Argentina opens doors wider for Indians: All you need to know about the relaxed visa rules

Skyline of Buenos Aires city is seen during the dusk from the Rio de la Plata river in Buenos Aires on May 11, 2025. (Photo by JUAN MABROMATA / AFP)

Argentina has rolled out a major travel boost for Indians by easing its visa rules. From now on, Indian passport holders with a valid US tourist visa can enter Argentina without applying for a separate visa or travel authorisation. The move is aimed at attracting more Indian visitors at a time when outbound travel from India is booming. It also reflects growing diplomatic warmth, with leaders in both countries keen to deepen tourism, trade and cultural ties.

According to a new resolution published in Argentina’s Official Gazette, Indian passport holders with valid US tourist visas can now enter Argentina without applying separately for an Argentine visa or an Electronic Travel Authorisation (AVE).

Argentina’s Ambassador to India, Mariano Caucino, confirmed the change on X. “The Argentine Government has eased entry into the country for Indian citizens with US visas,” he wrote.

Why Argentina is opening up for Indians

The decision is mainly seen as a push to attract more tourists from India and strengthen people-to-people connections. With India’s outbound travel market expanding rapidly, Argentina wants to draw more Indian visitors.

Tourism Secretary Daniel Scioli welcomed the move on X, saying it is designed to “facilitate inbound tourism and support Argentine sports.”

Deregulation Minister Federico Sturzennegger highlighted the potential, noting that “some 2.2 million Indians travelled to the US in 2024, and the US grants more than a million visas per year to India. So this change should help facilitate tourism in our country, a request that the Secretary of Tourism, Sports, and Environment Daniel Osvaldo Scioli has been insistently urging.”

He added, “It’s impossible to improve tourism if we don’t make it easier for them to come!”

Reports suggest that Prime Minister Narendra Modi also encouraged Argentine President Javier Milei to ease visa procedures during his visit to Buenos Aires in July.

The new exemption applies to ordinary passport holders, with Argentina’s National Immigration Directorate responsible for verifying each case before entry is granted.

There is also a reciprocal angle. Argentine citizens already benefit from India’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, which allows them to enter India free of charge for tourism.

Why this move matters

As India’s middle class grows and more people look to travel abroad, Argentina is hoping to showcase its famous destinations, from Patagonia to Iguazu Falls and Buenos Aires.

Tourism is already important to Argentina’s economy, contributing more than 5 percent of GDP. Officials believe the relaxed visa rules will boost revenues further.

Argentina’s Ambassador to India, Mariano Caucino, underlined this priority. “Promoting tourism to our country is a top priority of our government, and for this reason, we seek to facilitate the mechanisms so that more and more Indians visit Argentina,” he said.

Travel agencies and airlines are expected to quickly start promoting Argentina as a new option for Indian travellers.

Beyond tourism, the step could strengthen economic ties. India and Argentina already trade about 6 billion dollars a year, mainly in agriculture, technology, and renewable energy. Encouraging more travel and cultural exchange is expected to deepen this relationship.