Pregnant Russian women are flocking to Argentina to give birth to their children and gain the country's citizenship for the newborns, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
According to the reports, more than 5,000 pregnant Russian women have entered Argentina in recent months. At least 33 expecting Russian mothers with pregnancies of approximately 32, 33, and 34 weeks arrived in Buenos Aires on a single international flight in the recent week.
It is assumed that women want to make sure their babies are born in Argentina to obtain Argentinian citizenship because it gives them more freedom than a Russian passport.
According to Argentine immigration laws, anyone born in Argentine is entitled to get immediately citizenship, and having a national-born child accelerates the citizenship process for the parents.
Argentina’s passport is considered very secure across the world as the people having the passport are allowed to enter 171 countries visa-free. Russians can travel visa-free to only 87 countries.
It is also believed that Argentina has seen an influx of Russian immigration since August as migrants flee President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine and Western sanctions that have throttled the economy.
Visiting European countries has become difficult for Russians after the Russian-Ukraine war since last February and resultantly, Western Nations suspended the visa facilitation agreement between the EU and Russia.
In this grim situation, Argentina has emerged as a popular destination for Russian families hoping to give their children the privileges of dual citizenship.
According to the immigrant officials of Argentina, the Russian women initially claimed they are visiting Argentina as tourists but carrying child in their wombs, they also acknowledge that they do not come here to engage in tourism only.
Argentine officials are also expressing concern over the large number of pregnant Russian women who have entered the country to give birth as a way to obtain an Argentine passport and left for good.