Updated
AR-CIP
Citizenship by investment
Argentina is opening citizenship for a USD 350,000 contribution to the National Treasury or a USD 800,000 government bond. Applications open in the fourth quarter of 2026, and no residence in the country is required.
01 / About the program
Argentina is the first country in South America with a citizenship by investment program. The government announced it on 2 October 2026 in Paris: Economy Minister Luis Caputo and Cabinet Chief Diego Santilli. The law already allows naturalisation for a relevant investment with no residence period, Decree 524/2025 sets the review process, and applications open in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Decree 366/2025 of 29 May 2025 added a new ground for naturalisation: a relevant investment in Argentina, with no residence period. Under article 2 bis, the Ministry of Economy defines which investments qualify.
The first is a non-refundable USD 350,000 contribution to the National Treasury. The second is a USD 800,000 government bond issued specifically for the program. According to the government, the bond is held for seven years.
Applications go to the Citizenship by Investment Programs Agency under the Ministry of Economy. It reviews the investment and the applicant and sends a recommendation to the National Directorate of Migration, which decides within 30 business days.
The government has committed to screening aligned with OECD and FATF recommendations. The State Intelligence Secretariat (SIDE), the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF), the security and interior ministries, the criminal records registry and RENAPER take part. Funds move through banks only.
02 / What you get
Argentina is listed in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, so no visa is needed for short stays in the Schengen area. Argentine citizens enter the United Kingdom visa-free with an ETA. Japan and Mexico are also visa-free.
Argentine citizens enter Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador with their national ID card. Under the MERCOSUR Residence Agreement they can obtain residence in these countries.
Naturalisation through investment carries no residence period in Argentina. Ordinary naturalisation requires two years of continuous residence.
A spouse, children under 18 and unmarried children aged 18 to 25 without children of their own receive citizenship with the main applicant. A separate amount is paid for each family member.
Argentina does not require you to renounce your current citizenship on naturalisation. Whether your current country allows a second citizenship is checked separately before filing.
An Argentine citizen receives a national identity card (DNI) and a passport from RENAPER. An adult passport is issued for 10 years. The Agency has not yet published how program participants collect their documents.
03 / Why people apply
Argentina suits those who want a strong passport without relocating, issued by one of the largest economies in Latin America. It is the first program of its kind in South America, and the passport opens Schengen, the United Kingdom and the MERCOSUR markets.
Visa-free short stays in Schengen and UK entry with an electronic authorisation. For business travel this is the main advantage of the passport.
Residence in MERCOSUR countries is granted under the residence agreement. For business in Brazil, Chile or Uruguay this is a direct path to working and living in the region.
Children under 18 are added for USD 25,000 each. A couple with two children under 18 obtains citizenship for USD 500,000 under the contribution option.
A second passport widens the range of banks and jurisdictions that will consider your applications. All citizenships are disclosed to the bank, so checks stay the same while the choice becomes wider.
The USD 800,000 bond option is designed for those who prefer to keep funds in a government security. The issue terms are not yet published: yield and redemption are checked against the issue document.
A second citizenship stays valid when the first passport limits travel or banking. The decision is taken once and covers the whole family.
04 / Spouse and children
The application covers the main applicant, a spouse, children under 18 and unmarried children aged 18 to 25 without children of their own. A separate amount is paid for each family member. Parents are not included in the program. Open a row to see the eligibility conditions.
05 / Cost
The government has announced two options and amounts for family members. Set your family below and the estimate recalculates: the main applicant contributes USD 350,000 or buys a USD 800,000 bond, a spouse and children aged 18 to 25 add USD 100,000 each, children under 18 add USD 25,000 each.
Treasury contribution · non-refundable
from$350,000
Contribution · 1 person in the application
All-in with fees from $350,000
A spouse and unmarried children aged 18 to 25 without children add USD 100,000 each, children under 18 add USD 25,000 each. The contribution is non-refundable. Government fees and due diligence fees have not been announced yet and are not included.
Government bond · 7-year investment
from$800,000
Investment · 1 person in the application
All-in with fees from $800,000
The government announced the family amounts as Treasury contributions: USD 100,000 for a spouse and each child aged 18 to 25, USD 25,000 for each child under 18. The bond is issued specifically for the program and held for 7 years. The coupon, redemption currency and family amounts under this option will be known once the issue terms are published.
Preliminary estimate based on the terms announced by the Government of Argentina on 2 October 2026. The amounts are not yet fixed by a Ministry of Economy resolution and fees have not been announced. Document translation and legalisation and the BRIDGES fee are calculated separately and agreed before the start.
06 / Comparison
Argentina costs more than the Caribbean programs, and its passport opens MERCOSUR and one of the largest economies in Latin America. The main parameters are side by side below. The full comparison of all programs sits on a separate page.
| Argentina | El Salvador | St Kitts and Nevis | Grenada | Dominica | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contribution from | $350,000 | $1,000,000 | $250,000 | $235,000 | $200,000 |
| Processing time | not announced | up to 3 months | from 4 months | from 8 months | from 6 months |
| Applications | from Q4 2026 | open | open | open | open |
| Visa-free Schengen | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Amount grows with family size | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Amounts are minimum thresholds for a single applicant, excluding fees. Timelines reflect program practice as at the page update date.
Full program comparison →09 / How it works
We review your citizenship, family, source of funds and travel history, and check whether your current country allows a second citizenship.
We prepare birth and marriage certificates, police certificates and source of funds evidence. Foreign documents are apostilled and translated into Spanish.
The application goes to the Citizenship by Investment Programs Agency under the Ministry of Economy, which checks that the investment meets the program terms.
The Agency consults the Ministry of Security, the UIF, the criminal records registry, RENAPER and SIDE. They check identity, the path and legality of funds, finances, country risk, reputation and travel history.
USD 350,000 is paid to the Treasury or a USD 800,000 bond is purchased, plus the family member amounts. The Agency regulations will set when payment is made. Funds move through banks only.
The Agency sends its recommendation to the National Directorate of Migration, which decides within 30 business days. The new citizen then receives a DNI and passport from RENAPER.
10 / Travel
Destinations fall into four entry regimes. We do not publish a total count of visa-free countries: the lists change, and a number without a verification date is misleading. We prepare the current list as at the date of your request.
The Schengen area, Japan, Mexico, Turkey and most of Latin America. MERCOSUR countries can be entered with a national ID card.
The United Kingdom (ETA), Canada (eTA with a US visa or a Canadian visa in the past 10 years), New Zealand (NZeTA), South Korea, India and others. From the fourth quarter of 2026, ETIAS is added for Schengen.
The permit is issued at the airport or border: the Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Cabo Verde and others. Document requirements are set by the receiving country.
A visa is required for the United States. Argentina began the process of rejoining the US Visa Waiver Program in July 2025, with no completion date yet. Visas in advance are also needed for Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and several African countries.
All countries on an Argentine passport
110+ destinations with nothing to arrange in advance — visa-free or with a visa on arrival
Where you are admitted without a visa, where the permit is arranged online, where the visa is issued at the border and where a consular visa is needed, with the length of stay given for each country.
Sources: Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, Annex II - Argentina is on the list of countries whose nationals do not need a visa for short stays in the Schengen area. ETIAS launch - fourth quarter of 2026. MERCOSUR Residence Agreement. Entry rules are set by the receiving states and may change at any time.
11 / Our role
We have worked since 2004 and supported more than 8,000 families. The Argentina program has only just been announced, and part of its terms is not yet published. We separate what has been announced from what is fixed in law and update this page with every new act.
Every figure on this page is checked against Decrees 366/2025 and 524/2025 and the official announcement of 2 October 2026. When the Ministry of Economy resolution is published, the page is updated the same day.
Police certificates, apostilles, translations and funds evidence take weeks. We prepare them in advance so your application goes in during the first days.
Screening is carried out by Argentine intelligence and financial intelligence to FATF standards. We assemble the history of your funds in a form the reviewing authority will accept.
The Supreme Court is reviewing the government appeal on Decree 366/2025. We follow the decision and tell clients how it changes the filing process.
12 / Team
Your Argentina application is handled by a permanent team: a program lawyer, a compliance specialist and a family coordinator. You know everyone by name from day one.
Andres FerreiraHead of Investment AdvisoryProgram strategy and the choice between contribution and bond
Klara RihterHead of Compliance and Due DiligenceLegal handling of the application, documents and compliance
Dmitry NagyInternational Tax ConsultantTax questions and residence after the passport
Elena TitovaClient Relationship ManagerFamily coordination and communication at every stage14 / Reviews
Real reviews from the reviews page, with photos and links to the case breakdown.
Laura and ViktorA family of doctorsNot one unnecessary visit and not one lost paper. Smooth, calm, on time. We recommend BRIDGES to all our friends.
Read the case
MarkInterior designerI chose an apartment for renovation — BRIDGES ran both the purchase and the renovation obligations. Residence granted, the flat is let, everything works without me.
Read the case
GeldyRetiredWith my first passport travelling was a lifelong ordeal. Now most of the countries I need require no visa. Life has become literally easier.
Read the case15 / Materials
Materials on Argentina: program terms, legal basis, family composition and the filing process.
Main materialOverview
The overview sets out the program as at its announcement: amounts, family composition, legal basis, screening and open questions.
Inside:
PDF · free · current as of October 2026
A short check: who passes selection, what the authorities look at during screening and which documents to prepare in advance.
A list of documents for the applicant and each family member, noting what must be translated into Spanish and apostilled.
We prepare an estimate for your family: contribution or bond, family member amounts, documents and support.
All materials are updated regularly by our team and used when supporting BRIDGES clients.
16 / News
Economy Minister Luis Caputo and Cabinet Chief Diego Santilli announced the program at the Argentine Embassy in Paris. USD 350,000 Treasury contribution or USD 800,000 bond, USD 100,000 for a spouse and each child aged 18 to 25, USD 25,000 for each child under 18. Applications open in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The National Electoral Chamber held unconstitutional the transfer of citizenship decisions from federal judges to the National Directorate of Migration made by Decree 366/2025. The government is appealing to the Supreme Court.
Decree 285/2026 appointed the Executive Director of the Citizenship by Investment Programs Agency.
Decree 524/2025 was published: applications go to the Citizenship by Investment Programs Agency, and after security checks the National Directorate of Migration decides within 30 business days.
Decree 366/2025 amended Citizenship Law No. 346, adding naturalisation for a relevant investment with no residence period.
Worth having
Applications open in the fourth quarter of 2026. We prepare documents and source of funds evidence in advance so that your application goes in during the first days.
Inside the document
We will send it after a short form - no call or obligation.
17 / Questions
Yes. Its basis is Citizenship Law No. 346 as amended by Decree 366/2025 and Decree 524/2025 on the review process, both published in the Official Gazette of Argentina. The program was announced on 2 October 2026 by the Economy Minister and the Cabinet Chief.
The government has named the fourth quarter of 2026 without an exact date. The launch requires a Ministry of Economy resolution with the amounts and the Agency regulations. Until then we prepare documents so you can file in the first days.
The main applicant contributes USD 350,000 to the Treasury or buys a USD 800,000 bond. A spouse and unmarried children aged 18 to 25 without children add USD 100,000 each, children under 18 add USD 25,000 each. A couple with two children under 18 pays USD 500,000 under the contribution option. Fees have not been announced yet.
The USD 800,000 bond is held for seven years. The coupon, currency and redemption terms will be set in the issue terms, which the government has not yet published. The USD 350,000 Treasury contribution is non-refundable.
No. The law sets no residence period for naturalisation through a relevant investment. Ordinary naturalisation in Argentina requires two years of continuous residence.
The Agency has not yet set how program participants obtain their DNI and passport. Argentine citizens normally give biometrics at RENAPER in person. We confirm the format as at your filing date before you start.
Argentina does not require renunciation on naturalisation. Whether your current country allows a second citizenship is checked separately.
The government has not published a list of excluded nationalities. Screening to FATF standards includes country risk, so applicants from higher-risk jurisdictions should expect a more detailed source of funds review.
Yes, Argentine citizens need a US visa. Argentina began rejoining the US Visa Waiver Program in July 2025, with no completion date yet.
Spain grants citizenship after two years of residence only to Latin American nationals by origin. A naturalised Argentine citizen falls under the general rule of 10 years of residence in Spain.
On 1 July 2026 the Chamber held unconstitutional the transfer of citizenship decisions from federal judges to the National Directorate of Migration. The government is appealing to the Supreme Court. If the court upholds the ruling, the way decisions are made may change. We follow the case and inform clients of every change.
INITIAL ASSESSMENT
We will design a solution for your case, choose the country and the right status, and take the whole process through to the result.
