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PROCEDURAL EMERGENCY — RISK OF DETENTION

Arrest Warrant in Argentina: How to Check Your Status and Avoid Detention

We verify your situation first using basic personal and case details, without exposing you to any risk. We establish whether it is an arrest warrant, a fugitive declaration or a location order (averiguación de paradero), and build a strategy for you to appear before the court while remaining free — before a street checkpoint, airport or bus terminal catches you off guard.

Coverage: Buenos Aires City (CABA) and Province of Buenos Aires.

Critical warning

Do not go to a police station to ask whether they are looking for you. If the order is active, you could be detained on the spot. The safe check is carried out by a defence lawyer through the judicial system — using your name, surname and national identity number (DNI) — without you having to expose yourself to any risk.

Key takeaways

  • There is no public portal to check arrest warrants in Argentina — the safe method is through a defence lawyer.
  • Do not go to a police station to ask: if the order is active, you can be detained on the spot.
  • Three measures carry detention risk: arrest warrant (pedido de captura), fugitive declaration (rebeldía) and location order (averiguación de paradero).
  • A pretrial release motion (eximición/exención de prisión) allows you to appear before the court without being detained.
  • Active orders show up at Ezeiza airport, Buquebus and bus terminals — act before travelling.

Select your situation (we'll direct you to the right resource)

This guide will point you in the right direction. If your actual emergency is different (detention, search, drug offences, etc.), go directly to the specific content for clear information and sound advice.

I am in custody / 24-hour emergency
Bail, pretrial release motion and immediate legal action.
I was summoned / I did not appear
What to do and what to request at each stage of the proceedings. The risk of detention is real.
Drug / narcotics case
Defence for possession, personal use, supply and trafficking charges.
Criminal Offences Guides
Professional, clear and structured guidance organised by situation, offence and risk level.
Need to review judicial precedents? See criminal case law on bail and release.
APPEAR WHILE REMAINING FREE WHATSAPP: URGENT ENQUIRY

If there is a detention or an emergency at a police station: go directly to 24-hour Bail & Release.

How to resolve an arrest warrant while minimising the risk of detention

An arrest warrant (pedido de captura) is typically issued when a person fails to appear at a judicial hearing or when the prosecutor or court considers there to be a flight risk. This may cause the person to appear on law enforcement databases checked at street stops, vehicle checkpoints, airports and bus terminals.

If you are stopped at a checkpoint or attempt to leave the country, you can be detained on the spot.

To regularise your situation without losing your freedom, the case file is analysed and a strategy for voluntary appearance before the court is constructed, including a pretrial release motion (eximición/exención) (depending on jurisdiction) or a request to maintain liberty, as appropriate.

Useful shortcuts (depending on your situation): appear before the court while remaining free (emergencies) · criminal procedure (what to request at each stage) · case law on bail and release · drug / narcotics cases.

Once the judge grants the measure, official notifications are issued so that the order is reflected in the relevant systems. That is why it is essential to act before travelling, moving around or exposing yourself to any checkpoint.

To see how similar cases have been resolved, consult: Criminal Case Law on bail, release and pretrial motions and Criminal Procedure strategy guides.

Note: the strategy depends on the jurisdiction (federal / Buenos Aires City / Province), the status of the case file and the procedural risk.

Warning signs

  • You received a summons or notification and did not appear before the court or prosecutor's office.
  • You were called to a hearing and did not attend (possible fugitive declaration).
  • Police came looking for you at an address and did not find you.
  • A family member's home was searched and they asked for you by name.
  • You have moved and lost contact with your defence lawyer or with the case file.
  • You are planning to travel and have an old case that has gone quiet (be careful with this).
Check before you travel. Biometric checks (Ezeiza, Buquebus, bus terminals) can detect active orders.
VIEW COVERAGE AREAS

Looking for a specific court or prosecutor's office?

Warning: If a prosecutor's office (UFI/UFIJ) has contacted you or you have received a summons, there may be an ongoing criminal investigation. Calling "to find out what is happening" or attending without a lawyer could expose you to an self-incriminating statement. Get legal advice before speaking with those investigating you.

Direct access to criminal coverage information by area. For specific court details, telephone numbers and addresses, consult the coverage overview.

CABA
La Matanza
Avellaneda / Lanús
Quilmes
Morón
San Martín
Lomas de Zamora
San Isidro

Further resources (for deeper research)

Appearing Before the Court While Remaining Free
Pretrial release motions, strategies and emergencies.
Criminal Case Law
Rulings on bail and interim measures.
Criminal Procedure
How proceedings work and what to request at each stage.
Criminal Offences Guides
Quick answers, organised by urgency level.
Coverage Areas
Serving Buenos Aires City (CABA) and Province of Buenos Aires.
Contact
Direct channels and office hours.

If you have an emergency, contact us immediately.

Frequently asked questions

There is no reliable official public portal where you can check this directly by national identity number (DNI). The safe approach is to have a defence lawyer consult the judicial system using your details (full name, DNI and jurisdiction). Do not go to a police station to ask: if the order is active, you could be detained on the spot.

These are three distinct legal measures, but all three carry a risk of detention. An arrest warrant (pedido de captura) is an order to detain you and bring you before the court. A fugitive declaration (rebeldía — default for failing to appear) is issued when you failed to appear at a hearing and the proceedings continued without you. A location order (averiguación de paradero) is a measure taken when the court or prosecutor is unable to notify you. All three require urgent judicial regularisation: verify your status and appear through the correct legal channel before exposing yourself.

The safest approach is to have a registered lawyer consult the judicial system and the case file. Do not go to a police station to ask: if the order is active, you could be detained immediately.

Do not let it go unaddressed. If your failure to appear is placed on record, the court may proceed with a fugitive declaration and coercive measures (including an arrest warrant), depending on the case. The safest course is to appear before the court with a lawyer and request that your liberty be maintained, with a controlled appearance.

It is not advisable. If a judicially ordered arrest or detention warrant is active, you could be detained the moment you walk in. The correct approach is to first verify your situation and then build a strategy so that you appear before the court without losing your freedom.

It is a measure taken when the court or prosecutor is unable to notify or locate you. If left unaddressed, it can escalate into a fugitive declaration or other measures. The sooner a controlled appearance is arranged, the better.

It is a petition to the judge to prevent a detention from being enforced so that you can appear before the court while remaining free. If granted, the court orders the necessary measures — for example, adjusting restrictions and issuing notifications — depending on the case. It should be considered before exposing yourself to police checks or travel.

No. Exención and eximición, in practice, refer to the same objective: seeking permission to appear before the court without being detained (the terminology varies by jurisdiction). Excarcelación (bail), on the other hand, applies when a person is already in custody and seeks release during the proceedings, subject to conditions.

It depends on the court, the status of the case file and whether urgency is demonstrated. Even after a favourable ruling, there is typically a delay before official notifications are issued and systems are updated. This is why it is essential to act before travelling or exposing yourself to police checks.

If the order is active, you can be detained on the spot. In that situation, immediately request to contact your defence lawyer and do not make any statement or sign any documents without legal assistance. Prevention means verifying your status and appearing through the judicial channel before it comes to that.

Yes. Sometimes the problem arises from summonses that were never received, outdated address records or proceedings that continued without your knowledge. Before travelling or moving around freely, it is worth checking the case file and regularising your situation.
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If there is a detention or an emergency at a police station: go directly to 24-hour Bail & Release.

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