Filling out the DS-160 online is easy and doesn’t require help from a third party. Just click on this link https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/

For specific information about how to apply for a visa (required documents, visa fee, scheduling an appointment, and delivery services), please visit https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ar/niv

 

For more information on visa renewals, please visit https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ar/niv/information/niv

For more information on personal appearance and interview requirements, please click here.

 

Please follow this link for expedited appointment information.

The Embassy of the United States in Buenos Aires is located on Avenida Colombia 4300, Buenos Aires City.

The business hours of the Consular Section are Monday to Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding Argentine and American holidays.  However, access to the Consular Section is by appointment only.

Only non-immigrant visa applicants with a scheduled appointment and those specified below will be admitted into the Embassy:

• Parent(s) or guardian(s) accompanying children under 18 years old
• Interpreters for applicants who do not speak English or Spanish
• Assistants for the disabled
• Employers of domestic employee applicants

Security

Every person visiting the Embassy must agree to a security screening before entering the Consular Section with their belongings.

Applicants will not be allowed to enter the Embassy with the following items:

• Weapons or any element that could be used as a weapon, including knives, metallic files, nail clippers, scissors, etc.
• Electronic devices (mobile phones, cameras, laptops, tablets, USBs, cables, remote controls, remote access keys or other electronic equipment) with the exception of medical devices.
• Liquids and/or flammable items, including sodas, perfume, lighters, matches, etc.
• Purses or bags measuring 20 x 15 x 10cm or more (smaller purses are allowed)
• Packages, bags, backpacks, briefcases, suitcases
• Drugs, narcotics or any illegal substance, as well as medicines without a prescription

Some visa applications require further administrative processing, which takes additional time after the visa applicant’s interview by a consular officer. Applicants will be advised of this requirement.

Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days of the visa interview, but the timing will vary based on individual circumstances of each case.

The Consular Section recommends that individuals apply for visas well in advance of their proposed date of travel, and not make final travel plans or purchase non-refundable tickets until the passport and visa have been received.

If your case:

Has been delayed for more than 10 days since it was processed, you received a green sheet (administrative processing/221g) or you have been notified about the delay by email or phone and you need to check on the status of your case or;

Has been delayed for more than 10 days since it was processed by the consular section and when you verify the case the status is “no status’ or “application received” or it appears as denied

Please use the contact form in our website so we can verify the status of the case. Please select “My question is about Nonimmigrant visas and it is not included in your website”.

 

Holders of this visa type are foreign government diplomats, international organizations officials and employees, their immediate family members and their domestic workers.

Diplomats

Diplomats and other foreign government officials traveling to the United States to engage solely in official duties or activities on behalf of their national government must obtain an A visa prior to entering the United States.

IMPORTANT: Local government officials traveling on behalf of their state or province do not qualify for A visas.

 

International Organizations

Government officials and employees who will work for international organizations in the United States must obtain a G visa.

Further information may be found in the link below:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/other-visa-categories/visas-diplomats.html

 

• How to apply

 

The applicant must:

1. Complete the online Form DS-160
2. Submit to BNS-officialvisas@state.gov the following information, in order to schedule an appointment for the visa interview, in which the required documentation must be delivered:

• Full name of the principal applicant (Position and Title)
• Full name of dependants (if any)
• Date and purpose of travel (these must be the same as the ones included in the Diplomatic Note).
• Type of visa requested

1. Upon receipt of the e-mail, an appointment will be scheduled, and the applicant will receive a response with the time and date in which he or she must attend said interview.

• During the interview the applicant must deliver:

 

1. DS-160 Form confirmation page: https://ceac.state.gov/GenNIV
2. Valid passport (and in good conditions)
3. Photo (size: 5cm. and 5cm., taken recently in a white background, without eyeglasses)
4. Diplomatic Note issued by Foreign Affairs Department, Embassy or international organization. This note must include: full name, date of birth, and passport number; Position/title/office; Purpose, date, place, and length of travel and a brief description of the applicant’s duties and personal information of the dependants, if any.
5. Fee payment receipt, if the official is applying for a B1/B2 visa. (Diplomats in exercise of their duties, applying with Diplomatic passports may be exempt from the visa fee).
6. Employment contract (drafted in English and Spanish), should the applicant be a domestic worker.

• Additional information

Holders of diplomatic passports are exempt from any visa fees. Holders of official passports are exempt only from official visa fees. However, should the applicant need a non-official visa, application and reciprocity fees must be paid, if applicable.

Type of passport	Type of visa	Fee
Diplomatic	A or G	No fee
	B1/B2	No fee
Official	A or G	No fee
	B1/B2	Fee*
Regular	A or G	No fee
	B1/B2	Fee*
*Depending upon nationality, there may be an additional reciprocity fee.

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The US Embassy Argentina ONLY implements an ELECTRONIC PACKET SUBMISSION process for all E visa applicants.  Paper submission packets are no longer accepted by the Embassy. 

The U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires is currently processing treaty trader (E-1) and treaty investor (E-2) visa applications from applicants who are nationals of Argentina or permanent residents of Argentina prior to the submission of the application package. If you are applying as a non-Argentine resident or citizen, please contact us prior to submitting an application.

Treaty Trader (E-1) and Treaty Investor (E-2) visas are for citizens of countries with which the United States maintains treaties of commerce and navigation. To qualify for an E-1 visa, the applicant must be coming to the United States solely to engage in substantial trade in qualifying activities, including trade in services or technology, principally between the United States and the treaty country, or to work in the enterprise as an executive, supervisor, or essentially skilled employee. To qualify for an E-2 visa, the applicant must be coming to the United States solely to develop and direct the operations of an enterprise in which the applicant has invested a substantial amount of capital, or to work in the enterprise as an executive, supervisor, or essentially skilled employee.

How to Apply for an E Visa in Argentina 

 

1. Review our E Visa Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions.  (PDF 138 KB)
2. Complete and submit the Online Visa Application (DS-160) along with your uploaded photo. Save a copy of the confirmation page.
3. Create a user account and pay the visa application fee for yourself and any accompanying family members, following the instructions provided at our appointment service provider’s website.
4. Complete and save Form DS-156E (not required for dependent family members).
5. Submit by email the required documentation for your application. Carefully review the following pages for a detailed list of the required documents and submission instructions:
   • First-Time E Visa Cases: Required Documents and Submission Instructions  (PDF 165 KB)
   • Renewal E Visa Cases: Required Documents and Submission Instructions  (PDF 152 KB)
   • Dependents of E Visa Holders: Required Documents and Submission Instructions  (PDF 91 KB)
6. We will review your documentation. If it is not complete, we will contact you for resubmission. If it is complete, we will contact you to schedule an interview. Please wait until you receive a response from the E visa team at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires before inquiring on the status of your application.
7. Appear for your interview at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires with a photo 5x 5 for each applicant.

 

The U. S. Embassy Buenos Aires may accept groups that meet the following requirements:

• Petition-based visas (P – O visa categories): Group of Athletes, Artist Performers, etcetera, that are going to perform in an Artistic/athletic event.
• National Teams that are travelling to special events representing Argentina.

Important: Only group participants can apply through this program. Siblings and other family members who want to travel to accompany a group participant will not be accepted and will need to schedule individual appointments; their cases will have to stand on their own merits.

If one of the above criteria is met, request a group appointment to buenosairesgroups@state.gov

 

Transit (C) visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons traveling in immediate and continuous transit through the United States en route to another country, with few exceptions. Please find the complete information at  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/other-visa-categories/transit.html  and at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ar/niv/information/visa_categories

 

Crewmember (D) visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons working on board commercial sea vessels or international airlines in the United States, providing services required for normal operation and intending to depart the United States on the same vessel or any other vessel within 29 days. If you travel to the United States to join the vessel you will work on, in addition to a crewmember (D) visa, you also need a transit (C-1) visa or a combination C-1/D visa.

Personal or domestic servants who are accompanying or following to join an employer in the United States are eligible for B-1 visas; those accompanying or following to join an employer who is a foreign diplomat or official are eligible for A-3 or G-5 visas, depending on the visa status of their employer.

This category of persons includes, but is not limited to, cooks, butlers, chauffeurs, housemaids, parlormaids, valets, footmen, nannies, au pairs, mothers’ helpers, gardeners, and paid companions.

Accompanying a Nonimmigrant Visa Holder

An employer-employee relationship must already have existed between the employer and the visa applicant.  This can be demonstrated in the following ways:

1. The employee has been employed outside the United States by the employer for at least one year prior to the date of the employer’s admission to the United States.
2. If the employer-employee relationship existed immediately prior to the time of application, the employer can demonstrate that he has regularly employed the applicant as domestic help over a period of years preceding the time of application either year-round or seasonally.
3. If the employer-employee relationship is less than one year in duration, the employee must have had at least one year’s experience as a personal or domestic servant as attested to by statements from previous employers.

A responsibility of the employer is that he/she will be the only provider of employment for the visa holder. Additionally, he/she will provide the employee room and board and round trip airfare as indicated under the terms of the employment contract.

Accompanying an American Citizen

Personal or domestic servants who are accompanying or following to join their United States citizen employer in the United States may be eligible for the B-1 visa classification if their employer ordinarily resides outside the United States and is traveling to the United States temporarily, or the employer is subject to frequent international transfers lasting two years or more and who, as a condition of employment, is going to reside in the United States for a stay not to exceed four years.

Note: It is not possible to qualify for a B-1 visa if the United States citizen will reside permanently in the United States, even if the individual concerned has previously been in the United States citizen’s employ abroad.

In addition:

• The employer-employee relationship must have existed for at least six months prior to the employer’s admission to the United States or, alternatively, that the employer has regularly employed a domestic servant in the same capacity while abroad;
• The employee has had at least one year experiences as a personal or domestic servant by producing statements from previous employers attesting to such experience;
• The employer will be the only provider of employment and will provide the employee free room and board and round trip airfare as indicated under the terms of the employment contract.

Required Documentation:

1. Valid Passport.
2. The DS-160 application form confirmation page.
3. Original bank receipt for the application fee.
4. The employer’s valid visa or the employer’s U.S. valid passport.
5. Documentation in support of employer’s ability to pay the employee’s salary. This could include pay stubs, bank statements, or other documents verifying the employer’s solvency.
6. A contract signed and dated by both employer and employee that at a minimum must include a guarantee that:

• The employee will be compensated at the minimum or prevailing wage, whichever is greater. The minimum hourly wage or prevailing wage for the location in the United States where the employee will be performing the work must be specified in the contract.
• IMPORTANT: Please check both links in the preceding sentence to determine which amount is greater: the minimum wage or the prevailing wage.  To use the prevailing wage website, do the following:
  • Click on the “prevailing wage” highlighted link
  • Select the state you will visit from the drop-down list and hit continue
  • When it appears, select the county you will visit from the drop-down list. If you do not know the county, you can easily find out by googling the city (for example, Google “what county Miami Florida”)
  • In the next box titled “Enter a keyword or phrase” enter the most appropriate description of this person’s job (for example, “nanny” or “housekeeper”)
  • Hit search
  • On the next page, locate the most appropriate occupation listed, and hit “View wages” for that occupation
  • On the next page, the hourly wage listed next to “Level 2 Wage” is the correct wage to use in your contract.  In the below example, you would use $9.81 per hour for your contract.

Your search returned the following: Print Format
Area Code:                         33124
Area Title:                           Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division
OES/SOC Code:                 39-9011
OES/SOC Title:                  Childcare Workers
GeoLevel:                           1
Level 1 Wage:                   $8.92 hour – $18,554 year
Level 2 Wage:                   $9.81 hour – $20,405 year
Level 3 Wage:                   $10.69 hour – $22,235 year
Level 4 Wage:                   $11.58 hour – $24,086 year
Mean Wage (H-2B):       $10.69 hour – $22,235 year

• The contract must also include a provision stating that for every hour worked above 40 hours per week, the applicant will be compensated at 150% of his or her salary.

In addition, if working for a U.S. citizen the contract must:

• Reflect any other benefits normally required for U.S. domestic workers in the area of employment; and
• State that the employer will give at least two week’s notice of his or her intent to terminate the employment, and that the employee need not give more than two weeks notice of intent to leave the employment.

Employees: Know Your Rights

While working in the U.S., all B-1 visa holders have very clear rights under U.S federal immigration, labor and employment laws. These rights are explained in a pamphlet that you will be given during your interview at the U.S. Embassy, and are also available online here.  If you have any questions, please be sure to discuss with the Consular Officer at the time of your interview. You can contact the organizations listed in the pamphlet at any time.

In general:

• Be sure you understand your contract (what your salary will be, how many hours you are expected to work etc).
• Keep a copy of the employment contract for yourself (your employer should not have the only copy).
• Keep your Argentinian passport and U.S. visa with you (these documents should remain with you, not your employer).
• Do not sign anything that you do not understand.
• Read and familiarize yourself with the Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers pamphlet. (Spanish version here)

Employers: Know Your Responsibilities

The employment contract is an official document that clearly states the terms of employment while in the U.S.  If it is determined that any part of the contract has not been adhered to (for example, if the employer does not pay the hourly wage stated in the contract, or fails to pay the employee 150% of his/her salary for every hour worked above 40 hours per week), the employer has violated the employee’s rights under U.S. law.  In addition, employers have the responsibility to ensure that:

• Employees are given a copy of the work contract, signed by both parties.
• Employees (not employers) remain in possession of their Argentinian passport and U.S. visa at all times.
• For more information on employees’ rights while working in the U.S., please click here.

Accompanying a Diplomatic Visa Holder

Personal or domestic employees accompanying foreign diplomatic officials or foreign federal employees traveling to the United States on official business under visa classes A1 or A2 will need to apply for visa class A3.

Accompanying a Member of an International Organization

Personal or domestic employees accompanying a member of an international organization traveling to the United States on official business under visa classes G1, G2, G3 or G4 will need to apply for visa class G5.

• Click here to see a sample Spanish/English contract for a B1 domestic employee and herefor a diplomat or official domestic employee. (PDF 80 KB)

SUMMER WORK & TRAVEL (SWT) PROGRAM

Purpose of the Program

Promoting cultural exchange by allowing post-secondary and/or university students to travel to the United States in order to know its people, customs, improve their English and work temporarily during their summer vacation. Official Information of the Work & Travel Program in English

General Requirements

• This program is only for full-time students enrolled in universities or post-secondary institutions in order to obtain a degree at an accredited educational institution.
• The period of participation must not exceed four months.
• Applicants must return before classes start in Argentina.
• Applicants must prove that they will resume their activities as students after they participate in the Summer Work & Travel Program, provided that it is not the last year of their degree.
• Students must prove their academic progress to participate.
• Students must be sufficiently proficient in English to interact in their workplace.

REMARK: Vocational students are not eligible for this program.

Definition of ‘Student’

For the purpose of the Summer Work & Travel Program, the term student means:

A student who has completed their secondary education, is a regular student or enrolled in a university or post-secondary degree at an accredited educational institution. The study method must be in-person and not virtual. CBC (Ciclo Básico Común) students will also be considered regular students.

Some Required Documents:

• Valid passport, which must cover at least the duration of the program.
• Form DS-160 confirmation page.
• Form DS-2019 issued by the designated sponsoring organization in the US. · Payment receipt of the SEVIS fee.
• Regular student certificate, with no more than 30 days upon the date of the interview and a letter from the University (which will be provided by the local agency or local sponsor).
• Academic transcript (certificado analítico) of the University (issued and sealed by the institution)
• Documents that certify your socio-economic situation in Argentina.

Agencies in Argentina in Alphabetical Order

• ALEXANDRIA JOVEN – Provincia de Córdoba.
• ACE Argentina Cultural Exchange – Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires.
• AUCKLAND TURISMO – Provincia de Santa Fe y Provincia de Buenos Aires.
• BEWAT Beckett Education Work and Travel – Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires
• CIUDAD UNIVERSITARIA – Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires.
• ENJOY Work & Travel – Provincia de Mendoza.
• GLOBAL Work and Travel – San Isidro, Provincia de Buenos Aires.
• GRUPOLIVE – CABA, Mar del Plata y Bahía Blanca.
• ILE InterLatina Cultural Exchange – Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires.
• MIDLAND TRAVEL – Provincia de Córdoba.
• NETWORK – Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires.
• SAUL SAIDEL VIAJES – Provincia de San Juan.
• USE Universal Student Exchange Argentina – Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires.
• WATAR – CABA, Bahía Blanca, Córdoba, Mar del Plata, Paraná, Rosario y Tucumán.
• WELCOME ABROAD – San Isidro, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Tucumán y Santa Fe.
• WE-TAG – Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires.
• WEUSA -CABA, La Plata, Córdoba, Mendoza, Rosario, Mar del Plata, Santiago del Estero, Corrientes.
• WORK AND FUN – CABA y Provincia de Mendoza.
• WORK AND HOLS – Mar del Plata, Córdoba, San Luis, Tandil, Rosario y Bahía Blanca.
• WORLWIDE CULTURAL EXCHANGE

REMARK: This list is for informational purposes only. The US Embassy in Argentina does not represent or sponsor any of these particular agencies.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Summer Work & Travel Program

What do start and end dates mean in my DS-2019?

The start and end dates indicate when you should start working and when you should finish. You may start working at the beginning of the program or after its starting date, but you must finish your work by the end date. If you work beyond the end date, you will not participate in the program in the future.

How much time before the start date of the program can I enter the United States?

You may enter the United States up to 30 days before your program starts. However, you cannot start working before the start date of the program. Please remember that your participation in the program cannot prevent you from attending class or taking previously agreed exams. If you miss class due to your

participation in the program, you will be seriously jeopardizing your opportunity to participate in the program in the future.

How much time after the end date am I allowed to stay in the United States?

This program allows you to return to your country of residence not after 1st April. Other programs under J1 visas offer other dates and return periods. The SW&T Program in Argentina offers this date as reference for future applications. People staying in the United States after that date are risking having their future visas rejected. If you leave the United States during the program, you are not allowed to return with your J1 visa despite being valid, because you will no longer be participating in the program. You should consider that returning home in time to start your classes is your responsibility, irrespective of the date in which the program ends.

Can I change job while I am in the United States?

Please ask and contact your sponsoring agency before making any changes in your job. If you change your job without the authorization from your sponsoring agency, your status as program participant may be cancelled. If your program is cancelled, you must leave the United States immediately.

Can I have more than one job in the United States?

The exchange program regulations do not specifically cover this situation. However, you should ask your sponsor before accepting any additional job.

What happens if I have a complaint about the sponsoring agency or my employer in the United States? You may register your complaints with the Department of State by sending an email to jvisas@state.go and should you have any emergency, there is a specific line you can contact. To find more information, please visit this website.

The sponsoring organization in the United States is primarily responsible for your program. If you have any complaint about your employer, you must contact your sponsor before you contact anyone else to request assistance. You may find your sponsor’s contact information in the 2nd box of the DS-2019 form.

What happens if I have difficulty in finding a job once I arrive in the United States, or have doubts about the employment conditions?

If you have any questions, you have difficulty in finding a job, or have doubts about the employment conditions, you must contact your sponsor in the United States and your local agency in Argentina. You may also contact the Department of State by writing to jvisas@state.gov

 

J Visas – Exchange Visitor All the Official Information on Exchange Visitor J Visas

This Visa category is designed for applicants planning to participate in programs approved by the US Department of State to teach, study, research, demonstrate special skills or receive training, or to participate in a program to receive graduate medical education.

This category also includes programs approved by the US Department of State to place people into firms, institutions and other agencies and for on-the-job practical training in specialized fields for periods not exceeding 18 months.

Participation in language learning programs and seminars, workshops or short-term courses directly related to the internships may also be admitted. The J visa also enables visitors to travel for observations connected to internships, training in techniques and methodologies in a certain area, colleagues contact, promoting cross-cultural contacts between workers, professionals, researchers and students in the general interest of international exchange. This may include camp counselor, seasonal work such as at ski resorts and summer camps or as Au Pairs.

Before applying for a visa, you must have been accepted into an approved program. Evidence of your acceptance is the form DS-2019, sent directly to the applicant by the program sponsor. Additionally, students must be registered in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Your school or program must register students in SEVIS and students must pay for this registration.

Once accepted, the applicant must follow the steps of the regular visa application process and have the documents to apply for the appropriate visa.

Residency Rules

Many programs under the J-category are supported partially or wholly by government agencies. If they are, or if the applicants are to receive graduate medical education or training regardless of source of finances, a condition for accepting a J-visa prohibits J-visa beneficiaries from applying for immigration and for certain work visas (H and L-visas) until the applicants have resided and been physically present in their own country of nationality or last residence for at least two years. This condition may also apply if the area of study or research is included in a skills list agreed to by the US Department of State and the applicant’s government. Before accepting a J-visa, you should inquire if this condition applies. For those wishing to participate in medical programs, there may be additional requirements. You can ask about these requirements by writing to Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)

Instructions for Applicants of J-1 Visa with Programs Starting with G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-7

If you are planning to travel to the United States on a J-1 visa under a program sponsored by the United States Government and the program number in your DS-2019 starts with G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-7, you must carry out a procedure that is different from a regular visa, since you do not have to pay the SEVIS or visa fees.

• Once you obtain the DS-2019 and verify that the program number starts with G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-7, you will have to complete the DS-160 online visa application form and print the confirmation sheet with the barcode.
• After completing the first step, you must go to the Consulate located in Avenida Colombia 4300, 1st counter, from Monday to Friday from 9 to 11 hrs (except Argentine and US holidays and administrative days). This kind of programs sponsored by the Department of State does NOT require registration in the Visa Information Service System, or payment of the visa and SEVIS registration fees. You must only present your valid passport, the DS-160 confirmation sheet, DS-2019 and a 5×5 cm front picture with white background.
• If your visa is approved, the consular officer will indicate how to collect your passport with the visa.

 

If your passport with a U.S. visa (valid or expired) is stolen or lost, even if you have no immediate travel plans, please report the theft immediately to the Embassy via email to:
BNS-FPU@state.gov.

Please include the following information, as well as the words “Lost” or “Stolen” in the subject line:

• Full name (as it appears on your stolen or lost passport)
• Date of the robbery or date in which you believe your passport with the visa was lost. Passport number of your lost or stolen passport (if available)
• Number of the lost or stolen passport (if you have it)
• DNI or National Identification number
• Phone number
• Police report (if available)

 

Visit Frequently Asked Questions and Questions about the Visa Process .

 

Please visit https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ar/niv/information/niv to obtain information about it.

Our website has a FAQ section and a more FAQ with important general information and info about the visa process. Please visit all the links available since we will not respond questions which answers can be found in our webpage.

In the event you cannot find an answer to your question, please fill in our contact us form. You can write in English or Spanish.