Argentina Citizenship by Investment Programme Launched

The legal foundations of the programme were established in 2025.

Decree 366/2025 amended Argentina's Citizenship Law No. 346 to provide that foreigners may qualify for naturalisation where, regardless of the length of their residence in Argentina, they can demonstrate that they have made a "relevant investment" in the country. The same decree established the Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs (Agencia de Programas de Ciudadanía por Inversión, or APCI) as a decentralised body within the Ministry of Economy.

This represents a significant departure from Argentina's traditional naturalisation route. Under the ordinary route, a foreign national must generally demonstrate two years of continuous and lawful residence immediately preceding the application. The investment route was expressly introduced as an alternative in which the length of prior residence is not the qualifying criterion.

The investment route should nevertheless be understood as a route to naturalisation, rather than as an automatic acquisition of nationality simply upon making a payment. The applicant must undergo the prescribed assessment process and obtain a decision from the competent Argentine authorities.

The programme announced by the Argentine Government provides two principal options for the main applicant.

1. The first is a non-refundable contribution of USD 350,000 to the National Treasury.
2. The second is the subscription of a USD 800,000 government security created specifically for the Argentina Citizenship by Investment Programme.

The USD 350,000 contribution is therefore the lower-cost route in terms of the initial financial commitment. It is, however, expressly non-refundable.

The government security is structurally different. Current reporting indicates that the instrument is intended to have a seven-year term and no interest payment. The precise legal and financial terms of the security, including redemption and other conditions, should be considered once the relevant implementing documentation is formally published.

The programme also permits the spouse and children of the principal applicant to apply, subject to the applicable family relationship and contribution requirements.

The announced contributions are:

The Argentine framework places significant emphasis on due diligence and national security.

The 2025 implementing framework provides for the Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs to assess whether an applicant's investment qualifies and to prepare a recommendation for the National Directorate of Migration. The assessment is supported by information and reports from a number of governmental bodies, including the Ministry of Security, the Financial Intelligence Unit, the National Criminal Records Registry, RENAPER and the State Intelligence Secretariat. Other public or private bodies may also be consulted where necessary.

The Government has stated that the programme will incorporate standards relating to due diligence, financial transparency and risk management aligned with OECD and FATF recommendations. The announced assessment will consider matters including identity, the lawful origin and traceability of funds, financial and asset information, jurisdictional risk, criminal and reputational background and immigration history.

All funds must be channelled through the formal financial system and comply with applicable requirements concerning anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing and financial transparency.

The process is therefore intended to go beyond verifying that the applicant has sufficient funds to make the investment. The legitimacy and traceability of the applicant's wealth and investment funds will form an important part of the assessment.

The Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs does not itself provide an automatic grant of citizenship.

Following the assessment, the Agency prepares a recommendation to the National Directorate of Migration. Migration then considers the report and makes the final decision by means of a reasoned administrative act. Under the 2025 procedural framework, Migration is to decide within 30 working days of receiving the Agency's report.

This distinction is important. The payment of the qualifying investment should not be regarded as creating an unconditional entitlement to Argentine nationality.

Instead, the investment forms the basis for an application for naturalisation, which remains subject to governmental due diligence and approval.

One of the principal attractions of the programme is the international mobility associated with Argentine nationality. Argentine citizens have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to more than 160 destinations, including the Schengen Area for short stays of 90 days within any 180 day period.

Argentine citizenship also provides a regional dimension that distinguishes it from many other citizenship by investment programmes. Argentine nationals benefit from mobility and residence opportunities within the MERCOSUR framework, subject to the applicable rules of the relevant member state.

Argentina permits dual and multiple citizenship.

An individual acquiring Argentine citizenship is therefore not generally required by Argentina to renounce an existing nationality. The position must nevertheless be considered from the perspective of the applicant's existing nationality, since the law of the applicant's country of origin determines whether dual nationality is permitted or recognised.

For internationally mobile families, this makes the interaction between Argentine nationality law and the applicant's existing citizenship particularly important.

What prospective applicants should consider

The introduction of the programme creates a new option for individuals considering a second citizenship, but the decision to apply should involve considerably more than comparing the headline investment amount.

status.

Given the judicial developments surrounding the legislative basis of the programme, applicants should ensure that they receive up-to-date advice regarding the legal framework at the time of application.

Argentina's Citizenship by Investment Programme represents a significant new development in the international investment migration landscape. This new programme brings investment-linked naturalisation into one of Latin America's largest economies and into the MERCOSUR environment.

The announced USD 350,000 Treasury contribution provides a relatively straightforward entry route, while the USD 800,000 government security introduces a different investment proposition for applicants who may prefer an investment-based structure rather than a wholly non-refundable contribution.

The programme also combines international mobility, family inclusion and the possibility of retaining an existing nationality, subject to the laws of the applicant's home country.

For international investors and private client advisers, Argentina is therefore likely to become an important jurisdiction to follow as the country moves from establishing the legal framework for investment-linked naturalisation to receiving its first applications.