Reviewed by Carlos Vargas, Texas Licensed Funeral Director (TFSC #119648) ·
The Houston consulate covers Texas
Argentina’s Consulate General in Houston lists its consular district as Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Louisiana, so a Dallas family belongs to Houston. The same page gives the address as 2200 West Loop South, Suite 1025, Houston, Texas 77027, in-person hours of Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and the switchboard 713-871-8935. It also publishes a consular emergency cell number, +1 (832) 544-8086, and names the death of an Argentine citizen abroad among the situations that line is for. General questions go to chous@mrecic.gov.ar.
Houston publishes no page on returning remains
The Houston consulate’s own menu of consular services lists passports and identity documents, certificates, travel permissions for minors, nationality, powers of attorney, criminal records, weapons permits and the entry of pets. It has no entry for moving a body or ashes to Argentina. Two other Argentine consulates do publish one, and because they belong to the same foreign ministry this guide uses them as the closest written reference. They are not Houston’s instructions. Before any document is ordered, ask Houston by email whether it follows the same list and whether it wants to see anything for your case.
Documents another Argentine consulate lists for a body
The Consulate General in Los Angeles explains on its page about the transfer of human remains to Argentina that it takes no part in the transfer and that the family must turn to the funeral home it chooses. For a body it lists three documents: the death certificate; a certification from the local health authority that the person did not have a contagious disease; and a certificate from the funeral home stating that the body was prepared according to international transport rules and placed in a hermetically sealed metal container, which is then placed inside a second container suitable for transport. The page, dated October 29, 2024, says all of it must be translated into Spanish and legalized with the Hague apostille.
Documents listed for ashes
For cremated remains the same Los Angeles page lists the death certificate and a cremation certificate from the crematory stating that the urn contains only human ashes and naming the person, again translated and apostilled. The consulate in Madrid adds a practical note that applies anywhere: contact the airline well ahead to confirm whether ashes may travel as accompanied baggage and what packaging it requires, because each carrier’s rules differ.
The entry permit and border health
The Madrid consulate’s page on returning remains, updated April 22, 2025, describes who files what. Funeral homes process the request for permission for the remains to enter Argentina, declaring the date, the place of embarkation and the destination. For a body, the request is accompanied by the death certificate, a certificate from the person authorized to prepare the body describing the method used, and a certificate that the remains carry no infectious or contagious disease, which is presented to Argentina’s Dirección de Sanidad en Fronteras. The page says every certificate must carry the Hague apostille to be accepted in Argentina.
In practice the funeral home receiving the body in Argentina usually carries this request. Ask it to confirm in writing that the permit has been requested before the flight is booked.
Customs: form OM-2153-A
Argentina’s customs and tax agency publishes a procedure titled importation of human remains, cremated or not. Authorization is requested by filing form OM-2153-A in duplicate, together with the death certificate and the certificate showing that the person did not have an infectious or contagious disease. The entry is then registered in the customs system, known as SIM, and the guide says that registration may be made by a licensed customs broker or by the customs service itself. Ask the receiving funeral home who will file it and whether it expects a broker’s fee.
Apostille and Spanish translation
Argentina has been a party to the Apostille Convention for decades. The HCCH status table shows accession on May 8, 1987 and entry into force on February 18, 1988. For a death in Dallas, the apostille on the Texas death certificate and on notarized funeral home statements is issued by the state; see the Texas Secretary of State authentication FAQ. Neither consular page says who must make the Spanish translation. Ask the Houston consulate and the receiving funeral home before paying for one.
What the consulate says it will not pay
The Madrid page states that the consulate neither grants permits nor meets the costs of returning human remains to Argentina, and that the family or the people responsible must coordinate the shipment directly with the funeral home and the airline. The Los Angeles page adds one service a consulate can offer: at the request of interested relatives it may record the death of an Argentine in its civil registry book when the death occurred within its district. For a death in Dallas that would be Houston. The insurance and assistance guide lists other places to ask about money.
From DFW to Buenos Aires
American Airlines publishes a route page from Dallas/Fort Worth to Buenos Aires (EZE) that describes nonstop or connecting service, so ask which applies on the proposed date. American Airlines Cargo’s TLC page says its specialists work directly with funeral homes and mortuaries on the advance arrangements. LATAM Cargo also publishes a human remains service page, without naming routes. A family travelling on to Córdoba, Mendoza or another province should settle the onward transport with the receiving funeral home first.
| Step | Who to ask |
|---|---|
| Death certificate, preparation and container certificate | The funeral director here |
| Apostilles on Texas documents | Texas Secretary of State |
| Whether Houston follows the published lists | Consulate General of Argentina in Houston |
| Entry permit and border health | The receiving funeral home in Argentina |
| Customs form OM-2153-A | A customs broker or the customs service, through the receiving funeral home |
| Acceptance of the casket and the flight | The airline’s cargo desk |
Questions families ask about a return to Argentina
- Which Argentine consulate covers Dallas?
- The Consulate General in Houston. Its published consular district includes Texas and five neighboring states.
- Will the Argentine consulate pay for the transfer?
- No. An Argentine consular page states that the consulate neither grants permits nor meets the costs of returning remains. The family coordinates with the funeral home and the airline.
- Do the documents need an apostille?
- The Argentine consular pages that publish a list say the documents must carry the Hague apostille and be translated into Spanish. Texas issues the apostille for Texas documents.
Sources checked and case confirmation
Sources checked September 21, 2026. The Houston consulate publishes no list of its own, so the document lists above come from the Argentine consulates in Los Angeles and Madrid. Confirm documents, fees, route and receiving arrangements for the individual case. Contact Vargas–London with the origin and destination to discuss the next step without sending medical or identity documents through the inquiry form.
