Before I post my Argentina adventures, allow me to share the hurdles I went through around this time last year in order for me to even be granted access to enter beautiful Buenos Aires....
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Visa applications are already stressful enough as it is, especially when you have to apply for six different ones in preparation for SAS. Every application took so much time, but trying to obtain my visa for Argentina pushed me to a breaking point.
As per embassy rules, the Argentinean Embassy here in Manila is only allowed to grant tourist visas with a three-month validity. I had tried applying at the beginning of July, but according to our voyage itinerary, we won't be setting foot in Argentina until mid November. This posed as a huge problem, because that meant I could't get the visa yet at the time of application since it would expire October. By then it would be of no use when we actually go to Argentina on November.
The embassy told me to come back on August to apply, but that clearly couldn't work because I was
leaving on August! Now, this wouldn't have been that big of an issue had I not had two other visa applications (Ireland and South Africa) lined up behind my Argentina visa application. Those were already scheduled for the last few weeks of July and the first two weeks of August. I asked the embassy if it was at all possible to just grant me the visa in July, but mark the validity date to begin on August. They said no, that was against embassy rules.
At this point, I really did not know what to do. I literally did not have any other time to file an application within the month. Without the Argentinean visa, I wouldn't just be able to enter Argentina, but I wouldn't be able to sail
at all due to SAS regulations. If I didn't get this visa, my whole SAS trip would have to be called off. GASP!!!
Negotiations with the embassy led to a meeting with the Argentinean Embassy Prime Minister himself, so my parents and I could talk about our options with the head. The Prime Minister was very nice and reviewed the circumstances we were stuck in. After much talk and careful consideration, he told us that his secretary would just give us a call regarding the status of my application, as he will further discuss my situation with other Argentinean Embassy leaders.
The waiting game is never fun. But finally, after what felt like an eternity of waiting for the embassy to call back, I received THE call. The secretary informed me that the embassy had agreed to expedite the visa processing for my case. It would be a one-day process instead of the usual two-week-process!! Hallelujah! I was leaving on August 22nd, so they told me to come back on August 20th, go through an interview, and then release my visa on the 21st. That way, the validity will start on August 21st, and end on November 21st, which is the perfect window time for me to enter Argentina on the 12th of November and leave Argentina on November 16th without any problem. Phew!
That moment was glorious. I cried tears of joy when I got that call. BUT... little did I know the stress wouldn't end there.
