Overview

• Argentine consulates are instructing holders of passports in the AAL314778–AAL346228, AAL400000–AAL607599, and AAL616000–AAL620088 ranges to return them for replacement.
• The flaw is described as invisible to the eye yet capable of making some passports unreadable by airport scanners, according to government and consular notices.
• RENAPER says individual defects cannot be identified without equipment testing, prompting batch withdrawals and series-wide recalls.
• The number of affected documents is contested, with the government citing about 5,000 while a congressional request references roughly 60,000 and higher figures from unnamed sources remain unconfirmed.
• Deputy Esteban Paulón filed a formal information request to RENAPER’s director on detection, risks and timelines, and consulates are offering no-cost emergency passports as replacements are processed.