Checklist
First 90 days in Argentina.
A plain list of the decisions individuals and small businesses face in their first three months in Argentina, with links to the official sources. Print it or save it as a PDF from your browser.
Running a larger company? This list is too basic for you. Read The Argentine Thread instead, which covers entry for larger businesses in depth.
Days 1 to 30: decide what you are setting up
- Write down what you will actually do in Argentina in year one: sell, import, hire, or contract. The answer drives everything else.
- Decide, with your lawyer, whether you need a local entity, a branch, or no presence yet. Company registration in the City of Buenos Aires runs through the Inspección General de Justicia (IGJ); its IGJ procedures guide lists the procedures.
- Read the current FX rules before you plan payments in or out of the country, from the source rather than a summary: BCRA consolidated FX rules (Exterior y Cambios).
- Check if a sector incentive regime might apply to a large project: RIGI official page.
Days 31 to 60: registrations and banking
- Plan tax registration with a local accountant. National tax and customs registration is handled by ARCA, national tax and customs agency.
- If you will operate in several provinces, ask how provincial gross income tax and bank withholdings work for you. The Comisión Arbitral (provincial gross income tax) coordinates the multi province regime.
- Start the bank account process early and ask the bank for its full document list in writing.
- If anyone will relocate, check visa and residence routes with Dirección Nacional de Migraciones.
Days 61 to 90: people and operations
- Decide between employees and independent contractors with local labor counsel. Official labor information: Secretariat of Labor. Contractor category tables: ARCA monotributo categories.
- Set up a monthly calendar of filing and payment dates with your accountant.
- Bookmark the official sources and check them before acting on news: Boletín Oficial for new rules, InfoLeg for laws and what changed them.
- Agree who in your team owns each local relationship: lawyer, accountant, bank, customs broker if you import.
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