For many travelers, the breathtaking country of Argentina is a dream destination. With vibrant cities, spectacular national parklands, and an amazing food scene, the country has something for everyone. Whether you are visiting to explore the gorgeous Patagonia region in the South, see the jaw-dropping magnitude of the Iguazu Falls in the North, or spend time in one of the country’s amazing cities, you won’t be disappointed. However, before you can hop on a plan and start your Argentinian adventure, you need to make sure you meet the Argentina entrance requirements.

To ensure you meet the entrance requirements for Argentina, I have provided an outline of all the entrance requirements in this article. Furthermore, I also created a handy checklist that I linked to below that you can use to track the requirements as you meet them.

Download the Argentina Entrance Requirements Checklist

Argentina Passport Requirements

One of the most important Argentinian entrance requirements you must consider when planning your trip is the country’s passport requirements. To be allowed into Argentina, your passport must be valid on your arrival date. If your passport is set to expire before you arrive in Argentina, you will need to renew your passport before your trip.

Argentina VISA Requirements

Depending on your nationality, you may not need to obtain a VISA before visiting Argentina. If you are a passport holder from a VISA-exempt country, you are allowed to enter Argentina without a VISA as long as you don’t overstay your VISA exemption period. Passport holders from countries that are not VISA exempt will need to apply for a tourist VISA before traveling to Argentina.

If you are a passport holder from the following countries, you are not currently required to obtain a VISA before visiting Argentina as long as you stay in the country for less than the specified number of days.

Argentina Immunization Requirements

Important Note: I am not a medical doctor and do not have any medical experience. The information provided in this section is a summary of information that I got from the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States for travel to Argentina. I am providing you this information to help bring awareness of the necessary vaccinations to you, but consultation with my guide should not replace a discussion about your travels with your doctor or a travel medical clinic.

One of the most important, and yet most often overlooked, aspects of travel is the necessary vaccinations that are required or recommended to keep you safe and healthy when you travel. Before you depart for Argentina, you are going to want to make sure that you have all of the proper vaccinations.

Some of these vaccinations, like the Yellow Fever vaccination, are included in the Argentinian entrance requirements. Other vaccinations, such as a flu shot and the Rabies vaccine, are recommended, but not required. For your convenience, I have summarized the CDC’s recommendations on vaccines and healthcare for travelers visiting Argentina for you to review below.

Recommended Travel Vaccinations for Argentina

There are several vaccinations that the CDC recommends that you get before traveling to Argentina, which I have outlined for you below. Please be aware that yellow fever is endemic to regions within Argentina, so you will need to get a Yellow Fever vaccination if you are visiting one of these regions. Please pay special attention to the details in this section of the guide and make sure you discuss all vaccinations with your doctor or travel health clinic.

Routine Vaccinations for Argentina

In addition, the vaccinations that are recommended for travel to Argentina specifically, there are other routine vaccinations you should be current on before traveling anywhere in this world. For an overview of the routine vaccinations recommended by the CDC, please review the chart that I have included below.

Non-Vaccine Preventable Diseases

In addition to the recommended vaccinations, there are other health precautions to take when visiting Argentina to avoid getting sick. While these health precautions aren’t on the list of the Brazilian entrance requirements, they are important measures that you can take to make sure you don’t get ill while traveling.

AVOID CONTAMINATED WATER

When traveling, one of the easiest ways to get sick is to come into contact with contaminated water. There is an illness that is found in Brazil that can be spread by either drinking or swimming in contaminated water. Before you depart for your trip, you will want to be aware of the illness below. To avoid getting sick, make sure you stick to drinking bottled water and avoid swimming in stagnant pools.

AVOID BUG BITES

Another easy way to get sick while traveling is to be bitten by bugs that carry illnesses. The most common insect that spreads diseases to humans is the mosquito, but ticks and flies can also spread serious illnesses through their bites.

To make sure you don’t fall ill from an insect bite while in Argentina, I would recommend bringing insect repellent and mosquito netting with you when you visit and avoid getting bitten by bugs as much as possible.

Believe it or not, Buenos Aires is one of the areas in Argentina with the highest incidents of Dengue. So, making sure you protect yourself from mosquitos while in Argentina is very important.

BE AWARE OF AIRBORNE AND DROPLET ILLNESSES

Out of all the ways that illnesses can be spread, airborne diseases are the hardest to protect yourself against. After all, you don’t have to physically touch or be touched by an infected person or animal and there isn’t a repellant that you can spray on to avoid catching these illnesses.

This is why it is always important to be observant of those with whom you interact while traveling. This is the best way to make sure you don’t expose yourself to potentially harmful airborne illnesses. According to the CDC, the particular airborne illnesses that you should be aware of while traveling to Argentina are as follows:

Argentina Customs Restrictions

Another important aspect of travel to Argentina that you need to be aware of before you travel is the country’s customs regulations. Like other countries, there are certain goods that you are restricted or even prohibited from bringing into the country. To ensure that you don’t make the costly mistake of having one of these restricted items in your baggage, I have outlined the Argentinian custom requirements for you to review below.

FREE IMPORT

According to the VISAHQ.com, website, the following items are considered free-import items when entering Argentina, but with limits (as described below).

• 2 liters of alcoholic beverages.
• 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars.
• 5kg of food.

The following free important limits are for travelers from Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, or Argentinian residents returning after more than a year away.

• 1 liter of alcoholic beverages.
• 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars.
• 2kg of food.

PROHIBITED ITEMS

Before you will be allowed into Argentina, you will also need to clear customs to be sure you aren’t carrying any prohibited items with you. For instance, travelers are strictly prohibited from bringing the following items into Argentina:

• Illegal drugs.
• Weapons and\or ammunition (without permission).
• Explosives.
• Knives or deadly weapons.
• Meat or meat products of any kind.
• Milk and dairy products.
• Fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Trees, plants, or plant products.
• New Computers or TVs.
• Soil.
• Counterfeit money and goods.
• Pornographic material.

CONTROLLED ITEMS

In addition to these prohibited items, the government of Argentina has placed limits on the quantity of other items that can be brought into the country. If you plan to travel with any of the following items when visiting Argentina, you will want to plan accordingly so that you do not violate the Argentinian entrance requirements:

• Firearms and ammunition require permission from the Registro Nacional de Armas (RENAR) (National Firearms Bureau).
• Bringing in dogs or cats requires an official veterinary health and vaccination certificate (animals under 3 months do not require a rabies vaccination certification).
• Mobile phones being imported require permission from the customs department.

Argentina Currency Information

The final aspect of the Argentinian entrance requirements that you will want to understand before traveling is the currency considerations. Not only will you need to understand the currency limits, but you also need to understand how to obtain, convert, and use currency while in Argentina. The country has faced serious hyperinflation in recent years, so understanding the currency issues before you travel is critically important.

Currency Restrictions

The first thing you must understand about Argentina’s currency regulations is how much money you are allowed to bring in and out of the country. According to the US State Department website, the government of Argentina has the following currency limits and regulations in place:

• Up to USD 10,000 or equivalent may be brought into the country without a declaration for travelers over the age of 16. The limit is USD 5,000 or equivalent for travelers under the age of 16.
• Up to USD 10,000 or equivalent may be taken out of the country without a declaration for travelers over the age of 16. The limit is USD 5,000 or equivalent for travelers under the age of 16.

Currency Issues in Argentina

In case you weren’t aware, Argentina has had some economic issues recently. While the United States has been dealing with up to 9% inflation in recent years, the inflation rate in Argentina has recently reached nearly 200%. This has caused significant currency issues that have had a lasting impact on the country’s economic situation.

For instance, the 1000-peso note in Argentina is currently worth just USD 1.50. So, if you want to carry cash in Argentina, you will be carrying large wads of bills around with you. Now, things have started to improve under Javier Milei’s leadership. Hopefully, things will continue to get better. Until then, you should understand how to navigate the currency situation in Argentina before you visit.

THE TWO CURRENCY MARKETS

Because of the high inflation rates, Argentines prefer to hold onto US Dollars, which is seen as a more stable currency. This has created an environment where there are two distinct markets for exchanging money in Argentina. You have both the official market, where the government sets the exchange rate, and the blue market (mercado azul), where supply and demand set the rate.

Since Milei introduced his plan to start dollarizing the Argentinian economy in 2023, the difference in exchange rates between the official market and the blue market has tightened. Before he began making changes, it was not uncommon for the exchange rate in the blue market to be almost twice as much as the official market.

CASH VS CREDIT CARDS

Because of the high inflation rate, I would suggest using a credit card as much as possible while traveling in Argentina. While credit card companies use the official exchange rate, this isn’t as big of an issue now that the difference in rates has tightened. When the blue rate was twice as much as the official rate, using credit cards made a lot less sense than it does now. Credit cards are now a much more attractive way to pay for things in Argentina.

Credit cards are accepted in most places, including hotels, restaurants, and stores. However, you should always ask and not assume they are accepted. In some cases, there may be a minimum purchase amount that needs to be reached before credit cards are accepted. In most cases, VISA and Mastercards are widely accepted in Argentina, with American Express less so. I suggest carrying a few different cards with you so that you have a backup.

CONVERTING CURRENCY

If you do need to convert currency while in Argentina, here are a few different options that you have:

• Cuevas – Unofficial currency exchanges that use the blue rate. They are generally safe and Argentines use them daily. You can ask the concierge at your hotel for recommendations.
• Arbolitos on Calle Florida – If you are visiting Buenos Aires, there are many Arbolitos (currency exchangers) that will exchange money for you at the blue rate. Look for someone yelling, “Cambio! Cambio!”.
• Currency Exchange Houses and Banks – If you are nervous about using informal markets to exchange money, you can always use formal currency exchange houses and banks. You won’t get as good of an exchange rate, but the difference isn’t nearly as big between the official rate and the blue rate nowadays.

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