🇦🇷 Argentina - E-Invoicing Specifications (AFIP/ARCA Sistema de Factura Electrónica)
Status: 🟢 Mandatory | Active Authority: ARCA (formerly AFIP - Administración Federal de Ingresos Públicos) Platform: AFIP Electronic Invoice System + ARCA New Platform
1. Context & Overview
Argentina has one of Latin America's most mature e-invoicing systems, originally launched in 2006. The system transitioned from AFIP to ARCA in 2024-2025, with ongoing regulatory updates. Argentina operates on a Clearance Model requiring pre-validation through the tax authority before invoice issuance.
| Date | Scope | Obligation |
|---|---|---|
| 2006+ | Progressive rollout | Initial e-invoicing by category |
| July 1, 2015 | VAT registered | Mandatory for all VAT taxpayers |
| Dec 18, 2024 | GR 5616/2024 | Foreign currency transaction rules |
| Jan 1, 2025 | GR 5614/2024 | Price display requirements (VAT breakdown) |
| 2025 | ARCA Transition | Migration to new ARCA platform |
| Ongoing | All businesses | Continuous AFIP/ARCA reporting |
2. Technical Workflow (Clearance Model)
Invoicerr must send invoices to ARCA/AFIP for pre-validation before delivery. CAF authorization is required for each invoice range.
flowchart TD
S["Invoicerr (Supplier)"] -->|1. Generate XML| P[Prepare Invoice Data]
P -->|2. Request CAF| AFIP[ARCA/AFIP Platform]
AFIP -->|3. CAF Authorization| S
S -->|4. Generate Signed XML| X[XML with Digital Signature]
X -->|5. Submit for Clearance| AFIP
AFIP -->|6. Validation & Authorization| AFIP
AFIP -->|7. Return Signed XML + QR| S
S -->|8. Deliver Invoice| C[Client]
S -->|9. Send XML to Client| C
subgraph "Lifecycle"
AFIP -.->|Status Update| S
end
🧱 Key Components
- CAF (Código de Autorización de Folio): Pre-authorized invoice number range obtained from ARCA/AFIP
- CUIT (Clave Única de Identificación Tributaria): 11-digit tax ID for all parties
- Digital Certificate: Required for signing invoices (AFIP-issued or authorized providers)
- Electronic Signature: Mandatory for all e-invoices
- WSFE/WSMTX: Web services for invoice transmission
3. Data Standards & Formats
A. Required Format
- XML Format: AFIP schema (based on CII/UBL concepts)
- Encoding: UTF-8
- Digital Signature: X.509 certificate with AFIP-compliant algorithms
B. Document Types
| Code | Description | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Factura A | B2B with VAT (registered taxpayers) |
| 02 | Nota de Débito A | Debit note for A invoices |
| 03 | Nota de Crédito A | Credit note for A invoices |
| 04 | Factura B | B2C/B2B consumer (VAT included) |
| 05 | Nota de Débito B | Debit note for B invoices |
| 06 | Nota de Crédito B | Credit note for B invoices |
| 08 | Factura C | Exempt/Zero-rated |
| 11 | Factura de Exportación | Export invoice |
| 12 | Nota de Débito de Exportación | Export debit note |
| 13 | Nota de Crédito de Exportación | Export credit note |
C. Critical Data Fields
- CUITEmitter: Seller's tax ID
- CUITReceiver: Buyer's tax ID (mandatory for A/B invoices)
- Concepto: Product (1), Service (2), Mixed (3)
- DocTipo: Buyer document type (CUIT, DNI, CUIL, etc.)
- DocNro: Buyer document number
- ImporteTotal: Total amount
- ImporteIVA: VAT amount
- CondicionIVA: VAT condition (IVA Responsable Inscripto, Consumidor Final, etc.)
4. Business Model & Compliance
A. Clearance Workflow
- CAF Request: Obtain authorization codes for invoice ranges
- Invoice Generation: Create XML with all required fields
- Digital Signing: Apply electronic signature
- Submission: Send to ARCA/AFIP web services
- Authorization: Receive CAE (Código de Autorización Electrónico)
- Delivery: Send to client (XML, PDF, or printed)
B. Special Considerations
- Foreign Currency: Must record exchange rate from National Bank of Argentina
- VAT Breakdown: Must show net price and VAT separately (GR 5614/2024)
- Contingency Mode: Offline mode when API unavailable (limited validity)
- Point of Sale (POS): Special requirements for retail transactions
C. Archiving Requirements
- Retention Period: 10 years minimum
- Format: Original XML + CAE confirmation
- Location: Argentina (data sovereignty requirements)
5. Implementation Checklist
- CUIT Registration: Obtain and verify CUIT for all entities
- Digital Certificate: Acquire AFIP-compliant digital certificate
- CAF System: Implement CAF request and management logic
- XML Engine: Build XML generation for AFIP schemas
- Signature Implementation: Integrate digital signing with certificates
- WS Integration: Connect to AFIP/ARCA web services (WSFE/WSMTX)
- Contingency Handling: Implement offline mode logic
- Client Delivery: Support XML, PDF, and print formats
- Status Tracking: Monitor authorization status and CAE retrieval
- Document Types: Support all invoice types (A, B, C, Export)
- Foreign Currency: Implement exchange rate recording
- VAT Display: Ensure VAT breakdown compliance (GR 5614)
6. Resources
- ARCA Portal: Arca.gob.ar
- AFIP Legacy: Afip.gob.ar
- Electronic Invoice Portal: Afip.gob.ar/ws
- Technical Specifications: Manual de Factura Electrónica AFIP
- Developer Resources: WS Helper Documentation