Argentina Introduces Citizenship Scheme for Foreign Investors

Argentina’s government has announced a citizenship programme offering foreigners a route to an Argentine passport in exchange for investments starting at $350,000.

The initiative, announced on Friday by President Javier Milei’s administration, comes as the country seeks to attract more foreign capital after recording the lowest foreign direct investment among major Latin American economies in 2025, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Under the Citizenship by Investment Program, applicants can qualify through either a non-refundable payment of $350,000 to the National Treasury or an $800,000 investment in a government bond established specifically for the scheme.

The programme also allows applicants’ spouses and children to obtain citizenship through additional contributions. The government set the payment at $100,000 for spouses and $25,000 for children under 18.

The administration said proceeds from the initiative would help strengthen Argentina’s fiscal and financial position.

“The resources obtained will be used to continue strengthening the fiscal and financial position of the Argentine Republic,” the government said.

The Economy Ministry said applications would undergo strict screening to verify the origin and movement of funds, prevent money laundering and address national security concerns.

The announcement follows a Supreme Court decision earlier in the week that removed restrictions on foreign ownership of rural land.

On Tuesday, the court upheld a 2023 decree by Milei that scrapped a 15 per cent limit on foreign ownership of such land, which had been in place since 2011.

The change has drawn criticism from veterans of Argentina’s 1982 war with Britain over the Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as Las Malvinas. Opponents accused Milei of making the country’s assets available for sale to foreign interests.

A demonstration has been scheduled for next week to protest the land ownership change, while opposition lawmakers are expected to seek its reversal in Parliament.

OECD figures show Argentina attracted $3.134 billion in foreign direct investment in 2025, compared with $76.877 billion for Brazil and $40.871 billion for Mexico.