Digital Nomad visa for Russians in Argentina

How remote professionals can live and work in Argentina legally on a digital nomad visa.

What the Digital Nomad visa is

The Digital Nomad visa is a special visa for people who work remotely and want to move from country to country without being tied to one place. It lets you stay in Argentina legally and work remotely without taking jobs meant for local residents.

What documents you need

• A valid passport.
• A 4×4 photo.
• A document confirming an eligible type of work - an employment contract, confirmation of remote work for a foreign company or a proof of income statement. The list of eligible occupations can be checked on the official Argentine government website.
• An application form.
• Payment of the government fee.

How much it costs and how long it lasts

The status is obtained while in Argentina. Migration fees for non-Mercosur nationals:

• issue - around $25;
• extension - around $30;
• change of category from tourist, if processed that way - around $70.

The status is valid for 180 days and can be extended once for another 180 days. On top of fees you pay for apostilles in your country, a sworn Spanish translation and health insurance.

Who can apply

• Nationals of countries that do not need a tourist visa for Argentina. Russian citizens need no visa for trips of up to 90 days, so they qualify.
• People working remotely for companies or clients outside Argentina: employees, freelancers, owners of businesses abroad.
• People who entered legally and are in the country when filing.

Working for Argentine employers or clients is not allowed under this status.

Step by step for a Russian citizen

1. Before departure - 2-4 weeks. Collect contracts, employer letters and statements showing payments, and apostille the documents you need: this cannot be done in Argentina. An apostille in Russia costs about $30 per document.
2. Entry. A 90-day tourist stamp. Health insurance for the whole period.
3. Address - 1-2 weeks. A lease and an address certificate from the police station.
4. Argentine criminal record certificate - issued online for everyone over 16.
5. Translation - a few days to 2 weeks. An Argentine sworn translator and certification by the translators' association.
6. Appointment and filing. In Buenos Aires the appointment is requested by email from the migration service; you file in person with originals.
7. Extension - before the first 180 days end, with proof of income for the period.

Documents: what to bring

• A valid passport.
• A contract or employer letter about remote work, with position and salary.
• For freelancers - client contracts, invoices and statements with payments for recent months.
• A short CV and at least one reference from an employer or client.
• An Argentine address certificate and an Argentine criminal record certificate.
• Proof of legal entry.

All foreign documents need an apostille and a sworn Spanish translation.

How long the whole route takes

• Preparation at home - 2-4 weeks: proof of work, apostilles, insurance.
• From arrival to filing - usually 3-6 weeks: rental and address certificate, criminal record certificate, sworn translation, waiting for an appointment.
• Decision - from a few weeks, longer in Buenos Aires in high season.
• Extension - filed before the first 180 days end.
• Switch to residence - best filed 2-3 months before the second period ends.

The 90 tourist days are usually enough to file if documents were prepared at home.

Healthcare, banking and taxes

• Healthcare. Since 2025 foreigners with temporary status pay for planned care in national public hospitals; only emergency care is free. Private insurance for the whole stay is a must.
• Banking. A full Argentine bank account is usually opened after residence and an ID card. Until then people use foreign cards and e-wallets; more in the guide to bank and virtual accounts.
• Taxes. Income tax is progressive, from 5% to 35%. Work physically performed in Argentina may count as Argentine-source income, so we calculate taxes before the move; more in Argentine taxes.

Tourist, nomad or residence

The most common residence switches

• Rentier - steady passive income from abroad: rent, dividends, interest. The threshold is tied to the minimum wage in pesos and rises regularly.
• Study - enrolment at an Argentine university or a recognised programme.
• Work - a contract with an Argentine employer.
• Family - marriage to a citizen or resident, a child born in Argentina.

We choose the right basis while you are still a nomad, so no time is lost on the way to citizenship.

What next: residence and citizenship

Nomad status gives at most 360 days and does not lead directly to permanent residence. To stay, you need to switch to residence: for people with steady income from abroad, for work, study or family. Plan the switch while nomad status is still valid; more in Argentine residence.

Argentine citizenship is granted after 2 years of living in the country by decision of a federal court. In 2025 a presidential decree tried to move naturalisation to the migration service and required 2 years without leaving, but on 30 June 2026 the National Electoral Chamber declared it null, and the government is appealing. So it is best to get residence early: then you qualify under both readings of the rules. More in Argentine citizenship.

What to check before applying

• Nationals of countries that need a tourist visa for Argentina.
• Work for Argentine employers or clients.
• No proof of remote work and incoming payments.
• A criminal record, illegal entry or overstay.
• Documents without an apostille or translated by someone other than an Argentine sworn translator.

Working for a Russian company

Argentina does not prohibit remote work for a Russian employer: what matters is that the company and clients are outside Argentina. But two practical points apply:

• Double taxation. The salary of a remote employee of a Russian company is taxed in Russia at 13-15% even if you become non-resident, and Argentina may treat work done in the country as local income.
• Proof of payments. The migration service looks at the link between the contract and incoming payments. Russian bank statements need a sworn translation, and transfers through third countries are best explained with documents in advance.

Common mistakes

• No apostille at home. A Russian document cannot be apostilled in Argentina, and consular legalisation takes longer.
• Translation not by an Argentine sworn translator or without the association's certification - documents are rejected.
• Statements without payments. A contract without payments into the account does not prove remote work.
• Missed extension deadline. File before the first 180 days end.
• No plan for residence. After 360 days the status cannot be extended, leaving only departure or tourist status.

Life in Argentina

Most nomads live in Buenos Aires: European architecture, a large Russian-speaking community and living costs well below Madrid or Miami. Those who want a calmer life choose Córdoba, Mendoza or Bariloche. More in our guides to Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Mendoza. After currency controls were lifted, dollar prices rose, so we budget the first months at current prices.

How we help

1. We check whether your work fits nomad status and collect evidence before departure.
2. We arrange apostilles, sworn translation and the address certificate.
3. We book the appointment and accompany you to it.
4. We prepare the extension and the move to residence, and calculate taxes in Russia and Argentina.

We fix our fee in writing after a consultation.

Alternatives to compare

• Argentina digital nomad visa: full guide - fees, documents and extension in detail.
• Uruguay digital nomad visa - a neighbouring country with a similar regime.
• Brazil digital nomad visa - with an income threshold, but a year from the start.

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