Argentinian Rentista Visa Overview

It is regulated in article 23 subparagraph b) of Law No. 25,871, regulated by Decree No. 616/2010.

Argentinian Rentista Visa is one of the easiest ways to get Temporary Residency in Argentina and most common types of legalization in Argentina. If you have a passive and steady income, not related to hired job activities, but an income from the Property Rent, or from your Business, or anything that will prove passive income, then this option is definitely for you.

We have been informed recently by Government that Migrations office is approving rentista applications through income permits but it is essential to know in which Argentine Consulate you are going to make the application (because some consulates are more complicated).
 
Here are the options to apply for the rentista visa through the permit of entry: 
1) Foreigners who are holders of a monthly income to be received for a period of not less than two years, for an amount not less than the equivalent of FIVE (5) Minimum Living and Mobile Wages, generated on a stable basis.
2) you can use a certification issued by the entity obliged to make the remittance of the funds, stating that they are originated from:Investments in banks abroad, Remittances from foreign banking or financial institutions, Investments in foreign companies, Investments in national securities provided that they have been acquired with funds drawn from abroad.

You must prove to the NATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF MIGRATION  the origin of the funds and their entry into the country, through banking or financial institutions authorized by the CENTRAL BANK OF THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. Likewise, you must prove that the amount of income you receive is sufficient to support yourself and your primary family group. In order to be able to apply for temporary residence as an annuitant, the minimum amount required is approximately USD 1327/month per applicant by the date of May 20, 2024. That is 5 minimum salaries in Argentina. Here is the original source of the information provided by local authorities.

How Much Money Should I Bring To Argentina To Be Able To Apply For The Argentina Rentista Visa?

Now let’s try to interpret the meaning behind the updated requirements. The amount of money applicant should provide should be equal to five minimum salaries in Argentina. In the case of family groups, the income must be accredited for Main residence applicant. In other words, not each member should demonstrate the USD $1327 per month. This amount should be demonstrated for the whole family or per applicant if single. Just for clarification purposes, you only need to show this amount of money entering to your local bank account, you don’t need to pay this money to anybody.  You can spend it, or you can keep it in your local bank, or you can withdraw it. But it is important that you have to show/demonstrate the local authorities that you entering/bringing to the country steady monthly income of around $1327 USD on a monthly basis during two or three year until you submit your Argentinian Citizenship and submit Argentinian Permanent Residency. Click here to see well structured Argentinian immigration pathways roadmap.  We’ve designed a visual guide to make it easier for you to understand the process.

What Type Of Income Source May Work For Argentina Rentista Visa?

Secondly, it is clearly stated that the source of your income can not be from the employment remuneration. In other words, it can NOT be your salary. It Must be either from your property, or from your business or from any other types of income where it doesn’t require your employment involvement.

Some people ask, “What if they register a private entrepreneurship in their Home Country , and work for a US company, and show this money as if it is from their business?” The answer is NO, because you are still performing employment activity in this scenario either. For example, If you stop working, or if your employer terminates the contract with you, your income will stop consequently. That’s what the Argentinian government wants to prevent. They want you to come to Argentina with a stable income.

Can Bank Savings Work For Argentina Rentista Visa?

Savings in your bank account are not enough to get you an Argentinian Rentista Visa. You must demonstrate a monthly income generated from bank interest that is at least $1327 USD. Let me elaborate on this. For example, you have 300,000 USD in your home country’s bank. You want to lease this amount to the bank and receive commissions from it. If the commission will be more than 1,327 USD per month, then this may work. In this scenario, you have to transfer funds from your bank account in your home country to your bank account in Argentina. Yes, you will need to open a bank account in Argentina. It is possible to do this easily. The only thing you need is to get a CUIL from ANSES. With the CUIL and a precaria, you will be able to open a local bank account in Argentina. Not every bank will allow this, but we will accompany you to the appropriate bank to help you open a savings account in Argentina.

What Are the Requirements for Argentina Retirement Residency Permit?

For “Pensionado” , Argentina Retirement Residency Permit or Rentista Residency Permit, the above fixed amount is the same, five minimum Argentinian national salaries, which makes around $1327 USD per month in June 2023. This amount may be changed at later time, just consult with our consultants to keep your self updated. 

The requirements are almost the same. You will need a document that shows you receive that amount of money from your government into your home country bank account. Argentina is okay with dual citizenship, as long as your country is okay with it too. That’s why these programs exist. So, if you have the document that shows you receive a pension, you have to apostille or legalize it. Additionally, you need a bank statement from the bank where you receive your pension, also apostilled or legalized. Once you have these two documents, you need to obtain a non-criminal certificate from the countries where you have lived for the last three years for durations of more than six months. The criminal record also needs to be apostilled.but keep in mind that is necessary to present it updated at the time of the procedure, so we always suggest that it is the last document to be apostilled.

Note, you don’t need to translate these documents in your home country. Translations must be done only by an authorized organization in Argentina called the Colegio de Traductores.

How Much Money Should I Bring To Argentina In Total?

In the official document, it is stated that you have to bring that amount of money to Argentina prior to apply for the Citizenship. For example, you need to bring over 36K USD during your two years of legal stay in Argentina through official financial institutions, such as banks or by other legal financial institutions. 

Let’s do the math. Let’s say during two years, you transfer 1,500 USD monthly to your Argentinian bank. That will make 12 x 1,500 = 18,000 USD per year. So, to be eligible for citizenship after two years of legal stay, you need to bring approximately 36,000 USD.

To be eligible for permanent residency after three years of legal stay, you need to bring 54,000 USD during three years under the rentista program. Again, all this money is yours; you just need to demonstrate that you bring this money into Argentina legally to support yourself or your family in Argentina.

Two Years Of Legal Stay Will Lead You To Argentinian Citizenship

After two years of Legal stay under Rentista Status, you will be able to apply for Argentinian citizenship. Argentinian law allows foreign residents who stay two years legally in Argentina to apply for Argentinian citizenship. The process of citizenship will happen at the court. Poder Judicial de la Nación Judiciary of the Nation is the organization where the citizenship process happens. More about Argentinian citizenship read here. 

Argentina Rentista Visa Requirements

1.Valid passport with at least two blank pages, or if you are from a neighboring country (MERCOSUR), you can present a valid ID or nationality certificate with a photo. 

2.Argentine criminal record. Incorporated into RADEX. You have to proof of the absence of offenses committed in the territory of Argentina; 

3.Criminal record of the country of origin. The Document has/must be endorsed by an Argentine consular authority OR with the apostille of The Hague Convention or endorsed by the consular authority of the issuing country in Argentina (only valid for Mercosur and associated countries). Required only to foreigners over 16 years of age.

4.Certificate of Argentinian address (Certificado de Domicilio) or public service bill in your name. You will need proof of the place of residence in Argentina (a lease agreement, an invitation from people officially residing in the country, a certificate of ownership of real estate, a contract for the sale of real estate by installments, etc.);

5.Country entry stamp stamped on the travel document (Passport).

6.You must prove to the National Directorate of Migrations the origin of the funds and their entry into the country, through banking or financial institutions authorized by the Central Bank of the Argentine Republic. Likewise, you must prove that the income you receive is sufficient to meet your maintenance and cover financial necessity of your primary family group. For the purposes of granting residency, the provisions of Law No. 25,246 on Concealment and Laundering of Criminal Assets will be taken into account. In order to access a temporary residence as a Rentista, the money required is Argentinian currency. The actual amount for the Rentista stay has to be double-checked directly with the authorities as the currency is changing very fast in the country. An estimated amount in USD equivalency is at least $ 1327/month for each applicant or per family (this amount is applied for the main applicant of the family, the rest members of the family will come as dependents)

In an application for a residence permit in Argentina under the Rentista Residency, in addition to the main applicant, you can include a spouse and children, including adult children under 25 years of age. Additional income may be required to include dependents if children older then 25 years old. 

7. Finally, you need demonstrate payment confirmation of the residency processing fee through the RADEX system. This is the payment that you made through banking system or via online digital payment systems to the Migraciones for processing your case.  Highly suggested to go with the Express option because the price is not high but impact is big, This option works. It is something around 100-200 USD extra, but it works. 

All documents must be translated into Spanish and certified in Argentina by a Collegium of Translators. Submission of documents is carried out in the territory of Argentina, which cannot be left while the documents for a Rentista Residency are being in the processing. The whole idea of requesting Residency means that you intend to stay in the country. That’s why you provide local address, local police certificate etc. However, you are very welcome to travel to other countries for business purposes, unless majority of your time you stay within Argentina. Now, let me elaborate in this little bit. Before you receive Temporary Residency Approval from Migraciones, I mean during your Precaria Time (processing time), it is highly recommended not to travel for a long period of time out of Argentina. Because, if you need to renew your precaria for another three months, your entry/exit will be shown in the system, and Migraciones may rise questions: “why you are not in Argentina, but processing Residency?”.  Therefore, it is better to travel to outside Argentina, after you received your temporary residency. But again, you can not travel more than 6 months per year. You have to stay minimum 6 months in Argentina at least. Rentista Residency is issued for one year only. You have to renew it again next year and right after two years you will be able to submit for Citizenship. Two years of period for the Citizenship is counted from the day you received Precaria, so, you can start processing somewhere in the middle of your second renewal. 

Argentinian Rentista Status Explained More

Let me put the Rentista Stay description in different words. Suppose you wish to settle in Argentina as a Rentista, and obtain your temporary residence in Argentina. In that case, you have to support your stay in the Argentine Republic with your own financial resources brought from abroad, from the income you produced by property rent, or from any other lawful income from external sources. The income must come from a “guaranteed source”, such as investments in foreign banks, companies, stock capital and other sources not related to wages.

The money should be deposited to your Argentinian local bank account or any other formal financial institution. Once your money lands into your local Argentinian bank account, you have to pay country tax and currency conversion difference. So, when we say a minimum of 1,327 USD, the initial amount transferred from your home country must be higher to ensure you receive the required amount after taxes. In addition, you will need to prove that your income is legal income, in other words,  not criminal money laundering. In practice, it will be enough to provide documents that you have paid taxes on your income in the country of their origin. You dont have to pay taxes in Argentina again, you pay taxes in Argentina for the money you made in Argentina, that’s separate topic. 

It is best to own the property for at least 5 years. Otherwise, the Argentinian Migration Department may be asking you about the origin of funds for the purchase of housing. Then you will have to confirm the legality of these funds with documents (for example, a donation agreement from a relative or a will (devise)(copy) is suitable. If documents for a residence permit for a Rentista are submitted on the basis of a loan, you should provide evidence of where the funds for the loan came from.

The Rentista Stay Processing Example:

1 – In your come country, you make a lease agreement as a landlord of your property, which is officially registered by authorities in your home country. You are required to register a lease for at least two years or more. 

2 – In addition to the basic documents mentioned above, you should bring to Argentina: a lease agreement (with an apostille on the original document), a documentation of the property on your name (with an apostille on the original copy).  

For example, when you rent out an apartment, you will have a lease agreement is required; also, required documents on the property, and, in some cases, extracts obtained from the tax office are required. Documentary evidence of the sale of real estate in installments is also suitable; loan agreements, which indicate the amount repaid by the borrower on a monthly basis; For a Rentista visa, it may be suitable, business contracts with foreign enterprises or other documents that can serve as evidence of regular income. For example, if you have a company in your home country, and you have a contract with another company paying your company a steady income, and you own that company, that may also work for Rentista Visa. 

Argentina requires original documents with apostilles. If you can not apostille an original document, it is necessary to make a document copy at the notary, and the authenticity of the notary, and then, needs to be confirmed by the Ministry of Justice. And then it will be possible to put an apostille on this document from the Ministry of Justice. There is no necessity to translate apostille documents into the Spanish language because translation to Spanish should be done here in Argentina by the designated organization called Colegio de Traductores.  You would also need to attach a certificate from an Argentine bank stating that the money for renting your apartment is credited to your bank account. Usually, non-residents, are able to open a local Argentinian bank account at Santander Banco. The majority of other banks will ask you for a National DNI, otherwise, they just don’t open any account with your foreign passport. 

So, back to the money proof. Most importantly,  no one requires you to open this account immediately at a local bank, immediately upon arrival in Argentina. For the initial submission, it will be enough to show basic evidence of the receipt of your money transfer to your name in Argentina. It can be:

– Western Union receipts

– Cash withdrawal receipts from an Argentine ATM

– Even a printout of your card balance at an Argentine ATM

Argentinian authorities are well aware that a TOURIST who has arrived (and until you apply for a residence, your status is a tourist) and you CANNOT open a full-fledged bank account in Argentina. Therefore, as an exception, they will accept such primitive evidence of receipts of wealth from your home country Rent to Argentina. According to the new regulations, you now have less time to register a bank account. Therefore, you cannot continue using Western Union as a money-receiving organization. You need to have a bank account as soon as possible. Although crypto in Argentina plays a significant role in Argentina’s financial blue market, it is not applicable for transactions related to the Rentista program.

Where To Submit And How To Submit Your Documents

You have to upload your documents to the migration system through the RADEX electronic system.  After some time, you will be invited to an interview with the migration department to compare the documents that you sent them via the Internet with the original documents which you have to bring along with you to the interview. Here, I would personally suggest applying for the express processing option, as it cost little extra money but works really fast than normal cases which may last months. Once they confirm your original documents, you will be able to download a certificate called Residencia Precaria, which is the proof of your legal stay in Argentina. This document is issued until your real Temporary ID card is ready to print. You should renew your PRECARIA every three months. After a few months of processing, they will approve your Temporary Residency and with that Residency Certificate, you should make an appointment at the nearest Renaper center to print your National Temporary ID card.

So going back to registering local bank account, once you have submitted for the Argentinian residency, you would be able to open an Argentinian bank account and organize the flow of your funds from the rent in your home country to your Argentinian bank account, providing the bank with a lease agreement as the basis for the receipt of money. Immediately send your personal Argentinian bank account statements to the migration department in order to fulfill one of the main conditions of the Rentista status.  Just remember, your income must be in the country through banking or financial institutions, authorized by the central bank of Argentina. Otherwise, you are going to have issues during your renewal of your Rentista stay after a year. Because Rentista Status is renewed annually. At the same time, the basis for obtaining a residence permit can be changed if you have conditions changed. For example, if you married to Argentinian citizen during the year, you can directly apply for Permanent Residency. 

And so, when extending your residence, Migration Department will carefully check whether you fulfilled the MOST IMPORTANT requirement of the Rentista Temporary Residence.

Who Is Eligible For A Rentier Visa In Argentina

– foreigners who receive a permanent passive income from the rental of real estate properties;

– foreigners who can confirm monthly passive income not related to the implementation of work activities (interest on deposits, rent, alimony, etc.).
– foreign business owners with employees in their home country, whose business can operate independently of their physical presence

– After three years of renewal of the status of a Rentista, you can get permanent residence. After two – apply for citizenship. In other words, the validity of the primary visa is 1 year, renewable for up to 3 years. After that, the resident can apply for permanent residence (permanent residence in Argentina). Moreover, without waiting for obtaining permanent residence (after two years of residence in the country), you can apply for Argentine citizenship.

– Rentista Residence permit holders can set up a business or work independently in Argentina, but cannot work as employees. If you want to work as an employee, you have to change your category to a work permit, not a rentista. This change will not affect your citizenship or permanent residency. It’s just a requirement to do things correctly.

– Additionally, it is worth mentioning that in Argentina there are no restrictions on dual citizenship; there is no need to give up your previous passport when obtaining an Argentine one.

– The passport of an Argentine citizen is a relatively strong document, providing the opportunity to visit 170 countries and territories without a visa or with a visa on arrival, including all Latin American states, the Schengen area, and the UK. Argentines can travel within Latin American countries even without a passport, using a Permanent ID card.

What to Do If You Are Not Eligible for Rentista Residency


There are different types of residency options available in Argentina. The Argentine immigration system differs significantly from that of Canada or the US. There are many other possible immigration pathways, if you not eligible for Rentista Residency Permit. For example, the Nomad visa allows for a 6-month stay, extendable for another 6 months, totaling 1 year, granting legal transitory stay in Argentina for that period. If you stay legally in Argentina for another year, you become eligible for citizenship, though not for permanent residency directly through the Nomad visa, as it is a transitory visa.

If you’re looking for more options, I would suggest enrolling in Spanish language courses for another year. By enrolling in two or three years of Spanish courses, you can extend your legal stay in Argentina for an additional year or more. We have a special partnership with a local Argentine Spanish school, which will issue documents for a temporary student visa stay. This would contribute to your total stay in Argentina, potentially leading you towards eligibility for citizenship. For more details about Argentine citizenship, you can read further here. 

In addition to this, there is also the option of a formal education student visa. If you enroll in an academic program registered at RENURE (Registro Nacional Unico de Requirentes de Extranjeros), which can provide the necessary documentation for your student permit, you can apply for a student permit. This must be a career-based education program, not language or short-term courses. For example, while Spanish courses may provide an opportunity for transitorial residency (not give you DNI), pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree will allow you to stay in the country temporarily for 3-4 years (gives you DNI). This longer stay duration can potentially lead to eligibility for both citizenship and permanent residency. As mentioned earlier, Spanish courses alone will not grant you the right to obtain a DNI (Documento Nacional de Identidad), but completing a bachelor’s or master’s degree program will provide you with this opportunity. For more information about the student permit, you can read further here.

We know all the details of Argentinian immigration pathways from the immigrant’s perspective. We have a lot of experience on all the steps and can advise you on things to eliminate possible mistakes and adapt to the local lifestyle quickly and easily. Drop us a line and we will answer you soon.