Official · 02.10.2026Argentina announces South America's first Citizenship by Investment Programme→
The Bosphorus in Istanbul at sunset with mosque domes and minaret silhouettes, ferries on the water
  1. Home
  2. Insights
  3. Argentina vs Türkiye

Comparisons

Argentina or Türkiye? Spend it or park it in property

Both countries sell citizenship outright. Türkiye asks you to buy and hold property; Argentina asks for a contribution you will not get back. The passports differ more than the prices.

Updated 7 min readSourced from official announcements

Key facts

  • Argentina: US$350,000 non-refundable contribution, or a US$800,000 bond. Applications open in Q4 2026.
  • Türkiye: US$400,000 in property, held for three years. Other routes from US$500,000.
  • Passport reach: Argentina about 170 destinations; Türkiye 112 (Henley, July 2026).
  • Argentina's legal basis is under Supreme Court appeal. See legal status.

Türkiye has run one of the busiest citizenship by investment programmes in the world since 2017. Argentina citizenship by investment was announced on 2 October 2026 and has not yet processed a file. On paper the prices are close. In practice the two programmes ask for very different things, and the passports open very different doors.

Side by side

Argentina CBI Türkiye CBI
Cost (main applicant) US$350,000 contribution, not refundable; or US$800,000 bond US$400,000 property held 3 years; or US$500,000 deposit, bonds, fund units or fixed capital
Route type Donation or bond Investment (capital is recoverable, subject to market)
Processing time Not yet published; Migraciones has 30 business days after the Agency’s report About 3–6 months for a clean file; longer end to end
Family Spouse US$100,000; children 18–25 (single, no children) US$100,000 each; under 18 US$25,000 each Spouse and children under 18 included at no extra investment
Passport reach About 170 destinations; Schengen visa-free 112 destinations (49th, Henley July 2026); Schengen visa required
Physical presence Not yet published None
Key risks Court challenge to DNU 366/2025; new programme; fees unpublished Property valuation and resale; lira volatility; weaker passport

The money: sunk cost versus held asset

Türkiye’s real-estate route has required US$400,000 since 13 June 2022, when it rose from US$250,000. A licensed valuation report, no more than three months old, must support the price. The land registry adds an annotation that bars sale for three years. After that, you may sell.

This is the main attraction. If the property holds its value in dollar terms, your citizenship costs only the transaction taxes, fees and the opportunity cost. The risk is that it does not. Property bought at a developer’s “citizenship price” may be hard to resell at the same figure, and returns depend on the Turkish lira and local demand.

Argentina’s route I is simpler and harsher. The US$350,000 is a contribution to the National Treasury; it does not come back. Route II, the US$800,000 bond, is reported by AP to need a seven-year hold and by Infobae to pay zero interest. Bond redemption terms are not published yet. See our cost breakdown.

The passport: where the real gap is

This is the decisive difference for most families. On the July 2026 Henley Passport Index, Argentina’s passport reaches about 170 destinations. Türkiye’s reaches 112, and its holders need a visa for the Schengen Area, which Argentines enter visa-free for 90 days in any 180.

Neither passport gives visa-free entry to the United States or Canada. Both countries are on the US treaty investor (E-2) list: Türkiye since 1990, Argentina since 1854. For investor-naturalised citizens, whether and when E-2 is available is a technical question; ask a US immigration lawyer before you rely on it. Full details on reach are on our Argentine passport page.

Both countries accept dual nationality. Argentina does not ask naturalised citizens to give up their original nationality; see dual citizenship. Türkiye asks a citizen who takes another nationality to notify the authorities afterwards, with no need for prior permission. Your home country’s rules are a separate question.

Family economics

Türkiye’s pricing is flat: the same property covers the spouse and children under 18. Argentina charges per person. For a couple with two young children, Argentina costs US$500,000 on the contribution route, against US$400,000 of property in Türkiye that you may later sell.

Argentina is more generous with older children. Single children aged 18 to 25 without children of their own can join at US$100,000 each. In Türkiye, adult children must usually apply separately. Read more on our family page.

Note. Two appeal courts ruled against DNU 366/2025 in June 2026: the federal civil and commercial appeals court on 18 June (the Volosh case) and the Cámara Nacional Electoral on 30 June. The government has appealed to the Supreme Court and says the decree stays in force meanwhile. Türkiye's programme rests on established regulation and has operated for years. See legal status.

Who it suits

Türkiye suits investors who want to keep capital in a hard asset, who are comfortable with the Turkish property market, and whose main goal is a second citizenship for planning or business in the region rather than travel. It also suits buyers who want a long track record: the programme is well tested and its timelines are known.

Argentina suits families who rank travel freedom first, especially Schengen access, and who accept a non-refundable cost in exchange for a much stronger passport. It also suits people with ties to Latin America or Spain, or those who may want to live in Argentina. Mercosur residence rights elsewhere follow only after five years of Argentine nationality.

The honest verdict

On cost, Türkiye wins, provided the property can be sold close to its purchase price after three years. That proviso is real and should be tested with independent valuers, not the seller’s agent.

On the passport, Argentina wins clearly. A difference of nearly 60 destinations, and visa-free Schengen access, is not a detail. On legal certainty, Türkiye wins today: its programme is established, while Argentina’s depends on an appeal the Supreme Court has not yet decided.

If mobility is the purpose, Argentina offers more for the money, with legal risk attached. If capital preservation is the purpose, Türkiye is the more conservative choice. Compare others in the cheapest programmes of 2026 and Argentina vs Portugal. Speak to a qualified adviser before you decide.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum investment for Turkish citizenship in 2026?

US$400,000 in real estate, held for at least three years, with a no-sale annotation on the title deed. Other routes, such as a bank deposit or government bonds, start at US$500,000.

Is the Turkish passport stronger than the Argentine passport?

No. On the July 2026 Henley Passport Index, Türkiye scores 112 destinations and Turkish citizens need a Schengen visa. Argentina reaches about 170 destinations, including the Schengen Area visa-free.

Can I get my money back?

In Türkiye you can sell the property after the three-year hold, subject to the market and the lira. In Argentina the US$350,000 contribution is not refundable; the US$800,000 bond route is reported to require a seven-year hold with no interest.

Do I need to live in either country?

Türkiye has no physical presence requirement. Argentina has not yet published any post-grant residence rules.

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.

  • Strictly confidential
  • No obligation
  • Response within one business day