The following are the measures implemented by the National Government of Argentina together with the National Directorate of Migration in force until October 1, 2021, inclusive, for entry into the Argentine Republic:
- Tourism: The borders remain closed to tourism. Foreign citizens who wish to enter the Argentine Republic for tourism purposes will not be able to do so. Exceptionally, the entry of non-resident foreign citizens is restricted to prior authorization by the National Directorate of Migration.
- Authorized Border Crossings: The authorized border crossings for entry into the Argentine Republic of native Argentine citizens and/or foreign citizens residing in the country are the airports of Ezeiza, San Fernando, the Jorge Newbery Metropolitan Aeroparque, as well as the Buquebus terminal in Buenos Aires. For authorized entry as an exception by the National Directorate of Migration, through land border crossings, the provincial jurisdiction must provide safe corridors.
- National authorities recommend all Argentine citizens and/or foreign residents in the country, especially those over 60 years of age and/or those belonging to risk groups defined by the health authority, not to travel and to postpone their trips abroad when they do not involve the development of essential activities, in order to avoid the difficulties and health conditions required upon reentry, considering the rapid evolution of epidemiological conditions.
- International Flights: The ANAC (National Civil Aviation Administration) may suspend the authorizations and permits granted for direct flights to the Argentine Republic, considering their country of origin or destination and new strains in the sequencing of local samples, following an evaluation by the national health authority regarding the epidemiological situation.
- Family Members: The procedure for entry into the national territory through the authorized international border crossing has been re-enabled for those non-resident foreign citizens who are direct relatives of Argentine citizens or foreign residents in the Argentine Republic.
- Weekly Entry Quotas to the Argentine Republic: Weekly quotas have been established on passenger flights for entry into the national territory of Argentine citizens and/or foreign residents and/or non-resident foreign citizens whose entry into the country has been authorized by the National Directorate of Migration, according to the following details: 11,900 slots until 9/5/2021, inclusive, and 16,100 slots from 9/6/2021 to 10/1/2021, inclusive. The increase in the weekly quota to 16,100 slots is subject to the implementation of new safe air corridors. Within the referred slots, a total of 700 passengers per week may be prioritized by the National Government of Argentina for urgent reasons or to address essential and unpostponable matters or official or diplomatic representation, in order to facilitate their travel to the country on the same airlines with which they had contracted their tickets to Argentina. For this purpose, national authorities, within their respective competences, will review the requests, which must contain the documentation that justifies their eventual prioritization, and will forward them to the ANAC so that the corresponding airlines are notified.
The National Civil Aviation Administration may expand, reduce, or eliminate the cited quotas, following intervention by the national health authority, provided that the basic response capacity of the respective safe corridor is not affected, nor the measures established by local authorities for the control of isolation and monitoring of positive cases.
Regarding international maritime and river passenger transport, a quota of up to 2 vessels per week remains in effect, each with a 50% capacity, possibly corresponding to different operators.
Native citizens and/or authorized foreign citizens entering the Argentine Republic must comply with the following requirements:
- Complete the online sworn statement for entry into the country from the National Directorate of Migration 48 hours prior to boarding. They must declare the places where they have been in the last 14 days prior to reentry into the country;
- Attach a negative PCR test (sample taken 72 hours before boarding);
- Have a travel medical assistance insurance that includes hospitalization and isolation coverage for COVID-19 during their stay in the Argentine Republic;
- Take a test for SARS-CoV-2 upon arrival in the country, the cost of which must be borne by the citizen entering the country;
- Take a new test for SARS-CoV-2 on the seventh day after arrival in the country, the cost of which must also be borne by the citizen entering the country, as a condition for ending the mandatory isolation.
Isolation: Those entering Argentina are required to isolate themselves in places determined by provincial governments and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires for 10 days, counted from the testing done in the country of origin. The cost of staying in the isolation places will be borne by each passenger.
From September 20, 2021, Argentine citizens and foreign citizens residing in Argentina who have traveled abroad for work or commercial reasons, for the sole purpose of resuming such activities in Argentina, are exempt from complying with the mandatory isolation period as long as they present the documentation required by national authorities.
Positive PCR result upon entry into the country: Those who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 upon entry into the country must immediately take a PCR test for genomic sequencing, as indicated by the national reference laboratory. In addition, those who test positive in this test and their close contacts must comply with mandatory isolation in places designated by the relevant national authorities until safe transfer to their place of residence is arranged, if applicable.
Negative PCR result upon entry into the country: Those who test negative for PCR upon entry into the country must comply with mandatory isolation in their respective residences designated by the relevant national authorities and take a test to end it.
Positive PCR result on the seventh day after entry into the country: Those who test positive for PCR on the seventh day after entering the country, must ensure that the intervening laboratory arranges for the competent national authority to genomically sequence the laboratory sample and for the local health authority to immediately trace the close contacts of the citizen who made the trip, based on the mechanisms provided for tracing their entry and transfer to the place of mandatory isolation.
The cost of tests and genomic sequencing must be borne by the citizen entering the country.
Requirements for Transport Operators and Crews:
- Land: Foreigners and nationals must have a negative COVID test that will be valid for 7 days. These tests must be carried out prior to starting the trip, near their place of residence;
- Vessels: Foreigners must remain on board and will not have relief in the country; nationals must take an antigen test within 72 hours of entry; and
- Air: Foreigners must travel in a bubble mode within the country and comply with health protocols; nationals must travel in a bubble mode abroad and take antigen tests at least every 15 days or less. The obligation applies to the transfer crew if they have not adhered to the bubble mode.
- International Transport and Tourism Operators: They must inform users of the current restrictions, the conditions set by each jurisdiction where the traveler resides, and the possibility that these may be modified due to the evolution of the epidemiological and health situation. They must also seek flexibility in rescheduling travel dates previously contracted, in order to facilitate compliance with the recommendation to defer non-essential trips abroad.
- Infractions and Sanctions: National authorities will control that those who have returned from a trip are complying with isolation at their residences and will file criminal complaints if isolation is not complied with, in accordance with the provisions of Articles 205, 239, and related articles of the Argentine Penal Code, which respectively penalize with imprisonment from 6 months to 2 years for violating measures adopted to prevent the introduction or spread of an epidemic, and with imprisonment from 15 days to 1 year for resistance or disobedience to orders issued by public officials.