Citizenship by investment in ArgentinaOverview
In May 2025, Decree 366/2025 amended Argentina's Citizenship Law No. 346 to allow foreign nationals to acquire citizenship by making a relevant investment in the country, without the usual two-year residence requirement for naturalisation. Decree 524/2025, published in the Official Gazette on 31 July 2025, set out the procedure and created the Agencia de Programas de Ciudadanía por Inversión as a decentralised body under the Ministry of Economy.
On 2 October 2026, the Minister of Economy and the Chief of Cabinet announced the programme's financial terms. A principal applicant may either make a non-refundable contribution of USD 350,000 to the National Treasury or subscribe USD 800,000 to a government bond created for the programme. A spouse and each unmarried child aged 18 to 25 without children of their own add USD 100,000, and each child under 18 adds USD 25,000; a family of four with two minor children would therefore contribute USD 500,000 under the contribution option. All funds must enter through the formal financial system.
Applications will be lodged with the Agency, which requests reports from the financial intelligence unit, the State Intelligence Secretariat, the Ministry of Security, the national identity registry and other bodies, and assesses identity, source and traceability of funds, criminal and reputational background, jurisdictional risk and migration history. The Agency then issues a reasoned recommendation to the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones, which must decide within 30 business days. The government has said it intends to align standards with OECD and FATF guidance.
At the time of review, the programme had been announced but implementing rules and the bond terms had not been seen in operation, and applications were expected to open later in the fourth quarter of 2026. Argentina offers a strong passport and a large economy, but investors should expect detailed vetting, possible political and legal debate around a framework introduced by decree, and should not commit funds before the official application channel opens.
Key benefits
- Citizenship of a large Latin American economy with a strong passport
- Visa-free short stays in the Schengen Area and the United Kingdom
- No prior residence period under the 2025 framework
- Option of a returnable bond instead of a non-refundable contribution
- Family members included at set additional amounts
- Statutory 30-business-day decision period once the Agency reports
Requirements
- Qualifying investment as defined by the Ministry of Economy: currently a USD 350,000 contribution or USD 800,000 bond for the principal
- Funds transferred exclusively through the formal financial system
- Verifiable identity, lawful and traceable source of funds
- Clean criminal and reputational background
- No national security or strategic-interest concerns identified by consulted agencies
- Disclosure of migration history
- Additional amounts for each included family member
Investment options
Treasury contribution
USD 350,000
Non-refundable contribution by the principal applicant to the Argentine National Treasury.
Programme bond
USD 800,000
Subscription to a government bond created specifically for the programme, as an alternative to the contribution. Bond terms are to be confirmed.
Spouse or adult child
USD 100,000 each
For a spouse and for each unmarried child aged 18 to 25 without children of their own.
Minor child
USD 25,000 each
For each child under 18 included in the application.
Step-by-step process
- 1
Preliminary assessment
We review the family's profile, source of wealth and objectives, and monitor the official opening of the programme.
- 2
Document preparation
Identity, civil status, police and financial documents are assembled, apostilled and translated into Spanish.
- 3
Application to the Agency
Once the channel opens, the application is filed with the Agencia de Programas de Ciudadanía por Inversión.
- 4
Inter-agency vetting
The Agency obtains reports from security, intelligence, financial intelligence and identity authorities.
- 5
Recommendation and decision
The Agency sends a reasoned recommendation to the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones, which decides within 30 business days.
- 6
Investment and documents
The contribution or bond subscription is completed through the formal financial system, and Argentine identity documents, including a tax ID, are issued.
Typical documents
- Valid passports for all applicants
- Birth and marriage certificates, apostilled and translated
- Criminal record certificates from countries of nationality and residence
- Source of funds and source of wealth documentation
- Bank statements evidencing the transfer route
- Migration history and residence evidence
- Photographs and completed application forms
How Legal Wealth helps
Legal Wealth follows Argentina's programme closely and advises clients not to commit funds before the official channel is open and its rules are published in full. In the meantime, we help families assess fit, prepare a well-documented source-of-wealth file and coordinate with licensed Argentine counsel, so that an application can be made promptly and accurately once possible. Our approach is discreet and compliance-led, and we consider how Argentine nationality would interact with the family's existing citizenships, tax residence and succession planning.
Enquire with Legal WealthFrequently asked questions
Is the programme open?
As of mid-October 2026, the programme had been announced with applications expected to open during the fourth quarter of 2026. Status should be confirmed before any commitment.
What is the minimum investment?
For the principal applicant, a USD 350,000 non-refundable Treasury contribution or a USD 800,000 programme bond, plus amounts for family members.
Do I need to live in Argentina?
Decree 524/2025 does not require a prior residence period for investment-based citizenship.
Who decides on applications?
The Agencia de Programas de Ciudadanía por Inversión evaluates and recommends; the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones makes the final decision.
Is the legal framework settled?
The basis lies in decrees issued in 2025. Further regulation, bond terms and possible legal or political challenges could affect how the programme operates.
Last reviewed: 2026-10. Requirements, fees and timelines change. Information is general, reviewed on the date shown, and is not legal or tax advice.
Sources
- La Nación: Government enables citizenship for foreigners making large investments (Decree 524/2025)
- Palabras del Derecho: Government regulates citizenship access for large foreign investors
- Perfil: New citizenship-by-investment programme – who can apply and how much (October 2026)
- Envoy Global: Argentina launches citizenship by investment program
