Argentina to Open South America's First Golden Passport Program in Late 2026

Argentina will open South America's first citizenship-by-investment program in the fourth quarter of 2026, Economy Minister Luis Caputo announced in Paris, creating a new route for wealthy foreigners to obtain an Argentine passport in exchange for a substantial financial contribution to the state.

The program offers two paths. A single applicant can make a non-refundable contribution of $350,000, while a family of four would be expected to pay $500,000. Alternatively, applicants can invest $800,000 in a government security created specifically for the program. The announcement did not disclose the bond's maturity, yield, or repayment terms, leaving key details of the investment route unresolved.

Applications will be assessed by the Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programs, which will work alongside the State Intelligence Secretariat, the Financial Information Unit, and the Ministry of Security. Checks will cover identity, source of funds, criminal and reputational records, and immigration history. All funds must move through the formal financial system, and the National Directorate of Migration will make the final decision on each application.

The program is designed to attract high-net-worth individuals, particularly from the United States, as President Javier Milei's government looks for ways to secure dollars for a country burdened by debt. Nuri Katz, founder of Apex Capital Partners, a firm that has advised the government on the program, predicted it would become a status symbol among wealthy Americans. «I expect that the Argentina program will become so popular with the American high-net-worth individuals that really wealthy Americans will be embarrassed if they do not have an Argentina passport,» Katz said.

Katz's firm is part of Argentina Mobility for Investment and Global Opportunity Limited, a group of five investment-migration firms that has consulted on the program. Apex advises individual clients on second citizenship, and Katz helped create Antigua and Barbuda's program in 2013 and draft Cyprus's investor legislation in 2011. In June, he told Fortune that Argentina was developing South America's first citizenship-by-investment program and that it would draw significant American interest.

Katz framed the offer as unique among major economies. «Argentina, as the first G20 country, offers American HNWI the first opportunity to quickly and easily acquire a citizenship of a country that is both a safe haven and a huge business opportunity,» he said. He pointed to survey data showing strong demand for jurisdictional diversification. An Apex survey released in June polled 1,733 Americans with household incomes above $200,000, and 61% said they would consider leaving the U.S. within five years. Cost of living and taxes ranked first among motivations, cited by 68%, ahead of political climate at 54%. Europe was the top destination at 42%, followed by Canada at 18% and the Caribbean at 16%. The survey measured intent, not actual moves.

Katz, who was born in the U.S. and largely grew up in Montreal before moving to Moscow in 1990, now lives in Antigua. He expects the U.S. national debt to force a choice between inflation and default, and argues that wealthy Americans are too concentrated in dollar assets. «I lived through hyperinflation,» he told Fortune in June. «I don't think people understand how dangerous that is, once the lid comes off and they have to start printing money.»

The program is billed as South America's first, and it follows a model common in other markets where citizenship or residency is granted in exchange for investment. For Argentina, the initiative represents a bid to attract foreign capital and shore up dollar reserves as the government manages a heavy debt load. The announcement leaves several operational questions unanswered, including the bond's terms and the precise timeline for accepting applications beyond the fourth-quarter target.

3Views

Author

Caroline Mercer

World News Correspondent

Caroline Mercer covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Core Memo. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

All articles by this author