ARGENTINA REOPENS ITS AIR AND SEA BORDERS TO TRAVELERS FROM NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES OCTOBER 30 AS PART OF A PILOT PROGRAM TO BEGIN THE GRADUAL REPOPENING OF THE COUNTRY AMID THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19) PANDEMNIC. MOST OTHER TRAVELERS ARE BANNED UNTIL NOVEMBER 8. TOURSIM ACTIVITIES REMAINED BANNED. RESIDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR PROTECTIVE FACEMASKS AND ADHERE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES WHEN IN PUBLIC. AUTHORITIES COULD REIMPOSE, EXTEND, FURTHER TIGHTEN, OR OTHERWISE AMEND ANY RESTRICTIONS WITH LITTLE-TO-NO NOTICE, DEPENDING ON DISEASE ACTIVITY OVER THE COMING WEEKS.
Note: this page contains basic risk information. For more details, please contact the Risk Services Office at risk@berkeley.edu.
If you are traveling to Argentina on University-related business, please sign up for the University’s travel insurance program by going here. For more information on the travel insurance program, please go here.
Because everyone’s health is unique, we suggest seeking the advice of a medical professional before traveling internationally. Members of the campus community interested in protecting their health while abroad may schedule an appointment with the University Health Services International Travel Clinic
Quality health care is available in Buenos Aires, somewhat available in other cities, and less available in rural areas. Medical facilities may expect immediate payment in cash. In Buenos Aires, dial 107 for an ambulance. In the suburbs outside Buenos Aires, dial 911. Elsewhere in Argentina, use of a taxi or private transportation may be preferable to a public ambulance.
Air pollution can be a problem in urban areas, especially in Buenos Aires. If you have a chronic respiratory condition such as asthma, please consult a medical professional prior to your trip and carry appropriate medications.
Drinking water in urban areas is generally safe. However, power outages at treatment facilities and other problems may lead to contaminated tap water. Travelers should assume water in rural areas contains potentially dangerous pathogens and chemicals. To reduce the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort or illness, drink bottled, boiled, or purified water.
Street vendors and other unregulated food distributors often have poor hygiene standards and should be avoided. Visitors should also avoid raw or undercooked meat dishes and unpasteurized dairy products, which frequently harbor bacterial and parasitic pathogens.
Travelers risk contracting a number of serious illnesses in Argentina, including:
- Malaria, transmitted via mosquito bites, in northern rural areas bordering Bolivia and Paraguay.
- Dengue fever, transmitted via mosquito bites, from October through May in urban areas from Buenos Aires northward.
- Yellow fever, yet another mosquito-borne illness, in the northeastern forested areas.
- Leishmaniasis, transmitted through sand fly bites, in urban parts of Misiones and Corrientes provinces, including the cities of Posadas and Corrientes..
Crime is a serious risk in Argentina, especially in the city of Buenos Aires and in the provinces of Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Santa Fe, and Mendoza. Petty theft is common at tourist attractions, shopping centers, public transportation hubs, and near hotels. Keep handbags secure at all times. Avoid traveling alone, especially at night. If threatened, surrender valuables immediately.
Vehicle theft and carjacking are increasingly common. Armed assaults and kidnappings aimed at foreigners are also on the rise, based largely on perceptions of wealth. Travelers should eschew public displays of high-end clothing, jewelry, or electronics.
Argentine police officers rarely speak English. In general, they are poorly paid and equipped. Yet they are fairly reliable in serious crimes and emergencies.