Official · 02.10.2026Argentina announces South America's first Citizenship by Investment Programme→
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Australians and Argentina: a southern hedge, not a travel upgrade

An Australian can become Argentine without losing anything at home. The Argentine passport is weaker, so the case rests on a second base in South America and on careful tax planning if you ever move.

Updated 7 min readSourced from official announcements

Key facts

  • Australia has allowed dual citizenship since 4 April 2002. No permission or notice is needed.
  • Henley Passport Index, July 2026: Australia 183 destinations (#7), Argentina 169 (#16). The Argentine passport adds only Brazil and Russia.
  • If you move to Argentina and stop being an Australian tax resident, CGT event I1 applies to most assets.
  • Australia and Argentina have had a double tax agreement since 1999.
  • Cost: US$350,000 non-refundable, or a US$800,000 bond. The legal basis is before the Supreme Court. See legal status.

Australians who ask about Argentina tend to know the country already. Some have family there, some ski in the Andes during the northern summer, and some see a second home in the same hemisphere with the same seasons. Few ask about visas, and that is the right instinct.

This guide covers the points specific to Australian citizens. For the programme rules, see our overview of Argentina citizenship by investment and the cost guide.

Note. The investment route rests on DNU 366/2025. On 30 June 2026 the Cámara Nacional Electoral declared the decree unconstitutional, after a federal appeals chamber had struck down part of it on 18 June. The government has appealed to the Supreme Court and says the decree stays in force until the ruling is final. No Supreme Court decision had been reported by 10 October 2026. Read our legal status page before you commit funds.

Australian law allows it

Until 2002, an adult Australian who acquired another citizenship by a voluntary act lost Australian citizenship automatically under section 17 of the Australian Citizenship Act 1948. The Australian Citizenship Legislation Amendment Act 2002 repealed that section from 4 April 2002. The repeal was not retrospective, but people who lost citizenship before that date can apply to resume it.

Today there is no form, no permission and no notice. Three practical points remain:

  • Your Australian passport at the border. Smartraveller advises dual nationals to use their Australian passport when going in or out of Australia.
  • Federal Parliament. Section 44(i) of the Constitution disqualifies a citizen of a foreign power from being chosen or sitting in Parliament. After the 2017 cases, candidates must take all reasonable steps to renounce a foreign citizenship before nomination.
  • Consular help. In Argentina, you would be treated as an Argentine.

Argentina also allows dual nationality and does not ask you to give up Australian citizenship. Our dual citizenship guide covers the Argentine side.

Mobility: an honest table

Destination Australian passport Argentine passport
United States ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) B1/B2 visa required
Canada eTA Visa, or eTA if you hold a US visa or a recent Canadian visa
New Zealand Visa-free NZeTA
United Kingdom ETA ETA
Schengen Area 90 days in 180 90 days in 180
Mainland China Visa-free 30 days visa-free until 31 Dec 2026
Brazil eVisa (since 10 April 2025) Visa-free; Argentine ID card accepted
Henley index, July 2026 183 destinations (#7) 169 destinations (#16)

Henley’s data show only two destinations where the Argentine passport has easier entry: Brazil and Russia. Brazil is the useful one. Since 10 April 2025, Australians have needed a visa for Brazil, while Argentines enter freely, even with their national identity card.

The wider regional benefit comes later. The Mercosur Residence Agreement gives Argentine nationals temporary residence in most South American countries, but it covers naturalised citizens only after five years of Argentine nationality. See our page on Mercosur residence rights.

Tax: residence decides, and leaving has a cost

Australia taxes residents on their worldwide income. The ATO applies four tests: the resides test (the main one), the domicile test, the 183-day test and the Commonwealth superannuation test. Nationality is not one of them. Becoming Argentine changes nothing while you live in Australia.

The real issue is a move. If you stop being an Australian tax resident, CGT event I1 applies. You are treated as if you sold assets that are not taxable Australian property, such as shares and crypto-assets, at their market value on the day you leave. You can choose to defer this. The assets are then treated as taxable Australian property until you sell them, and the choice applies to all of those assets together. Australian real estate is already taxable Australian property and stays in the net.

Plan the family home too. Since 30 June 2020, a person who is a foreign resident when they sell cannot claim the main residence exemption, unless a life-events test is met. Selling the home before you leave, or after you return, can produce very different results.

The Australia–Argentina double tax agreement entered into force on 30 December 1999 and is now modified by the OECD Multilateral Instrument. On the Argentine side, naturalisation through investment does not by itself make you an Argentine tax resident. A foreigner who moves to Argentina for reasons other than work generally becomes resident from the 13th month. Read tax residence and CBI, and speak to a qualified adviser in both countries before you move.

Funding the investment

Most Australian families will fund the contribution from Australian dollars. Three points save time:

  • Reporting is automatic. Australian banks report every international funds transfer to AUSTRAC, whatever the amount. That is routine, not a red flag, but your bank will still ask about a US$350,000 payment to a foreign government.
  • Your advisers now have AML duties. From 1 July 2026, lawyers, accountants and real estate agents came under Australia’s AML/CTF regime for the first time. Expect identity and source-of-funds checks from your own advisers too.
  • Currency and timing. The contribution is in US dollars. If you sell assets to raise it, the sale may itself be a CGT event. Agree the conversion route and the documents with your bank before the payment date.

Argentina requires all funds to move through the formal financial system with a documented, lawful source. Our source of funds guide explains what to prepare.

Documents and due diligence

  • Apostille. The Hague Apostille Convention has applied in Australia since 16 March 1995 and in Argentina since 1988. DFAT issues Australian apostilles; its 2026 fee schedule at overseas posts lists AUD 105 per apostille.
  • FATF. Australia is not on the FATF grey list after the June 2026 plenary.
  • Police certificate. Plan for an Australian National Police Check and a certificate from every other country where you have lived for a significant time.
  • Translation. English documents need certified Spanish translations. The Agency had not published its document rules as of 10 October 2026.
Family Donation route
Single applicant US$350,000
Couple US$450,000
Couple + 2 children under 18 (official example) US$500,000
Couple + 2 children aged 18–25 (single, no children) US$650,000

The bond route is US$800,000 for the main applicant; press reports say it is held for seven years and pays no interest. Government fees are not yet published.

Is it right for you?

It may suit you if:

  • You have family, property or business in Argentina or the wider region.
  • You want a second base in the southern hemisphere, and Mercosur residence after five years has value to you.
  • You want a fallback nationality for your children that does not depend on one government.

It is probably not right for you if:

  • You want better travel access. Your Australian passport already gives it, apart from Brazil.
  • You may run for federal Parliament, or a child may.
  • You need legal certainty now. The Supreme Court has not yet ruled.

For a confidential view of your situation, request a private briefing. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose Australian citizenship if I become Argentine?

No. Section 17 of the Australian Citizenship Act 1948, which removed citizenship from adults who acquired another one, was repealed on 4 April 2002. Since then Australians can hold another citizenship.

Can a dual Australian–Argentine citizen stand for federal Parliament?

Not without first taking all reasonable steps to renounce the foreign citizenship. Section 44(i) of the Constitution bars a citizen of a foreign power from being chosen or sitting as a senator or member.

Does becoming Argentine trigger capital gains tax in Australia?

No. Nationality does not affect Australian tax. CGT event I1 applies if you stop being an Australian tax resident, for example after a move to Argentina, and you can choose to defer it on most assets.

Which passport should I use to leave and enter Australia?

Your Australian passport. Smartraveller advises dual nationals to use it when going in or out of Australia.

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