top of page
Search

Argentina Announces a Citizenship by Investment Program: What We Know and What Is Still Pending

Writer: MH Legal Hub
MH Legal Hub
Oct 2
3 min read

BUENOS AIRES, October 2, 2026. Argentina today announced a Citizenship by Investment Program under which foreign nationals who can show they have made relevant investments in the country may apply for Argentine citizenship. Minister of Economy Luis Caputo and Chief of Cabinet Diego Santilli presented it in Paris, during Argentina Week. The government says the program will start accepting applications in the fourth quarter of 2026.


WHAT WAS ANNOUNCED

────── ◆ ──────

Two routes for the main applicant. A non-refundable contribution of USD 350,000 to the National Treasury, or the purchase of a USD 800,000 government bond created specifically for the program. In Paris, the Minister described it as a zero-interest bond.


The two routes for the main applicant: a USD 350,000 non-refundable contribution to the National Treasury, or the purchase of a USD 800,000 government bond. Applications in the fourth quarter of 2026, per the government.

Family members. A spouse and children can apply with the main applicant if they prove the family relationship and make the contribution to the National Treasury set for their category. The announcement gives family members no bond option, so these contributions apply whichever route the main applicant takes:


  • Spouse: USD 100,000

  • Children aged 18 to 25 who are single and have no children: USD 100,000 each

  • Children under 18: USD 25,000 each


Single or never married? The announcement says children aged 18 to 25 must be single (“solteros”). Some industry sources describe them as never married. The difference matters for a child who is divorced or widowed, and we’ll have to wait for clarification.


The government’s own example: a main applicant, a spouse and two children under 18 can apply for Argentine citizenship for a total of USD 500,000. That total uses the USD 350,000 contribution. On the bond route, the same family would buy the USD 800,000 bond and pay USD 150,000 in contributions.


A couple with two children under 18: USD 500,000 in contributions on the contribution route, or the USD 800,000 bond plus USD 150,000 in contributions on the bond route.

How funds must move. All funds must go through the formal financial system and meet anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing and financial transparency standards.


Who reviews each application. The Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs will lead the review, together with the State Intelligence Secretariat (SIDE), the Financial Information Unit (UIF), the Ministry of Security and the Ministry of the Interior. The checks include identity, the traceability and lawful origin of the funds, assets and finances, jurisdictional risk, criminal and reputational records, and immigration history. The Agency then sends its recommendation to the National Directorate of Migration, which approves or rejects each application.


The Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs leads the review with the State Intelligence Secretariat, the Financial Information Unit and the Ministries of Security and the Interior, then sends its recommendation to the National Directorate of Migration, which approves or rejects each application.

The government says its due diligence, financial transparency and risk management standards will follow OECD and FATF recommendations, and that it is advised by a group of international firms specializing in investment migration.


WHAT HAS NOT BEEN PUBLISHED YET

────── ◆ ──────

  • Real timelines. The announcement gives a window, the fourth quarter of 2026. It does not give an opening date or a processing time.

  • Restricted nationalities. The announcement says each application will be assessed for jurisdictional risk. It does not include a list of restricted nationalities.

  • Additional fees, if any. The announcement does not mention application, due diligence or processing fees.

  • Bond terms. The announcement does not give the bond’s term or conditions. Some outlets, citing firms that advised the government, report a seven-year term. That figure is not in the official announcement.

  • The application procedure. How and where to apply, and which documents will be required.


WE ARE MONITORING THE BOLETÍN OFICIAL

────── ◆ ──────

We keep monitoring the Boletín Oficial, Argentina’s official gazette, for the regulations. Today’s edition does not include them. As soon as they are published, we will review them and share what they mean with our clients and partners.

About MH Legal Hub. MH Legal Hub is a bilingual team of immigration lawyers in Buenos Aires, led by founder Martin Hecht.


Source: Ministry of Economy announcement, October 2, 2026 (in Spanish), argentina.gob.ar


General information based on the government’s announcement of October 2, 2026. Not legal advice.

Comments

bottom of page