January 08, 2023

Made in Russia, Born in Argentina


Made in Russia, Born in Argentina
The director of "Rody v Mire," Eva Pekurova, holding her baby in front of the Swiss-Argentine Hospital in Buenos Aires. Eva Pekurova, Instagram.

Throughout January, the Argentine press has been reporting that the capital, Buenos Aires, has become a birth tourism hub for pregnant Russians.

Unlike many Western countries, Argentina has opposed sanctions on Russia and did not change its visa-free policy. Therefore, many Russians who seek better opportunities for their kids and a way to leave Russia have been traveling to Argentina. The Guardian reported that Georgy Polin, head of the consular department of the Russian Embassy in Argentina, estimated that between 2,000 and 2,500 Russians moved to Argentina in 2022. The number is expected to increase to 10,000 by 2023.

The country's citizenship policies are particularly appealing. Argentina grants birthright citizenship (automatic citizenship if you are born on the territory of the country) and allows parents of an Argentine-born baby to naturalize quickly. Another perk is that Argentine citizens can make short trips to 171 countries without a visa. Buenos Aires also has a high-quality public and private healthcare system. 

Agencies like the Belarussian "Rody v Mire" ("Giving Birth in the World") and Baby.RuArgentina offer packages from $2,000-15,000 that include housing, doctor's appointments, hospital stays, and translators. 

Russian families are already incorporating some Argentinianality into their newborns. The Argentine Newspaper La Nacion recorded a case of a Russian-heritage baby named "Angel" after Angel Di Maria, the soccer player who scored a decisive goal in the recent World Cup final against France.

You Might Also Like

A Year of Decline
  • December 31, 2022

A Year of Decline

Russia’s War on Ukraine is exacting deep and enduring economic and social costs on the country.
While Supplies Last
  • December 20, 2022

While Supplies Last

Prices for Moscow real estate, usually a hot market, are down a record 35 percent.
Butina, Babies, and Baby-making
  • January 01, 1990

Butina, Babies, and Baby-making

This week, depressing news about divisions and birth rates can only really be counteracted with a smile over the Orthodox church’s new take on sex.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals
[INVALID]
[INVALID]

Some of our Books

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955