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Passport & Mobility

Argentina and the US Visa Waiver Program: not yet

Argentine citizens still need a visa to visit the United States. A return to the Visa Waiver Program is official policy in both capitals, but the US ambassador himself says it will take more than a year.

Updated 7 min readSourced from official announcements

Key facts

  • Argentina is not in the US Visa Waiver Program. A B1/B2 visa is required.
  • Argentina was a member from 8 July 1996 until 21 February 2002.
  • A statement of intent to rejoin was signed on 28 July 2025. No entry date has been set.
  • In August 2026 the US ambassador said readmission would not happen "in three months, nor in six months, nor in a year".
  • New citizens should plan for a standard B1/B2 visa application.

If you are considering Argentine citizenship, one of the first questions is whether the passport lets you visit the United States without a visa. The short answer is no, not today. The longer answer involves a 30-year history, a 2025 diplomatic push and a timetable that nobody will commit to.

The short answer

The US Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of member countries to visit for up to 90 days for tourism or business with an online ESTA authorisation instead of a visa. Argentina is not a member. Every Argentine passport holder, whether born in Argentina or naturalised, needs a B1/B2 visitor visa for the United States.

Chile is currently the only Latin American member of the programme.

1996 to 2002: in, then out

Argentina joined the VWP on 8 July 1996, during the presidency of Carlos Menem. Membership lasted less than six years.

In February 2002, with Argentina in a deep economic crisis, the US government terminated Argentina’s designation, with effect from 21 February 2002. The notice in the Federal Register explained the reasoning. US authorities concluded that continued participation conflicted with the enforcement of immigration law, because the crisis had increased the number of Argentines using the programme to live and work illegally in the United States.

Argentina has needed visas ever since.

2025: a statement of intent

The bilateral relationship changed after President Javier Milei took office. On 28 July 2025, at the Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires, Milei and US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem signed a statement of intent for Argentina to rejoin the programme.

The statement was the start of a process, not a decision. Argentina must still pass a series of US security evaluations. Reports at the time listed the work required:

  • electronic passports and upgraded biometric systems;
  • audits of how passports are issued;
  • stronger immigration controls; and
  • wider information-sharing with US security agencies.

Officials estimated that approval could take two to three years once those evaluations were complete. Noem pointed to Argentina’s low visa overstay rate as a point in its favour.

Late 2025: the brakes go on

The momentum did not last. In September 2025 the Buenos Aires Times reported that the US administration had paused Argentina’s application soon after it began. According to that report, Secretary of State Marco Rubio wanted more discussion before the process continued, against the background of a corruption scandal in Argentina’s disability agency. The Argentine government rejected the report as false.

Whatever the cause, no public milestone followed in the months after.

2026: renewed promises, longer timelines

The US ambassador to Argentina, Peter Lamelas, has kept the subject alive in 2026.

  • 16 August 2026. In a television interview, Lamelas promised that Argentina would have the visa waiver before his posting ends. He also said it would not happen “in three months, nor in six months, nor in a year”.
  • 16 September 2026. On social media, he said that Argentines who travel in good faith, follow the rules and visit for tourism or business should be able to enter the United States without a visa.

El Cronista’s report of the September remarks set out the usual conditions for VWP membership. They include a B1/B2 visa refusal rate below 3%, reciprocal visa-free access for US citizens, chip-enabled electronic passports, reporting of lost and stolen passports to INTERPOL, and close cooperation on terrorism and serious crime. The same report noted that 687,444 Argentines travelled to the United States in 2024.

Timelines differ. In May 2026 Argentina’s security minister was reported to be targeting early 2027. The ambassador’s August remarks point to a longer wait. Rejoining remains official policy on both sides, but no date has been agreed, so treat any firm date with caution.

What new Argentine citizens need now

If you acquire Argentine citizenship, including through the investment programme, plan on the standard visa route.

1. Apply for a B1/B2 visa

Complete the online DS-160 form and attend an interview at a US embassy or consulate. Check the State Department’s current guidance on where you may apply, because the rules on applying outside your country of residence have tightened. A B1/B2 visa covers business meetings and tourism. It does not allow work.

2. Disclose every nationality

The visa application asks for all nationalities you hold. A naturalised Argentine must list Argentine citizenship and every other citizenship. Do not omit any. Inconsistent answers are a common reason for refusal, and a misrepresentation can lead to a permanent bar.

3. Expect questions about how you became Argentine

Consular officers may ask why and how you acquired a new nationality. Recent US policy has singled out citizenship by investment as a vetting concern: a proclamation of December 2025 restricted visas for nationals of Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica, partly because of their CBI programmes. Argentina is not affected by that proclamation. A clear, documented account of your background and funds remains the best preparation. See Argentina vs Caribbean passports.

4. Use your other passport if it qualifies

Argentina allows multiple nationality, so most new citizens keep their original passport. If that passport belongs to a VWP member country, you may continue to travel on it with ESTA, subject to the usual ESTA rules. See our guide to dual citizenship.

Note. The investment programme's legal basis, DNU 366/2025, was declared unconstitutional by the Cámara Nacional Electoral on 30 June 2026. The government has appealed to the Supreme Court. Read our legal status briefing.

The Canada connection

A US visa has a second benefit. Canada also requires visas from Argentines, but it lets Argentine citizens with a valid US non-immigrant visa, or a Canadian visa held in the last ten years, fly to Canada with an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) instead. A US visa therefore opens much of North America.

Bottom line

The Argentine passport opens about 170 destinations, including the Schengen area, the UK (with an ETA), Japan and China. The United States is not yet one of them. If visa-free US travel is essential to you today, an Argentine passport will not provide it. If you can plan around a visa interview, it is a minor cost. For the wider picture, see the Argentine passport and where it opens doors in Asia, Europe and the Gulf.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Do Argentine citizens need a visa to visit the United States?

Yes. As of 2 October 2026 Argentina is not in the US Visa Waiver Program, so Argentine passport holders need a B1/B2 visitor visa. They cannot use ESTA on an Argentine passport.

Was Argentina ever in the Visa Waiver Program?

Yes. Argentina joined on 8 July 1996, and the US terminated its participation with effect from 21 February 2002, during Argentina's economic crisis.

When will Argentina rejoin the Visa Waiver Program?

No date exists. A statement of intent was signed on 28 July 2025, and officials then estimated two to three years. In August 2026 the US ambassador said it would not happen within a year.

Can a new Argentine citizen by investment apply for a US visa?

Yes, in the same way as any other Argentine citizen, through a B1/B2 application and interview. The US consular officer decides each case, and the applicant must disclose all nationalities held.

Does an Argentine passport help me get into Canada?

Partly. Argentines need a Canadian visa, but those with a valid US non-immigrant visa, or a Canadian visa held in the past ten years, can fly to Canada with an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) instead.

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