Argentina’s government has announced a citizenship-by-investment programme that would allow foreign nationals to seek an Argentine passport through a minimum $350,000 investment.

The initiative, announced on Friday under President Javier Milei’s administration, sets out two routes for applicants and comes as Argentina seeks to attract more overseas capital. South America’s second-largest economy recorded the lowest foreign direct investment inflows among major Latin American economies in 2025, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Two routes to an Argentine passport

The government described the Citizenship by Investment Program as offering two “simple and transparent mechanisms” for obtaining citizenship.

Under the first option, an applicant may make a direct, non-refundable payment of $350,000 to Argentina’s National Treasury. The alternative is to subscribe to a government bond worth $800,000 that has been created specifically for the programme.

Applicants’ spouses and children would also be eligible for citizenship. A Treasury contribution of $100,000 would apply for spouses and children, while the amount for children under 18 would be $25,000.

The government said the money raised through the scheme would be used “to continue strengthening the fiscal and financial position of the Argentine Republic.”

Fund checks and security review

In a post on X, the economy ministry said prospective investments would undergo a “rigorous evaluation process” aimed at ensuring the traceability of funds, preventing money laundering and protecting national security.

The announcement follows another recent policy development concerning foreign investment in Argentina. Days earlier, the Supreme Court removed restrictions on foreign purchases of rural land.

On Tuesday, the court upheld a 2023 decree issued by Milei that repealed a 15% limit on foreign ownership of rural land. That cap had been in force since 2011.

Opposition to rural land rule change

Veterans of Argentina’s 1982 conflict with Britain over the Falkland Islands, which Argentines call Las Malvinas, strongly opposed the decree. They accused Milei of “putting the Republic of Argentina up for sale.”

A protest against the change to the land ownership rules has been called for next week. The opposition also plans to try to stop the measure in Parliament.

OECD figures show Argentina received $3.134 billion in foreign direct investment last year. That was far below the $76.877 billion received by Brazil and the $40.871 billion attracted by Mexico.