Key facts
- Argentina: US$350,000 non-refundable contribution or a US$800,000 bond; applications open Q4 2026.
- Cheapest overall: São Tomé and Príncipe, from about US$90,000.
- Caribbean range: US$200,000 (Dominica) to US$250,000 (St Kitts and Nevis) for donation options.
- Argentina's distinction: the only citizenship-by-investment programme in South America, in a continental country inside Mercosur.
- Argentina's main risk: the decree behind it was ruled unconstitutional in June 2026 and is under appeal at the Supreme Court.
Comparing citizenship-by-investment programmes on price alone is like comparing houses on square metres. It tells you something, but not what matters most. This page sets Argentina citizenship by investment against the main alternatives on price, structure, speed and family cost, and then explains where Argentina is genuinely different and where it is weaker.
All figures are minimums for 2026 as published by governments or reported by established industry sources. Government, due-diligence and professional fees come on top in every case.
Citizenship by investment: the comparison table
| Programme | Minimum (single applicant) | Route type | Processing | Family | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | US$350,000 | Non-refundable Treasury contribution; or US$800,000 bond (reported: 7-year hold, zero interest) | Not published. Migraciones must decide within 30 days of the Agency’s report | Spouse US$100,000; children 18–25 US$100,000 each; under 18 US$25,000 each | Opens Q4 2026. Legal challenge pending |
| Dominica | US$200,000 | Donation (Economic Diversification Fund); real estate from about US$200,000 | About 6 months | US$250,000 donation covers up to 4 people | US visa restrictions on Dominica nationals since 1 January 2026 |
| Antigua & Barbuda | US$230,000 | Donation; real estate from US$300,000 | About 14 months | Dependants allowed; amounts vary | 5-day physical presence rule. US visa restrictions since 1 January 2026 |
| Grenada | US$235,000 | Donation; real estate US$270,000 (joint) or US$350,000 | About 7 months | Dependants allowed; amounts vary | Grenada has a treaty giving access to the US E-2 investor visa |
| St Lucia | US$240,000 | Donation; real estate from US$300,000; other options | 15–16 months | Dependants allowed; amounts vary | Several investment routes |
| St Kitts & Nevis | US$250,000 | Donation; real estate US$325,000 or US$600,000 | About 5 months | Dependants allowed; amounts vary | Biometrics required by 31 July 2027 |
| Türkiye | US$400,000 | Real estate, held for 3 years | 2–6 months (reported) | Dependants allowed | Raised from US$250,000 in June 2022. Capital stays in an asset |
| Egypt | US$250,000 | Options from US$250,000 to US$500,000, including contribution, deposit and real estate | 6–9 months | Dependants allowed | Several investment options |
| São Tomé & Príncipe | About US$90,000 | Donation | About 2 months | Dependants allowed | Launched August 2025. The lowest price on the market |
Three points stand out.
First, Argentina is at the top of the price range for donation-style programmes. Only Türkiye asks for more, and Türkiye’s money buys a property you keep.
Second, Argentina’s family pricing is unusually explicit, and unusually heavy. The government’s own example is US$500,000 for a couple with two minors. Dominica’s official price for a family of up to four is US$250,000. See our full cost breakdown.
Third, the Caribbean figures reflect the 2024 harmonised floor of US$200,000 agreed among the five Eastern Caribbean programmes. A further 30-day presence rule has been agreed among them but is not yet in force.
Residence routes: not citizenship, but often the real alternative
Many families comparing Argentina are not choosing between passports at all. They are choosing between a passport now and a residence permit that may lead to one later.
| Route | Minimum | What you get | Path to citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal golden visa | €500,000 in a qualifying fund (other routes include €250,000 for culture, or job creation) | Residence permit; real estate no longer qualifies | Naturalisation now requires 10 years (7 for EU and CPLP nationals), counted from the first residence permit, under Organic Law 1/2026 (in force 19 May 2026) |
| Paraguay SUACE | US$70,000 business investment | Permanent residence directly | Through ordinary naturalisation |
| Uruguay | Reported at about US$2 million in real estate for tax residence under Law 20.446 (not independently confirmed) | Residence and tax residence | Through ordinary naturalisation |
| Brazil VIPER | BRL 500,000 in a business, or BRL 1 million in real estate (BRL 700,000 in the North and Northeast) | Residence; the first permit lasts 4 years on the real-estate route | Through ordinary naturalisation |
| Argentina (ordinary route) | No investment threshold | Residence, then citizenship | 2 continuous years of legal residence, then an application to a federal judge |
The last row is easy to overlook. Argentina’s ordinary naturalisation period of two years is short by international standards. For a family that genuinely intends to live in Argentina, residence first may cost far less than the investment programme. The trade-off is time, physical presence and a court process. The investment route exists for people who want the citizenship without the residence.
Portugal shows the opposite trend. With naturalisation now at ten years for most non-EU investors, the golden visa is a long-term residence plan with an EU passport at the end, not a quick second citizenship. We compare the two in detail in Argentina vs Portugal.
The Malta lesson
Malta’s programme was the only citizenship-by-investment route inside the EU. On 29 April 2025 the EU Court of Justice ruled, in case C-181/23, that it breached EU law, undermining the integrity of EU citizenship and the principle of sincere cooperation between member states. Malta amended its law on 24 July 2025 and replaced the programme with a discretionary route for people judged to have made an exceptional contribution.
Two lessons carry over to Argentina.
- Programmes can be closed by courts, not only by governments. Argentina’s programme already faces a court challenge at home. See our legal status page.
- Mobility rights depend on other countries’ trust. The EU suspended Vanuatu’s Schengen visa waiver in full (the final act took effect on 3 February 2025), and the US imposed visa restrictions on Antigua and Dominica nationals from 1 January 2026. Argentina’s passport value rests on its standing as a large, ordinary country. Strong due diligence protects that, and the government has said its checks follow OECD and FATF standards.
Why Argentina is different
The only programme in South America
AP describes Argentina’s scheme as South America’s first active citizenship-by-investment programme. Every other option on the continent is a residence route. If you want citizenship of a South American country without living there first, Argentina is currently the only way.
A continental country, not a microstate
Argentina covers 2,780,085 km², the eighth-largest country in the world, with about 46 million people across 23 provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. For a family that may one day actually move, that means real cities, universities, hospitals and a full economy. Most citizenship-by-investment countries are small islands. That is not a criticism of them, but it is a different product.
Inside Mercosur
Argentine citizens can cross into eight neighbouring countries on the national ID card. After holding Argentine nationality for five years, a naturalised citizen can also use the Mercosur Residence Agreement to live in Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay and other participating states. No Caribbean passport offers that regional depth in South America. Details are on our passport page.
Dual nationality and tax
Argentina permits dual nationality and does not require renunciation. Naturalisation through investment does not, on its own, make you an Argentine tax resident. See our dual citizenship guide.
Where Argentina is weaker
Price
At US$350,000 for one person and US$500,000 for a typical family of four, Argentina costs well above the US$200,000–250,000 Caribbean donation range and roughly four times São Tomé and Príncipe. The bond route ties up US$800,000 for a reported seven years at zero interest. We look at value for money in the cheapest citizenship by investment in 2026.
Legal uncertainty
The programme rests on DNU 366/2025, an emergency decree. On 30 June 2026 the Cámara Nacional Electoral declared it unconstitutional, holding that citizenship is linked to political rights, which decrees of this kind cannot regulate. The government is appealing to the Supreme Court and says the decree remains in force meanwhile. Congress has not passed a law on the programme, and an opposition deputy has said he will propose a bill to ban it.
The United States
Argentines need a visa for the United States and Canada. Argentina is working to rejoin the US Visa Waiver Program and its government has said it hopes for early 2027, but nothing is agreed. If visa-free US travel is your main goal, Argentina does not deliver it today.
Unknowns
Government fees, processing times, the application portal, bond redemption terms and any post-grant residence requirements had not been published as of 2 October 2026. The Caribbean programmes have years of practice behind them.
Who each option suits
| If you are… | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A family wanting a real South American base, possibly to live in later | Argentina | Continental country, Mercosur access, dual nationality allowed |
| Prepared to live in Argentina for two years | Argentina’s ordinary route | Far cheaper; a two-year path to the same citizenship |
| Focused on lowest cost and speed | São Tomé and Príncipe, Dominica | Lowest prices; short processing |
| Wanting an established programme with a long record | St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada | Track record; Grenada’s E-2 treaty access |
| Wanting your capital in an asset | Türkiye | Real estate held three years |
| Aiming for an EU passport and willing to wait | Portugal | Residence now, citizenship after 10 years |
| Seeking a low-cost Latin American residence plan | Paraguay, Brazil | Investor residence from US$70,000 (Paraguay) |
| Unable to accept legal risk | Wait, or choose an established programme | Argentina’s Supreme Court case is unresolved |
Each of these is a personal decision with tax, family and legal consequences. Speak to a qualified adviser, or book a private briefing.
Head-to-head comparisons
- Argentina vs Portugal: an immediate South American passport against a slow route to the EU.
- Argentina vs Türkiye: a contribution against a property-backed programme.
- Argentina vs St Kitts and Nevis: a new programme against an established Caribbean one.
- The cheapest citizenship by investment in 2026: every programme ranked by entry price.
For what “golden passport” means in Argentina’s case, and what it does not, read our golden passport guide.
Sources
- Argentine Government: official programme announcement (2 Oct 2026)
- Argentina: Ley 346, official text
- Argentina: Mercosur Residence Agreement, official text
- Dominica CBIU: Economic Diversification Fund
- Palabras del Derecho: Decreto 524/2025 regulations
- Perfil: Cámara Nacional Electoral annuls DNU 366/2025
- La Nación: government to appeal to the Supreme Court
- Urgente24: Deputy Agustín Rossi’s proposed ban
- ABC News (AP): Argentina pitches golden passport scheme
- Infobae: programme details and bond terms
- Global Citizen Solutions: Caribbean CBI comparison (updated 30 Sep 2026)
- Levella Global: every active CBI programme compared for 2026
- Global Citizen Solutions: Portugal golden visa (updated 1 Oct 2026)
- Global Citizen Solutions: Paraguay residency by investment
- Global Citizen Solutions: Brazil investor visa
- Wikipedia: Maltese nationality law (CJEU C-181/23 and 2025 reform)
- PwC Tax Summaries: Argentina, residence