Argentina Moves Toward Launching a Golden Passport Program

Argentina is preparing to launch its own citizenship-by-investment program. If the initiative goes ahead as planned, it will become the first program of its kind in South America and one of the most notable new offerings in the investment migration market.

The legal groundwork is already in place: in July 2025, President Javier Milei signed Decree 524/2025, which allows foreign investors to apply for citizenship without a mandatory residency requirement in Argentina. Authorities are now working out the practical details — the minimum investment amount, eligible investment categories, and the application process.

No exact launch date has been set yet. Experts expect the program to officially roll out in the second half of 2026. In April, Milei appointed an executive director tasked with helping build and implement the new program's framework.

What mainly draws applicants is the combination of a second citizenship, strong passport mobility, and a relatively fast process. The Argentine passport ranks 16th on the Passport Index and grants visa-free access to 114 countries. It also makes travel easier across the Mercosur bloc and neighboring South American countries, including Uruguay, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru.

Processing time is a separate point of interest. Argentina's Ministry of Economy has cited a benchmark of 30 business days. If that timeline holds once the program launches, it could rival the fast-track citizenship-by-investment schemes offered by Caribbean nations.

Key details, however, remain undecided. The minimum investment threshold, the list of eligible investment areas, and the exact application procedure have yet to be published. Possible options under discussion include technology, tourism, renewable energy, local business, real estate, and government bonds, though the final model has not been approved.

For prospective investors, this means the program now has a legal basis but is not yet a ready-to-use application route. It can only be judged as a functioning tool once the final rules are published.

If the program launches by the end of 2026 and the stated 30-business-day review period holds up in practice, the first investors could theoretically obtain Argentine citizenship as early as the beginning or middle of 2027. For now, the key question for investors remains the same — what the minimum investment amount will be, and which projects the authorities will allow into the program.