How to Apply for Argentine Citizenship by Investment: Step-by-Step Legal Process

How to Apply for Argentine Citizenship by Investment: Step-by-Step Legal Process.

Argentina's Citizenship by Investment framework establishes a specific administrative procedure through which a foreign investor may apply for Argentine citizenship on the basis of a qualifying investment.

The legal framework was introduced through the modification of the Argentine Citizenship Law and further regulated procedurally by Decree 524/2025. Under that framework, applications are received and evaluated by the Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs, while the National Directorate of Migration (Dirección Nacional de Migraciones, DNM) is responsible for making the final decision.

On October 2, 2026, the Argentine Government announced that the Citizenship by Investment Program is expected to begin receiving applications during the fourth quarter of 2026. The Government also announced two investment mechanisms: a USD 350,000 non-refundable contribution to the National Treasury and a USD 800,000 public security created specifically for the program.

The important distinction for prospective applicants is that the legal procedure already exists, while some of the practical mechanisms for submitting and processing applications are still being implemented.

1. Confirm that the investment route applies to you

The first step is to determine whether the applicant qualifies under the investment-based naturalization framework.

Article 2 of the Citizenship Law, as amended by Decree 366/2025, provides that foreigners may obtain Argentine citizenship by naturalization, regardless of the period of residence in Argentina, if they demonstrate that they have made a relevant investment in the country. The Ministry of Economy is responsible for determining which investments qualify as relevant.

The Government subsequently announced the financial parameters of the current program:

• a USD 350,000 direct, non-refundable contribution to the National Treasury; or

• a USD 800,000 subscription to a public security created specifically for the program.

The existence of one of these announced investment mechanisms should not, however, be confused with automatic approval of citizenship. The investment forms part of a broader administrative process that includes governmental evaluation and a final decision by the DNM.

2. Prepare the application and supporting documentation

Before filing, the applicant should prepare the documentation necessary to establish identity, family relationships where relevant, the investment and the legitimacy and traceability of the financial resources involved.

The precise documentary checklist and practical filing requirements are matters that must be established or confirmed through the applicable implementing rules and official procedures.

This distinction is particularly important because the citizenship-by-investment framework involves more than proving that a certain amount of money is available.

The Government has expressly stated that the program will apply due-diligence, financial-transparency and risk-management standards. Its announcement refers to the verification of identity, the traceability and lawful origin of funds, financial and asset analysis, jurisdictional risk, criminal and reputational records, and immigration history.

For this reason, applicants should consider the preparation of their financial and documentary record as a substantive part of the application rather than as a purely administrative formality.

3. Submit the application to the Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs

Under Decree 524/2025, the application for citizenship by investment is submitted to the Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs, an autonomous agency operating within the Ministry of Economy.

The Agency is responsible for receiving applications and evaluating whether the investment made by the applicant qualifies as a relevant investment under the applicable rules.

The Agency's statutory responsibilities include receiving citizenship-by-investment applications, requesting information from public authorities and other relevant sources, evaluating applications and preparing a reasoned recommendation for approval or rejection to the National Directorate of Migration.

The exact electronic platform, forms and operational filing instructions should therefore be confirmed once the program begins formally receiving applications.

4. The Agency evaluates the investment

Once an application is submitted, the Agency evaluates whether the investment satisfies the applicable definition of a relevant investment.

This is an important legal stage because citizenship is not granted merely because an applicant has transferred or committed a particular amount of capital.

The investment must qualify under the rules established by the Ministry of Economy, and the application must also satisfy the other requirements of the citizenship-by-investment procedure.

Decree 524/2025 expressly provides that, if the Agency considers that the investment satisfies the applicable requirements, it proceeds with the additional governmental checks established by the decree.

5. Governmental due diligence and background checks

The procedure includes a significant governmental review of the applicant.

Decree 524/2025 authorizes the Agency to request reports from, among others, the Ministry of National Security, the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF), the National Criminal Records Registry, RENAPER and the State Intelligence Secretariat (SIDE), as well as other public or private entities where considered necessary.

The purpose is to determine whether granting Argentine citizenship could represent a risk to national security or national interests.

The Government's October 2026 announcement further describes the review as covering identity, the legality and traceability of funds, financial and asset information, jurisdictional risk, criminal and reputational records and immigration history.

This means that the application should be approached as a full legal and compliance process, rather than simply as an investment transaction.

6. The Agency prepares a reasoned report

After conducting its evaluation and receiving the relevant reports, the Agency prepares a reasoned report concerning the application.

The report recommends either approval or rejection and is submitted to the National Directorate of Migration.

If the investment does not qualify as a relevant investment, or if the authorities whose reports have been requested recommend against granting citizenship, Decree 524/2025 provides that this circumstance must be reflected in the Agency's report and that rejection should be recommended.

The Agency therefore performs an important evaluative function, but it is not the final decision-maker.

7. The National Directorate of Migration makes the final decision

The final decision belongs to the National Directorate of Migration (Dirección Nacional de Migraciones).

Under Article 4 of Decree 524/2025, the DNM has 30 business days from receiving the Agency's report to analyze the report and decide, through a reasoned administrative act, whether to grant or reject the citizenship application.

This point is frequently misunderstood.

Does the 30-business-day period cover the entire citizenship-by-investment process?

No.

The 30-business-day period established by Decree 524/2025 applies to the DNM's decision after the Agency has submitted its report.

It does not establish that an applicant will obtain a final decision within 30 business days of submitting the original application.

The preparation of the application, documentary review, Agency evaluation, requests for information and due diligence take place before the DNM's decision period.

Accordingly, the total processing time cannot be calculated simply by adding a 30-business-day period to the filing date.

8. What happens after citizenship is granted?

The citizenship framework also establishes coordination between the National Directorate of Migration and the National Registry of Persons (RENAPER).

Article 6 of the Citizenship Law provides that the DNM grants the naturalization document and coordinates the necessary actions with RENAPER so that the information concerning the citizenship granted can be used for the issuance of the corresponding Argentine National Identity Document (DNI).

Decree 524/2025 additionally instructs the tax authority, ARCA, to make the necessary regulatory and system adjustments to allow a person who has been granted citizenship by investment to obtain a CUIT.

The practical sequence and timing for post-approval documentation should nevertheless be confirmed under the applicable administrative procedures once the program becomes operational.

9. When can investors actually submit an application?

On October 2, 2026, the Argentine Government announced that the Citizenship by Investment Program would be operational to receive applications during the fourth quarter of 2026.

That announcement establishes an expected operational period rather than a specific calendar date.

For applicants and their advisers, the distinction is important:

A legal procedure may already be established even while the practical application channel is still being implemented.

Until the competent authorities publish the applicable filing mechanism and operational instructions, prospective applicants should not assume that an unofficial form, intermediary or payment instruction constitutes an authorized application procedure.

10. When should the investment be made?

The timing of the investment is one of the practical issues that applicants should verify carefully.

Decree 524/2025 refers to an applicant who has made a relevant investment and provides that the Agency evaluates whether the investment qualifies under the applicable rules.

At the same time, the Government's October 2026 announcement established the two investment mechanisms but did not publish all of the operational instructions governing how and when the contribution or public-security subscription must be executed.

This distinction is particularly important for the USD 350,000 route.

A prospective applicant should not transfer funds to an intermediary or unofficial account on the assumption that doing so constitutes the required investment.

Funds should be transferred only through the official mechanism established by the Argentine authorities once the relevant operational instructions have been published.

11. Can the application be prepared before the program opens?

Yes, applicants can use the period before formal application intake to prepare their legal and documentary position, even though the official application channel may not yet be available.

This preparation may include:

• confirming eligibility;

• identifying the appropriate investment route;

• documenting the source of wealth and source of funds;

• collecting civil-status and identity documents;

• obtaining the required criminal-record documentation;

• reviewing immigration history;

• preparing legalized or apostilled documents where applicable;

• organizing translations where required; and

• identifying any potential issues that could arise during governmental due diligence.

However, preparation should not be confused with filing.

An applicant should not treat a private preparatory process as an official citizenship application until the Argentine authorities have opened the corresponding application channel.

12. Does applying for citizenship by investment guarantee Argentine citizenship?

No.

The investment is a legal basis for applying for naturalization under the citizenship-by-investment framework, but the application remains subject to evaluation.

The Agency evaluates the application and submits a reasoned recommendation to the DNM. The DNM then makes the final decision through a reasoned administrative act.

Consequently, an applicant should distinguish between:

making an announced investment → submitting an application → governmental evaluation → Agency recommendation → final decision by the DNM.

These are legally distinct stages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Argentine citizenship by investment already open for applications?

The Argentine Government announced that the program is expected to receive applications during the fourth quarter of 2026. The exact opening date and practical filing mechanism should be confirmed through official publications.

Where is the application submitted?

Under Decree 524/2025, the citizenship-by-investment application is submitted to the Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs. The Agency evaluates the application and sends its reasoned recommendation to the National Directorate of Migration.

Who grants the citizenship?

The National Directorate of Migration makes the final decision through a reasoned administrative act.

Does the 30-business-day period apply to the entire application?

No. The 30-business-day period applies to the DNM's decision after it receives the Agency's report. It is not a statutory deadline for the entire citizenship-by-investment process.

What does the governmental due diligence examine?

The framework provides for governmental checks that may address identity, criminal records, financial information, the origin and traceability of funds, immigration history, jurisdictional risk and national-security considerations.

Can an applicant apply without having previously lived in Argentina?

Yes. The investment-based naturalization route is legally distinct from the traditional naturalization route based on two years of continuous legal residence. Article 2 of the Citizenship Law expressly provides that the investment route applies regardless of the applicant's period of residence.

Should an investor transfer the USD 350,000 before the official application system opens?

An investor should not transfer funds through unofficial channels or based on private instructions that have not been confirmed by the Argentine authorities. The applicable official mechanism should be established before any transfer is made for purposes of the program.

Can a lawyer assist with the application?

Yes. Legal counsel can assist with eligibility analysis, documentary preparation, source-of-funds and source-of-wealth documentation, coordination with foreign advisers and the legal presentation of the application. The role of Argentine counsel is particularly relevant where the applicant or the applicant's other advisers are located outside Argentina.

Current Legal Status

Argentina's citizenship-by-investment framework is no longer merely a policy proposal. The legal basis for naturalization through a relevant investment was incorporated into the Citizenship Law through Decree 366/2025, and Decree 524/2025 established the administrative procedure involving the Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs and the National Directorate of Migration.

The Government's October 2026 announcement subsequently established the currently announced investment mechanisms and stated that the program is expected to begin receiving applications during the fourth quarter of 2026.

The remaining practical question is therefore not whether a legal framework exists, but how the final operational application system and implementing instructions will function in practice.

For this reason, applicants should distinguish carefully between enacted law, published administrative procedure, government announcements and operational instructions that are still pending.

Author

Juan Pablo Rojas Pascual
Argentine Attorney | Argentina Citizenship by Investment
Director, Rojas Pascual Abogados

Last Updated: October 2026