What exactly changed on 29 May 2025
Decree 366/2025 did not amend the law in isolated places — it rewrote its core. Article 2, which defined who acquires citizenship through naturalisation, was replaced in its entirety. New articles on citizenship by investment and on a new authority were added. Articles 3, 4, 5, and 11were repealed.
The previous wording simply stated: foreigners over eighteen years of age who had lived in the republic for two consecutive years and declared their intention before federal judges. The new wording reads differently: foreigners over eighteen years of age who have confirmed that they resided in Argentina continuously and lawfully for the two years preceding the application, and who declare their intention before the National Directorate of Migration.
Two words have been added, and both change everything. ’Lawfully’ — meaning years spent without valid status don’t count. And ’continuously’ — as defined in the new wording that follows in the next paragraph.
| Yes, there were | Changed after Decree 366/2025 |
|---|---|
| two consecutive years of residence | two years of continuous and lawful residence |
| continuity was not defined | continuity = not a single trip abroad |
| application to a federal judge | application to the National Directorate of Migration |
| citizenship card from a federal judge | the card is issued by the immigration service; DNI is issued by RENAPER |
| special merit under the list of 1869 | significant investment, as defined by the Ministry of Economy |
Two paths to naturalisation
The first factor is the required period. An adult foreigner who can demonstrate two years of continuous and lawful residence immediately before the application, and who declares their intention to become a citizen before the immigration authority.
Second: investment. Foreigners who have demonstrated to the National Directorate of Migration that they have made a significant investment in the country — regardless of length of residence. This is an entirely new construct: there is no residency requirement whatsoever.
What constitutes a significant investment is not defined in the law. That is left to the Ministry of Economy, which has the authority to designate specific investment projects for this purpose. Any figure cited outside ministerial acts is not a legal standard.
- The time-based route: 18 years old, two years of continuous lawful residence, application to the immigration authority
- The investment route: a qualifying investment, no period of residence required
- The threshold for a qualifying investment is set by the Ministry of Economy — it is not defined in the law
Who now decides
Previously, the naturalization certificate was issued by the federal judge of the district where the application was filed. Now it is issued by the National Directorate of Migration — a decentralized body operating under the Deputy Head of Cabinet for Internal Affairs.
The immigration service coordinates with the National Registry of Persons (RENAPER): details of issued citizenship cards are passed to RENAPER, which then issues the national identity document — the DNI.
A dedicated body has been established for the investment route — the Agency for Citizenship by Investment Programmes under the Ministry of Economy. It receives applications, requests information from the immigration service, the Financial Intelligence Unit, and any other relevant authorities, evaluates applications, and submits a reasoned conclusion with a recommendation to approve or reject — to the National Directorate for Migration.
The agency is also required to publish annually the investments received under its programmes.
| Authority | Role |
|---|---|
| National Directorate of Migration | accepts the application and issues the citizenship card |
| RENAPER | receives card details and issues the DNI |
| Citizenship by investment programme agency | evaluates investment applications and recommends a decision |
| Financial intelligence unit | provides information on request from the agency |
Costs and what remains from the previous law
Article 10 has been retained: the citizenship card, and all steps to obtain it, are free of charge — with the exception provided for in the following article. That following article, Article 11, has been repealed by Decree 366/2025.
Age and foreign nationality are confirmed simply by presenting an identity document issued by the Argentine Federal Police, or a passport from the applicant’s home country with a visa from the Argentine consulate in the place of issue.
Some political rights from the earlier law remain: Argentinians who have reached the age of sixteen enjoy all political rights under the Constitution and the laws of the republic. The restrictions of Article 8 also carry over — political rights may not be exercised by those who have become naturalized abroad, who have accepted positions or honours from foreign governments without congressional approval, by fraudulent bankrupts, or by those convicted under certain sentences.
Citizenship by birth, as set out in Article 1, remained unchanged: all persons born on the territory of the republic are Argentine citizens regardless of their parents’ nationality, except for children of foreign ministers and members of diplomatic missions.
- The citizenship card and procedure are free of charge; the exception clause was abolished in 2025
- Age and foreign nationality are confirmed by an identity document or passport with a consular visa
- Political rights — from age 16
- Birth on the territory confers citizenship regardless of the parents’ nationality
How this interacts with immigration rules
The lawful residence requirement links citizenship directly to immigration status, and Decree 366/2025 changed this too. We covered it separately: precaria residence no longer counts as valid residence for proving arraigo, and time spent under it does not count towards either permanent residence or citizenship.
Putting both halves of the reform together, we arrive at a practical conclusion. The two-year period must be spent in the country with an active residence status and without leaving physically. An error in either part resets the clock: an absence breaks continuity, and years spent on a precaria do not count as lawful residence in the relevant sense.
That is why planning a two-year pathway is best done with a calendar in hand and a clear understanding of which status covers each month of it.
Argentine citizenship: mapping the path and preparation
- Checking which status covers each month of your two-year qualifying period
- Analysis of how trips affect continuity under the new definition
- Assessment of the investment route and what is known about it at the time of enquiry
- Gathering proof of lawful residence for the required period
- Submitting the application to the National Directorate of Migration
- Support through to the citizenship card and DNI
A legal consultation — 100 $.Credited toward the full service fee if you continue with us.
During the consultation the lawyer reviews your situation based on your documents and provides filing route: which basis, what will be needed and in what order.
Government fees, notarisation, certified translations and apostille, where required, billed separately at actual cost — we will itemise them for your situation. Processing time depends on the authority and its workload, which is why we do not publish an average figure.
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Argentine citizenship is granted after two years?
Yes, the statutory period is two years. However, from 29 May 2025 it must be continuous and lawful, and the law defines continuity as remaining in the country without a single trip abroad.
What happens if I leave for a week?
Under the literal wording of the provision, continuity is broken: a person is considered to have resided continuously only if they made no trips abroad during the entire period.
Where should I submit my application now?
To the National Directorate of Migration. The previous procedure involving a federal judge has been replaced by Decree 366/2025; the citizenship card is issued by the same authority, and the DNI is issued by RENAPER.
What is citizenship by investment?
A new pathway: a foreigner who demonstrates a significant investment may obtain citizenship regardless of how long they have resided in the country. What qualifies as a significant investment is determined by the Ministry of Economy — no specific amount is set out in the law itself.
How much does the procedure cost?
The law states that the citizenship card and the steps to obtain it are free of charge; the article that provided an exception was repealed in 2025. Investment programmes are structured separately.
If I left and the counter reset — does my residence status disappear too?
No, these are two separate rules. Two years without a single trip abroad is a condition for applying for citizenship — a journey resets only that counter. A residence permit is cancelled under a different rule in migration law: absence from the country for six months or more under temporary residence, or one year or more under permanent residence, unless the migration authority has granted an exemption. See our detailed breakdown of residence categories.
Verified September 11, 2026. The thresholds and amounts are tied to indicators that are reviewed annually — check the official source for your country before filing.
Services and prices — openly, before any conversation
People usually add: cuil — 70 $ · cdi — tax identification number for transactions — 90 $. Two or more services — 5% off each.
Prices are in US dollars and are all-inclusive — nothing is added on top. Government fees for Migraciones and RENAPER are paid separately and directly to the authority: they are modest, set in pesos, and recalculated at the exchange rate of the day — we state the amount and show the receipts.