The Migration Service of Argentina interviewed 350 pregnant Russian women as part of an investigation into maternity tourism

The National Migration Service of Argentina interviewed 350 Russian women in late pregnancy who entered the country in recent months. The migration authorities recorded a significant increase in the entry of Russian citizens during this period. The results of the survey indicate that “mafia organizations” offer pregnant Russian women a package of services that simplifies the acquisition of Argentine citizenship upon the birth of a child in the country, Director of the Migration Service Florencia Carignano said on Twitter.

“We have already provided the data to the federal court in order to continue to take care of our passport,” Ms. Carignano wrote. She accompanied the publication with an example of an advertisement that lures pregnant foreign women into the country. “Birth in Argentina! The world’s fastest second passport for parents!

Under Argentine law, children born in the country are automatically granted citizenship, making it easier for their parents to obtain an Argentine passport. Citizenship of Argentina makes it possible to visit 171 countries without a visa, including the countries of the European Union, Great Britain and Japan. Argentine newspaper La Nation citing a source in the migration service, reports that in 2022, 10.5 thousand pregnant Russian women entered the country. Of these, 7 thousand left Argentina, either having already issued a passport for the child, or by submitting an application for its issuance.

According to the publication, the investigation began after a lawsuit filed by a local lawyer, who reported the commercialization of obstetric services in order to obtain Argentine citizenship. The lawsuit was filed after six pregnant Russian women were detained at Buenos Aires airport on February 10. The court later allowed them “temporary admission” to the country and ordered their migration cases to be considered individually, the newspaper reported.

Kommersant FM talked with the lawyer of three pregnant women stranded at the airport, Christian Rubilard. According to him, Russian women could be denied entry, including because they traveled alone. Rubilard told La Nacion newspaper that one of his clients, a Russian woman 31 weeks pregnant, was “subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” in an attempt to exercise her right to immigrate to Argentina while fleeing a military special operation.

Erdni Kagaltynov