Alert on defective Argentine passports: review and official steps

The government detected a technical problem in the production of thousands of passports and asked holders to verify whether their document belongs to the affected series. The anomaly is linked to the security ink and cannot be seen with the naked eye: only the reading equipment at immigration checkpoints can detect it. The Casa Rosada (Presidential Office) assured that the problem has already been resolved and that RENAPER (National Revenue Service) is coordinating the review and replacement of the affected copies at no cost to citizens.

The initial call included residents in the country and abroad, because many of the compromised passports were held at consulates. Official sources clarified that the irregularity is not present in all copies of the indicated series, but that out of an abundance of caution, the documents were asked to be returned for verification. Passports are received at consulates, examined using specific equipment, and, if necessary, new versions are printed.

The problem was identified following alerts at immigration checkpoints where machines detected inconsistencies in the security ink. According to official information, a foreign ink supplier was the technical source of the problem, and the detected batches were withdrawn from production. The government also reported that the inspection and replacement process is carried out in batches and that the flow will return to normal as the shipments arrive at the plant.

Questions about responsibility, replacement times, and the protection of those who rely exclusively on Argentine passports for travel multiplied in politics and the press. Representatives requested formal reports from the authorities and demanded accurate data on the actual number of defective documents. The Executive branch promised transparency and a swift response for citizens stranded or with imminent travel.

Immigration Control: How the Failures Were Detected

RENAPER explained that the detection was possible thanks to the reading systems installed at borders and airports, which differentiate lines and inks invisible to the human eye. The agency coordinated the return procedure with Immigration and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: at consulates and local offices, the passport is received, scanned, and the citizen is informed whether a replacement is necessary. When the document is found to be correct, it is returned; if it has an anomaly, a reprint is arranged, and a new copy is sent.

Person submits Argentine passport to consulate for verification after alert about defective Argentine passports — A traveler hands in his passport at the consulate counter, where staff check batches due to an alert about printing errors.

Immigration control initially raised the alarm about the irregularity, as the scanning machines detected flaws in the security ink layer. RENAPER indicated that steps for those traveling urgently include processing an emergency passport, which is issued at no additional cost. In any case, they recommend not using the suspected passport until they have official confirmation that it is fit for circulation.

Document Replacement: Procedures, Times, and Alternatives

Replacing defective passports involves sending the copies to the central office for inspection and printing new ones, when necessary; this work is done in batches and can take weeks. In exceptional cases, foreign missions offer emergency passports for those who must travel immediately and cannot wait for reprinting. The cost of the replacement process is borne by the State once the defect is verified.

According to official explanations, the failure was related to an ink supplied by an international supplier that had been working with the equipment for several years. Once the cause was identified, its use was suspended and production resumed with verified inputs. Authorities emphasized that the anomaly is technical and does not, in general, automatically invalidate the document in all cases.

Recommendations for citizens

If your passport falls within the series communicated, we recommend presenting it immediately to the consulate or RENAPER office for verification. If you need to travel and the document is in doubt, request the issuance of an emergency passport before boarding. Always keep receipts and official emails; and, if immigration rejects your request, request an official note to facilitate clarification upon your return to the country.