Argentine passport: ranking, strength and how to get it

The Argentine passport in brief

In brief: Argentine passports are issued to citizens by birth, by option or after naturalisation, including by investment. The document is biometric and issued by RENAPER, and for travel within MERCOSUR the DNI identity card is enough.

The passport matters for more than the number of countries. For a Russian citizen it changes three things: Europe and the United Kingdom become accessible without visa centres, business trips to Asia no longer need consular visits, and in Latin America it brings the right to live and work in MERCOSUR countries. These three directions explain why a family wants an Argentine passport, not just its place in a ranking.

The passport can only be obtained by becoming a citizen. Argentina does not issue passports to foreigners with residence permits: they keep the passport of their own country and an Argentine foreigner identity card. So the question "how to get an Argentine passport" really means "how to get Argentine citizenship", and the answer depends on the ground.

How the document works

In brief: the Argentine passport is a biometric booklet with a chip, in the style of MERCOSUR documents. The data are entered in Spanish in Latin script, and the validity depends on age.

The passport is issued by RENAPER, the national registry of persons, which holds the records of citizens from birth or naturalisation. The chip stores the holder's photo and data, so the passport works at automated border gates where they are open to foreigners. The cover follows the common MERCOSUR style with the names of the union and the country.

Besides the passport, a citizen has the DNI identity card. It is the main document inside the country: it is used to open accounts, sign contracts and receive medical care. The DNI also works as a travel document in MERCOSUR: an Argentine citizen can enter Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador without a passport.

For a new citizen the order is always the same: first the document on admission to citizenship, then the citizen DNI, then the passport. RENAPER issues a passport only to a citizen with a valid DNI, so both documents are usually done in one trip.

Spelling of the name

The name in an Argentine passport is written in Latin script exactly as in the documents on which the person was admitted to citizenship. If the name is spelled one way in a Russian international passport and another way in the translation of the birth certificate, the difference will have to be explained. So the spelling of the surname and first name is agreed before the documents are translated: it must match across every paper in the application.

Ranking and strength of the Argentine passport

In brief: according to the BRIDGES Passport Index the Argentine passport opens 168 destinations: 128 visa-free, 30 with a visa on arrival and 10 with an electronic authorisation. 58 destinations require a visa in advance.

BRIDGES uses one figure for each passport across the whole site, from its own passport index, with the date of the check. Different rankings count countries differently: some include only UN member states, others add dependent territories, others treat electronic authorisations differently. That is why sources quote figures from 160 to 178, and they cannot be compared with each other.

The strength of a passport depends not on the total but on which countries it opens. For a family, the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, Japan and Latin America matter, and all of them are open to an Argentine citizen. The weak spot is North America: the United States requires a visa, and Canada admits Argentines with an electronic authorisation only if they hold a US visa.

The chart shows that the Argentine passport gives long stays where they are needed for work and study. The United Kingdom and Mexico allow up to six months, the Schengen Area 90 days in any 180-day period. Israel, South Korea and the United Kingdom require an electronic authorisation, obtained online a few days before travel.

Electronic authorisations: ETA, K-ETA, ETA-IL and ETIAS

In brief: some countries are open to Argentine citizens with an electronic authorisation. It is obtained online before travel, and without it the airline will not board the passenger.

An electronic authorisation is not a visa. The traveller fills in a form on the website of the country of entry, pays a fee and receives the authorisation by email, usually within a few days. The authorisation is linked to the passport number, so it has to be obtained again when the passport is replaced.

United Kingdom

An Argentine citizen enters the United Kingdom with an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) and may stay for up to six months for tourism, business meetings or short courses. The authorisation is valid for several years or until the passport expires and covers multiple trips.

South Korea and Israel

Travel to South Korea requires a K-ETA, and to Israel an ETA-IL. Both countries admit Argentine citizens for up to 90 days. In Israel entry with the authorisation covers tourism and business trips; work requires a separate visa.

The Schengen Area and ETIAS

The EU is introducing the ETIAS system for visa-exempt travellers. It does not end visa-free travel for Argentine citizens: before the first trip they will have to complete an online form and pay a fee. The EU has postponed the launch several times, and as at October 2026 no date has been announced. Until then Argentine citizens enter the Schengen Area with a passport only.

The Argentine passport and the United States

In brief: an Argentine citizen needs a B1/B2 visa to travel to the United States. It is issued for up to 10 years with multiple entries, and Argentina's return to the Visa Waiver Program has no date yet.

Argentina took part in the US Visa Waiver Program from 1996 and left it in 2002. On 28 July 2025 the two governments signed a statement on starting its return, but no date of entry was set. In 2026 the US ambassador to Argentina spoke of a timeframe of more than a year. So today an Argentine citizen applies for a B1/B2 visa through the US embassy in Buenos Aires.

The visa for Argentine citizens has a long validity: up to 10 years with multiple entries, with no extra charge beyond the usual application fee. For a family that travels to the United States regularly, this makes up for the lack of visa-free travel.

The Argentine passport compared with others

In brief: the Argentine passport is stronger than the Vanuatu and Russian passports for Europe and Asia, comparable to the passports of Brazil, Chile and Uruguay, and weaker than EU passports for the United States and Canada.

According to the BRIDGES Passport Index the Vanuatu passport opens 85 destinations and the Argentine passport 160. The difference is in Schengen, the United Kingdom and Japan: Vanuatu citizens need a visa there. In Latin America both passports open most countries, but only Argentina gives the right to live in MERCOSUR countries.

The passports of the Caribbean countries - Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Dominica, Saint Lucia - open Schengen and the United Kingdom, as the Argentine passport does. Grenada and Argentina have a treaty with the United States for the E-2 investor visa, but for those who obtained citizenship by investment US law allows an application only after three years of living in the treaty country. The Argentine programme costs more, but the country is larger, has a bigger economy and gives MERCOSUR rights.

The Turkish passport opens fewer visa-free destinations than the Argentine one and does not give visa-free Schengen access. At the same time, the Turkish programme has been running for a long time and is predictable.

The Argentine passport in Latin America

In brief: in Latin America the Argentine passport opens almost every country, and in MERCOSUR the identity card and the right of residence apply.

Read also: Dominica Passport 2026 and Greece Passport in 2026.

To travel around South America an Argentine citizen does not even need a passport: Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador accept the DNI. In Central America and Mexico the Argentine passport is visa-free. Mexico allows stays of up to six months, which suits business and long trips.

The main difference from passports outside the region is the right to live and work. Under the MERCOSUR Residence Agreement an Argentine citizen obtains temporary residence in the member countries for two years and then permanent residence, with no employer and no proof of passive income. For a family considering a move to Uruguay, Chile or Brazil, the Argentine passport replaces a separate residence programme in each of these countries.

Who can obtain an Argentine passport

In brief: the passport is issued to an Argentine citizen. Citizenship arises by birth in the country, by option for children of citizens by birth, after naturalisation and, from the fourth quarter of 2026, by investment.

By birth

Anyone born on Argentine territory is a citizen regardless of the parents' nationality. This rule is set out in Article 1 of Citizenship Law No. 346. The child receives a DNI and a passport from RENAPER shortly after the birth is registered.

By option

A child of an Argentine citizen by birth who was born abroad may opt for Argentine citizenship. The option is made at an Argentine consulate; for minors the parents declare it. The law does not give this route to children of naturalised citizens.

Naturalisation

A foreigner over 18 may apply for citizenship after two years of residence in Argentina. The law requires the residence to be lawful and the applicant to show means of support and a clean criminal record. The decision is made by a federal judge. In 2025 Decree 366/2025 transferred these decisions to the migration service and required two years without departures, but on 30 June 2026 the National Electoral Chamber declared the decree void, and the government is appealing to the Supreme Court.

By investment

The citizenship by investment programme was announced on 2 October 2026. The main applicant contributes $350,000 to the Treasury or buys an $800,000 bond, with no residence requirement. The application is reviewed by the Citizenship by Investment Programmes Agency, and the National Directorate of Migration decides within 30 working days. The terms and process are on the Argentine citizenship programme page. The total for the contribution or the bond for your family is shown by the Argentine programme cost estimate, and the full calculation is in the article on the cost of Argentine citizenship.

How a new citizen obtains a passport

In brief: after the decision on admission to citizenship the new citizen obtains a DNI from RENAPER and then applies for a passport. An in-person visit is needed: biometrics, photo and signature are given in person.

RENAPER offers standard and express issue, and the fees are set in pesos and change with inflation. That is why the BRIDGES estimate shows fees as at the date of the trip. All visits that require personal attendance are combined into one trip to Buenos Aires: the family arrives for pre-booked appointments, and a staff member accompanies them at the documentation centres and interprets on the spot.

A child's passport is issued in the presence of the child and the parents, or with the notarised consent of an absent parent. If the family application includes children, the visit is planned so that all family members give biometrics on the same day. What we do and what remains for you is shown on the page Argentine passport by investment.

The Argentine passport for Russian citizens

In brief: a Russian citizen obtains an Argentine passport on general terms and keeps Russian citizenship. Within 60 days they notify the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, and they enter Russia on their Russian passport.

As at the announcement date, the Argentine programme sets no separate restrictions for Russian citizens. The decision on an application is made after checks of identity, source of funds, country risks and reputation. The Agency's regulations may clarify requirements for citizens of certain countries, and until they are published BRIDGES checks eligibility by the applicant's nationality at the preliminary due diligence stage.

After receiving the passport, a Russian citizen uses it for travel to third countries. They enter and leave Russia on their Russian passport. Notice of a second citizenship is filed with the Ministry of Internal Affairs within 60 days of receiving the document confirming Argentine citizenship.

Replacement, loss and renewal

In brief: a passport is renewed by applying for a new one at RENAPER or at an Argentine consulate abroad. If it is lost, a report is filed and a new document is issued.

A citizen living abroad applies for a new passport at an Argentine consulate. Consulates take applications by appointment, and biometrics are given in person. Production abroad takes longer than in Argentina, because the document is printed in the country and sent out. If a passport is lost, a loss report is filed first and then a new document is issued: the old number is cancelled and no longer works at the border.

Citizens with two passports need to watch the expiry dates of both. If the Argentine passport has expired, entering Argentina on another country's passport causes problems at the border: the country treats the person as its citizen and requires Argentine documents. It is easier to renew the passport in advance and keep the DNI valid.

Common mistakes with the Argentine passport

In brief: people most often expect the passport straight after the decision, mix up figures from different indexes and do not agree the spelling of the name before the documents are translated.

1. Expecting a passport without a trip. Biometrics are given in person; without a visit to RENAPER or a consulate no passport is issued.
2. Comparing figures from different rankings. Indexes count countries differently; compare destinations instead.
3. Not agreeing the spelling of the name. Differences in Latin spelling between documents lead to queries.
4. Counting on visa-free travel to the United States. The United States requires a B1/B2 visa.
5. Entering Argentina on another passport. An Argentine citizen crosses the country's border on Argentine documents.

What to check before applying

In brief: the ground for citizenship, the spelling of the name in every document, the family members for the RENAPER visit and your country's rules on dual citizenship.

• On what ground the family obtains citizenship and what it costs: see the calculation in the article on the cost of Argentine citizenship.
• How the surname and first name are spelled in Latin script in each document of the application.
• Which family members will travel to Buenos Aires and when they can all give biometrics.
• Which notifications must be filed in the country of first citizenship.
• Which travel destinations matter most for the family: visa-free countries or the United States.

Why the programme still needs a cautious approach is explained in our analysis of Argentina's citizenship programme promises.