Argentine passport

Argentine passport
The front cover of the current biometric Argentine passport, featuring its Mercosur blue cover.
Issued by	Argentina
Type of document	Passport
Purpose	Identification
Eligibility requirements	Argentine citizenship
Expiration	10 years after issuance

Argentine passports are issued to citizens of Argentina by the National Registry for People (ReNaPer). They were issued exclusively by the Argentine Federal Police up to 2011. Their primary use is to facilitate international travel.

Argentine passports are valid for travel all over the world, but some countries require a visa. For traveling within South America (except the Guyanas), Argentines do not need to use a passport, as they may use their National Identity Document (DNI).

On June 15, 2012, the Argentine Interior Ministry announced the immediate introduction of biometric passports. The new passports will have unique numbers (alphanumerical combinations, with 3 letters and 6 numbers), a significant change from the current policy, where passport numbers were the national ID number of the holders (with an N after it).

In accordance with Presidential Decree 2015/66, in order to get an Argentine passport, a person must go to the nearest Civil Registry and present his/her National Identity Document, birth certificate and a proof of marital status (unless single). If the person is an Argentine citizen by naturalisation rather than by birth, a Citizenship Certificate (carta de ciudadanía) must also be presented. Citizens under the age of 18 may only get a passport with parental authorization. Argentines living outside the country must follow the same procedure at an Argentine Embassy or Consulate.

Regular Passport price is 550 ARS. Applicants usually receive their passports via postal mail within 15 days. There is an express service (48 hours) for 1250 ARS and an ultrafast passport for 3675 ARS (550 ARS + 200 US$), only available at Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Buenos Aires, with the possibility of getting a passport in only 15 minutes, if there are any proofs (as a printed ticket) of an international flight for that same day.