Argentine immigration authorities have their hands full with pregnant Russian women who have been traveling to Buenos Aires since the start of the war to have their children born there. This writes The Guardian. Children born in Argentina also acquire Argentine citizenship.
Director Florencia Carignano of Argentina’s immigration office said yesterday that an investigation has been launched into the lucrative case that promises Argentine passports to Russian parents. A flight arrived on Thursday with 33 Russian women, all between 32 and 34 weeks pregnant. Some were initially refused passport control but were eventually allowed to enter the country.
While the concept of birth tourism isn’t new, Argentina has become all the more popular with Russians due to the West’s isolation from the war. In Argentina, Russians do not have to meet any visa requirements.
10,500
In 2022, about 10,500 pregnant Russians will have traveled to the South American country, reports Carignano, 5,800 of them in the last three months. “Many of them said they were over 33 or even 34 weeks pregnant.”
The same figures show that around 7,000 women returned to Russia almost immediately after their child was born, leaving Argentine lawyers to apply for Argentine nationality for the born child – and subsequently for the parents themselves. “This is the problem,” concludes Carignano. “They arrive, have a child and leave Argentina never to return.”
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
