Argentina to Puerto Rico visa requirements

Argentine ordinary passport holders need a U.S. B-1/B-2 visitor visa to travel to Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory and applies the same federal immigration rules as the mainland United States. Argentina is not in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, so ESTA cannot be used; a visa interview at a U.S. consulate is required. Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States, so entry is governed entirely by U.S. federal immigration law — there is no separate Puerto Rican visa. Argentina is not a member of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (its participation was withdrawn in 2002 and, despite a July 2025 statement of intent to begin a path back, the process was paused in late 2025 and remains unimplemented as of mid-2026). Because Argentina is not a VWP country, Argentine citizens cannot apply for ESTA and must obtain a B-1/B-2 nonimmigrant visitor visa for tourism. This requires completing the DS-160 online application, paying the USD 185 machine-readable visa (MRV) fee, and attending an in-person interview at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires. Interview wait times in Buenos Aires have fluctuated significantly (from roughly 7 weeks to over 200 days during peak backlogs), so applicants should apply well in advance. A B-1/B-2 visa is typically issued for 10-year multiple-entry validity for Argentine nationals, with the actual permitted stay (commonly up to 180 days) determined by a CBP officer at the port of entry. Puerto Rico is not in the Schengen area, so the Schengen 90/180 rule and ETIAS do not apply here.