Humanitarian Residency
in Argentina

Immigration protection on humanitarian grounds

Argentine immigration law provides a specific residency category for persons whose circumstances warrant special treatment on humanitarian grounds. This category functions as a protection mechanism for those who, without falling within the traditional frameworks of refugee status or asylum, face situations that make returning to their country of origin unsafe or unfeasible. Each case is evaluated individually by the National Immigration Office (Direccion Nacional de Migraciones).

Situations covered

• Persons in need of international protection who, without being refugees or asylees, are protected by the non-refoulement principle and cannot regularize their immigration status through other criteria
• Persons for whom it is credibly presumed that, if forced to return to their country of origin, they would be subjected to violations of human rights recognized in international instruments with constitutional standing
• Victims of human trafficking, other forms of slave-like exploitation, or victims of migrant smuggling
• Persons who invoke health reasons that suggest a risk of death if forced to return to their country of origin due to lack of medical treatment
• Stateless persons and refugees who have resided in the country for more than 3 years and whose status has ceased

Required documentation

• Valid passport or authorized travel document
• Argentine criminal background check (applicants over 16 years of age)
• Criminal background check from countries where the applicant resided for more than one year during the last three years
• Proof of domicile in Argentina
• Proof of lawful entry into the country
• Foreign documentation legalized by the Argentine consulate or apostilled under the Hague Convention
• Certified translations into Spanish where applicable

Procedure

In-person filing before the National Immigration Office or its regional branches, with a prior appointment booked through the official website. Given the nature of these cases, each situation is assessed individually considering the specific circumstances of vulnerability.

Duration

Up to one year, renewable. Renewal depends on the persistence of the humanitarian conditions that prompted the original grant.

Legal framework

Immigration Law 25.871, Decree 616/10, and complementary regulations on human rights protection and the non-refoulement principle.

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