Argentina Golden Visa vs Citizenship by Investment
Argentina has residence permits and, from Q4 2026, citizenship by investment. How they differ in cost, residence, time to a passport and legal basis.
Short answer: Argentina does not have a golden visa in the usual sense of a residence permit for a set investment. It has ordinary residence permits, such as the rentista permit for people with passive income, and, from the fourth quarter of 2026, a citizenship by investment programme that grants citizenship itself for USD 350,000 or USD 800,000. Many pages mix the two up.
Quick summary
| Citizenship by investment | Residence permits (rentista and others) | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | Citizenship and the right to a passport | A temporary residence permit |
| Legal basis | Ley 346 as amended by DNU 366/2025 | Migration law, Ley 25.871 |
| Investment | USD 350,000 contribution or USD 800,000 bond | None as such; rentistas show passive income |
| Residence needed first | None | You live in Argentina |
| Path to citizenship | Immediate on approval | Naturalisation after 2 years of continuous residence |
| Status | Announced, opening Q4 2026 | In force |
Residence permits
Rentista
The migration directorate’s own service page describes a one-year temporary residence for people with passive income from assets of at least five times the minimum wage each month, brought in through banks authorised by the central bank. It is renewable.
Pensionado
A similar permit exists for people with a foreign pension that provides regular income.
Investor
Argentina’s migration law also has an investor category for people investing in a productive activity. Lawyers writing on abogados.com.ar describe a formal residence by investment programme as practically non-existent in practice, so confirm current thresholds with the migration directorate.
Citizenship by investment
The programme announced on 2 October 2026 grants naturalisation, not residence. The main applicant chooses between a USD 350,000 contribution and a USD 800,000 bond, with fixed amounts for family members. No residence is required before or after, under the amended law. See the cost breakdown.
From residence to citizenship
A resident can apply to naturalise after two years of continuous legal residence. Since DNU 366/2025, continuous means no trips abroad at all in those two years, and applications go to the migration directorate. See every route to Argentine citizenship.
Which fits whom
| Your situation | The route that fits |
|---|---|
| You want a passport without moving | Citizenship by investment |
| You plan to live in Argentina and have passive income | Rentista residence, then naturalisation |
| You have a foreign pension and want to retire there | Pensionado residence |
| You are a Mercosur citizen | The Mercosur residence route |
Frequently asked questions
Does Argentina have a golden visa?
Not in the usual form. Its investment programme grants citizenship rather than residence.
Is citizenship by investment faster than residence?
On paper, yes: no residence period is required. Processing times are not yet published.
Can I combine the two?
You can hold residence while applying for citizenship by investment, but you do not need residence to apply.
Sources
- DNM: residencia temporaria como rentista, read 14 October 2026
- DNU 366/2025, Boletín Oficial, 29 May 2025
- Ministry of Economy announcement, 2 October 2026
- abogados.com.ar on the programme and residence routes, 22 April 2026