My DNI adventure

I think any foreigner who has tried to live in Argentina would understand why I choose to tell my DNI-story at this early stage in the blog. It is a very central part of your immigrant life here and even after six years in the country in my case it is even more present that ever before. For you (lucky) people who do not know what a DNI is, I can in a resumed manner say that it is a sort of small passport with a social security number that is basically worth gold. Without it you can not really do anything plus if you get your hands on one you are one lucky bastard and your Argentinean life will never be the same again. However, the path to your DNI-holder life is an adventure and all immigrants have their own story to tell. It could be compared to mothers’ stories about their pregnancies and deliveries (to all mothers – I am being ironic ok! ;o) Here is my story, or “catarsis” if you prefer:

It all started when I first arrived back in 2004 with a student visa (I was an exchange student the first year). When I finished my studies I decided to live and work in Buenos Aires instead of moving back to Sweden. Once I had my work permit, the next step was to get the DNI. I was told I had to go to this certain address early in the morning to get “a number”, they opened at 8 am. The FIRST time I went, I arrived around 7.30. The line was sooooo long – it went along the building, turned with the sidewalk, crossed the street, entered the park in the next block, went through the entire park, reached the end of the park and I took place there – more than two blocks away from the entrance. I could not even see the building I was supposed to enter. After around half an hour people started saying that there were no more numbers. Ok, so the next time I came back by 6 am, and again the line reached the end of the park, so I went straight back home. Third time around I realized that to have a chance I would have to sleep in the park – NOT a very nice neighbourhood. But what do you do? You need the DNI for just about EVERYTHING. Even when arriving in the middle of the night I was way back in the line, still in the park, no sight of the entrance. Then, sometime during the night a Bolivian woman came up to me and my friend (luckily a dear Colombian friend had the same DNI-need) and offered us her spot in the line – just outside the entrance – for 20 pesos each (about 40 SEK). I felt so bad – should I a white European take her spot just because I have more money? NO! But as it turns out, she was “working the line”. That is, she already had her DNI, arrived early every evening, with her kids, they slept there on the side walk in order to be able to make money selling the spot. Increíble… And she was far from the only one. Well, we accepted and got in to leave our fingerprints, papers, photos etc (imagine the photo after a night in the park…).

More than 3 MONTHS later I could go and pick up my PRECIOUS DNI. After an entire day of standing in 1004496887 different lines I reach the counter where they hand it out – what happens? They tell me the translation of my birth certificate was not valid, it had not been done by a public Argentinean translator. Obviously they had checked all my paperwork after the night in the park, and there had been no previous information concerning this. Back then I still got upset about these things, nowadays I have surrendered and do not spend my energy trying to explain why this all is so WRONG. Well, I got the document translated (again) and went back a week later. An entire day in line, reach the counter, all in order, then the man says: please come back in 4 months to pick it up! Hhaahha So, the entire year without DNI… I go and pick it up just one month before my visa expires and when I try to renew the visa I had to reinitiate the whole process. Which meant that I had to get a new DNI too! Lucky me =) But the second time around I did not have to sleep in a park, they actually changed the system and were giving out appointments. I got my appointment three months later, after that it took around three more months before I got the new DNI in my hand. Then, once a year it had to be renewed – implying a new date written with an ink-pen and a seal on one of the pages in the little DNI-booklet.

But to get the DNI renewed, of course you need to renew the visa first. The company I worked for were great about this, had all papers in order etc so it was quite a swift process. Until I was entitled the permanent visa, last year. According to the rules, laws or whatever you call it, as an immigrant you are entitled to get the permanent visa after three years with work permit. However, when I go to get mine, they say that it can not be issued since there is no “regulation”. Hmmm. Now, one year later they tell me that they do issue the permanent visas again, but not to me since I did not work here last year. Hahhahahahahhhaha So, this means that I, after six years in the country is back to tourist visa status and my DNI can not be renewed… Obviously I was told this could be “handled”, it seems there is always a monetary solution. But, you know what, I did not feel like paying quite many $$$$ for something that after so much despair and hard work actually was rightfully mine. Last time I went to the immigrations office (after they made me go back 6 times in a few weeks), I actually cried and the clerk sitting in front of me asked her colleague to “get me out of there”. It makes you feel very welcome… Luckily the country has so many other great things, and especially people, that makes it all worth it =)

I am sorry, this was too long, I know. I just had to get it out. And if I had shortened it (more) I do not think I would have been able to correctly communicate the agony ;o) I promise the next one will be shorter!