Argentina Citizenship by Investment & Dual Citizenship

Argentina Citizenship by Investment and Dual Citizenship: Can Investors Keep Their Existing Nationality?

Argentina's Citizenship by Investment framework has generated considerable interest among international investors who already hold citizenship in another country. One of the most important questions for these applicants is whether acquiring Argentine citizenship requires them to surrender or renounce their existing nationality.

The answer requires looking at two separate legal systems: Argentine nationality law and the nationality law of the applicant's existing country.

Argentina recognizes situations involving dual nationality, and its current Citizenship by Investment framework does not establish renunciation of an existing nationality as a condition for investment-based naturalization. At the same time, Argentina cannot determine whether another country will continue to recognize an individual as its citizen. That question is governed by the law of the other country.

For an international investor, this distinction is essential.

Argentina's Citizenship by Investment Route and Nationality

The legal foundation for Argentina's investment-based naturalization route is Article 2(2) of Law 346, as amended by Decree 366/2025.

The provision establishes a separate naturalization pathway for foreigners who demonstrate that they have made a relevant investment in Argentina, regardless of the length of their residence. Article 2 bis gives the Ministry of Economy authority to determine which investments qualify as relevant.

Decree 524/2025 subsequently established the procedure through which a foreign investor who has made a qualifying investment may apply for citizenship through the Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs. The Agency evaluates the investment and conducts the corresponding review before submitting a reasoned recommendation to the National Migration Directorate.

Nothing in this investment-based naturalization framework establishes a requirement that the applicant first renounce their existing nationality.

That is an important distinction from the nationality laws of certain other countries, where naturalization may be conditioned on renunciation or where acquiring another citizenship can affect the person's original nationality.

Does Argentina Allow Dual Citizenship?

Argentina recognizes dual-nationality situations.

The Argentine Government maintains specific rules governing Argentines who also hold another nationality, including different treatment depending on whether Argentina has entered into a bilateral double-nationality agreement with the other country.

The existence of those rules is important because it demonstrates that Argentine law does not operate on the assumption that an individual can have only one nationality.

For individuals who acquire another nationality, Argentine authorities distinguish between countries with which Argentina has specific double-nationality arrangements and countries with which it does not. The consequences can include differences in how the person is treated for immigration and travel purposes when entering or leaving Argentina.

For a CBI applicant, however, the more fundamental question is whether acquiring Argentine citizenship will affect the applicant's existing nationality.

That question cannot be answered solely by Argentine law.

Will an Investor Lose Their Original Citizenship?

Not necessarily.

An investor who acquires Argentine citizenship does not automatically lose their original nationality under Argentine law simply because Argentine citizenship has been granted.

The decisive issue may instead be the nationality law of the applicant's existing country.

Countries differ considerably in their treatment of voluntary naturalization abroad. Some permit their citizens to acquire another nationality without consequence. Others impose notification requirements, distinguish between different forms of nationality acquisition, or provide circumstances in which nationality can be lost or renounced.

Accordingly, a prospective Argentine CBI applicant should ask two separate questions:

What does Argentine law provide?

and

What does my existing country's nationality law provide?

The first question can be analyzed under Argentine law. The second requires review of the applicant's home-country legislation and, where appropriate, advice from qualified counsel in that jurisdiction.

Argentina Cannot Determine the Nationality Consequences in Another Country

This point is sometimes overlooked in citizenship-by-investment discussions.

Argentina can determine whether an applicant qualifies for Argentine citizenship. It cannot dictate whether another sovereign state continues to recognize that individual as one of its nationals.

If the law of an applicant's existing country provides that voluntary acquisition of another nationality results in loss of citizenship, that consequence arises under the law of that country, not because Argentine law requires the applicant to give up their nationality.

Conversely, if the applicant's country expressly permits dual citizenship, acquiring Argentine citizenship may be compatible with retaining the original nationality.

This is why a proper legal assessment should consider both jurisdictions.

Does the Argentine CBI Application Require a Renunciation of Nationality?

The current Argentine CBI framework does not establish renunciation of the applicant's existing nationality as a requirement for the investment-based naturalization route.

The legal requirements instead focus on the qualifying investment and the applicant's evaluation under the applicable procedure.

Under Decree 524/2025, the Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs evaluates whether the investment qualifies and, once the relevant conditions are satisfied, obtains information from various authorities concerning the applicant before submitting its recommendation to the National Migration Directorate.

The process therefore concerns whether the applicant qualifies for Argentine citizenship. It does not establish a general requirement that the applicant first cease to be a citizen of another country.

What Is the Difference Between Dual Nationality and Dual Citizenship?

The expressions dual nationality and dual citizenship are often used interchangeably, including in international immigration practice.

In legal analysis, however, it can be useful to distinguish the concepts depending on the jurisdiction and context.

Nationality generally describes the individual's legal bond with a state, while citizenship may refer to the legal and political status associated with that nationality and the rights and obligations arising from it.

For purposes of Argentina's CBI framework, the practical issue for investors is whether acquiring Argentine citizenship is compatible with maintaining their existing nationality.

That is why the term dual citizenship is commonly used in international investment-migration discussions even though the precise legal terminology can vary between countries.

What Happens When the Other Country Has a Dual-Nationality Agreement with Argentina?

Argentina has entered into specific double-nationality arrangements with a number of countries.

The Argentine Government identifies, among others, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Spain, Honduras, Italy, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama and Sweden in its current guidance concerning double nationality. It also identifies a specific historical limitation concerning the United States.

These agreements can affect how a dual national is treated when entering or leaving Argentina and in certain other circumstances.

For that reason, investors should not assume that every dual-national situation operates identically.

The relevant agreement and the individual's particular nationality should be reviewed.

What If There Is No Dual-Nationality Agreement?

The absence of a bilateral agreement does not necessarily mean that Argentina refuses to recognize the individual's other nationality.

Argentina's official guidance specifically addresses Argentines who have another nationality acquired in a country with which Argentina has no double-nationality agreement. Those individuals are treated as Argentines for relevant purposes under the applicable Argentine rules.

This distinction is particularly important for international investors.

The absence of an agreement should not automatically be interpreted as a prohibition on dual nationality. Instead, it means that the person may be subject to a different set of rules concerning documentation, travel and the way their status is treated by Argentine authorities.

Should an Applicant Check Their Home Country's Law Before Applying?

Yes.

For an investor whose existing nationality is important to their personal, family or business planning, this should be treated as a preliminary legal issue rather than an administrative detail.

Before applying for Argentine citizenship, the investor should determine:

• whether their country permits dual citizenship;

• whether voluntary naturalization in another country affects their existing nationality;

• whether prior authorization is required;

• whether the acquisition must be reported to the authorities;

• whether there are distinctions between citizenship by birth and citizenship acquired by naturalization;

• whether there are consequences for passports or other identity documents; and

• whether any special rules apply to spouses or children.

These questions can vary substantially between jurisdictions.

A general statement that a particular citizenship program “allows dual citizenship” is therefore incomplete if it does not also consider the applicant's existing nationality.

Does Dual Citizenship Affect the Argentine CBI Eligibility Analysis?

Holding another nationality does not, by itself, appear in the current CBI framework as a general prohibition on applying.

The legal framework instead focuses on the relevant investment and the applicant's review under the procedure established by Decree 524/2025. The Agency may obtain information from the Ministry of Security, UIF, National Criminal Records Registry, RENAPER, SIDE and other entities as part of its assessment.

The Government's announced program also contemplates identity, financial, criminal, reputational, immigration and other due-diligence considerations.

Accordingly, the existence of a second nationality should not be confused with the broader security and eligibility review.

The relevant issue is the applicant's overall legal and factual profile.

Can an Applicant Have More Than Two Nationalities?

Argentine law does not establish a general rule limiting an individual to only two nationalities.

An applicant who already holds multiple nationalities therefore needs to consider the laws of each relevant country, not only the relationship between Argentina and the applicant's most recently acquired nationality.

This becomes particularly important for individuals who have citizenship by birth in one country, naturalization in another, and are considering Argentine citizenship through investment.

The nationality consequences can become jurisdiction-specific.

Does Dual Citizenship Affect Tax Residence?

No. Dual citizenship and tax residence are separate legal questions.

An individual can hold Argentine citizenship while remaining tax resident in another country, provided the person continues to satisfy that country's tax-residence rules and does not otherwise become an Argentine tax resident under Argentine tax law.

Likewise, acquiring Argentine citizenship does not by itself establish Argentine tax residence.

This distinction is particularly important for international investors who intend to remain based outside Argentina after acquiring citizenship.

Tax residence should therefore be analyzed separately from nationality.

Does Dual Citizenship Affect the Right to Live in Argentina?

Argentine citizenship gives the individual the legal status of an Argentine citizen. It should not, however, be confused with the immigration residence permits applicable to foreign nationals.

Once Argentine citizenship has been granted, the person is no longer relying on foreign-national immigration status in order to hold Argentine nationality.

The practical consequences of citizenship are therefore different from those associated with temporary or permanent immigration residence.

This is another reason why the CBI route should be understood as a naturalization pathway, rather than simply as another form of immigration residence.

What About Passports?

Citizenship and passports are related but distinct concepts.

A passport is a travel document issued by a state to its nationals. Acquiring Argentine citizenship can therefore make the individual eligible for Argentine identity and travel documentation following the applicable registration and documentation procedures.

At the same time, the investor's ability to continue using or retaining a passport issued by another country depends on that country's nationality and passport laws.

The applicant should therefore review both sides of the documentation issue.

Argentina's rules concerning dual nationals also contain specific provisions regarding the documentation used when entering and leaving the country, particularly for Argentines who also hold another nationality.

Does Argentina CBI Create Any Special Rule for Dual Nationals?

The current public CBI framework does not establish a separate investment route exclusively for dual nationals.

The relevant investment-based naturalization provision applies to foreigners who demonstrate the required relevant investment.

Accordingly, an applicant's existing nationality is part of their personal legal profile, but the CBI route itself remains governed by the same investment and due-diligence framework.

Where an applicant holds several nationalities, the legal team should ensure that the application consistently identifies the relevant nationalities and travel documents.

Family Members and Dual Nationality

Dual-nationality considerations can also become relevant when an investor applies together with a spouse or children.

The Government's announced CBI framework contemplates applications by a principal applicant's spouse and certain children, subject to the applicable relationship requirements and contributions.

The fact that a family member already has another nationality does not, by itself, mean that the family member cannot potentially acquire Argentine citizenship.

However, each family member's existing nationality should be reviewed separately where the law of the relevant country treats naturalization abroad differently for adults and minors.

This is particularly important when children are involved, because nationality laws may contain special rules concerning parental consent, acquisition by descent, or loss of nationality during childhood.

What Investors Should Verify Before Applying

A prospective CBI applicant who wants to preserve an existing nationality should consider a short legal checklist before proceeding.

1. Review Argentine Law

Confirm that the CBI route does not require renunciation of the existing nationality and understand how Argentina treats the resulting dual-national status.

2. Review the Law of the Existing Nationality

Determine whether acquiring Argentine citizenship will affect the applicant's existing citizenship.

3. Check for a Bilateral Agreement

Determine whether Argentina and the applicant's country have a specific double-nationality agreement and whether it changes the treatment of the applicant.

4. Review Passport Rules

Determine whether acquiring another nationality affects the applicant's right to retain or use the existing passport.

5. Review Family Consequences

If spouses or children are included, analyze their nationality positions separately where necessary.

6. Keep Nationality and Tax Analysis Separate

Do not assume that retaining a nationality determines tax residence. These are separate legal questions.

Current Legal Status of Argentina's CBI Framework

The investment-based naturalization route is established in Argentine law.

Article 2(2) of Law 346 provides that foreigners who demonstrate a relevant investment may qualify for naturalization regardless of the length of their residence. Article 2 bis authorizes the Ministry of Economy to establish which investments qualify as relevant.

Decree 524/2025 establishes the procedural framework for applications submitted through the Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs and provides for the Agency's evaluation and recommendation to the National Migration Directorate.

The Government announced in October 2026 that the program is expected to receive applications during the fourth quarter of 2026 and described the two announced investment mechanisms and the additional contributions applicable to qualifying family members.

Operational details may continue to be developed through complementary rules.

The issue of dual nationality, however, should not be confused with those pending procedural details. The central legal question remains the interaction between Argentine nationality law and the law of the applicant's existing country.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep my current citizenship if I obtain Argentine citizenship by investment?

Generally, Argentine law does not require an applicant to renounce an existing nationality as a condition of investment-based naturalization. Whether the applicant actually retains the original nationality depends on the law of that country.

Does Argentina require investors to renounce their original citizenship?

The current CBI framework does not establish such a renunciation requirement.

Does Argentina permit dual citizenship?

Argentina recognizes dual-nationality situations and has specific rules governing Argentines who also hold another nationality.

What if my country does not allow dual citizenship?

The applicant may face consequences under the nationality law of that country if acquiring Argentine citizenship triggers loss or renunciation of the original nationality. That issue must be reviewed under the other country's law.

Does Argentina's CBI program exclude people who already have two nationalities?

There is no general exclusion in the current CBI framework based solely on the applicant holding multiple nationalities.

Can I have Argentine citizenship plus more than one other citizenship?

Potentially, yes. The relevant question is whether the laws of each country involved permit the individual to retain their respective nationalities.

Does dual citizenship make me an Argentine tax resident?

No. Citizenship and tax residence are separate legal concepts.

Can my spouse and children also retain their existing nationalities?

Potentially, but the nationality consequences should be analyzed separately for each family member, particularly where minors are involved.

Do I need a lawyer in my home country?

Not necessarily in every case. However, if the applicant's existing country has restrictions on dual nationality, obtaining advice from counsel familiar with that country's nationality law is prudent.

Conclusion

For international investors, Argentine Citizenship by Investment can generally be compatible with retaining an existing nationality. The Argentine framework does not establish renunciation of an applicant's current citizenship as a condition for investment-based naturalization.

The more important qualification is that Argentina's law is only one side of the analysis.

Whether an investor actually remains a citizen of their original country depends on the law of that country. Some jurisdictions permit dual citizenship freely, while others impose restrictions or consequences when their citizens voluntarily acquire another nationality.

Accordingly, the correct legal approach is not simply to ask whether Argentina permits dual citizenship. The investor should also determine what their existing nationality law provides.

About the Author

Juan Pablo Rojas Pascual is an Argentine attorney and Director of Rojas Pascual Abogados, a law firm based in Argentina. His practice includes Argentine citizenship, immigration and investment-related legal matters, with a particular focus on the legal framework governing Argentina Citizenship by Investment. He advises international investors and coordinates with foreign counsel and professional advisers when matters involve multiple jurisdictions.