- Argentina announced a citizenship investment offer with applications expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2026.
- Applicants can choose a US$350,000 National Treasury contribution or an US$800,000 government bond held for seven years.
- The plan grants citizenship, not residence, and includes financial and security checks covering applicants and their funds.
Argentina announced a citizenship offer on October 2, 2026, giving foreign applicants a choice between a US$350,000 contribution to the National Treasury and an US$800,000 government bond held for seven years. The program is expected to begin accepting applications in the fourth quarter of 2026. It is not open yet.
Economy Minister Luis Caputo unveiled the plan in Paris during an investor event held as part of “Argentina Week.” He described the initiative as a “golden passport” scheme. The offer would confer Argentine citizenship, rather than a temporary residence status.
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The Milei administration has presented the plan as a way to bring foreign capital into a country facing a foreign-currency shortage and a heavy debt burden. It says the program could strengthen Argentina’s fiscal and financial position. Applicants would not have to spend time in Argentina, according to the program details reported so far.
Caputo said the idea followed interest from foreign business figures and technology executives. He linked its development to President Javier Milei’s July 2024 visit to Sun Valley, Idaho. Chief of Cabinet Diego Santilli was also identified as part of the Paris launch.
The government has stressed the checks it plans to apply. The Economy Ministry said the process would protect “national security, the integrity of the financial system and the international prestige of Argentine citizenship.”
Its stated review would include identity, source-of-funds and financial checks, along with assessments of an applicant’s jurisdiction, criminal and reputational record, and immigration history. The scrutiny is intended to test both who is applying and where the investment money came from.
The family price rises by category
The direct contribution amount changes with the applicant’s family composition. These are additional charges for relatives, on top of the principal applicant’s payment.
| Applicant or relative | Required contribution |
|---|---|
| Principal applicant | US$350,000 |
| Spouse | US$100,000 |
| Child under 18 | US$25,000 |
| Unmarried child aged 18 to 25, with no children | US$100,000 |
The reported total for a family of four using the contribution route is $500,000. The bond option is listed separately at US$800,000, with a seven-year term. The announced information does not describe the bond as a contribution, and the two routes should not be conflated.
The listed family amounts make the contribution route different from a single flat payment. A spouse and an unmarried adult child in the specified age range each add US$100,000; a child under 18 adds US$25,000. Those amounts apply by category.
The offer grants citizenship, not a residence permit
Successful applicants would receive Argentine nationality and a passport. The program is described as an investment route to citizenship, rather than a visa allowing a person to reside in the country without becoming a citizen.
The reported terms do not require applicants to live in Argentina or spend a set period there before applying. Caputo promoted the passport as “a highly useful one,” saying it is accepted in “over 140 countries.” The reported access includes visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to more than 140 countries.
That international travel feature is one of the benefits associated with citizenship. The program’s stated terms, however, make the cost of entry substantial: the principal contribution starts at US$350,000, while the bond route calls for US$800,000 tied up for seven years.
The ministry says applicants will face financial and security reviews
The government has described a screening process that reaches beyond identity verification. It includes examination of the lawful source of an applicant’s funds, financial analysis and a review of risks associated with the applicant’s jurisdiction. Criminal history, reputation and immigration history are also listed for review.
The ministry said its checks would ensure “the traceability of funds, the prevention of money laundering, and national security.” Argentina also said it would use safeguards aligned with the OECD and FATF standards on “the prevention of money laundering, terrorist financing, and financial transparency.”
Those commitments sit alongside the program’s economic pitch. Authorities have framed the scheme as a route to attract foreign capital while maintaining controls on the people and funds entering through it. No application period has started; the government’s stated target remains the fourth quarter of 2026.
Officials are selling the plan as a source of foreign currency
The announcement comes as the administration seeks foreign currency and investment amid Argentina’s debt burden. Government statements present the offer as a tool to reinforce the country’s fiscal and financial position, rather than simply a passport sale.
One consortium of investment firms estimated the program could raise up to $2.5 billion for Argentina. That is an estimate from the consortium, not a government revenue forecast. The program’s actual proceeds will depend on applications and the investment route applicants choose.
Argentina’s government has described the initiative as South America’s first citizenship-by-investment program and as one of only a few such schemes globally. Caputo’s account of its origins points to discussions with business and technology figures after Milei’s 2024 visit. The next stated milestone is the planned opening of applications in the fourth quarter of 2026.
