If you’re planning to stay in Argentina for more than a short visit, you’ll quickly discover that the country has two very different residency categories: Temporary Residency and Transitory Residency for Studies.
They sound similar, but they serve completely different purposes — and choosing the right one can save you months of paperwork.
Here’s the simplest explanation you’ll find online, updated for 2025.
⭐ 1. Temporary Residency (“Residencia Temporaria”)
Contents
Who is it for?
People planning to live in Argentina long-term:
- workers with contracts
- rentistas
- pensioners
- investors
- MERCOSUR nationals
- family reunification
Validity: Usually 1–2 years.
Requirements:
More complex paperwork, apostilled income documents, background checks from abroad, translations, etc.
Processing often takes longer.
Citizenship note:
👉 Temporary Residency counts toward the 2-year requirement for Argentine citizenship.
This is important for people planning to make Argentina their permanent home.
⭐ 2. Transitory Residency for Studies (“Residencia Transitoria por Estudios”)
This is the student visa, and it’s much simpler.
Who uses it?
Travelers, long-term visitors, digital nomads, and anyone who wants to stay legally while studying Spanish.
Validity:
From 90 days to a full year.
Requirements:
Very simple:
- passport
- enrollment in a valid school
- payment confirmation
- local background check
- sometimes a background check from your home country
Schools like Wanderlust Spanish issue the correct certificate immediately — more than 150+ students used this visa successfully in 2024–2025.
Citizenship note:
👉 The student transitory residency ALSO counts toward the 2-year requirement for Argentine citizenship.
This surprises many people, but it is legally valid: Argentine nationality law accepts continuous residence, regardless of the residency category.
For long-term planners, this is a huge advantage.
⭐ 3. Which should you choose?
If you want to live in Argentina long-term, work, bring family, or integrate formally:
👉 Temporary Residency is your path.
If you want to stay legally, study Spanish, enjoy the city freely, avoid border runs, and maybe explore the citizenship path later:
👉 The student transitory residency is the smartest and easiest option.
Both lead to a legal stay.
Both can count toward citizenship.
But only one is simple, fast and flexible: the student visa.
⭐ Final thought
Argentina offers something rare: a visa category that lets you live legally, learn deeply, and even start building eligibility for citizenship without bureaucracy dominating your life.
If your plan is to experience Buenos Aires fully and learn Spanish, the transitory student visa is the cleanest, fastest and most realistic path.
And Wanderlust Spanish helps you with all documents, enrollment and guidance — making the process smooth from start to finish.
