Working Visa: there's hope

I'm feeling a little more relieved writing this post about working visas than my last post regarding the same subject. I didn't feel quite comfortable thinking about working without a visa. I don't want to work "en negro", but there is hope for me!

In another post of mine I talked about websites I like to stalk; baexpats.com is one of them. The site gives expats living in Buenos Aires a way to connect and share information.

A very kind woman, Katie, saw a post of mine on baexpats.com concerning working visa's and teaching english. She wrote me a very detailed email on how to go about obtaining a work visa and most importantly she gave me hope! It's possible for me to get a working visa! I'm greatly appreciative of her taking the time to write me. I'd like to share a little of what she wrote. (I hope she doesn't mind)

Katie wrote:

"I entered on a tourist visa. I had been told before entering the country that I could enter on a tourist visa, get a job and switch it to a work visa. Fortunately, that is true."

"...you have to find a job, sign a contract (or a Pre-Contracto), file a bunch of papers, pay 200 pesos and wait."

I'll need to "bring the right papers from the states. They are: Your passport, Your ORIGINAL birth certificate and A letter from the police in your hometown that states whatever criminal record you may have. Be sure to get this document legalized by a notary and then legalized by an apostilary (google it)."

Next, I'll have get an Argentine version of a police record (40 pesos) and then I must get all of my documents translated into Spanish.

"Once you have all of that, you can apply for a year long visa (which you can renew later). I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn't that bad. "

Lastly she wrote:

"Be sure to check out the Migraciones website (migraciones.gov.ar) and remember that we're from an EXTRA-MERCOSUR country."

I hope by posting Katie's response other future expats will find the information useful and give them hope as well!

Thank you Katie for putting my working visa worries at ease.