Argentina's visa bait for wanderlust Indians

New Delhi: Indian citizens possessing a valid US visa need not have an Argentine visa if they wish to visit the South American country.

The Argentine government came up with this policy recently, and the decision was published in the official gazette. With this move, Argentina hopes to entice Indians visiting the US to also make a trip to their country, as they will neither have to go through the visa process nor pay the visa fee. The South American country also hopes that this will give its sports a much-needed boost.

Argentine Secretary of Tourism, Environment and Sports Daniel Scioli recently posted on X: “Important decisions by @vicejefaturaint headed by @catalanlisandro, to facilitate inbound tourism and to support Argentine sport.

Importantes decisiones de @vicejefaturaint encabezada por @catalanlisandro, para facilitar el turismo receptivo y para el apoyo al deporte argentino.

Ciudadanos de la India podrán ingresar a la Argentina sin visa ni AVE, sin pagar costo alguno, si tienen visa vigente de EE. UU.… pic.twitter.com/nvhcC2bfYE

— Daniel Scioli 🇦🇷 (@danielscioli) August 27, 2025

“Indian citizens will be able to enter Argentina without a visa or AVE (high-speed train), without paying any fees, if they have a valid US visa.

“Through Resolution 356/2025, the scholarships of the Undersecretariat of Sports of @SecreTurAmbDep, coaches and technical staff are increased by 8%, reinforcing the commitment to those who represent the country with efforts and dedication, and promote the destination @visitargentina.”

Argentina is known for its sports, especially football. Its World Cup-winning captain and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi, is regarded in many circles as one of the best football players ever to have graced the sport, and he has scores of fans in India.

Argentina, which is facing a tight economic situation, hopes that by upping tourism, its sports will get a fillip.

Argentina’s Minister of Deregulation Federico Sturzenegger wrote on X: “With Resolution 353/25, signed by @catalanlisandro of the Chief of Staff of GAFrancosOk, the entry of Indian tourists with visas of the US is facilitated (they will no longer be required to have one).”

Con la Resolución 353/25 con firma de @catalanlisandro de la Jefatura de Gabinete de @GAFrancosOk, se facilita el ingreso de turistas indios que tengan visa para EEUU (ya no se les pedirá una visa para entrar). Un par de datos: unos 2,2 millones de indios viajaron a EEUU en 2024.…

— Fede Sturzenegger (@fedesturze) August 27, 2025

He highlighted: “A couple of facts: some 2.2 million Indians travelled to the US in 2024. And the US grants more than one million visas per year to India. So this change should contribute to facilitating tourism in our country, a request that the Secretary of Tourism, Sports and Environment @danielscioli insistently requested.”

He pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi also mentioned it when he met Argentine President Javier Milei in Buenos Aires in early July.

Sturzenegger underlined, “It’s impossible to improve the tourism account if we don’t make it easier for them to come!”

There is a significant gap between the inflow and outflow of tourists between India and Argentina. According to the Government of India’s Ministry of Tourism, in 2022, 2023 and 2024, the inflow of tourists from Argentina to India was 4720, 9985 and 9638, as against 1355, 1877 and 2148 Indians visiting Argentina during the same period.

Those who follow developments in Argentina quote two reasons for the extremely low number of Indians visiting the South American country: firstly, the distance between the two countries and secondly, the language barrier. The Indian diaspora is also comparatively smaller than in other countries.

Argentina Ambassador to India Mariano Caucino told this correspondent, “We are convinced that we must promote tourism and investment in our country, and to that end, the Argentine government is committed to facilitating arrival procedures in the country.”

Ambassador Caucino affirmed, “We hope and assume that, in return, we could expect Argentines who want to travel to India to enjoy the same ease.” He emphasised that “Argentina has a practically unparalleled tourism offering.”

Amongst the interesting tourist places in Argentina are the vibrant and bustling capital Buenos Aires, the breathtaking Iguazú Falls, the spectacular landscapes of Patagonia (including glaciers near El Calafate and the city of Ushuaia), the wine region of Mendoza, the quaint, colourful colonial towns of Salta and Jujuy in the northwest, and the magnificently beautiful, picturesque Lake District around Bariloche.

Argentina already has in place a visa exemption for citizens of China and the Dominican Republic who have a valid US visa.

Argentina’s expectation is that a vibrant tourism sector will have a positive impact at a time when many Argentines are leaving the country for greener pastures and settling in the US and other countries.

In April this year, the International Monetary Fund also approved a 48-month extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility amounting to about US$20 billion.