"‘I Hate War’ Pregnant Russian Woman, Surge in Migration to Argentina"

Visa-Free Entry Possible and Easy Citizenship Acquisition

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 26th (local time), the number of Russian women traveling to Argentina for childbirth has been increasing since the Ukraine war.

According to the Argentine government, more than 22,000 middle- and upper-class Russians have migrated to Argentina from January last year to early this year. The number of Russian arrivals in January last year, just before the Ukraine war, was 1,000, but it increased more than fourfold to 4,500 in January this year.

A significant portion of them were pregnant women. WSJ analyzed that the demand for childbirth tourism has surged as people seek to escape the chaos of the war and give birth in Argentina. According to Buenos Aires health authorities, among the 985 babies born at Fernandez Public Hospital last year, 85 (8.6%) were children of Russian women. This year, among 168 babies born from the beginning of the year until now, 38 (22.6%) were born to Russian women, showing an increased proportion. At the private Pinochetto Hospital, 50 out of 180 newborns in December last year were Russian children.

Following the invasion of Ukraine, political instability, repression of anti-war factions, and forced conscription of men into the military have heightened public anxiety, leading pregnant women to leave their home country.

In particular, Russians can enter Argentina visa-free, and both the child and parents can obtain citizenship through childbirth tourism. The Argentine government grants immediate citizenship to children born in the country and provides temporary residence and work permits to the parents. Subsequently, within two years, the parents can also proceed with the citizenship acquisition process. Obtaining Argentine citizenship allows visa-free travel throughout Europe.

Asha Davidova (40), a Russian, said, "It is amazing that the whole family can obtain passports in just two years," adding, "Argentina was chosen as the (migration) country because it is the easiest country to give my child another passport. When we arrived here, we completely gave up plans to return to Russia or any other country." Alexander Nechayev (28) explained, "Most of us came here to avoid the war," and said, "I was at risk (from the war) and do not support the terrible attacks."