicant must already be in Argentina. Filing is in person (by email appointment in the City of Buenos Aires or at the local DNM office elsewhere), not through RaDEx. The extension requires proof of income earned from those services during the period being extended and a criminal record certificate from the country of origin (DNM digital nomad and extension pages). See Digital nomad residence.
• Electronic Travel Authorisation (AVE). Decree 584/2024 art. 15 sets the AVE fee at US$400 when entry is transitory as a tourist, academic or special visitor (art. 24 a, f or h) and US$150 for crew (art. 24 d). Which nationalities use the AVE is outside the sources consulted (unconfirmed).

Impediments and cancellation

• Refusal grounds (art. 29, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 8 and extended by DNU 681/2026 art. 1). These include false or altered documents, failing to disclose criminal records, simulated acts, and (for work based applications) failing to show an effective job offer (a); convictions or "antecedentes" for offences carrying three years or more of imprisonment under Argentine law (c), and convictions for offences carrying less than three years (d); being caught in flagrante for certain offences (e); entering outside migration controls (i); distorting the reasons for admission (j); and, from 31 Jul 2026, hate messages or incitement to violence against the Argentine people or a citizen because of nationality, or desecrating national symbols (m). For art. 29, a "condena" includes a conviction that is not yet final, and an "antecedente" includes an indictment ("auto de procesamiento") and equivalent procedural steps.
• Exceptional waiver. On humanitarian or family reunification grounds, or where the rights of minors would be seriously affected, the DNM may admit a person caught by an impediment, but never someone convicted of, or with antecedentes for, an intentional offence against life, sexual integrity, or public authorities and the constitutional order (art. 29, closing paragraphs).
• Cancellation (art. 62). The DNM cancels a residence of any age, category or ground, and orders expulsion, in the cases in art. 62, including: fraud or false documents (a); conviction for an intentional offence punishable with imprisonment (b); and absence from Argentina for one year or more (permanent residents) or six months or more (temporary residents), unless the absence is for Argentine public service, for activities the DNM considers of interest to Argentina, or with prior express DNM authorisation, which can be requested through Argentine consulates (e). DNU 681/2026 art. 2 added hate speech and incitement as ground h).
• Consequences (art. 63, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 17 and amended by DNU 681/2026 art. 3). Cancellation for absence under art. 62 e) leads to an order to regularise or to leave within a deadline, not automatic expulsion (art. 63 b). Expulsion based on an intentional offence carries a permanent re entry ban; other expulsions carry a ban of at least five years (art. 63 d and e).

Rights linked to the category

• Health care. Emergency care can never be refused. Permanent residents use the public health system on equal terms with citizens. Outside those cases, health establishments run by the national state provide routine treatment only against health insurance or prior payment, under conditions set by the Ministry of Health (art. 8, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 3). The ministry's implementing rules were not among the sources consulted (unconfirmed).
• Health insurance at entry. Foreigners seeking admission must file a sworn statement declaring the purpose of entry and that they hold health insurance (art. 34, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 9), but this sworn statement is only enforceable once its implementation is regulated (art. 123 bis, added by DNU 366/2025 art. 33).
• Schools. Children can enrol in initial, primary and secondary education whatever their migration status (art. 7, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 2).
• Universities. Undergraduate studies at state universities are free for native or "by option" Argentine citizens and for foreigners with permanent residence. State universities may charge others (Law 24.521 art. 2 bis, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 35).
• Work. Permanent residents may do any paid activity, employed or self employed. Temporary residents may work only during their authorised stay (art. 51). A foreigner who is irregular, or regular but not authorised to work, may not work (art. 53, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 12).
• Household goods. Permanent residents may import personal effects, household items and a car free of import duties, within the limits set by the executive (art. 15). The current limits were not checked (unconfirmed).

Address and notifications

• Foreigners must report their real address on entry and when filing, constitute a legal address, and declare an electronic address where notifications are binding. Any change of address must be reported in the residence file within three business days (art. 54, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 14). A false address declared to obtain a migration benefit can lead to refusal or cancellation and expulsion.

Employers and landlords

• No person or company may give paid work, employed or not, to a foreigner residing irregularly, nor rent accommodation to one (art. 55).
• Fines (art. 59): 50 SMVM (national minimum wage units) per foreigner employed without work authorisation; 100 SMVM where the worker is a non emancipated minor or under 14; 20 SMVM per foreigner given paid accommodation; up to 50% more for repeat offences; never less than 2 SMVM. Liability is joint ("solidaria"). The current peso value of the SMVM was not in the sources consulted (unconfirmed).
• The DNM may inspect workplaces and accommodation, demand personnel records within an unextendable term of five business days and retain documents for up to three business days (art. 53 bis, added by DNU 366/2025 art. 13).
• Work and transfer residences require the sponsor to be registered in RENURE (DNM worker and specialised staff pages). Requests to RENURE start by email to the DNM, with separate document lists for individuals, companies, religious entities and formal and non formal educational entities, under DNM Disposition 3043/2020 (DNM RENURE page).

Citizenship (Law 346, as amended by DNU 366/2025)

• Ordinary naturalisation. Foreigners over 18 who prove they have resided in Argentina continuously and legally for the two years before the application and declare to the DNM that they want to become citizens. "Continuously" means staying in the territory for the whole period without any trip abroad (Law 346 art. 2, 1°, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 37).
• Citizenship by investment. Foreigners who prove to the DNM that they made a "relevant investment" in the country, whatever their length of residence (Law 346 art. 2, 2°). The Ministry of Economy defines which investments are relevant and may designate specific projects (art. 2 bis). A new Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programmes, under the Ministry of Economy, receives and evaluates applications, requests reports from the DNM and the Financial Information Unit (UIF), and recommends approval or refusal to the DNM (arts. 6 bis and 6 ter). No Ministry of Economy rule fixing the investment amount was among the sources consulted (unconfirmed).
• Who grants it. The DNM grants the naturalisation certificate and coordinates with RENAPER, which issues the citizen's DNI (Law 346 art. 6, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 39). Arts. 3, 4, 5 and 11 of Law 346 were repealed (DNU 366/2025 art. 43).
• Transitional rule. Citizenship applications filed before 29 May 2025 continue before the court where they were filed under the old grounds (DNU 366/2025 art. 45). Residence applications filed before that date are decided under the rules in force when they were filed (art. 44).
• DNM requirements and procedure. Age 18 or over, two years of continuous legal residence with no exits, DNI, proof of lawful occupation or means of living, an Argentine criminal record certificate from the National Recidivism Registry, and a declaration of intent. The application is filed through RaDEx, from inside Argentina (DNM naturalisation page). The DNM page does not list a fee (unconfirmed).
• Political rights. Argentines aged 16 or over hold political rights (Law 346 art. 7, as replaced by Law 26.774).

Fees (tasas migratorias)

Source: DNM fee table under Decree 584/2024 ("Cuadro Tasas Migratorias"), downloaded 25 Oct 2026, and Decree 584/2024 art. 2 (1 UMSM = ARS 1,000). The values in consular units (uc) are paid at Argentine consulates; the peso or dollar value of a uc was not in the sources (unconfirmed).

Exemptions (Decree 584/2024). Art. 4 exempts people who prove indigence and members of the secular clergy and ministers of recognised religions from most residence fees. Art. 5 exempts permanent, temporary and transitory residence procedures filed by: minors protected by an official authority; unmarried children under 18 who file together with a parent; foreigners who prove more than 30 years in the country; and recognised refugees and asylees. The DNM confirms that children under 18 filing with their mother or father do not pay, and otherwise pay the normal fee (DNM residences FAQ, question 9; RaDEx general procedure page). Art. 5 applies to the fees in art. 1 b) to g); the text of the art. 1 list was not legible in the downloaded copy, so whether the exemption also covers renewals and changes to permanent is not confirmed (unconfirmed).

Late renewal surcharge. A temporary residence renewal must be requested within the 60 days before expiry. A request within the 30 days after expiry pays a 50% surcharge on the fee; after that the right to request renewal lapses (DNM residences FAQ, question 5). Applying this to the general table, a late renewal for a non Mercosur national would cost 150 UMSM (ARS 150,000, about US$95.91) (unconfirmed).

Not in the DNM fee table. The Argentine criminal record certificate fee (National Recidivism Registry) and the DNI fee (RENAPER) are generated inside RaDEx and paid separately (DNM residences FAQ, questions 12 and 18), but their amounts were not in the sources consulted (unconfirmed). Apostille, sworn translation, translators' association legalisation and notary fees are set by foreign authorities or private professionals and are not sourced here (unconfirmed).

Where to pay. Card payments are credited immediately; cash payments take five business days. The DNM lists Provincia NET or Banco Nación for the residence fee and Provincia NET for the criminal record fee; for the DNI fee, the RaDEx page names Banco Provincia or Provincia NET while the FAQ names Correo Argentino (RaDEx general procedure page; DNM residences FAQ, questions 15 and 18). The two DNM pages disagree on DNI payment points (unconfirmed).

Thresholds

The ARS 1,500,000 investor amount dates from 2010 and is now worth less than US$1,000 at the 23 Oct 2026 dólar MEP rate. The DNM's index of temporary residence services lists thirteen criteria (Mercosur, rentista, pensioner, migrant worker, scientists and specialised staff, athletes and artists, religious, medical patients, academics, students, asylees and refugees, humanitarian reasons, family reunification) but no investor page, and the investor service URL returned an error when checked on 25 Oct 2026. Whether the DNM still takes investor applications, and under what amount, has to be confirmed directly with the DNM (unconfirmed).

Deadlines and time limits

Timeline of norms

Documents: criminal records, apostille and translation

• Argentine criminal record certificate. Issued by the National Recidivism Registry, required from applicants over 16. In standard RaDEx filings it is requested inside the system; with a preferential appointment or the corporate channel it must be obtained outside RaDEx and presented on the day (DNM service pages; RaDEx corporate page).
• Foreign criminal record certificates. From the competent authorities of every country where the applicant lived for more than one year during the last three years, showing no convictions or pending criminal proceedings (over 16 only) (DNM service pages).
• Apostille or legalisation. Every foreign document must be legalised by the Argentine consulate in the issuing country or by the Foreign Ministry, or apostilled if the country is party to the Hague Convention. Documents issued by foreign consulates inside Argentina must be legalised by the Foreign Ministry, except Mercosur (DNM permanent residence page).
• Translation. Documents in a foreign language need a Spanish translation by an Argentine sworn public translator (Law 20.305 art. 6), legalised by the translators' association (Colegio de Traductores) (DNM service pages).
• Minors. A legalised birth certificate and authorisation from a parent, who attends with a valid DNI. If the parents do not live in Argentina, a legally resident guardian appointed by public instrument (DNM service pages).
• Originals. The DNM requires originals and may ask for more documents (DNM service pages).

DNI issuance

• Permanent and temporary residents can obtain the DNI (art. 30). Transitory residents cannot (DNM residences page). Refugee or asylum applicants with a precaria obtain it once recognised (art. 31).
• A temporary resident's DNI is issued for the same term as the residence and renewed with each extension (art. 32). The DNI must show nationality, permanent or temporary character, the file and resolution number, and the term and expiry of the residence (art. 33).
• The DNI fee is generated and paid inside RaDEx with the residence order (DNM residences FAQ, question 12). The amount was not sourced (unconfirmed).
• The DNI is delivered by certified mail to the declared address. After two failed delivery attempts it goes to the DNM office where the procedure was done (provinces) or to the RENAPER office at Jujuy 468 (City of Buenos Aires) (DNM DNI FAQ, question 3).
• Since 1 Apr 2016 only the card format DNI is valid; permanent residents with the old booklet must renew it at a Civil Registry or Rapid Documentation Centre (DNM DNI FAQ, questions 1 and 2). Permanent residents over 75 are not required to renew (question 5). Minors with permanent residence renew between ages 5 and 8 and again at 14 (question 7).

Step by step

A. Temporary residence filed in Argentina through RaDEx (worker, transferee, rentista, pensioner, student, Mercosur, family)

1. Pick the criterion. Match the purpose of the stay to an art. 23 subcategory. Employees of a local company use art. 23 a; staff transferred by a foreign group, scientists and specialist advisers use art. 23 e; people living on foreign passive income use art. 23 b; retirees use art. 23 c; Mercosur and associated state nationals can use art. 23 l, which needs no job or income evidence; spouses and children use art. 23 ñ. Who: the foreigner, often with the employer's HR or counsel.
2. Sponsor registration (work criteria only). The employer or host entity registers in RENURE by email to the DNM with its documents and sworn statement (DNM RENURE page; Disposition 3043/2020). Who: the company. Time: not published (unconfirmed).
3. Collect documents abroad. Valid passport; criminal record certificates from every country where the applicant lived for more than one year in the last three years (over 16 only); birth and marriage certificates for family members; the criterion evidence (contract, transfer letter, income or pension evidence, enrolment certificate). Foreign documents must be apostilled (Hague Convention countries) or legalised by the Argentine consulate, and translated into Spanish by an Argentine sworn public translator under art. 6 of Law 20.305, with the translation legalised by the translators' association. Documents must be originals (DNM service pages). Where: abroad, in person or by courier. Cost and time: outside the sources (unconfirmed).
4. Enter Argentina regularly. RaDEx requires the applicant to be in Argentina; the system checks legal entry and may request the entry record or passport stamp (RaDEx general procedure page).
5. RaDEx Step 1: register and pay. Create a user with an email address you check often, load the application and all family members in the same order (so children under 18 pay no residence fee), and choose payment by card or cash for the residence fee, the Argentine criminal record certificate and the DNI. Credentials for Step 2 arrive by email once payments are credited (DNM residences FAQ, questions 12 and 13). Online.
6. RaDEx Step 2: upload documents. Upload scans or phone photos of each document. The Argentine criminal record certificate request is built into RaDEx (except for preferential appointments, where it must be obtained separately and brought on the day). Within 24 hours you receive an appointment email, or the file is passed to a supervisor who may ask for more documents (DNM residences FAQ, question 19; RaDEx page). Online.
7. Employer's ARCA alta temprana. For a migrant worker, the employer's early registration of the employee with ARCA must be presented within 30 calendar days of starting the application (DNM worker page). Who: employer. Online at ARCA.
8. In person appointment. Attend the DNM office with originals for biometrics and document checks. Signatures on the employment pre contract can be certified by a notary or by a DNM officer at this stage (DNM worker page). In person.
9. Residencia precaria. The DNM may issue a precaria of up to 90 days, renewable, which allows work and travel while the file is decided (art. 20). Keep it renewed: request renewal online from 15 days before expiry.
10. Decision and DNI. If approved, the residence is granted (typically one year for the work, rentista, pensioner and student criteria per the DNM pages) and RENAPER issues the temporary DNI, delivered by certified mail to the declared address (DNM DNI FAQ, question 3). Temporary DNIs run for the same period as the residence (art. 32). Processing time: not published (unconfirmed).
11. Renew. Request each renewal within the 60 days before expiry through RaDEx, paying the extension fee (100 UMSM for non Mercosur nationals). Keep evidence that the criterion still applies (contract, payslips, income).
12. Change to permanent. After three continuous years (two for Mercosur and associated nationals), with at least 50% physical presence and no six month absence, file the change of category through RaDEx with proof of economic means (last three payslips or equivalent) and criminal records (DNM permanent residence page).
13. Optional: naturalisation. After two years of continuous legal residence with no trips abroad, apply through RaDEx (DNM naturalisation page).

B. Fast track options

• Preferential appointment: 50 UMSM extra; it only gets an earlier appointment, not a faster decision (DNM residences FAQ, question 10).
• Corporate channel ("Trámites Corporativos"): for migrants sponsored by a RENURE registered person or company who are in Argentina. Optional, with an additional service fee (the fee table lists 100 UMSM for urgent processing requested by RENURE registered companies; that this is the corporate channel fee is an inference (unconfirmed)). Appointment within five business days of closing the online file and decision within five business days of biometrics and complete documents. Can include the family if they file together. The Argentine criminal record certificate must be obtained directly from the National Recidivism Registry and brought printed on the day (RaDEx corporate procedures page).

C. Applying from abroad

An application from outside Argentina is an entry permit or a consular act (DNM residences page). The entry permit fee is 100 UMSM (50 UMSM for Mercosur) and a residence filed at a consulate costs 600 uc (300 uc for Mercosur) (DNM fee table). Consular procedures and current consular fees were not reviewed for this page (unconfirmed).

D. Digital nomad

Enter as a tourist (visa exempt nationals only), then request an appointment in person (by email in the City of Buenos Aires, at the local DNM office elsewhere) with the application letter and short CV, proof of remote work for foreign clients and at least one professional reference (DNM digital nomad page). See Digital nomad residence for the fee lines.

Worked examples

Facts. A non Mercosur engineer is hired by an Argentine SME registered in RENURE. The engineer moves with a spouse and a 10 year old child. All three are visa exempt and enter as tourists. The family files together through RaDEx in Buenos Aires in November 2026. The worker applies under art. 23 a (migrant worker); the spouse and child apply under art. 23 ñ (family reunification, same term as the worker). No preferential appointment. Assumption: the DNM grants one year terms (as the worker page states) and renews for one year each time, so the family needs two renewals before reaching three years of temporary residence (unconfirmed). Renewal and change to permanent fees for the child are assumed exempt under Decree 584/2024 art. 5 II because the child files with a parent (unconfirmed).

Step 1. Initial residence fees (DNM fee table; Decree 584/2024 arts. 2 and 5).

Calculation: 2 adults × 100 UMSM × ARS 1,000 = ARS 200,000. ARS 200,000 ÷ 1,563.90 = US$127.89.

Step 2. Renewals at the end of year one and year two.

Each renewal: 2 adults × 100 UMSM = 200 UMSM = ARS 200,000 (US$127.89). Two renewals: ARS 400,000 (US$255.77).

Step 3. Change to permanent residence after 36 months.

2 adults × 100 UMSM = ARS 200,000 (US$127.89). Each adult must show economic means: the worker with the last three payslips; the spouse with their own means or, presumably, as a family member of the worker (unconfirmed).

Step 4. Three year total in DNM fees.

ARS 800,000 ÷ 1,563.90 = US$511.54.

Step 5. Optional extras.

• Preferential appointment on the initial filing: 50 UMSM (ARS 50,000, US$31.97) per procedure; whether it is charged per person or per family order is not stated (unconfirmed).
• Corporate channel urgent processing requested by the employer: 100 UMSM (ARS 100,000, US$63.94) per procedure, same caveat (unconfirmed).
• If the employer used the corporate channel for all three filings (initial, two renewals, change to permanent) at 100 UMSM per family order, it would add ARS 400,000 (US$255.77); if charged per adult, ARS 800,000 (US$511.54) (unconfirmed).

Step 6. Costs outside the DNM table (not sourced). Two Argentine criminal record certificates (the adults; the child is under 16), three DNIs per issuance, foreign criminal record certificates for both adults, apostilles, sworn translations and their legalisation, and notarial certification of the pre contract if not certified at the DNM (unconfirmed).

Step 7. Months.

Cost to do it (Example 1): DNM fees ARS 200,000 (US$127.89) at the start and ARS 800,000 (US$511.54) over three years; capital none; about 36 months to permanent residence, plus unpublished processing time (unconfirmed).

Variation: Mercosur family. If the family were nationals of, say, Uruguay or Chile and used the Mercosur criterion (art. 23 l), each adult pays 50 UMSM: ARS 100,000 (US$63.94) at the start. Arraigo is two years instead of three, so with a two year Mercosur grant there may be no intermediate renewal: initial ARS 100,000 plus change to permanent ARS 100,000 = ARS 200,000 (US$127.89) (unconfirmed).

Rule. A rentista must show passive income from assets abroad (financial instruments, real estate, company holdings) equal to or above 5 SMVM; income from personal work does not count; and the funds must enter Argentina through banks or financial institutions authorised by the BCRA (DNM rentista page; Decree 616/2010 art. 23 b). Decree 616/2010 art. 23 b also requires the income to be enough to support the applicant and the primary family group, and requires the DNM to take the anti money laundering Law 25.246 into account. The DNM page does not say whether the 5 SMVM test is monthly; this example assumes a monthly test (unconfirmed). The current peso value of the SMVM was not in the sources consulted, so the example solves for the maximum SMVM each applicant can satisfy; the editor should insert the official SMVM in force on the filing date (unconfirmed).

Applicant A: US$2,000 a month of rent from an apartment abroad.

1. Convert to pesos at the 23 Oct 2026 dólar MEP rate: US$2,000 × 1,563.90 = ARS 3,127,800 a month.
2. Divide by 5 to find the SMVM ceiling: ARS 3,127,800 ÷ 5 = ARS 625,560.
3. Test: Applicant A passes if the official SMVM is ARS 625,560 or less (US$400 or less at the MEP rate). If the SMVM is higher, Applicant A fails and must show more income or another criterion.

Applicant B: US$3,000 a month from a bond and dividend portfolio.

1. US$3,000 × 1,563.90 = ARS 4,691,700 a month.
2. ARS 4,691,700 ÷ 5 = ARS 938,340.
3. Applicant B passes if the official SMVM is ARS 938,340 or less (US$600 or less).

Reverse calculation for planning. The minimum monthly income in USD is: 5 × SMVM ÷ MEP rate. For any SMVM value S in pesos, the USD floor is 5S ÷ 1,563.90. Because the SMVM is set in pesos and the MEP rate floats, the USD floor changes every time either moves. An applicant who sits close to the line in one month can fall below it at renewal if the SMVM rises faster than the peso depreciates.

Evidence checklist for either applicant. Title or lease contracts and bank statements showing the income; proof that the funds are transferred to Argentina through a BCRA authorised bank; apostilled and translated originals; foreign and Argentine criminal record certificates (DNM rentista page). A personal salary or consulting fees would not count as "renta" (DNM rentista page).

Cost to do it (rentista): residence fee 100 UMSM, ARS 100,000 (US$63.94) for non Mercosur nationals, then 100 UMSM per renewal and 100 UMSM to change to permanent; capital: no fixed capital, but recurring passive income of at least 5 SMVM; months: one year grant, renewable, permanent residence after three years (DNM rentista page; DNM fee table; Decree 616/2010 art. 22 c).

Rule. Decree 616/2010 art. 23 d: a productive, commercial or service investment of interest to the country of at least ARS 1,500,000, with an investment project filed with the DNM, proof of the origin and legality of the funds and their entry through BCRA authorised institutions; the ministry in charge of industry issues a non binding opinion on the nature of the investment, its legal viability and its financial sustainability; and the DNM grants temporary residence with a peremptory deadline to complete the investment.

Calculation. ARS 1,500,000 ÷ 1,563.90 = US$959.14. The legal floor is therefore trivial in USD terms, but the decree's other conditions (a viable project, a ministerial opinion, traceable inbound funds, completion within a fixed deadline) remain, and the DNM no longer lists an investor service page (unconfirmed). In practice, investors who will manage their own company often qualify more simply as transferred managers (art. 23 e) of their own foreign group, or as rentistas if they have passive foreign income, but each route must reflect the facts; a distorted criterion is a cancellation ground (art. 62 f).

Cost to do it (investor): fee 100 UMSM, ARS 100,000 (US$63.94); capital at least ARS 1,500,000 (US$959.14) under the 2010 text (unconfirmed); months: residence up to three years under art. 23 d; actual DNM grant term not sourced (unconfirmed).

Practical traps

• The precaria is not residence for arraigo. Months on a precaria do not count toward the three years for permanent residence or the two years for naturalisation (art. 20). A slow decision delays the clock.
• Six months abroad cancels a temporary residence. Long home leave, a sabbatical or a regional posting can trigger art. 62 e. Ask the DNM for express authorisation in advance (through a consulate if abroad).
• Zero trips for citizenship. The naturalisation test now requires no trip abroad at all during the two years before applying (Law 346 art. 2). A single weekend in Montevideo restarts the count on the DNM's reading (unconfirmed).
• 50% presence for permanent residence. Even without a six month absence, frequent travellers can fail the 50% presence test at the change to permanent (DNM permanent residence page).
• Late renewal costs more and can be fatal. Miss the 60 day window and you pay 50% more within 30 days after expiry; after that the right to renew lapses (DNM residences FAQ, question 5).
• Address changes: three business days. Failing to update the address in the file means notifications to the old or electronic address are still valid (art. 54).
• Criminal "antecedentes" include non final steps. For art. 29, an indictment or committal to trial counts, and convictions need not be final. Applicants must disclose; omission is itself a refusal and cancellation ground (arts. 29 a and 62 a).
• Employer exposure. 50 SMVM per irregular worker, joint and several, and 50% more for repeat offences (art. 59). A hire that was legal at the start becomes irregular if the residence lapses (art. 53 c).
• Child fee exemption needs a joint filing. Load the children in the same RaDEx order as a parent; a separate filing pays the full fee (DNM residences FAQ, question 9).
• Preferential appointment is not a faster decision. It only advances the appointment (DNM residences FAQ, question 10).
• Health cover. Non permanent residents pay for routine care at national public facilities unless they have insurance (art. 8). Budget for private cover from day one.
• State university fees. Non permanent resident children or spouses studying for a first degree at a state university may now be charged (Law 24.521 art. 2 bis).
• Investor route uncertainty. The 2010 investor regulation still exists on paper, but the DNM no longer lists a service page. Confirm before structuring a move around it (unconfirmed).
• Rentista income must be passive and foreign. Salaries and consulting fees do not qualify, and the funds must flow through a BCRA authorised bank (DNM rentista page).
• Tax residence is a separate question. A residence permit and long stays can make a person tax resident for income tax and personal assets tax. See the taxes section.
• Use only RaDEx payment slips. The DNM states that the only payments due are those generated by the platform and that no agent ("gestor") is needed (RaDEx page).

Recent changes

• 31 Jul 2026. DNU 681/2026 entered into force (published 30 Jul 2026): new refusal ground art. 29 m and cancellation ground art. 62 h for hate speech, incitement to violence against Argentines because of nationality and desecration of national symbols; art. 63 c replaced so that cancellation under art. 62 h leads to an order to leave or to expulsion. argentina.gob.ar text
• 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 (InfoLEG note in Law 25.871).
• 29 May 2025. DNU 366/2025 in force: 90 day precaria not counting toward arraigo; proof of economic means for permanent residence; new art. 23 ñ family reunification; health care restricted for non permanent residents; DNM inspection powers (art. 53 bis); three business day address reporting; new appeal deadlines (15 business days administrative, 15 judicial business days judicial) and appeals to the federal administrative chambers; state university fees for non permanent residents; naturalisation moved to the DNM with a two year no exit rule; citizenship by investment and a new agency in the Ministry of Economy. argentina.gob.ar text
• 6 Jul 2024. Decree 584/2024 in force (published 5 Jul 2024): new UMSM fee table at ARS 1,000 per unit, AVE fee US$400, exemptions; repealed Decree 231/2009.

Pending changes

• Health insurance sworn statement at entry (art. 34): enforceable only once its implementation is regulated (art. 123 bis). Regulation not found in the sources (unconfirmed).
• Ministry of Health conditions for routine care of non permanent residents in national facilities (art. 8): implementing rules not reviewed (unconfirmed).
• Definition of "relevant investment" for citizenship by investment (Law 346 art. 2 bis): to be set by the Ministry of Economy; no rule in the sources (unconfirmed). Structure of the new agency also pending (art. 6 quáter c) (unconfirmed).
• Decree 616/2010 not yet aligned. The downloaded text of Decree 616/2010 is the original 2010 text; whether the executive has updated it after DNU 366/2025 (for example on precaria terms, economic means and the investor amount) was not checked (unconfirmed).
• Congressional control of the DNUs. DNU 366/2025 (art. 48) and DNU 681/2026 (art. 5) were sent to the Permanent Bicameral Committee. Whether either has been rejected or ratified under Law 26.122 was not checked (unconfirmed).
• Court challenges. Litigation against parts of DNU 366/2025 was not reviewed (unconfirmed).

FAQ

1. Can I file for residence before travelling to Argentina? Yes, through an entry permit or at an Argentine consulate (100 UMSM entry permit; 600 uc consular residence for non Mercosur nationals). RaDEx filings, however, require you to be inside Argentina (DNM residences page; DNM fee table; RaDEx page).

2. Can I work while my application is pending? Yes, if the DNM grants a residencia precaria, which allows work, study and travel for up to 90 days and is renewable (art. 20).

3. How long until permanent residence? Three continuous years of temporary residence for non Mercosur nationals and two for Mercosur and associated state nationals, with at least 50% presence, no six month absence and proof of economic means (Decree 616/2010 art. 22 c; art. 22 of the law; DNM permanent residence page). Spouses, parents and children of Argentines can apply directly (Decree 616/2010 art. 22 a).

4. How much does it cost for a family? For non Mercosur nationals: 100 UMSM (ARS 100,000, US$63.94) per adult; children under 18 who file with a parent pay nothing (Decree 584/2024 art. 5 II). See Example 1 for a three year total of about ARS 800,000 (US$511.54).

5. What income do I need as a rentista or pensioner? At least 5 SMVM of passive foreign income or pension (DNM rentista and pensioner pages). See Example 2 for the conversion method; insert the official SMVM in force (unconfirmed).

6. Is there still an investor visa? Art. 23 d of the law and art. 23 d of Decree 616/2010 (ARS 1,500,000 minimum) remain in the texts, but the DNM's temporary residence index no longer lists an investor service (unconfirmed). Separately, DNU 366/2025 created citizenship by investment, whose amount is still to be defined by the Ministry of Economy (unconfirmed).

7. How quickly can I become a citizen? After two years of continuous legal residence with no trips abroad, by application to the DNM through RaDEx (Law 346 art. 2; DNM naturalisation page). By investment, regardless of residence time, once the Ministry of Economy defines qualifying investments (art. 2 bis).

8. Will a trip abroad cost me my residence? A temporary residence is cancelled after six months or more abroad and a permanent residence after one year or more, unless the DNM authorises the absence (art. 62 e). The consequence is normally an order to regularise or to leave, not expulsion (art. 63 b).

9. Do I need health insurance? Not as a stated RaDEx document on the pages checked, but routine care at national public hospitals is only provided to non permanent residents with insurance or prior payment (art. 8), and a sworn statement of health insurance at entry will be required once regulated (arts. 34 and 123 bis).

10. Can a digital nomad work for Argentine clients? No. The residence covers remote services for persons or companies domiciled abroad, and transitory residents cannot otherwise do paid work (DNM digital nomad page; art. 52).

11. What happens if my company hires someone whose residence has expired? The worker becomes irregular (art. 53 c) and the company faces a fine of 50 SMVM per worker, jointly and severally, 50% more for repeat offences (arts. 55 and 59).

12. Do I need a lawyer or agent to file? The DNM states that procedures are personal and that no agent is needed; the only payments are those generated by RaDEx (RaDEx page). Appeals to the courts require a lawyer (art. 77, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 24).

13. Can I appeal a refusal? Yes. A hierarchical appeal within 15 business days of notice (art. 75), then a judicial appeal within 15 judicial business days of the decision that exhausts the administrative route (art. 76), before the federal administrative chambers (art. 77). Choosing the judicial route forfeits the administrative one (art. 80). The appeal fee is 50 UMSM (DNM fee table).

Primary sources

• Law 25.871, Migration Law, InfoLEG consolidated text, updated through DNU 681/2026 [mig_l25871_texact]
• Decree 616/2010, regulation of Law 25.871, InfoLEG original text [mig_d616_2010]
• DNU 366/2025, original text, Boletín Oficial 29 May 2025, issue 35676 [mig_dnu366_2025]
• DNU 681/2026, original text, Boletín Oficial 30 Jul 2026, issue 35960 [mig_dnu681_2026]
• DNU 681/2026, InfoLEG record [mig_dnu681_2026_ver]
• Law 346, Citizenship Law, InfoLEG consolidated text [mig_l346_texact]
• Decree 584/2024, migration fees, InfoLEG text, Boletín Oficial 5 Jul 2024, issue 35455 [mig_d584_2024]
• Decree 584/2024, InfoLEG list of complementing norms [mig_d584_2024_vinculos]
• DNM fee table (Cuadro Tasas Migratorias) [mig_tasas]
• DNM residences index [mig_dnm_residencias]
• DNM temporary residence index [mig_dnm_temporaria]
• DNM transitory residence index [mig_dnm_transitoria]
• DNM permanent residence [mig_dnm_permanente]
• DNM proof of means of subsistence [mig_dnm_medios_subsistencia]
• DNM migrant worker [mig_dnm_tmp_trabajador-migrante]
• DNM scientists, specialised and transferred staff [mig_dnm_tmp_cientifico]
• DNM rentista [mig_dnm_tmp_rentista]
• DNM pensioner [mig_dnm_tmp_pensionado]
• DNM student [mig_dnm_tmp_estudiante]
• DNM Mercosur nationality [mig_dnm_tmp_mercosur]
• DNM family reunification [mig_dnm_tmp_reunificacion]
• DNM digital nomad [mig_dnm_nomada]
• DNM digital nomad extension [mig_dnm_nomada_prorroga]
• DNM residence extensions index [mig_dnm_prorroga]
• DNM RENURE [mig_dnm_renure]
• DNM residences FAQ [mig_dnm_faq_residencias]
• DNM DNI for foreigners FAQ [mig_dnm_faq_dni]
• DNM naturalisation [mig_ciudadania_naturalizacion]
• RaDEx home [mig_dnm_radex]
• RaDEx general procedures [mig_dnm_radex_pasos]
• RaDEx corporate procedures [mig_dnm_radex_corporativo]

Related pages

• How do I get Argentine citizenship?
• How do I get residency in Argentina?
• How does a foreigner get a DNI in Argentina?
• How long can I stay in Argentina as a tourist, and can I extend it?
• What is the rentista visa and how much income do I need?
• Argentina's digital nomad visa and remote work residence
• Mercosur residence in Argentina: the fast track for South American nationals
• What is Argentina's digital nomad visa, and how do I apply?