To get Argentine citizenship, you need to live legally in Argentina for at least two years, keep a clean record, and file a naturalization application online with the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones (DNM). A 2025 presidential decree moved the entire process out of the federal courts and onto the DNM’s online platform, so the path is now administrative rather than judicial.1Argentina.gob.ar. Decreto DNU 366/2025 – Poder Ejecutivo Nacional
Who Qualifies After Two Years
Ley 346, Argentina’s foundational citizenship law, lets any foreigner over 18 apply for naturalization after two years of continuous legal residence.2United Nations Legislative Series. Act No. 346 of 8 October 1869 Concerning Argentine Citizenship – Section: Title II, Citizens by Naturalization Continuous doesn’t mean you can never leave, but extended absences can reset the clock. Officials look at the full picture: whether you work in Argentina, whether your family lives there, and whether your life is genuinely centered in the country.
You also need a clean criminal record. The required certificate comes from Argentina’s Registro Nacional de Reincidencia, and the DNM may ask for additional background documentation from countries where you previously lived.
There is no standardized language exam, but basic Spanish proficiency has traditionally been assessed during the process. Under the old judicial system, this meant a brief conversation with a court clerk. How language is checked under the new administrative process is still taking shape, but functional Spanish remains a practical necessity.
Faster Paths for Spouses and Parents
Not everyone waits two years. If you’re married to a native Argentine citizen, you can apply without completing the standard residency period. The marriage must be legally recognized in Argentina, which includes same-sex marriages. You cannot be under 18 or facing criminal prosecution.
Parents of children born in Argentina also qualify for an accelerated process and may apply after a much shorter period of residence. These shortcuts reflect the idea that strong family ties demonstrate the integration the residency rule is meant to prove.
Documents to Gather
The DNM requires a core set of documents to open a naturalization file:
- Your DNI (Documento Nacional de Identidad), which proves legal residency and comes from an earlier stage in the immigration process.
- An updated criminal record certificate from the Registro Nacional de Reincidencia, plus any foreign background documents the DNM requests.
- Proof of income or occupation, such as employment contracts, pay stubs, or business registration, showing you can support yourself.
- Your CUIT or CUIL certificate. The CUIL is usually issued automatically with your DNI; the CUIT comes from AFIP if you carry out economic activity.3OECD. Argentina Tax Identification Numbers
Your birth certificate needs a Hague Apostille from your home country’s designated authority before Argentina will accept it.4Consulate General in Atlanta. Legalizations and Apostilles on Argentine Documents Once apostilled, the document must be translated into Spanish by a certified traductor público registered in Argentina. Build in time for both steps. In the United States, state-level apostille fees generally run from $10 to $26.
Applying Online Through the DNM
This is where the biggest recent change lives. Until 2025, naturalization applications went through the federal courts, where a judge would review the case, conduct an interview, and issue a ruling. Decree 366/2025 eliminated the judiciary’s role and transferred the process to the DNM.1Argentina.gob.ar. Decreto DNU 366/2025 – Poder Ejecutivo Nacional Older guides describing court appearances and judicial interviews are out of date.
Applications are now submitted entirely online through the DNM’s RaDEX platform, the same system used for immigration and residency applications. You upload your documents digitally, and the DNM reviews the case administratively. You must be physically present in Argentina when you apply.
Because the process is new, some details haven’t been fully clarified in public guidance. Under the old judicial system, processing times ran from roughly 5 to 24 months depending on the court’s backlog. The DNM system aims to be faster, but it’s too early to know whether that will hold consistently. Expect variability, and be ready for the DNM to request documents beyond the initial list.
After Approval: Oath, DNI, and Passport
Argentine law has long required new citizens to take an oath of allegiance to the Constitution and the laws of the nation. Under the old judicial process, a federal judge administered the oath when the citizenship certificate was issued.5United Nations Legislative Series. Act No. 346 of 8 October 1869 Concerning Argentine Citizenship The oath requirement itself remains in force, but the format under the administrative process has not been fully detailed in public guidance.
Once the process is complete, you can apply for a new DNI reflecting your citizenship and then an Argentine passport, which provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 170 countries.
Keeping Your Other Nationality
Argentina allows dual citizenship, and you won’t be asked to renounce your existing nationality during naturalization. The U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires explicitly refers to “dual Argentine/U.S. citizens” and publishes guidance for people holding both.6U.S. Embassy in Argentina. Passport Services The same principle applies to citizens of other countries, but check your home country’s rules, since some nations restrict or revoke citizenship when you naturalize elsewhere.
One travel rule matters for dual nationals: Argentine immigration requires you to enter and leave Argentina on your Argentine passport. U.S. law separately requires U.S. citizens to enter and leave the United States on their U.S. passport.6U.S. Embassy in Argentina. Passport Services Carry both when crossing between the two countries.
Tax Consequences to Plan For
Argentine citizenship comes with tax exposure that catches some applicants off guard. Argentina taxes residents on their worldwide income, not just income earned in the country. For tax purposes, you’re a resident if you hold permanent residency or have spent more than 12 consecutive months in Argentina. Since you’ll have been resident for at least two years before naturalizing, you’ll already be inside this system by the time citizenship comes through.
Investment income, salaries, and business earnings from your home country are all reportable to AFIP. Argentina has tax treaties with some countries that can prevent double taxation, so a tax professional familiar with both systems is worth the cost. Assuming Argentine tax applies only to Argentine earnings is a common and expensive mistake.