How do I get residency in Argentina?

Last verified: 27 Oct 2026 · Status: Changing

Short answer. Pick a temporary residence criterion under Migration Law 25.871 art. 23 (work, rentista, pensioner, student, family, Mercosur nationality), enter Argentina legally, then file online through the DNM's RaDEx system and attend one appointment. The fee is ARS 100,000 (ARS 50,000 for Mercosur). After three years, or two for Mercosur nationals, you can switch to permanent residence.

As of 26 Oct 2026. Rules in force at that date.

Key rules

Law 25.871 art. 20 admits foreigners as permanent, temporary or transitory residents. Only temporary and permanent residents get a DNI (national ID) (DNM residences page).

Temporary routes (art. 23). Migrant worker (a), rentista living on foreign passive income (b), pensioner (c), investor (d), scientists and transferred staff (e), student (j), Mercosur and associated state nationality (l), family reunification (ñ). The law allows up to three years; the DNM grants one year, renewable, for the worker, rentista, pensioner and student criteria, and up to two years for Mercosur nationals (DNM service pages).
Rentista and pensioner. At least 5 SMVM (national minimum wages) of passive foreign income or pension; salary and fees do not count; funds must come in through BCRA authorised banks; the DNM's Disposition 1732/2023 (amended by 3446/2023) was not reviewed (unconfirmed) (DNM rentista page; Decree 616/2010 art. 23 b)). The SMVM is ARS 391,200 from 1 Oct 2026 and ARS 398,800 from 1 Nov 2026 (CNEPYSMVYM Resolution 4/2026 art. 1).
Investor. Decree 616/2010 art. 23 d) still sets ARS 1,500,000 (US$959.14) plus a project. The DNM lists no investor page; whether it takes these files is unconfirmed (unconfirmed).
Permanent (art. 22). Mainly after 3 continuous years of temporary residence, or 2 for Mercosur and associated nationals (Decree 616/2010 art. 22 c)), with presence above 50% of the term granted (DNM residences FAQ, q. 1). Spouses, parents and children of Argentines qualify directly (art. 22 a)). Brazilians qualify directly (Law 26.240; FAQ q. 3).
DNU 366/2025 changes (text, BO 29 May 2025, in force that day, art. 47). It made the provisional residence ("precaria") last up to 90 days and stopped it counting toward the three years (art. 4, new art. 20); required every permanent residence applicant to prove sufficient economic means and a clean record (art. 5, new art. 22); and added family reunification as art. 23 ñ) (art. 6). Files started before 29 May 2025 follow the old rules (art. 44). Infoleg lists no Law 26.122 resolution rejecting it as of 26 Oct 2026; Congress could still reject it.
Filing. Applications in Argentina go only through RaDEx; walk ins are not accepted (FAQ q. 6). You must be in the country legally (RaDEx).
Fees (DNM fee table; Decree 584/2024 art. 2: 1 UMSM = ARS 1,000). Temporary or permanent residence, renewal, or change to permanent: 100 UMSM, or 50 UMSM for Mercosur nationals. Children under 18 filing with a parent pay no residence fee (FAQ q. 9).

What changes the answer

Nationality. Mercosur and associated state nationals use art. 23 l): no job or income test, two years, half fees, and permanence after two years.
Job offer. Workers need a sponsor registered in RENURE and the employer's ARCA early registration within 30 days (DNM worker page).
Family. File spouse and children in one RaDEx order; relatives of Argentines can go straight to permanent (Decree 616/2010 art. 22 a)).

Worked examples

A single US national with US$2,000 a month of interest and rent from foreign assets applies as a rentista. Rate: dólar MEP ARS 1,563.90 per US$ on 23 Oct 2026, from some secondary summaries (unconfirmed) (live rate).

Income test. 5 x ARS 391,200 = ARS 1,956,000 (US$1,250.72) in October 2026; 5 x ARS 398,800 = ARS 1,994,000 (US$1,275.02) from November. US$2,000 is ARS 3,127,800, so it passes. The DNM page does not say the test is monthly; this assumes it is (unconfirmed).

Step	Time	Cost ARS	Cost USD
Foreign criminal record, bank statements, contracts, apostille, sworn translation	Before travel	(unconfirmed)	(unconfirmed)
RaDEx step 1: residence fee, 100 UMSM	Day 1	100,000	63.94
Argentine criminal record certificate, generated in RaDEx	Day 1	1,000 to 8,500 (unconfirmed)	0.64 to 5.44
DNI for a foreigner, first issue (RENAPER)	Day 1	20,000	12.79
RaDEx step 2 upload; appointment email within 24 hours	Card: same day. Cash: 5 business days	0	0
Appointment, precaria up to 90 days, decision	Not published (unconfirmed)	0	0
Two renewals (100 UMSM plus new DNI, ARS 20,000, each)	Months 12 and 24	240,000	153.46
Change to permanent (100 UMSM plus new DNI)	Month 36	120,000	76.73
Total official fees	About 36 months	481,000 to 488,500	307.56 to 312.36

Step by step: 100,000 + 1,000 + 20,000 = ARS 121,000; plus 2 x 120,000 = 240,000; plus 120,000 = ARS 481,000 (US$307.56), or ARS 488,500 with the fastest criminal record option. RENAPER charges ARS 20,000 for a foreigner's first DNI and for each new copy after an extension or change of category (RENAPER tariff). Which criminal record speed RaDEx charges is not stated (unconfirmed).

Cost to do it: ARS 481,000 to 488,500 (about US$310) in official fees over 36 months; no capital, but passive foreign income of at least 5 SMVM every year (SMVM ARS 414,200 from 1 Jan 2027, so 5 SMVM becomes ARS 2,071,000, US$1,324.25); apostille and translation costs extra (unconfirmed).

Practical traps

Counting precaria months. Since DNU 366/2025, time spent waiting on a precaria does not count toward permanence (art. 20).
Long trips. Six months or more abroad cancels a temporary residence, one year a permanent one, unless the DNM authorised it (Law 25.871 art. 62 e); FAQ q. 20).
Late renewal. File within the 60 days before expiry. Within 30 days after, you pay a 50% surcharge; after that the right lapses (FAQ q. 5).

FAQ

How long does approval take? The DNM publishes no decision time; it emails an appointment within 24 hours of the upload (FAQ q. 19) (unconfirmed).

Can I work while my file is pending? Yes. A precaria allows work, study and travel (Law 25.871 art. 20).

What proves "economic means" for permanent residence? The last three payslips, ARCA registration with the last three Monotributo payments, a certified accountant's income statement, or other lawful evidence; a sworn statement alone is not valid (DNM means page).

Can I get citizenship instead? After two years of continuous legal residence with no trips abroad (Law 346 art. 2, as replaced by DNU 366/2025 art. 37). A citizenship by investment route also exists (Decree 524/2025, not reviewed here) (unconfirmed).

Published 27 Oct 2026 from our research draft. Points marked (unconfirmed) have not yet been checked against the official text; rely on the primary sources linked below.