Argentina as a Premier CBI Opportunity

Introduction | Why choose Argentina ?

In the current global environment, an increasing number of high-net-worth individuals are exploring overseas relocation options. Argentina’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) and Residency by Investment (RBI) programs have become one of the most strategically flexible legal pathways.

Index

I. A Legal Framework Designed for Strategic Capital
II. Residency by Investment (RBI): Progressive Integration
III. Citizenship by Investment (CBI): Direct and Exceptional Access
IV. Real Economy Investment as a Guiding Principle
V. Institutional Architecture and Compliance
VI. Limited Time Window
VII. Tax Residency and CRS Standards
VIII. Scope of Our Professional Services. Fees and Estimated Timeline

I. A Legal Framework Designed for Strategic Capital

International personal mobility has evolved beyond a purely migratory phenomenon to become a structural component of modern wealth planning. In a global environment characterized by greater fiscal cooperation, increasing financial regulation, and geopolitical tensions, jurisdictional diversification constitutes a strategic tool for stability and foresight.

In this context, the Republic of Argentina has implemented a framework that allows access to residency or citizenship through real productive investment in strategic sectors of its economy. The regulatory design follows a clear rationale: to attract significant capital that effectively integrates into the national productive system, under robust compliance standards and institutional supervision.

The program does not seek the mere inflow of funds. It aims at incorporating genuine investment with verifiable economic impact. This characteristic structurally differentiates it from models based on donations or passive financial instruments.

The Argentine passport is consistently ranked among the travel documents offering the highest degree of mobility in Latin America, granting visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to approximately 170 jurisdictions, including:

• The Schengen Area (continental European Union)

• The United Kingdom

• Latin American countries

• Major Asian economies with simplified regimes

• Mercosur member states

• Potential future exemption from U.S. B1/B2 visa requirements

Access to the Schengen Area is particularly relevant, allowing stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period without prior visa, facilitating:

• Business activities

• Corporate meetings

• Investment exploration

• Family mobility

As a full member of Mercosur, Argentine citizenship also grants simplified residence and work rights in countries such as Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay, significantly expanding regional integration.

Unlike passports issued by small island programs, the Argentine passport belongs to a G20 member state, with broad diplomatic recognition and institutional stability.Citizenship as a Legal Status

Citizenship is a legal bond between an individual and a State, governed by constitutional provisions, nationality statutes, and international law principles. It cannot be “purchased” or guaranteed as a commercial transaction.

In legitimate CBI frameworks, investment operates as a qualifying element within a legally defined process, subject to discretionary state authority, procedural review, and compliance controls. The legal nature of citizenship remains unchanged: it is granted by the State under law, not acquired through contract.

Understanding this distinction is essential to separating lawful CBI regimes from marketing-driven or legally fragile schemes.

II. Residency by Investment (RBI): Progressive Integration

The Residency by Investment regime constitutes the traditional route for investors seeking to establish a progressive legal and economic presence in Argentina.

The investment threshold, according to official projections, is approximately USD 100,000 as a practical eligibility reference and must be directed toward specific productive activities. This investment enables the granting of renewable temporary residency and permits the development of economic activities within the country.

Upon meeting the legal requirements of residence and migratory compliance established by current regulations, temporary residency may be converted into permanent residency and subsequently allow application for Argentine citizenship through an administrative procedure before the National Migration Agency, with a minimum period of three years.

This mechanism is consistent with medium-term business projects and gradual integration strategies into the local economy.

III. Citizenship by Investment (CBI): Direct and Exceptional Access

The Citizenship by Investment regime, introduced through recent specific legislation, establishes an exceptional procedure allowing direct access to Argentine nationality through a significant investment.

Based on comparative systems, the estimated investment amount ranges between USD 500,000 and USD 1 million, subject to specific regulation by Argentina’s Citizenship by Investment Programs Agency (APCI). Decree 524/2025, which creates the program, does not specify exact amounts but refers to a “relevant investment.”

Unlike the RBI, this scheme does not require prior residency or physical presence before citizenship is granted. The procedure is administrative, centralized, and subject to rigorous financial and technical controls.

Issuance of the National Identity Document (DNI) and the Argentine passport completes the process, estimated to take no longer than six months.

This regime is designed for investors seeking an immediate structural solution within their international legal architecture.

IV. Real Economy Investment as a Guiding Principle

The distinctive feature of the Argentine model is the requirement of tangible economic substance.

Donations to state funds or passive financial investments such as sovereign bonds, publicly traded shares, or crypto-assets without productive impact are not accepted.

Investments must integrate into sectors such as:

• Energy and energy transition

• Agribusiness

• Infrastructure

• Manufacturing industry

• Technological development

• Productive real estate projects

The underlying logic is clear: capital must generate real economic activity, employment, innovation, or exports.

This requirement significantly reduces risks associated with artificial structures and strengthens the institutional legitimacy of the program.

V. Institutional Architecture and Compliance

The procedure incorporates control mechanisms aligned with international standards in anti-money laundering and financial transparency.

These include:

• Exhaustive verification of lawful source of funds

• Identification of ultimate beneficial owners

• Intervention of the Financial Intelligence Unit

• Inter-institutional coordination within Argentina and with cooperating countries

Additionally, the Argentine State has provided for the engagement of an international technical consultancy through public tender, responsible for specialized analysis and due diligence, expressly prohibited from providing services directly to applicants.

The final decision rests exclusively with the Argentine State, preserving the sovereign character of the regime.

VI. Limited Time Window

The operational design contemplates an approximate limit of 5,000 approved cases, as well as a maximum duration of four years, averaging 104 approvals per month over 48 months. Whichever occurs first will conclude this historic opportunity, expected to attract investments between USD 2.5 and 5 billion.

International experience demonstrates that programs of this nature frequently undergo regulatory adjustments, increased thresholds, or substantial modifications.

Timing is therefore a central strategic factor.

VII. Tax Residency and CRS Standards

It is essential to clarify that acquiring Argentine citizenship does not automatically imply tax residency in Argentina.

Tax residency is determined by objective criteria, primarily:

• Effective presence exceeding 183 days per year

• Center of vital interests

• Principal location of economic activities

This means that investors may structure their legal presence without citizenship, in itself, creating automatic tax consequences.

Argentina actively participates in the Common Reporting Standard (CRS), exchanging financial information with more than 100 jurisdictions. This transparency framework confirms that the regime is not designed for anonymity or concealment of assets.

However, within this framework of international cooperation, Argentine citizenship allows:

• Legitimate sovereign diversification

• Flexibility in international tax planning

• Wealth restructuring under a G20 jurisdiction

• Access to bilateral treaties and a territorial tax structure

The central element is not evasion, but strategic planning within transparent legal frameworks.

VIII. Scope of Our Professional Services. Fees and Estimated Timeline

Structuring a Residency or Citizenship by Investment process requires comprehensive legal and accounting intervention.

Our services include:

• Preliminary eligibility assessment

• Preventive due diligence

• Corporate structuring in Argentina

• Accounting and tax coordination

• International tax planning

• AML-compliant document preparation

• Interaction with competent authorities

• Follow-up until issuance of DNI and Argentine passport

Proper legal architecture precedes the administrative procedure.

When the investment is correctly structured and documentation meets required standards, the process may be completed within an estimated period of up to six months.

Professional Fees by Stages

To ensure predictability and alignment of expectations, fees are structured in three stages linked to concrete milestones:

First Stage – Due Diligence and Strategic Design:
Fee at the beginning of the process.
Includes eligibility analysis, preliminary background review, source of funds assessment, investment structuring design, and initial tax planning.

Second Stage – Formal Submission of the Application:
Fee at the time of filing before the competent authority.
Includes full documentation preparation, technical coordination, institutional representation, and administrative follow-up.

Third Stage – Issuance of the Argentine Passport:
Success fee upon effective issuance of the passport.
Includes final coordination and documentary assistance.

Fees do not include government fees, notarial costs, legalized translations, external accounting expenses, or the required investment amount.

Post-Naturalization Support

Falivene & Asociados is a legal consultancy firm for investors and wealth planning with 25 years of experience. You may rely on our services throughout the entire period during which you remain connected to Argentina.

The predictability of the timeline fundamentally depends on prior strategic preparation, clarity of source of funds, and the strength of the investment project. Proper initial structuring is decisive.

Conclusion

The Argentine residency and citizenship by investment regime constitutes an exceptional legal instrument aimed at attracting significant productive capital under international compliance standards.

It is a mechanism based on real investment, supported by professional institutional architecture, robust controls, and a limited time horizon.

The decision to apply must be undertaken with comprehensive legal, tax, and structural advisory.

In programs of this nature, strategic preparation precedes formal application, and timing may prove decisive.

Contact and Preliminary Assessment

If you wish to assess the viability of your case and design a structure tailored to your wealth profile, the first step consists of conducting a confidential preliminary evaluation.

You may contact us and submit the basic initial documentation for analysis.

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