Official · 02.10.2026Argentina announces South America's first Citizenship by Investment Programme→
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The Programme

After approval: from decision to documents

Approval is a legal act. To live as an Argentine citizen you also need an identity card, a passport, a tax number and an address the state recognises. Here is the order in which they usually come, what each costs in 2026, and what is still unknown for investor-citizens.

Updated 8 min readSourced from official announcements

Key facts

  • Migraciones decides within 30 business days of the Agency's report (Decreto 524/2025, Art. 4).
  • RENAPER issues the DNI and the passport. A first DNI on a citizenship document costs ARS 10,000; a standard passport ARS 100,000 (fees from 6 March 2026).
  • ARCA must enable a CUIT for investor-citizens (Art. 5). Its CUIT rules changed on 2 March 2026.
  • The document that will prove citizenship under the investment route has not been specified.

Most writing about Argentina’s citizenship by investment programme stops at approval. In practice, approval starts a second, shorter process. A new citizen needs the documents that let them prove who they are, travel, pay tax and open accounts.

Argentina has well-established procedures for naturalised citizens. What it has not yet said is how investor-citizens will enter them. This guide sets out the known steps and marks the gaps.

The sequence at a glance

Step Issuer Prerequisite Cost (from 6 Mar 2026)
1. Citizenship decision Dirección Nacional de Migraciones Agency report Not published
2. First DNI RENAPER Proof of citizenship ARS 10,000 standard
3. CUIL ANSES Normally generated with the first DNI Certificate free
4. Passport RENAPER Valid DNI ARS 100,000 standard
5. CUIT ARCA DNI, Clave Fiscal level 3 No fee stated
6. Bank account Your bank DNI and CUIT or CUIL Bank’s own fees

At about ARS 1,540 per US dollar, the Banco Nación selling rate on 2 October 2026, ARS 10,000 is about US$6.50 and ARS 100,000 about US$65.

Step 1: the decision

After its review, the Agencia de Programas de Ciudadanía por Inversión sends a reasoned report to Migraciones. Under Article 4 of Decreto 524/2025, Migraciones has 30 business days from receiving it to decide, by a reasoned act (acto fundado), whether to grant citizenship or reject the application.

Decreto 524/2025 does not say what document the new citizen then receives, whether there is an oath, or how the grant is recorded with RENAPER. In the ordinary court route, a federal judge issues a carta de ciudadanía and RENAPER registers it. The equivalent for investor-citizens is not yet published.

The court case adds a further question. On 30 June 2026 the Cámara Nacional Electoral held that citizenship decisions belong to federal electoral judges, not Migraciones. The government’s appeal was granted on 24 September 2026 and is now before the Supreme Court. The Court’s answer may change which body issues the decision. See legal status.

Step 2: the DNI

The Documento Nacional de Identidad is the core of Argentine identity. Banks, notaries, RENAPER and ARCA all rely on it.

For a person naturalised through the courts, RENAPER lists these requirements for a first DNI:

  • the carta de ciudadanía;
  • the original certified copy of the judgment that granted it;
  • the foreign resident’s DNI, if the person has one (recommended, not required);
  • a medical certificate, if the person cannot sign or give fingerprints.

The last item tells you the process involves signature and fingerprint capture, so expect to attend in person. RENAPER’s fee for a first DNI on a citizenship document is ARS 10,000. Express service within 96 business hours costs ARS 26,000; same-day service in enabled offices costs ARS 57,000.

The DNI records your home address. Keep that in mind for Step 5, because ARCA checks your declared address against it.

Step 3: the CUIL

The CUIL is the labour and social security number. According to ANSES guidance reported by Perfil, it is generated automatically when a first DNI is issued. If it is not, the holder can ask for it at an ANSES office with the DNI. The certificate (constancia de CUIL) can then be downloaded free from ANSES.

You need a CUIL to be employed in Argentina, and banks generally ask for a CUIL or CUIT when you open an account.

Step 4: the passport

RENAPER requires a valid DNI for an adult’s first passport. Adult passports are valid for ten years, children’s for five.

Service (issued in Argentina) Fee from 6 March 2026
Standard ARS 100,000
Express, within 96 business hours ARS 200,000
Same-day, within 6 hours, enabled offices only ARS 330,000

The fees were set by RENAPER’s Disposición 106/2026. Consular fees abroad are different. The passport gives visa-free or simplified access to about 170 destinations, but not to the United States or Canada. Our passport guide covers appointments, consular options and travel access.

Your DNI is also a travel document in Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. Mercosur residence rights are different: naturalised Argentines qualify only after holding the nationality for five years. See Mercosur residence rights.

Step 5: the CUIT

Article 5 of Decreto 524/2025 orders ARCA, the tax and customs agency, to make the changes needed to issue a CUIT to people granted citizenship under the programme. The CUIT is the tax identifier for anyone with taxable activity, such as investment income, business ownership or property.

ARCA’s procedure changed on 2 March 2026, when Resolución General 5803/2025 took effect. For a resident with an Argentine DNI, ARCA asks for:

  • a Clave Fiscal at security level 3 or higher;
  • colour images of the front and back of the DNI, and a face photo if the system asks for one;
  • a real address that matches the DNI, and a declared fiscal address, with proof if they differ;
  • an email address and phone number.

The application can be made online, through the ARCA Móvil app or through the registry system. If the automatic checks pass, the CUIT is assigned at once.

Two further points matter for investor-citizens. First, RG 5803/2025 says non-residents, with or without a DNI, apply through a representative with an address in Argentina. Many investor-citizens will live abroad, so ask your adviser which route applies to you. Second, the same resolution replaced the old CDI number for individuals with the CUIT.

A CUIT is not tax residence. Under the normal rules, a foreigner who moves to Argentina for reasons other than work generally becomes tax resident after 12 months. See tax residency and CBI.

Step 6: your address

Argentina uses three addresses that new citizens often confuse:

  • The DNI address, held by RENAPER. A change of address means a new DNI copy, which costs ARS 10,000.
  • The fiscal address, declared to ARCA, where official tax notices are linked.
  • The electronic fiscal address (Domicilio Fiscal Electrónico), which ARCA sets up with the CUIT and uses for formal notifications.

If you live abroad, decide early which Argentine address you will use, and who will monitor ARCA notices.

Step 7: a bank account

With a DNI and a CUIT or CUIL, opening an account is far simpler than as a foreigner. Banks still apply their own checks, and they may ask about the source of funds you used for the investment. Argentine banks offer US dollar savings accounts as well as peso accounts. Our guide to banking in Argentina explains currency rules and cards.

Duties as well as rights

Citizenship brings obligations. Under the Código Electoral Nacional, naturalised citizens become voters at 18, and voting in national elections is a legal duty, with exemptions. Ask an adviser how this applies if you live abroad.

Children need their own documents. Children who are part of the approved application need their own DNI and passport. Children born abroad after you naturalise are a different case: the nationality option route covers children of native Argentines, not of naturalised ones. See our family guide.

Note. Fees change often. Check RENAPER's current tariff before you pay. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Speak to a qualified adviser about your own position.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

How long does Migraciones take to decide after the Agency's review?

Article 4 of Decreto 524/2025 gives Migraciones 30 business days from receiving the Agency's report to grant or reject citizenship by a reasoned act. The Agency's own review has no published deadline.

How much do the DNI and passport cost?

Since 6 March 2026, RENAPER charges ARS 10,000 for a first DNI issued on the basis of a citizenship document and ARS 100,000 for a standard passport. Express and same-day services cost more.

Do I need a DNI before I can get a passport?

Yes. RENAPER lists a valid DNI as the requirement for an adult's first passport, so the DNI comes first.

Will I get a CUIT automatically?

Not necessarily. Article 5 of Decreto 524/2025 tells ARCA to adapt its systems so that investor-citizens can obtain a CUIT, but you still need to apply. Since 2 March 2026 ARCA's procedure is set by Resolución General 5803/2025.

Does getting a CUIT make me an Argentine tax resident?

No. A tax number is an identifier. Tax residence depends on the normal residence rules, and PwC notes that naturalisation through investment does not by itself make you tax resident.

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