Argentina in 2026: Residence and Citizenship, All Legal Routes After the 2025 Reform

Since 29 May 2025 Argentine citizenship by naturalisation requires 2 years of continuous legal residence without a single trip abroad, and the application goes to the National Migration Directorate (DNM), not a court. Marriage to an Argentine and the birth of a child in Argentina no longer shorten this term: they give a temporary residence permit. Courts have challenged the 2025 decree and the Supreme Court has not ruled yet. Citizenship by investment from USD 350,000 was announced in October 2026, but the rules setting the amounts have not been published.

In brief

What changed on 29 May 2025

Decree of necessity and urgency 366/2025 (text) rewrote the Citizenship Law 346 and the Migration Law 25.871:

• naturalisation moved from federal judges to DNM;
• "continuous" residence now means not a single trip abroad during the 2 years;
• the old shortcuts for spouses and parents of Argentines were removed;
• relatives of Argentines get temporary, not permanent, residence;
• time on a provisional permit (residencia precaria) does not count towards naturalisation;
• federal hospitals and universities became paid for foreigners without permanent residence;
• a citizenship-by-investment route was created.

Applications filed in court before 29 May 2025 continue under the old rules (art. 45 of the decree).

Naturalisation in 2026

Under art. 2 of Law 346 as amended (consolidated text) and the DNM service page (DNM):

• age 18 or over;
• 2 years of continuous and legal residence before the application, with no trips abroad; since the DNM update of October 2026 the temporary or permanent residence permit itself must have been granted more than 2 years ago;
• time on a provisional permit (residencia precaria) does not count (art. 20 of Law 25.871);
• Argentine ID card (DNI) and a CUIT/CUIL tax number;
• lawful occupation or means of support: the last 3 payslips, ARCA registration, invoices and the last 3 tax payments, or other documents;
• an Argentine criminal record certificate (Registro Nacional de Reincidencia);
• since the DNM update of October 2026, also a legalised criminal record certificate from the country of origin and a legalised birth certificate: order and legalise them in advance, before the two years run out;
• application online in the RaDEX system, followed by an in-person stage; you must be in Argentina;
• no fee: the certificate of citizenship and the procedure are free (art. 10).

DNM may request additional documents. The DNM list of requirements does not include a Spanish language test. The law sets no processing time for DNM.

Migraciones or a court: the legal dispute

On 30 June 2026 the National Electoral Chamber declared decree 366/2025 null in the "Yang" case, as far as it gave DNM the power over citizenship (Public Prosecutor's Office). Other federal courts reached similar conclusions in individual cases. The government appealed, and in September 2026 the case went to the Supreme Court, which has not ruled as of 27 October 2026.

In practice DNM keeps accepting naturalisation applications under the decree. A court route exists only as a lawsuit challenging the decree in a specific case, with an uncertain outcome. We follow the Supreme Court and update this page when it rules.

Citizenship by marriage

Before May 2025, marriage to an Argentine allowed naturalisation regardless of the length of residence. That ground no longer exists in art. 2 of Law 346. Now the spouse of an Argentine (including a registered civil union) gets temporary residence for family reunification for up to 3 years, renewable, with multiple entries (DNM). Citizenship then follows the general rule: 2 years without leaving the country. A sham marriage leads to cancellation of residence and expulsion (art. 62 of Law 25.871).

Birth of a child in Argentina

A child born in Argentina is an Argentine citizen whatever the parents' nationality (art. 1 of Law 346). The parents no longer get permanent residence or a shortcut to citizenship: they receive temporary residence for up to 3 years, then permanent residence and citizenship on general terms. The decree's preamble names the fight against "birth tourism" as one of its aims.

Since 12 August 2026 federal hospitals treat foreigners without permanent residence against prepayment or insurance; emergency care, including imminent childbirth, remains free (Resolution 1066/2026).

Citizenship by investment

The law allows naturalisation regardless of residence for a "relevant investment" (art. 2(2) of Law 346). Decree 524/2025 sets only the procedure: the application goes to the Citizenship by Investment Agency, which runs security checks, and DNM decides within 30 working days of the Agency's report (Decree 524/2025). The decree contains no amounts.

On 2 October 2026 the Ministry of Economy announced the amounts: a non-refundable contribution of USD 350,000 or a USD 800,000 government bond, plus USD 100,000 for a spouse or child aged 18 to 25 and USD 25,000 for a child under 18, with applications from the fourth quarter of 2026 (press release). As of 27 October 2026 no act with these amounts has been published, and bills to cancel the programme have been filed in Congress. Details: Argentina citizenship by investment.

Residence permit categories

• Rentier and pensioner: passive income or a pension of at least 5 minimum wages a month (ARS 1,956,000 from 1 October 2026); for a rentier, income from work, including freelancing, does not count; issued for 1 year, renewable (DNM).
• Investor: own funds invested in activities of interest to the country, up to 3 years.
• Worker, student, family reunification: temporary residence, mostly up to 3 years.
• Mercosur and associated states: 2 years, permanent residence after 2 years.
• Digital nomad: transitory residence for 180 days with one renewal; it does not lead to citizenship.

Applications are filed from inside Argentina after a lawful entry (Law 25.871). Indian citizens can enter visa-free only with a valid US visa, and cannot switch to a residence permit after such an entry (Resolution 353/2025).

From temporary to permanent residence

Permanent residence through settlement requires 3 years of temporary residence (2 for Mercosur nationals), means of support, at least 50% of the period spent in Argentina and no absence of 6 months or more in a row (DNM). Temporary residence is cancelled after an absence of 6 months or more, permanent after a year, unless DNM has authorised the absence (art. 62 of Law 25.871).

Fees and absences

Fees per the DNM table (DNM); Mercosur nationals pay half. Absence rules: naturalisation requires no trips abroad for 2 years; temporary residence is lost after 6 months abroad; moving to permanent residence requires at least half of the period in Argentina.

Dual citizenship, passport, rights and taxes

• Law 346 does not require you to give up your previous citizenship. Whether you keep it depends on your own country: India does not allow dual citizenship.
• According to the government, the Argentine passport gives visa-free entry to more than 170 countries, including the Schengen area for 90 days in any 180.
• A naturalised citizen can vote and be elected, but cannot become president or vice-president; a deputy needs 4 years of citizenship, a senator 6 (Constitution, art. 48, 55, 89).
• Citizenship by investment alone does not make you an Argentine tax resident (Law 27.802, art. 194).

Sources

• Citizenship Law 346, consolidated text; Migration Law 25.871; Decree 366/2025; Decree 524/2025
• DNM: naturalisation; permanent residence; family reunification; rentier; fees
• Public Prosecutor's Office on the "Yang" ruling, 30.06.2026; Ministry of Economy, 02.10.2026
• Resolution 1066/2026 (health care); Resolution 353/2025 (India); Constitution; Law 27.802

Facts verified on 27 October 2026; the naturalisation document list was updated on 2 November 2026.