Argentina has one of the closest migration relationships with Spain: visa-free entry, a dual nationality treaty, driving licence exchange and a working holiday programme for young people. Many Argentines also have Spanish or Italian ancestry, which can change the route entirely. Here is how people usually make the move and what to prepare before leaving.
Key facts
- Entry: Argentine passport holders can stay in the Schengen area visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This does not allow work and does not, on its own, let you settle.
- Citizenship: as a national of an Ibero-American country you can apply for Spanish citizenship after 2 years of legal, continuous residence. The 1969 dual nationality treaty lets you keep Argentine nationality.
- Documents: Argentina is party to the Hague Convention, so an apostille is enough and no translation is needed.
- Driving: there is an exchange agreement. Once resident you can drive for six months on your Argentine licence and exchange it without a test for cars and motorcycles.
- Social security: the Spain–Argentina agreement lets you combine contributions from both countries for your pension.
How people usually move
- Working holiday (ages 18 to 35). The youth mobility programme lets you live and work in Spain for up to 12 months. It requires a university degree or at least two years of higher education, with a quota of 500 visas a year. It is a good way to get to know Spain, but it is not residence: to stay afterwards you need another permit.
- Studies. A master’s, degree or vocational course with a study authorisation, which allows work up to 30 hours a week. Time as a student does not count towards the 2 years for citizenship. Study permit
- Remote work. The digital nomad visa suits people working remotely for companies or clients outside Spain, with a relationship of at least three months. Digital nomad
- Work in Spain. A job offer from a Spanish company, a highly qualified profile or an EU Blue Card. Employment permit
- Ancestry. If your father or mother is Spanish by origin and born in Spain, you can opt for citizenship with no residence period. The grandchildren route under the Democratic Memory Law closed in October 2025. If you were born outside Spain and your father, mother, grandfather or grandmother was originally Spanish, you can apply for citizenship by residence after just 1 year of legal, continuous residence. If you already have recognised Italian or other EU citizenship, you can live and work in Spain as an EU citizen; Italy restricted citizenship by descent in 2025 for people not yet recognised. Spanish citizenship
- Family. Marriage or registered partnership with a Spanish or EU citizen. Family member of a Spanish or EU citizen
Documents and apostille
- Criminal record certificate from the Registro Nacional de Reincidencia (Ministry of Justice), requested online and apostilled. Only the national registry certificate is valid, not provincial or police ones.
- Birth and marriage certificates from your provincial civil registry, recent and apostilled. If you rely on ancestry, also get your parents’ and grandparents’ certificates.
- Apostille: the Argentine Foreign Ministry issues it online (Trámites a Distancia) for many documents; notarial documents are apostilled at the Colegio de Escribanos.
- University degrees, apostilled, if you plan to have them recognised or use them for the youth programme or a skilled visa.
- Driving licence: for the exchange, Spain’s DGT asks for an apostilled certificate of legality and seniority of your licence. Get it before you travel.
What to keep in mind
- Visas are handled by the Consulate General of Spain in Buenos Aires and the consulates in Bahía Blanca, Córdoba, Mendoza and Rosario, depending on where you live. In Buenos Aires, since October 2025, applications are filed by appointment at the BLS International centre.
- The youth programme quota fills quickly: follow the opening dates published by the consulate.
- If you plan to apply for citizenship, keep proof of continuous legal residence (TIE, padrón, contracts) from day one: the 2 years run from when you obtain residence, not from arrival.
- In Spain: register at the town hall (padrón) and, if you came with a residence visa, apply for your TIE within the first month.
Frequently asked questions
Can I enter as a tourist and stay to work?
Not on a tourist stay. While legally in Spain you can apply for the digital nomad visa, the highly qualified professional permit, a study authorisation or residence as a family member of a Spanish or EU citizen. If you stay beyond 90 days without a permit, your stay becomes irregular.
Will I lose Argentine nationality if I become Spanish?
No. Under the Spain–Argentina dual nationality treaty you keep both. You apply after 2 years of legal, continuous residence and pass the CCSE test of the Instituto Cervantes; the DELE language test is not required because Spanish is an official language of Argentina.
I have an Italian passport. Do I need a visa?
No. As an EU citizen you can live and work in Spain without a visa. If you stay longer than three months, register at the Central Register of Foreign Nationals to get the EU citizen registration certificate.