I must admit I've been very lax about posting lately, somehow I think becoming a new mom has been the major culprit. I have so little time on my hands now and it seems that just as I sit down to write, something else always pulls me away. But I recently received a couple of questions about how to get a passport for a child born in Argentina to expat parents so I wanted to get this post out that I've been trying to do for more than three months :( It's gonna be a quick post but here goes.
Argentine passports are processed at the Policia Federal in the capital. You can go online to their website and download the form that you'll need to turn in with your paperwork which will save you a lot of time, particularly if you think you'll struggle with your Spanish. You'll click on the dropdown menu for "servicios" and then on "formularios" and then choose "pasaporte cedula de identitad". You can then print it to LEGAL sized paper. You need to fill out the entire form - have your child's DNI handy because you'll need information from it.
Once you've got your form filled out, collect your child's DNI, birth certificate, and your passports. You must make copies of everything...first page of DNI, birth cert, and first pages of passports PLUS the page which shows your last entry stamp. (if you are illegal because your visa has expired you'll have to first exit the country ie. go to Uruguay and then you can go to the Policia). If you don't get all the correct copies don't worry because there's a copy place just across the street. So once you've got all your paperwork together you'll head on down to the office.
Try to go to the office early just to avoid waiting. When you get there, DO NOT stand in line outside. Enter the building and turn immediately to your left and you'll see a special area for elderly, pregnant women, and people with young children - that's where you go. Head to the desk where the "very nice" (read grouchy) people will take your papers. They will check your paperwork and have you sit down to wait to be called. Once you're called back up they check everything again, send you over to pay for the passport in the main cajeras; then you return again where you'll head to get your child's photos done where the person will also give you a paper with a bar code DO NOT LOSE THIS; then you'll go to have their fingerprints taken; you're done. All said if everything goes smoothly you should be out in no more than 2 hours and possibly much less.
They tell you the passports can take around 20 business days but we got ours in around 7 business days. The passport is delivered by a mail courier and for him to release it to you you'll need the child's DNI, your passport, and that little paper with the bar code and then you just sign for the passport. And that's it.
It really isn't that bad as long as you know what to expect. Good luck and email if you have any questions!
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