Immigration Lawyer in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Immigration lawyer in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for foreigners moving here. Elias Kier Joffe and his team of English-speaking attorneys help you choose the right residency, get it approved and, when the time comes, become an Argentine citizen.
Since 1940
Headquartered in Buenos Aires
Featured in
The New York Times & BBC News
English-speaking lawyers
From your first document to your DNI
WATCH THIS 1-MINUTE VIDEO
then book your
50-MINUTE VIDEO CALL
With attorney Elias Kier Joffe. The USD 100 fee is credited toward our legal fees if you hire us.
Choose your path
Which residency or citizenship option fits you?
Digital nomad visa
For remote workers and freelancers who earn income from outside Argentina. We check your eligibility, your proof of income and your documents.
Digital Nomad Visa Lawyer in Buenos Aires →Passive income visa (rentista)
For people who live on passive income from abroad, such as rentals, investments or dividends. We structure your proof of income and file the application for you.
Passive Income Visa Lawyer in Buenos Aires →Retirement visa (pensionado)
For retirees who receive a pension from abroad. We review your pension documents and guide the whole process.
Retirement Visa Lawyer in Buenos Aires →Golden visa (citizenship by investment)
For investors who want Argentine citizenship through the new citizenship by investment program. We prepare your application so you’re ready when it opens.
Golden Visa Lawyer in Buenos Aires →Permanent residency
Ready to move from temporary to permanent status? We prepare the conversion and renewals step by step.
Permanent Residency Lawyer in Buenos Aires →Argentine citizenship
For residents and family members who want to become Argentine citizens. We assess your route and the evidence you need.
Citizenship Lawyer in Buenos Aires →Immigration to Argentina for foreigners
English-Speaking Immigration Attorneys in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Why Choosing the Right Residency Matters
Argentina is one of the most welcoming countries in Latin America for foreigners, but its immigration system is detailed and document heavy. The category you apply under decides how long you can stay, whether you can work, how you renew and how soon you can apply for permanent residency or citizenship. Choosing the wrong one can cost you months and money.
We Start From Home and We’re With You When You Arrive
Residency is filed in person in Argentina, but most of the work happens before you get on the plane. While you’re still at home, we choose your category, build your document plan and get your apostilles and translations in order. When you arrive, we’re with you at the immigration office, through your appointment and fingerprints, until your residency is approved.
Digital Nomads, Passive Income, Retirees and Families
Remote workers can look at the digital nomad visa. If you live on passive income from abroad, you may qualify for the passive income visa (rentista), and if you receive a pension, for the retirement visa (pensionado). We also help spouses, children and parents join a family member and, once you’re settled, move from temporary to permanent residency.
The Argentina Golden Visa
Argentina’s golden visa is the new citizenship by investment program: from USD 350,000, it gives you Argentine citizenship without having to live here first. Applications are expected to open in the last part of 2026, and we’re already preparing our clients’ applications. Paying does not guarantee approval, so we review your case before you invest.
One Point of Contact for Legal, Tax and Notarial Matters
We are a one-stop legal solution. Our team includes lawyers, accountants, Argentine notaries (escribanos) and certified translators, all under one roof and coordinated by attorney Elias Kier Joffe. When needed, we also work directly with your own lawyers and accountants back home, for example to check the tax impact of your move in your country.
Our immigration services include:
✓ Choosing the right residency category for you and your family.
✓ Digital nomad visa, passive income visa (rentista) and retirement visa (pensionado).
✓ Document plan, apostilles and certified translations.
✓ Filing your application and going with you to the immigration office.
✓ Family reunification for spouses, children and parents.
✓ Renewals and permanent residency.
✓ Argentine citizenship.
✓ Our own lawyers, accountants, notaries and certified translators, working with your advisors back home when needed.
Visa-required countries
Is Your Country on Argentina’s Visa-Required List?
Citizens of 106 countries, including India, China, Pakistan, Iran and Iraq, need a consular visa to enter Argentina. If your country is on this list, temporary residency, such as the passive income or retirement visa, must be processed at the Argentine consulate in your home country before you travel, and we’re not able to assist with those cases. The one exception is the golden visa: since it gives you citizenship by investment without living in Argentina first, we’re happy to assist investors from any of these countries.
Citizens of India and China With a U.S. Visa
If you’re a citizen of India or China and hold a valid U.S. visa or Green Card, you may be able to visit Argentina as a tourist without a consular visa. But this is a tourist entry only: it doesn’t allow you to change your immigration status or apply for residency once you’re here. For temporary residency, the process starts at the Argentine consulate in your home country. If you’re an investor, the golden visa is open to you, and we can help you with it.
See the 106 visa-required countries
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Botswana
- Brunei
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Comoros
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- Congo, Republic of the
- Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Haiti
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Palestine
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Source: official list of the Consulate General of Argentina in Toronto, last updated May 9, 2024. Requirements can change, so always confirm with the Argentine consulate in your country.
Simple process
How Our Immigration Law Firm in Argentina Handles Your Case
1
Book your video consultation
In a 50-minute video consultation, Elias Kier Joffe reviews your nationality, income, family and plans, and recommends the residency that fits you. The USD 100 fee is credited toward our legal fees if you hire us.
2
You get your documents ready at home
We give you a clear list and help you get your birth and marriage certificates, background checks and proof of income apostilled and translated.
3
We’re with you in Argentina
When you arrive, we file your application and go with you to the immigration office for your appointment and fingerprints.
4
We follow it to the end
We answer any request from the immigration office, keep you updated in English and help you with your DNI, renewals and, later, permanent residency or citizenship.
Who you’ll work with
Meet Your Argentine Immigration Lawyer, Elias Kier Joffe
Hi, I’m Elias Kier Joffe. My grandfather founded this firm in Buenos Aires in 1940, and I’m the third generation leading it.
I know what you’re facing, because my own family lived it. All my great-grandparents, on both my father’s and my mother’s side, came to Argentina as immigrants from Russia, Ukraine and Poland. They arrived in a new country, with a new language and very little else, and built a life here. I’m the result of their courage. Today, my job is to make that same journey easier for you.
I oversee every case personally, and I’ll always tell you the truth about your case, even when it’s not what you want to hear.
You’ll always know who’s looking after your case: me.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which residency is right for me?
It depends on your nationality, your income, your family and your plans. Remote workers often look at the digital nomad visa, people with income from abroad at the passive income visa (rentista), and retirees at the retirement visa (pensionado). In your video consultation, we review your case and recommend the one that fits you.
Do I need to be in Argentina to apply?
Yes, residency is filed in person in Argentina. But we start from home: we choose your category and get your documents, apostilles and translations ready before you travel. When you arrive, everything is in order and we’re with you at the immigration office.
Can I work in Argentina with temporary residency?
In most cases, yes. Temporary residents can generally work in Argentina, but some categories, like the digital nomad visa, are meant for working remotely for clients or employers abroad. We tell you what your category allows before you apply.
How long does it take to get residency in Argentina?
It depends on the category, your documents and the immigration office’s workload. Once your application is filed, you receive a provisional residence (residencia precaria) that lets you stay legally while it’s processed. We give you a realistic timeline in your video consultation.
How much does an immigration lawyer cost in Argentina?
It depends on the category, how many family members are included and the documents involved. After your video consultation, we send you a written quote. Government fees, apostilles and translations are separate, and we explain them to you in advance.
Why isn’t the immigration consultation free?
Because our time is the service we offer. We receive many immigration inquiries every day, and many come from people who are only gathering free information, with no real intention of hiring a lawyer. We’re attorneys, not a free government helpline, and we can’t give away our time and knowledge. In practice, we’ve found that people who are serious about moving to Argentina are happy to invest in a consultation, because they value getting the right answer from an experienced lawyer. That’s why we offer a paid 50-minute video consultation with Elias Kier Joffe, where we assess your situation and go over the visa and residency options available to you. The USD 100 fee is paid in advance and is credited toward our legal fees if you hire us. If paying for a consultation feels wrong to you, we’re probably not the right fit, and that’s okay. If you’re committed to your move, we’re confident you’ll find it well worth it.
Your next step
Talk to an Immigration Attorney in Argentina Now
Not sure which visa is right for you? That’s what your video consultation is for. In 50 minutes, Elias Kier Joffe reviews your case, explains your options in plain English and tells you the next step. The USD 100 fee is credited toward our legal fees if you hire us.
Give us a call or send us a WhatsApp message today, and we’ll get back to you the same day—even on weekends.
General information only. The applicable requirements and next steps depend on the circumstances of each matter.