DNI, CUIL, CUIT: which number you need and in what order

You will meet three numbers in Argentina: the DNI (ID card), the CUIL (work and social security number) and the CUIT (tax number). A workable order is: start your residence application, get a CUIL, get a CUIT if you need one, and receive the DNI by post once residence is approved.

The DNI: your ID card

The DNI is the national identity card. Temporary and permanent residents get one. Transitory statuses, such as tourist and digital nomad, do not give one.

You do not apply for it separately. The first DNI is requested together with your residence application at Migraciones. When you finish the order in RADEX (the Migraciones filing system), it generates 3 payment slips, and one of them is for the DNI. The fee for a first DNI or an update is ARS 20,000 (about USD 13 at ARS 1,540 on 6 October 2026).

A DNI needs approved residence. It is mailed to the address you declared.

There is no official figure for how long the DNI takes. One consumer guide describes delivery as "generally in a few weeks" after approval, by post. One forum member reported getting theirs in 47 days. In another forum thread, people report waits of 9 months or more on their cases. We cannot promise you a date.

Two other points:

• If you entered Argentina on a visa issued against a Permiso de Ingreso (entry permit), the rule is different. You must get your DNI at RENAPER (the national registry) within 60 business days of entry.
• The Province of Buenos Aires civil registry says it handles only renewals and replacements of foreign residents' DNIs, not the first one.

The CUIL: for work and social security

The CUIL is the number used for employment and social security. You get it at ANSES, the social security agency.

One 2026 guide says to book an appointment at ANSES and bring your passport and your residence file number. We could not check this on ANSES's own pages, so confirm with ANSES before you go.

Your precaria (temporary certificate), if Migraciones issues one, already lets you work while you wait.

The CUIT: your tax number

The CUIT is the tax number issued by ARCA, the tax authority that used to be called AFIP.

• With a DNI: Fully online on the ARCA website or the ARCA Móvil app, with Clave Fiscal level 3 or higher, a digital DNI copy, a facial photo and a declared real and fiscal domicile.
• Without a DNI: foreigners without an Argentine DNI can ask for a provisional CUIT, valid for up to 2 years. The press report of the rule says you submit documents from your home country plus proof of residence issued by Migraciones.
• Living abroad: the same press report says you need a legal representative domiciled in Argentina to get a CUIT. Ask a lawyer or an accountant.

Whether you need a CUIT at all depends on how you earn money and pay tax. An accountant can tell you.

The 2026 change: the CDI is gone

Many guides still tell foreigners to get a CDI (tax identification code). That advice is out of date.

ARCA General Resolution 5803/2025 was published on 24 December 2025. From 2 March 2026, it replaced the CDI permanently with the CUIT.

• According to the press report, an existing CDI converts automatically to a CUIT the next time the holder changes their details.
• Practice may lag. When we checked on 9 October 2026, the government's CDI page still described the old process. Ask ARCA which number it will issue you.

In what order

1. Start your residence application in RADEX and keep your file number. If Migraciones issues a precaria, keep it safe.
2. Get your CUIL at ANSES.
3. Get a CUIT from ARCA if you need one. Without a DNI it will be provisional.
4. Wait for your DNI by post once residence is approved. Check your email, including spam, while you wait.
5. When the DNI arrives, ask ANSES and ARCA whether your numbers need updating. The sources we rely on do not set out this step.

If your residence decision or your DNI is very late, check that every document you uploaded appears in your digital file. One forum report describes a long delay caused by a missing document that nobody flagged. If the wait drags on, an independent lawyer can advise on your options.

What to do next

Read the precaria explained for what happens while you wait. If you have not chosen a route yet, start with the Route Finder.