Argentina is one of the few countries that charges US visitors a reciprocity fee. The Argentina reciprocity fee must also be paid by Australian and Canadian passport holders. We don’t need any sort of Argentina visas, but we do need to pay this fee.
The reason is this: When people outside the United States want to visit our country, they must pay a $160 fee in order to obtain a visa. US citizens, on the other hand, are able to visit most countries without paying any sort of visa fee at all. Argentina, evidently, doesn’t think this is particularly fair (and we can hardly blame them). As a result, they put in place this fee that makes it as expensive for us to visit them as it is for them to visit us.
Before you travel to Argentina, you can pay your reciprocity fee online. Go to this link, enter your personal information, and pay the fee with a major US credit card. The payment goes to the National Directorate of Immigration in Argentina. Once that’s done, print your receipt and bring it with you on your trip to Argentina. You’ll also have a copy sent to your email, but it’s a good idea to print the receipt, just in case.
Remember to make your reciprocity fee payment before your trip. The only way to pay the fee is through Argentina’s online system, and you will be expected to have made the payment before arriving in the country. You can avoid a lot of stress and the possibility of ruining your South American vacation by remembering to pay the fee before you leave.
When you arrive in Argentina, you’ll be asked to present your receipt to the immigration officer. He or she will scan the receipt to verify that you have paid the reciprocity fee and are therefore able to enter Argentina.
If you are a regular traveler to South America, be sure to hold onto that receipt. The Argentina reciprocity fee is valid for 10 years from the date of payment and allows US citizens to enter Argentina as many times as they like during that period.
Remember, you won’t need a travel visa in order to visit Argentina as a US citizen, but you will need a valid US passport with a few blank pages.
If you have more questions about the reciprocity fee or travel to Argentina, contact our team today!
