Under a new program, Americans could soon get the chance to secure Argentine citizenship without living in the country, in exchange for a substantial payment or government investment. President Javier Milei’s administration announced the "Citizenship by Investment Program" on October 2, presenting it as an effort to attract foreign capital and strengthen the debt-burdened country’s finances. Under the proposed program, which is attracting increasing attention, a foreign applicant would have two options:1.
Pay a nonrefundable contribution of $350,000 to the Argentine Treasury, or 2. Invest $800,000 in a specially created government bond, which investors would have to hold for seven years. Primary applicants can include family members for an additional fee: $100,000 for a spouse or eligible adult child (aged between 18 and 25), and $25,000 for each child under 18.
Despite the program’s announcement, Americans can’t submit their applications just yet. The Argentine Economy Ministry said the program would begin accepting applications in the fourth quarter of 2026, which runs through December 31, but it’s yet to announce an exact launch date. Under Decree 524/2025, which sets out exactly how applications are supposed to be assessed and processed, Argentina’s Citizenship-by-Investment Programs Agency will first assess whether an applicant’s investment qualifies before seeking checks from several government bodies, including the Financial Information Unit (UIF), the Ministry of National Security, and the State Intelligence Secretariat (SIDE).
The agency will then recommend whether the application should be approved or rejected to the National Directorate of Migration, which makes the final decision. According to the announcement, applicants will face national-security checks, covering their identity, criminal history, and source of funds, while all payments must comply with anti-money-laundering and terrorist-financing rules. The government hasn’t yet provided a full list of required documents, an application processing timeline, or any details about how applicants will make their investment.
Details of the bond are also still unclear, including what interest it will pay, how investors will be repaid, and whether they can access their money before the seven-year holding period ends. The official announcement simply describes it as "a public bond of USD 800,000 created specifically for this Program," so it’s not yet possible to establish whether it will pay interest, whether it can be sold on a secondary market, or what would happen to an applicant’s citizenship status if the investment was withdrawn early. The clearest benefit the citizenship would offer Americans is the right to live and work indefinitely in Argentina, rather than merely holding a temporary residence permit.
Decree 524/2025 says that, under Argentina's citizenship law, foreigners who can show that they’ve made a qualifying investment can secure citizenship regardless of how long they’ve lived in the country, which indicates that they may not need to complete the usual period of residence, which is two years, before becoming eligible for citizenship. A more practical attraction might be long-term flexibility: an unconditional right to live in Argentina, a second nationality for eligible relatives, and another passport if future travel rules change. A second passport wouldn’t end an American’s U.S. tax obligations, though.
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