It has been official for 48 hours. It is no longer so easy for foreigners to stay in Argentina as "rentiers".
In the midst of the famous boom of Russian pregnant women – a plot that the Justice has been investigating since February and that has already discouraged their arrival in general – and of all the rest that comes from that country to obtain Argentine citizenship, the Russians took the latest migratory changes personally.
The National Directorate of Migration (DNM) made official on Tuesday the update of the minimum amounts to be accredited in that condition to reside legally.
"The Director of Migration continues her crusade against immigrants. This time he issued a resolution that nearly eliminated a class of immigrants known as "rentiers." They are those who live in Argentina with a temporary residence, thanks to the introduction of their own funds from abroad. It's for everyone, not just Russians, but it affects us directly," Kirill Makoveev told Clarín.
The new immigration restrictions complicate Russian citizens seeking to live in Argentina. Among them, those who have their children here and seek citizenship. Photo: Federico Imas
He is a Russian lawyer who has lived in the country since 2014 and founded Ru Argentina, one of the companies that promote "parturient tourism", among other tailor-made services for his compatriots. Makoveev is not involved in the network being investigated by the judiciary.
"The rentiers don't ask for social plans, they don't take jobs, they just live in the country and fill the banking system with their own foreign dollars. This is pure profit for Argentina. There are thousands of these residents. But the Director of Migration has decided to get rid of them," he insists.
Makoveev is not a rentier, but in his community he knows many who are. From his Telegram groups, in addition, he learned that a protest is being organized, possibly, for this Friday. And it explains why this is not Russian anger.
"American and European rentiers are also angry. It kills them everything. Imagine that you live in a country (for Argentina) that you do good (for the dollars brought to national banks) and suddenly you receive a schizophrenic measure just because."
Why does the modification affect Russians (all immigrants actually) rentiers?
The sums of the income received were raised to prove that condition of rentier. And "This income must be accredited by each applicant for residence," explains article 2 of the regulations signed by the head of the state agency, Florencia Carignano.
In addition, the text details that the income to be accredited must constitute a benefit from assets incorporated into the applicant's equity, whether financial instruments, real estate, shares in companies or other extremes, "not including in this category remuneration obtained for personal work".
In addition, it adds that "own resources deposited in bank accounts abroad will be admissible, provided that the legality of the origin of said funds is undoubtedly proven."
Translation: rentier foreigners can be those who have a property abroad that they rent and those funds, which for example they receive by western union, are deposited in the bank here. Or those who hold bonds or stocks; an own business abroad or a job in a relationship of dependency (with its particular characteristics, because that alone does not enable them to reside. And it doesn't count to be a freelancer).
Why does it affect (so much) Russians? Many come for the blue passport. And the residence, after just two years, leads them to citizenship, which allows them to move more freely around the world than having Russian nationality. How to enter the United States with a tourist visa for 10 years or move without problems in Europe. It also excludes men from enlisting in the Army.
Residence as a rentier is no longer an option for Marusia.
Testimonials
Marusia came to Argentina from Siberia with her husband. They liked the country, checked the immigration rules and decided to stay. They gathered the documents, paid thousands of dollars in translations, and even brought in a huge dog named Losiash, a real Buryat (and the move also cost them a fortune).
Now he doesn't know what to do. "No country changes immigration policy in a day. It would have been reasonable to warn about the changes in advance and provide clear instructions for foreigners," he told Clarín. They were going to process the residence as rentiers. They can't anymore.
"Before, a rentier had to enter about 20,24 dollars into the country per year for his entire family group in his bank account in Argentina. Now it increased to $20,48 for each family member. If a couple had to declare 4 thousand, now it is 100 thousand, and a family of 100, almost <> thousand dollars. And as if that wasn't enough, now this money must be deposited into your bank account before obtaining residency. In practice it is impossible, because no bank in the country will open an account to a non-resident and allow <>,<> dollars to be deposited in it."
As for Russian anger in particular, Kirill adds that they first perceived that Argentina was "welcoming everyone" and that now it seems to be closing its migration process.
"This decree was made without having any idea how things work, without thinking that the country is participating in an international market of services for rentiers or because they really want to close a possibility that brings clean money to the country."
SC
See also
