Passport/Visa Requirements: Passports are needed by citizens of Australia, Canada, the U.K. and the U.S. If traveling for business, Canadian citizens must have a business visa. Proof of onward passage and sufficient funds are required for all, although not always asked for on entry.
All U.S. citizens must have a passport when traveling by air to or from Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, Central and South America and Mexico. Citizens of Canada, Mexico and the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda also must have a passport or other designated secure document to enter the U.S.
Beginning 1 June 2009, passports are required for land crossings at the Canadian and Mexican borders with the U.S. and for cruise passengers returning to the U.S. from Mexico, the Caribbean, Canada or Bermuda. Reconfirm travel-document requirements with your carrier prior to departure.
Population: 40,301,927.
Languages: Spanish, Italian.
Predominant Religions: Roman Catholic.
Voltage Requirements: 220 volts.
Telephone Codes: 54, country code;
For More Information
Argentina: Central Office of Tourist Information, Ave. Santa Fe 883, 1059 Buenos Aires. Phone 0800-555-0016. Fax 4312-5550.
Canada: Contact the tourist office in the U.S.
U.S.: Argentina Government Tourist Information, 12 W. 56th St., New York, NY 10019. Phone 212-603-0443. Fax 212-315-5545. http://www.turismo.gov.ar.
Embassies of Argentina
Canada: Embassy of Argentina, 81 Metcalfe St., Suite 700, Ottawa, ON K1P 6K7. Phone 613-236-2351. Fax 613-235-2659. http://www.argentina-canada.net.
U.S.: Embassy of Argentina, 1600 New Hampshire Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20009. Phone 202-238-6400. Fax 202-332-3171. http://www.embassyofargentina.us.
Foreign Embassies in Argentina
Canadian Embassy, Tagle 2828, 1425 Buenos Aires (mail address: P.O. Box 1598, 1000 Correo Central, Buenos Aires, Argentina). Phone 4808-1000. Fax 4808-1111.
U.S. Embassy, Ave. Colombia 4300, 1425 Buenos Aires. Phone 5777-4533. Fax 5777-4240.
Additional Reading
The Old Patagonian Express by Paul Theroux (Houghton Mifflin). A large portion of the book recounts the author's experiences in Argentina—he journeyed, almost entirely by train, from the U.S. to the tip of South America.
In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin (Penguin). Focused on the land and inhabitants of Patagonia, this book is considered a classic of travel writing, with vivid anecdotes and detailed natural history.
The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey by Ernesto "Che" Guevara. An account of the revolutionary's motorcycle tour of South America—much of it in his homeland of Argentina—starting when he was 23. It has been turned into a movie and a stage play.
