Researching Argentina
by: Carlos Staiti
Excerpts from an article in the December 1999 issue of the Italian Genealogical Group newsletter.

Argentina is almost entirely populated by descendants of European immigrants. More than 50% originated from Italy, arriving in the 19th and into the 20th centuries. The port of entry was Buenos Aires, the capital and largest city in Argentina. Never the less, there are many other cities in which Italian immigrants settled, like: Santa Fe, Cordoba, Mendoza, San Juan, etc. There is a large city, named Rosario, where the population is about 90% Italian immigrants, or their descendants.
A very large number of marriage and baptismal records of Italian immigrants are in the church of "Nuestra Senora de Balvanera" in Buenos Aires. These records are also available on microfilm at the Family History Center near you. There are several organizations for researchers, and I believe the most important is: CEMLA (Centro de Estudios Migratorios Latinoamericanos).
address: 

CEMLA
A.V. Independencia 20
1099, Buenos Aires, Argentina

CEMLA, is a research center to which the government of Argentina has donated its immigration books. Volunteers are making their best efforts to enter this information into a computer database on Italian immigrants since the 1880's. (records are good, but not perfect or complete). It is advisable to include a S.A.S.E. and a small donation of maybe $5 0r $10 for each request to the organization you inquire. Please write in the local language (Spanish) do not be surprised if it takes a month or more to receive a response.
Other sources of information are:

Instituto Argentino de Ciencias Genealogicas
Calle 61, No. 662
1900 La Plata, Argentina
and
Direccion Nacional de Migraciones
Av. Antartica 1380
Buenos Aires, Argentina