Argentina’s Citizenship by Investment Program: What Has Been Announced, What the Law Says, and What Is Still Unknown

On 2 October 2026, Argentina’s Economy Minister Luis Caputo presented the country’s new Citizenship by Investment Program in Paris during Argentina Week. Applications are expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2026, so the program was not yet accepting applications at the time of the announcement.

The legal foundation

The program rests on two decrees issued in 2025.

Decree 366/2025, a necessity-and-urgency decree signed on 28 May 2025, amended Argentina’s Citizenship Law No. 346. It created a second route to naturalization. Foreigners who prove to the National Directorate of Migration (DNM) that they have made a “relevant investment” in Argentina qualify, regardless of how long they have lived in the country. The general route still requires two years of continuous, lawful residence.

The same decree did the following:

• It left the Ministry of Economy to decide which investments count as relevant, and allowed it to designate specific investment projects.

• It created the Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs inside the Ministry of Economy, headed by an Executive Director with Undersecretary rank appointed by the national executive.

• It gave the Agency the tasks of designing and running citizenship-by-investment programs, receiving and evaluating applications, and recommending approval or rejection to the DNM.

• It required the Agency to publish annually the investments received through these programs.

• It moved the grant of naturalization papers to the DNM.

The decree’s preamble says the measure is meant to encourage investment and job creation. It also cites security concerns about access to the Argentine passport, and notes that Argentine passport holders can enter more than 170 countries without a visa.

Decree 524/2025, signed on 30 July 2025, published on 31 July 2025 and effective from publication, sets out the procedure:

1. The investor applies to the Agency.

2. The Agency assesses whether the investment qualifies as “relevant” under the Ministry of Economy’s criteria.

3. If it does, the Agency asks the Ministry of National Security, the Financial Information Unit, the National Recidivism Registry, RENAPER, the State Intelligence Secretariat, and any other public or private body it considers necessary. Each reports on whether granting citizenship to the applicant could pose a risk to national security or national interests.

4. The Agency sends the DNM a reasoned report recommending approval or rejection. If the investment does not qualify, or a consulted body advises against, the report must record this and propose rejection.

5. The DNM has 30 business days from receiving the Agency’s report to decide, by a reasoned act, whether to grant or refuse citizenship.

6. The tax authority (ARCA) is instructed to adapt its systems so that a tax ID (CUIT) can be issued to those granted citizenship.

The Agency is also to issue complementary rules for the application and evaluation procedure. The 30-business-day period covers only the DNM’s decision stage, not the whole process.

The two investment routes

The government has announced two routes to citizenship:

• Treasury contribution: a non-refundable contribution of USD 350,000 to the National Treasury.

• Sovereign bond: subscription to a USD 800,000 government bond created specifically for the program.

Family members can also apply, provided they demonstrate the relevant family relationship and make their own contribution. The family contributions published so far are:

On these figures, a family of four with two children under 18 would need USD 500,000 under the contribution route (350,000 + 100,000 + 25,000 + 25,000).

Screening

The government has said the program will follow due diligence, financial transparency and risk-management standards aligned with OECD and FATF recommendations. Applications will be checked for identity, source of funds, financial and asset position, jurisdictional risk, criminal and reputational background, and immigration history. All funds must pass through the formal financial system.

Dual citizenship

Argentina permits dual citizenship. Applicants should check whether their own country of nationality recognises it before applying, since some countries do not.

What remains unconfirmed

• The amounts are not yet in a published rule - Neither decree contains any monetary figure. The amounts above come from the announced framework, and the Ministry of Economy’s implementing criteria had not been published in the material reviewed.

• Bond terms - The bond’s maturity, yield, tradability and redemption terms have not been disclosed. It is also not stated whether the family amounts differ under the bond route.

• Opening date - All that has been said is “fourth quarter of 2026.”

• Residence or presence requirements - The decree sets no residence period for this route. Whether the implementing rules add any presence requirement is not yet known.

• Legal status of the decree - Decree 366/2025 is a necessity-and-urgency decree that was to be reported to Congress’s Bicameral Commission. This article does not examine later legislative or judicial developments.

Anyone considering the program should wait for the Ministry of Economy’s and the Agency’s final rules.

This article is based on information procured from official sources and public portals. It is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Kindly consult the relevant public authority or an immigration advisor at the Legit Migrant for guidance specific to your circumstances.