Argentine President Javier Milei will tighten the rules for foreigners entering the country, aiming to restrict immigration. According to an official statement from the president’s office this Wednesday (14), Argentina will now require payment for health services for transient, temporary, and irregular residents. Additionally, tourists entering the country must purchase health insurance.
The statement announces that the Decree of Necessity and Urgency, which will still be published, will bring profound changes to the country’s migration regime.
According to the government, during 2023, medical assistance to foreigners in national hospitals amounted to an approximate expense of 114 billion pesos.
“This measure aims to ensure the sustainability of the public health system, so that it stops being a benefit center funded by our citizens,” the statement says.
Another point is the authorization for national universities to set fees, if they decide, for university courses aimed at temporary residents.
The statement also affirms that the Citizenship Letter, a document for permanent residence in the neighboring country, will be granted to those who prove two years of continuous residence or have made a significant investment in Argentina. Proof of sufficient means of subsistence and absence of criminal record will also be required.
Another point of the decree to be published is that entry into the country of convicted foreigners will be prohibited. Those who committed crimes in the territory, regardless of the penalty, will also be deported.
“This means that infractions with penalties less than 5 years, which were not grounds for refusal of entry into the country or expulsion, will now be considered,” the text says.
“The extreme ease with which it was possible to enter Argentina until the present date led to 1,700,000 foreigners having immigrated illegally to our country in the last 20 years. This measure seeks to establish order and common sense in a system that, unfortunately, due to the complicity of populist politicians, was distorted,” the statement says.
Source: Agência Brasil