Argentina no-objection letter (J-1 waiver): USD 40, by mail to DC

The no-objection letter (carta de no objeción) is the note in which the Argentine government states that it does not object to lifting the two-year return condition that, in the Argentine Embassy’s description, applies to people who obtain an educational and cultural exchange (J-1) or student (F-1) visa ‘según lo establecido en la sección 212 (e)’ (under section 212(e)) of US immigration law. In the United States it is handled by the Argentine Embassy in Washington, D.C. (the Chicago consulate refers applicants there), by mail: you send a form signed before a notary as a sworn statement plus copies of documents, pay a USD 40 fee by card only, and the Embassy estimates 30 business days from receiving the envelope (checked October 3, 2026). This page explains how Argentina issues the letter; it does not describe or assess the process before US authorities.

Versión en español

Key facts

ItemDetail (Embassy in Washington, checked October 3, 2026)
Issued byEmbassy of the Argentine Republic in Washington, Consular Section
Other consulatesThe Chicago consulate refers the procedure and questions to the Embassy
HowBy mail, in a sealed envelope
FormThe form attached to the Embassy’s page, a sworn statement (declaración jurada) signed before a notary public
FeeUSD 40, debit or credit card only
Estimated time30 business days from when the Consular Section receives the documents
OutcomeWhere applicable, a no-objection note to the Department of State with an electronic copy to the applicant
Questionsconsular@embassyofargentina.us

When the Embassy asks for it

The Embassy in Washington’s page (updated 27/04/2026) is addressed to people who were told by US authorities that, to change their immigration status in the US, they need a no-objection letter from the Argentine government. This guide does not explain who must request it or what the US decides with it. For your specific case, talk to an immigration attorney: see pro bono legal help.

Documents

Along with the form, the Embassy asks you to send copies, in a sealed envelope, of:

  1. The main page of your valid Argentine passport. People who were legal foreign residents in Argentina send the page of their foreign passport.
  2. One passport-type photo, front-facing, white background.
  3. The US J-1 or F-1 visas you were granted.
  4. The DS-2019 forms you signed for each visa.
  5. The page titled ‘THIRD PARTY BARCODE PAGE’, which contains the number of the case opened with the Department of State (Waiver Case Number).
  6. If the program was government-funded: when your studies or training in the US were funded partly or entirely, directly or indirectly, by the Argentine or US government, letters from the sponsoring institutions stating that you owe them no money (constancia de libre deuda) and that they have no objection to your not returning to Argentina at the end of your activities to meet the two-year residency requirement.

Step by step

  1. Download the form from the Embassy’s page and sign it before a notary public: it is a sworn statement.
  2. Gather the copies listed above.
  3. Mail everything, in a sealed envelope, to the address the Embassy publishes: Embassy of the Argentine Republic, Consular Section, Att.: Cartas de No Objeción, 1600 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington D.C., 20009.
  4. Pay USD 40 by debit or credit card. The Embassy says that ‘De resultar procedente su caso’ (if your case proceeds) it will send you an electronic payment link.
  5. Wait for the review: the Embassy estimates 30 business days from receiving the documents.
  6. Outcome: according to the Embassy, once the expressions of no objection are processed, it sends the Department of State, ’en los casos que corresponda’ (where applicable), a no-objection note with an electronic copy to the applicant.

What the official pages rule out

  • Apply at the Chicago consulate: the Chicago consulate says applicants must do the procedure and send all questions to the Embassy in Washington (its page is dated 23/05/2017).
  • Pay in cash or by check: the Embassy publishes the fee as payable ‘mediante tarjeta de débito o crédito únicamente’ (by debit or credit card only).

Your US immigration status

This procedure is tied to a US visa and to a case opened with the Department of State, which is why the Embassy asks for the visas, the DS-2019 forms and the Waiver Case Number. The letter expresses only the Argentine government’s position; the Embassy sends it to the Department of State ’en los casos que corresponda’. This page does not assess individual situations: an immigration attorney can review your case.

Official sources

Last verified: 2026-10-03. General procedural information for educational purposes. The fee, timeline and requirements are set by the Argentine Embassy and may change. Verify directly with the Consular Section of the Argentine Embassy in Washington. This page does not describe the process before US authorities. Not legal advice.