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Two years, or one investment? Two routes compared

Argentina's ordinary naturalisation period is just two years of residence. The investment route removes even that. Here is how the two compare.

Updated 7 min readSourced from official announcements

Key facts

  • Ordinary route: two continuous years of legal residence, then an application under Ley 346.
  • Investment route: a qualifying investment, with no minimum residence period.
  • DNU 366/2025 moved decisions to Migraciones; two June 2026 court rulings sent them back to judges, under appeal.
  • Both routes give the same citizenship. Argentina allows dual nationality.

Argentina’s citizenship law dates from 1869. Ley 346 offers three ways to become Argentine: by birth, by option for children of Argentines born abroad, and by naturalisation. Naturalisation itself now has two branches. The first asks you to live in Argentina. The second asks you to invest.

This article compares them for families deciding whether to move, to invest, or to do both.

The ordinary route

Under Ley 346, foreigners over 18 who have lived in Argentina continuously and legally for two years can apply for naturalisation. Two years is short by comparison with many countries. Portugal, for example, moved to ten years for most applicants under a law that took effect on 19 May 2026.

Who decides

For most of Argentina’s history, applicants went before a federal judge. DNU 366/2025, published on 29 May 2025, moved the decision to the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones. It kept the two-year requirement, describing it as continuous and legal residence in the two years before the application.

Two courts have since ruled against that change. On 18 June 2026 Chamber III of the federal civil and commercial appeals court, in the Volosh case, declared unconstitutional the parts of the decree that give citizenship decisions to Migraciones. On 30 June 2026 the Cámara Nacional Electoral declared the decree unconstitutional. It reasoned that citizenship is linked to political rights, and that the Constitution bars emergency decrees on electoral matters. It ordered citizenship cases to go before federal electoral judges under Ley 346. The government has appealed to the Supreme Court.

In practice, the forum for ordinary applications is therefore in dispute until the Supreme Court rules.

What it requires in practice

You first need a residence permit. For most non-Mercosur nationals that means a temporary category such as rentista, pensionado or a work route. You then need two years of continuous legal residence. See residency vs citizenship for the main permits.

Continuity is the key word. Long absences may put the continuity of your residence in question. Speak to an Argentine lawyer before you plan travel.

The investment route

DNU 366/2025 also added a second branch to Article 2 of Ley 346. A foreigner who shows Migraciones that they have made a “relevant investment” can naturalise “regardless of the time of their residence”. The Ministry of Economy decides what counts.

On 2 October 2026 the government set the price: a US$350,000 non-refundable contribution or a US$800,000 programme bond, plus family supplements. Applications go to the Citizenship by Investment Programmes Agency. Migraciones gives final approval within 30 business days of the Agency’s report.

Side by side

Ordinary naturalisation Citizenship by investment
Legal basis Ley 346, Art. 2 Ley 346, Art. 2 and 2 bis, as amended by DNU 366/2025
Residence needed 2 continuous years of legal residence None stated
Financial cost Living costs for 2+ years; no investment From US$350,000 (main applicant)
Decision-maker Federal judge, or Migraciones (in dispute) Agency evaluates; Migraciones approves
Due diligence Standard criminal and migration checks Multi-agency review aligned with OECD and FATF
Family Each adult qualifies separately Spouse and children added with supplements
Legal status Long-standing law, forum disputed Depends on DNU 366/2025, under appeal
Best for Families willing to relocate Families who want citizenship without moving

The ordinary route rests on a law passed by Congress more than 150 years ago. Even if the Supreme Court strikes down DNU 366/2025, the two-year route remains. Only the forum may change.

The investment route exists only because of the decree. If the Supreme Court upholds the June 2026 ruling, the investment branch may fall with it, unless Congress legislates. No CBI law had passed as of 2 October 2026. Read our legal status briefing before you choose.

Can you combine them?

Some families may do both: relocate on a residence permit and, if the investment route remains open, use it to shorten the wait. Others may treat the ordinary route as a fallback if the investment route is delayed. The choice depends on whether you want to live in Argentina at all.

If you plan to live there, remember that residence also affects tax. See tax residency and CBI.

Questions to decide between them

Four questions usually settle the choice:

  1. Will you spend most of the next two years in Argentina? If yes, the ordinary route costs far less. If no, only the investment route works.
  2. Is US$350,000 or more a small part of your wealth? If the sum would strain your liquidity, the ordinary route, or waiting, is the safer choice.
  3. How much legal risk can you accept? The ordinary route survives a Supreme Court ruling against the decree. The investment route may not.
  4. Do you want Argentine tax residence? Living in Argentina for the ordinary route will probably make you a tax resident. The investment route alone does not.

Families often find that the honest answer to the first question decides the rest.

Same passport either way

Both routes lead to the same Argentine nationality and passport, with access to about 170 destinations without a visa or with simplified entry. The United States and Canada still require a visa. Argentina allows dual and multiple nationality, so you need not give up your current one under Argentine law. Check your home country’s rules. See the Argentine passport and our requirements page.

Note. This article is general information, not legal advice. Naturalisation rules are in flux while the Supreme Court appeal is pending. Speak to a qualified Argentine lawyer.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

How long does ordinary naturalisation take in Argentina?

Ley 346 requires two continuous years of legal residence before you can apply. The time for the application itself varies and no official average is published.

Who decides an ordinary naturalisation application?

Traditionally a federal judge. DNU 366/2025 moved decisions to Migraciones, but two appeal courts ruled against that in June 2026, and the Cámara Nacional Electoral sent cases to federal electoral judges. The government has appealed.

Does the investment route require residence in Argentina?

No. DNU 366/2025 allows naturalisation for a relevant investment regardless of time of residence. Post-grant residence rules had not been published as of 2 October 2026.

Which route is cheaper?

Ordinary naturalisation has no investment requirement, but you must live in Argentina for two years. The investment route starts at US$350,000 for a main applicant.

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