Argentina expresses its concern about the massive entry of Russian pregnant women

The immigration authorities of Argentina expressed their concern about the entry of thousands of women pregnant russian in the last year to give birth and obtain an Argentine passport after the authorities ensured that three alleged Russian spies detained in Slovenia had documentation from the South American country.

Florencia Carignano, head of the National Directorate of Migrations, warned on Friday in statements to different local media about an increase in the flow of Russian citizens “from August” and in parallel, more applications for residence “because they had Argentine children.”

According to the official, 10,500 Russian pregnant women entered Argentina in 2022, of which 5,800 did so in the last three months. The South American country does not require an entry visa for Russian citizens.

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Many of them, interviewed by local and international media, argue that they are fleeing the war in Ukraine and that Argentina, in addition to offering a quality health system and more freedoms than in their native country, ensures their children and parents have access to a passport valid for destinations that are off-limits to Russians or require a visa.

“The problem we have is that they arrive, have children, write them down as Argentines, leave a power of attorney and leave”warned Carignano, who explained that 7,000 Russian women who gave birth in Argentina last year have already left the country.

Children born automatically obtain the Argentine identity document. Their parents have the right to apply for residence and once granted they can access the Argentine passport.

Although Argentina is a country with traditionally open arms for foreigners who seek to settle, the immigration authorities have set their sights on the residence procedures that the Russians begin after giving birth in the South American country after the arrest in Slovenia of three Russian spies with nationality. Argentina.

“Surely these people have come to have children in Argentina”Carignano said.

The official did not specify the case, but reported that a federal investigation is underway at the local level.

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In January, Slovenian media reported that the country’s authorities had detained two alleged Russian spies on its territory and that one of them was an Argentine national.

“Our passport is very secure, you can enter 171 countries without a visa. You can get a US visa for 10 years. If we don’t start controlling who we give a passport to, they’re going to give us a visa elsewhere,” he said. justified Carignano.

Six Russian women with advanced pregnancies were delayed in the last hours at the Ezeiza international airport. Migrations reported that they were denied entry to the country due to alleged irregularities in the required documentation.

“These women who did not commit any crime, who did not violate any immigration law, are illegitimately deprived of their freedom,” denounced the Argentine lawyer for three of them, Christian Rubilar, in journalistic statements.

“It is a matter of discrimination and violence against women. The only ones they arrested are those who came without males (without men)”asserted the lawyer, who filed a writ of habeas corpus before the courts so that his clients can enter the country.

Source: AP