Argentina Introduces $350,000 Investment Pathway to Citizenship for Foreign Investors

• Foreign nationals must invest a minimum of $350,000 to qualify
• The initiative is designed to stimulate inbound foreign direct investment

BUENOS AIRES — The administration of Argentine President Javier Milei announced Friday that the country will grant citizenship to foreign investors who commit at least $350,000 to the national economy, marking a significant shift in Argentine immigration and economic policy.

The move comes amid a period of weak capital inflows. According to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Argentina attracted the lowest level of foreign direct investment of any major Latin American economy in 2025.

The newly announced Citizenship by Investment Program outlines two mechanisms for securing an Argentine passport. Applicants may either make a direct, non-refundable contribution of $350,000 to the National Treasury or subscribe to an $800,000 government bond issued specifically for this purpose. The government described both options as straightforward and transparent.

Family members of qualifying applicants — including spouses and children — may also obtain citizenship through a contribution of $100,000 to the Treasury, reduced to $25,000 for children under the age of 18.

“The resources obtained will be used to continue strengthening the fiscal and financial position of the Argentine Republic,” the government stated in an official release.

In a post on X, the Economy Ministry confirmed that all investments would undergo a rigorous vetting process designed to ensure fund traceability, prevent money laundering, and safeguard national security.

The announcement follows a closely watched ruling in which Argentina’s Supreme Court struck down restrictions on foreign purchase of rural land. The court upheld a 2023 executive decree issued by Milei that repealed a 15-percent cap on foreign ownership of agricultural land, a limit that had been in place since 2011.

Veterans of the 1982 Falklands War — referred to in Argentina as Las Malvinas — voiced strong opposition to the decree, accusing the president of effectively putting the nation up for sale. A public demonstration is scheduled for next week to protest the change in land ownership law, while opposition lawmakers have pledged to attempt to block the measure in Parliament.

OECD figures show Argentina received $3.134 billion in foreign direct investment last year, a figure that pales in comparison to the $76.877 billion attracted by Brazil and the $40.871 billion secured by Mexico.

Source link