Study in Buenos Aires
For short-term studies (less than 3 months), a student can enter and remain in Argentina under a tourist visa. For longer stays, a student may enter as a “tourist” but must, within 30 days of enrollment, bring their passport and proof of clean criminal record to the National Immigration Office to change their visa status. Student visas are issued for six- and twelve-month periods and can be renewed with the sponsorship of the institution at which the student is enrolled.
At the immigration office, students must present the following:
- An official letter of enrollment/attendance from their school or university in Argentina
- Student exchange program certified by the institution in Argentina who organizes the program (if applicable)
- A completed application form
- Passport with at least one year of remaining validity
- A police report with a clear criminal record from student’s place(s) of residence of the last 5 years (not required for students under 18 years of age).
- A certificate of clear criminal record from Argentina (to be requested once in the country; it is known as the “certificado de carencia de antecedentes penales” and can be acquired at the National Registry of Reoffenders (Registro Nacional de Reincidencia), Tucumán 1353. You can request your appointment or ‘turno’ via the website. Not required for students under 18.)
- Parental consent (for students who are classified as minors in their country of residence) as well as designation of a legal guardian in Argentina
- Birth certificate for those students taking courses aimed towards a high school or university degree only
- Processing fee of AR$600
Note that the police report, parental consent and birth certificate must be legalized with the Hague Convention “Apostille”, or authenticated by the Argentine consulate abroad (see the ‘Consulates’ section for more info). Likewise, all documents in English must be legalized in Spanish by a certified translator. Be sure to bring original documents with you, not just photographed copies.
These requirements do vary slightly depending upon your country of residence. Visit your Argentine embassy or the National Immigration Office of Argentina for updated information and forms.
A student visa is not difficult to obtain, and if you need to change your visa status as a student, you can do it while in Argentina. Be sure to take note of your date of arrival as well as the date of your enrollment in school. Be prepared for the process, once you have all the required paperwork, to take several hours at the Immigrations Office.
For complete information, visit http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/. The main content is in Spanish, but the menu to the left is available in English and will take you to English explanations.
