Argentine residence certificate for moving back from the US: USD 80

The customs residence certificate (certificado de residencia aduanero) is issued by the Argentine consulate so that someone moving back to live in Argentina can bring in personal effects, work tools and, in some cases, a car without paying taxes, under AFIP General Resolution 3109/2011. It costs USD 80 at the Embassy in Washington and the Los Angeles consulate; with a car, Washington adds USD 100 for the consular endorsement of the title and Los Angeles charges USD 180 in total (checked October 3, 2026). The requirements are not the same at every consulate: the required time abroad and the proof of address differ, and Los Angeles asks for Form I-94, which Washington does not mention. The final decision on the exemption belongs to Argentine Customs. If you are not moving back and only need to prove your US address, there is a different procedure: the address certificate.

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Key facts by consulate

Item (checked October 3, 2026)Embassy in WashingtonLos Angeles consulate
Fee without a carUSD 8080 dollars
Fee with a carUSD 80 + USD 100 for the ‘Visto Consular’ on the title180 dollars
Time abroad without a carLast year, without more than 60 days in Argentina on occasional tripsAt least the last 12 months
Time abroad with a carAt least the last two yearsAt least the last 25 months
Prior use of the exemptionNot mentionedNot used in the last seven years
Proof of addressLease or property title + utility bills in your nameForm I-94 + at least a lease or a utility bill
How to applyAppointment by email; in-person procedureOnline form; in-person or video appointment

The Miami consulate publishes 83.20 as the card price for the ‘Certificado de residencia para mudanza a la República’ (residence certificate for moving to Argentina).

Who can request it

  • Embassy in Washington: Argentine citizens moving back to Argentina and foreign nationals granted a permanent residence visa to settle in Argentina. You must live in its district: the District of Columbia, Delaware, North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
  • Los Angeles consulate: Argentines, or foreign nationals who have just received permanent residence in Argentina; you must be an adult, show the required time living abroad and not have used the same exemption in the last seven years.

If you lived in another consulate’s district, the Embassy says to contact that consulate. The list is at Argentine consulates in the US.

What the exemption covers

  • Embassy in Washington: personal effects, work tools and a car (with a car); personal effects and work tools (without a car). Motorcycles are not included in the exemption and pay taxes on entry.
  • Los Angeles consulate: personal effects, furniture and other household goods, plus tools, machines, devices and instruments needed for your profession, as long as they do not suggest setting up a commercial or industrial workshop or laboratory.
  • Deadline for the goods: according to the Embassy, they must enter Argentina within 6 months after your arrival; otherwise the exemption does not apply.

Documents

Embassy in Washington (page updated 07/08/2026):

  1. Valid DNI.
  2. Valid Argentine passport (photocopies not accepted), previous Argentine passports and any foreign passports.
  3. A lease or property title in the applicant’s name proving residence in the district for the required period.
  4. Proof of address in your name, at your current address, covering the same period (for example, phone, electricity, gas, home internet or cable bills).
  5. With a car: the original car title, issued within the Embassy’s district, and the purchase invoice. The car must be registered at least three months before the planned date of entry into Argentina.

Los Angeles consulate (page updated 30/01/2026):

  1. Argentine passport and foreign passport, if you have one.
  2. DNI.
  3. Proof of actual residence in the district: Form I-94 and at least a lease or a utility bill. The consulate does not accept bank or car-insurance documents for this purpose, and says the consul decides whether the documents are sufficient.
  4. With a car: the title in the beneficiary’s name, with a consular endorsement, and proof of registration. The vehicle must be used, have a customs CIF value of up to 15,000 dollars and be registered in your name at least 3 months before the return trip.
  5. Completed Annex 1 and Annex 2.

Additional document rules (checked October 17, 2026):

  • Los Angeles may request additional documentation to establish residence.
  • Washington says the requirements for motorcycles are the same as for cars; the motorcycle tax treatment described above still applies.

Step by step

  1. Confirm your consulate and which certificate you need (customs, for the move; or address, if you are not moving back).
  2. Request the appointment. Washington: email consular@embassyofargentina.us; the procedure is in person. Los Angeles: complete the consulate’s form; it reviews the documents and, if complete, gives an appointment.
  3. Video appointment (Los Angeles only). When filling in the form you can ask to do the procedure remotely; in that case all the documents, including the money order, are mailed to the consulate.
  4. Pay the fee (USD 80; with a car, USD 80 + USD 100 in Washington or USD 180 in Los Angeles, checked October 3, 2026) using the payment methods your consulate lists.
  5. Consult a customs broker. The Los Angeles consulate also cites Customs Resolution 5107/1980 and Customs Resolution 3751/1994, and calls the advice of a customs broker ‘imprescindible’ (essential), even if the goods travel as luggage.

If you are not moving back: the address certificate

  • Embassy in Washington — address certificate (certificado de domicilio): for Argentines who live abroad, are not moving back, and need to prove their address to ANSES, AFIP or other Argentine or US authorities. It asks for the DNI and a utility bill and/or a current lease; it also accepts a driver’s license from a state in its district. Fee: US$ 80; certified copies of attached documents cost U$20 per side (the DNI has 2 sides). If it is for pension purposes, no consular fee is charged. If what you need is proof of life for a pension, see proof of life for Argentine pensioners in the US.
  • Los Angeles consulate — non-customs residence certificate: for people who live in its district and need to prove that in Argentina, for example to sell property there or to show their address to ARCA. The proof of residence «puede consistir en cualquiera de estos» (can consist of any of these): a passport with the US entry stamp or, failing that, a copy of Form I-94; a DNI showing the change of address or a valid US driver’s license; or proof of address such as utility bills in your name (bills in the name of a spouse, partner, parent or child are accepted with a certificate proving the relationship). It is submitted in person or by mail. Fee: 80 dollars; processed in 3 business days, and the originals are returned.

Your US immigration status

Unlike the passport and DNI requirement lists we checked, in this procedure one consulate does ask for a US immigration document: the Los Angeles consulate lists Form I-94 among the proofs of residence for the customs certificate, and mentions it as an alternative to the entry stamp for the non-customs certificate. The Embassy in Washington does not include it in its list. Check your own consulate’s list before booking. If you have questions about your immigration situation, seek legal guidance: see pro bono legal help.

Official sources

Last verified: 2026-10-17. General procedural information for educational purposes. Each Argentine consulate’s fees and requirements change, and Argentine Customs decides the exemption. Verify directly with your consulate and a customs broker. Not legal advice.