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Argentina citizenship for Egyptians: permission first

An Argentine passport would transform travel for an Egyptian family. But Egyptian law puts a permission step in front of any second nationality, and getting it wrong can cost you your Egyptian citizenship.

Updated 8 min readSourced from official announcements

Key facts

  • Egyptians need permission from the Minister of Interior to acquire another nationality, and a retention clause to keep Egyptian nationality (Law 26/1975, Art. 10).
  • Large travel gain: 49 destinations on an Egyptian passport, 169 on an Argentine one (Henley, July 2026).
  • Egypt is not on the FATF grey list, but it is not an Apostille Convention party.
  • Plan the transfer of funds early; businesses and individuals still report delays moving money out.
  • Cost: US$350,000 non-refundable, or a US$800,000 bond. Applications open in Q4 2026.

An Egyptian passport needs a visa for almost every destination an international business owner cares about, including Argentina itself. That makes the travel case for Argentina citizenship by investment unusually strong.

The legal case needs more care. Egypt is one of the few countries that requires its citizens to ask before they take a second nationality, and the sequence matters.

The permission rule

Egypt’s nationality law is Law No. 26 of 1975. Under Article 10:

  • An Egyptian may acquire a foreign nationality only after permission, granted by decree of the Minister of Interior.
  • If permission is granted, the person loses Egyptian nationality by default.
  • The permission decree may, however, allow the person (and the wife and minor children) to keep Egyptian nationality. The person must then declare the wish to keep it within one year of acquiring the foreign nationality.
  • If an Egyptian acquires a foreign nationality without permission, Egypt continues to treat them as Egyptian in all respects. Separately, Article 16 allows the Council of Ministers to withdraw nationality in defined cases.

The practical sequence is therefore:

  1. Apply for permission with retention of Egyptian nationality before your Argentine naturalisation completes.
  2. Complete the Argentine process.
  3. File the declaration to keep Egyptian nationality within one year.

We have not found any published change to Article 10 between 2024 and 2026. Processing times for permission are not published, so start early and use an Egyptian lawyer. Argentina, for its part, allows dual nationality and does not ask you to renounce Egyptian citizenship. See our dual citizenship guide.

What the Argentine passport changes

Destination Egyptian passport Argentine passport
Schengen Area Visa required Visa-free, 90/180 days
United Kingdom Visa required ETA
Japan Visa required Visa-free
Argentina itself Visa required Citizen
China Visa required 30 days visa-free (until 31 Dec 2026)
United States Visa required Visa required
Canada Visa required Visa, or eTA if you hold a US visa or a recent Canadian visa
Henley Passport Index, July 2026 49 destinations (#87) 169 destinations (#16)

Argentina is not in the US Visa Waiver Program, so the United States still needs a visa. Everything else in the table is a material improvement. Our Argentine passport guide has the detail.

Moving funds: the practical constraint

The programme requires all funds to move through the formal financial system. For Egyptian residents, that is the hardest practical step.

Egypt moved to a flexible exchange rate in March 2024, after its fourth devaluation since March 2022, alongside an IMF programme. The Central Bank of Egypt then removed foreign spending limits on credit cards and eased cash-withdrawal limits. But the US State Department’s 2025 investment climate report notes that firms and individuals still report delays when they move funds out of the country.

We could not confirm the current bank limits on individual transfers abroad as of 2 October 2026. In practice:

  • If part of your wealth is already held abroad in your name, that may be the simplest source.
  • If funds are in Egypt, speak to your bank before you commit to a timetable.
  • Document every conversion and transfer. Argentina’s Agency checks the traceability and legality of funds, and informal exchange channels will not pass.

Tax

Egypt treats a person as resident with a permanent home in Egypt or more than 183 days in Egypt in 12 months. Residents are taxed on Egyptian-source income and on foreign income where their centre of commercial, industrial or professional activity is in Egypt. The top rate is 27.5%.

People naturalised through Argentina’s programme are not treated as Argentine tax residents solely because of the naturalisation. Ordinary tests, such as permanent residence, apply. Speak to a qualified adviser in both countries before you relocate.

Compliance and documents

  • FATF: Egypt is not on the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring after the June 2026 plenary.
  • Apostille: Egypt is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Birth, marriage and police certificates need legalisation by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then by the Argentine consulate. Check translation requirements with the consulate before you start.
  • Due diligence: Argentina’s checks cover identity, source of funds, assets, jurisdictional risk, criminal and reputational background, and migration history, aligned with OECD and FATF standards. SIDE, the UIF and the Ministries of Security and the Interior take part, and Migraciones gives final approval.

The investment route rests on DNU 366/2025. On 18 June 2026, Chamber III of the federal civil and commercial appeals court (the Volosh case) struck down the parts of the decree that give citizenship decisions to Migraciones. On 30 June 2026 the Cámara Nacional Electoral declared the whole decree unconstitutional, and the government has appealed to the Supreme Court. The government says the decree remains in force while the ruling is not final. For an Egyptian applicant, this adds a timing point: if the Supreme Court rules against the decree, the position of grants made under it is uncertain, so file your Egyptian retention declaration on time whatever happens in Buenos Aires. Read our legal status page.

Cost

Family Donation route
Main applicant US$350,000
Spouse +US$100,000
Each child 18–25 (single, no children) +US$100,000
Each child under 18 +US$25,000
Official example: couple + 2 minors US$500,000

The bond route is US$800,000 for the main applicant; press reports say it is held for seven years at zero interest. Government fees and processing times are not yet published. See our cost guide.

Is it right for you?

Good fit: you travel often to Europe, the UK or Asia, you can obtain permission with retention, and your funds are already documented and accessible abroad.

Not yet: if you have not started the permission process, if your funds are locked in Egypt, or if keeping Egyptian nationality is essential and you cannot get a retention clause.

A private briefing can help you plan the sequence.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Can an Egyptian hold Argentine citizenship and keep Egyptian nationality?

Yes, if the Minister of Interior grants permission to acquire the foreign nationality and that permission allows you to keep Egyptian nationality. You must then declare your wish to keep it within one year of acquiring the new nationality, under Article 10 of Law No. 26 of 1975.

What happens if I become Argentine without permission?

Egypt continues to treat you as an Egyptian in all respects, so the Argentine nationality is not recognised in Egypt. The Council of Ministers also has power to withdraw Egyptian nationality in some cases, so acting without permission is a risk.

Can Egyptian documents be apostilled for Argentina?

No. Egypt does not appear among the parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, so Egyptian documents need full legalisation through the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Argentine consulate.

How much travel access would I gain?

A great deal. The Henley Passport Index (July 2026) places the Egyptian passport at 49 destinations, against 169 for Argentina, including the Schengen Area, the UK with an ETA, Japan and China for 30 days until the end of 2026.

Next stepPrivate Briefing

Be first when the doors open.

Applications open in Q4 2026. Join the priority list for a confidential briefing, early access to the official regulations, and a file prepared before the first day.

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