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The U.S. Embassy in Argentina is offering emergency appointments only for passport and citizenship services that require an in-person appearance. Please be aware that emergency appointment availability is extremely limited.
The. U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires provides a variety of emergency and non-emergency services, as well as helpful information, to U.S. citizens visiting or living in Argentina. Please review our website to familiarize yourself with the services we can and cannot offer.
If you arrive at the consulate for any non-emergency service without an appointment, you will be asked to return after securing one. Thank you for your cooperation with this policy, which will ensure that services are offered in a more efficient manner, with shorter wait times.
Please note that failure to renew a passport in a timely manner prior to your travel is not an emergency service, and you will need an appointment to receive a new passport.
When making your appointment, please note that “Other Services” do not include consultations about visas or federal benefits (i.e. social security).
If you have questions regarding an immigrant visa petition for a relative, please contact BuenosAires-IV@state.gov.
If the answer to your question is not found on our website, email us at BuenosAires-ACS@state.gov.
The Department of State assists U.S. citizens imprisoned overseas and works to ensure their fair and humane treatment.
The Department of State helps the family and friends of U.S. citizens who die abroad. We inform the U.S. citizen’s next-of-kin of the death and we provide information on arrangements for local burial or the return of remains to the United States and on disposition of estates and personal effects. We also issue a Consular Report of Death Abroad, an official record of death.
International Parental Child Abduction
The Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues works to resolve and prevent cases of international parental child abduction and to help children and families involved in abduction cases. For more information, see our international parental child abduction page on travel.state.gov
The Department of State helps U.S. citizens who are victims of crime overseas. We connect crime victims with police and other services and provide information and resources to assist with physical, emotional, and/or financial injuries from crime.
What the Department of State Can/Can't Do in a Crisis
The safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas is one of our top priorities. To keep you informed, we provide security updates on travel.state.gov and embassy and consulate websites, and send out Alerts when you enroll in our free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) . For information about what the Department of State can and can’t do in a crisis visit the link below.
U.S. citizens in need of emergency financial assistance while abroad should first attempt to contact their family, friends, banking institution, or employer. Our American Citizen Services unit can assist in this effort, if necessary.
Use a commercial money transfer service, such as Western Union or MoneyGram., to wire money overseas. Money transfer cost comparison tools online can help you identify the best option. The person receiving the money will need to present proof of identity such as a passport.
Sending Money through the U.S. Department of State
When the commercial options listed above are not available or feasible, family or friends may send funds via the U.S. Department of State for delivery to a destitute U.S. citizen abroad at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. The U.S. Department of State assesses a $30 fee to establish an account and transfer funds.
In the event family and friends cannot provide financial assistance, U.S. citizens can apply for a repatriation loan to purchase a one-way ticket directly back to the United States. Your U.S. passports will be limited at the time the loan is issued and in most cases you will not be issued a new passport until the loan is paid in full. Contact us for more information.
The Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the entities or individuals whose names appear on the following lists. Inclusion on this list is in no way an endorsement by the Department or the U.S. government. Names are listed alphabetically, and the order in which they appear has no other significance. The information on the list is provided directly by the local service providers; the Department is not in a position to vouch for such information.
Legal Assistance Medical Assistance Missing Persons Safety and Security TipsThe U.S. Embassy cannot get involved in private legal disputes, such as those between you and an Argentine business. In these cases, we offer a list of attorneys if you choose to proceed with your case.
Medical and dental care in Buenos Aires are acceptable but vary in other areas, particularly in rural zones. Doctors, dentists, clinics, and hospitals generally require immediate payment, in cash, for services provided. U.S. medical insurances are not always valid outside the United States. Medicaid-Medicare does not provide coverage outside the United States. In some cases, medical insurance that covers medical evacuations from foreign countries has proven useful.
Sometimes concerned relatives and friends call us when they haven’t heard from a loved one who is abroad. We can help to pass messages to these missing U.S. citizens. Consular officers use the information provided by the family or friends of a missing person to locate the individual, and pass the caller’s message. We check with local authorities in Argentina to see if there is any report of a U.S. citizen hospitalized, arrested, or otherwise unable to communicate with those looking for them. Depending on the circumstances, consular officers may personally search hotels, airports, hospitals, or even prisons. The more information that the caller can provide, the better the chances are that we can find the missing U.S. citizen.
It is important to be aware of your surroundings at all times to avoid becoming a victim. Crimes reported by U.S. citizens to the Embassy indicate that they are most often victims of theft or non-violent robbery, especially within tourist neighborhoods like La Boca or Recoleta.
Intercountry Adoption
The United States is a party to the Hague Adoption Convention, an international treaty which seeks to ensure that intercountry adoptions are made in the best interests of the child and that safeguards are in place for their protection. Argentina is not currently a Hague Adoption country.
If you have a child outside the United States the child may have acquired U.S. citizenship at birth if the requirements under the Immigration and Nationality Act have been met as of the time of your child’s birth. To determine whether your child acquired U.S. citizenship at birth and to document that, you can apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) for your child. You may also choose to just apply for a U.S. passport for your child, although one benefit of a CRBA is that, unlike the U.S. passport, it does not expire and may be used as proof of acquisition of U.S. citizenship at birth. A full validity, unexpired U.S. passport is also proof of U.S. citizenship.
U.S. embassy and consulate personnel cannot perform marriages. Depending on the local law, civil or religious officials generally perform marriages. If your marriage overseas was performed in accordance with local law, it is valid in the country where it took place. Whether your marriage is recognized elsewhere depends on the laws of that place.
If you get married abroad and need to know if your marriage will be recognized in the United States and what documentation may be needed, contact the office of the Attorney General of your state of residence in the United States.
Genetic testing is a useful tool for verifying a stated biological relationship when no other form of credible evidence is available in conjunction with an immigrant visa (IV) application or a citizenship application (CRBA or passport). DNA testing is the only biological testing method currently accepted by the Department of State to establish a biological relationship. However, due to the expense, complexity, and logistical delays inherent in parentage testing, genetic testing should be used only if no other credible proof (documentation, photos, etc.) of the relationship exists.
Consular Affairs (CA) is the public face of the Department of State for millions of people around the world. We provide many services, and the most common are listed below.
U.S. Citizens overseas can renew passports, replace passports, or apply for new passports.
If you are a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (green card holder), you are responsible for filing U.S. federal income tax returns while abroad. You will find useful information on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website, such as Frequently Asked Questions about taxes, how to apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), or Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).
If you are a U.S. dual citizen or U.S. citizen living outside of the United States, you can register with the Selective Service System.
If you live in Argentina and have questions about Social Security Administration (SSA) services, contact the SSA Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) in Argentina.
U.S. service members, veterans, and their beneficiaries can apply for benefits on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website. The Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) may also be able to help veterans and beneficiaries with questions about benefits and services.
Depending on where you are eligible to vote, you may get your ballot by email, fax, or internet download. To start, complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) here. Print, sign, and return the FPCA to your local U.S. election office. Include your email address so election officials can reach you if there is a problem. If your state delivers ballots electronically by fax only, include your fax number. If you request electronic delivery and include your email address or fax number, you will receive your blank ballot 45 days before general and mid-term elections and generally 30 days before special, primary, and run-off elections for federal offices. We recommend completing a new FPCA each January, or when you move. If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact U.S. Embassy Voting Assistance Officer at VoteBuenosAires@state.gov.
Please call: +(54-11) 5777-4354
Outside of Office Hours, contact: +(54-11) 5777-4354
Outside of Argentina: +(54-11) 5777-4354
Emergency Contact – All Locations Get Travel Alerts International Parental Child Abduction Arrest of a U.S. Citizen Death of a U.S. Citizen Victims of Crime Emergency Financial AssistanceFavor de llamar: +(54-11) 5777-4354
Fuera de las horas de oficina, ponerse en contacto con: +(54-11) 5777-4354
Fuera del Argentina: +(54-11) 5777-4354
Contacto en Caso de Emergencia Regístrese en STEP Sustracción Internacional de Menores Arresto o Detención Fallecimiento Víctima de Crimen o Delíto Asistencia Financiera de Emergencia