Short answer: on 2 October 2026, Economy Minister Luis Caputo announced South America’s first citizenship by investment programme: a non-refundable USD 350,000 contribution to the National Treasury, or a USD 800,000 programme government bond, with applications targeted for Q4 2026. The programme is not yet open, and its legal basis is under Supreme Court review.
What has been announced
| Item | Announced |
|---|---|
| Contribution | USD 350,000 to the National Treasury (non-refundable) |
| Bond | USD 800,000 programme bond (term, yield and repayment not announced) |
| Spouse and children aged 18–25 | USD 100,000 each (children must be single, without children) |
| Children under 18 | USD 25,000 each |
| Family of four (contribution) | USD 500,000 in total |
| Reviewing body | Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs (APCI), with intelligence, financial and security agencies |
| Opening | Targeted for Q4 2026 |
The legal risk
The programme rests on Decree 366/2025, which lets a qualifying investment replace the usual residence requirement for naturalisation. In June 2026 two federal appeal courts declared it invalid, and the government has appealed to the Supreme Court. The implementing regulation and agent accreditation rules are also still to be published, so timing and terms may change.
Compared with Caribbean citizenship by investment
| Argentina (coming soon) | St Lucia | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum contribution | USD 350,000 | USD 240,000 (up to four people) |
| Family of four | USD 500,000 | USD 240,000 |
| Visa-free access | About 170 destinations | About 144 |
| Status | Not yet open | Operating |
Use Compare programmes to see more side by side.
What you can do now
- Register for priority updates to hear the final terms as soon as it opens.
- Prepare source-of-funds documents — as with any citizenship by investment programme, funds must be lawful and fully documented.
- Compare alternatives — if timing matters, look at programmes already operating.
As of 5 October 2026; official terms follow the Argentine government.