Residency has become an interesting subject over the last decade, as traditional pathways to citizenship and visas in different countries have undergone some big transformations.
The introduction of schemes known as ‘citizenship by investment’ has meant that the days of having to live in the location you wish to move to for a certain period of time is no longer the only option, satisfying the increasing number of people who long for an instantaneous change of scenery, exacerbated by the Coronavirus pandemic.
If you are not quite sure what ‘citizenship by investment’ means or what a special residency is, they could be defined as mutually beneficial programs in which an investor is able to gain instant residency or citizenship in a country in return for a capital injection of a stipulated amount, assisting governments of developing nations and slashing naturalisation times by years.
The country we will be discussing today, Argentina, lies on the periphery of schemes such as those mentioned above. This is because while there is not a complete ‘citizenship
by investment’ on offer, there are a number of residency opportunities that do come as a
result of investments of some kind.
With this established we can move on to the main focus of today’s article, how the setting up of a corporation can yield the reward of residency in one of Latin America’s most beautiful nations. Previously on our blog we have mentioned the potential within the Argentinian IT sector, amongst others, and so the viability of corporation establishment is becoming increasingly attractive, making this opportunity all the more important.
Before introducing you to all the information related to Argentina, if you are considering options for citizenship by investment, contact us!. Our specialized team can help you with all your concerns. Click here.
The Inversionista, or in English, Investor Visa, is the official name of the official program specific to Argentina that we have outlined in a broad sense above. In terms of what that means for you as a potential investor, essentially, you will have to devise and draft a business plan that fits one of three main qualities: productive, commercial or service and is of a value worth at least 1.5 million Argentine Pesos or, for a better understanding US$15,000.
It could be said that these criteria ensure the value of business being brought into Argentina is high and reinforces the position of schemes such as this as being mutually beneficial, affording you the peace of mind that, if accepted, your investment is valuable not only economically, but also socially.
Please find below a list of the requirements of any potential candidate for this program that will be submitted to the Immigration Department in Argentina:
1. Clean criminal record, police certificate and affidavit
2. Proof of financial solvency and funds
3. Investment and business plan with copy of CV
4. Translation of documents above into Spanish
This list is quite short, and when you take into account that no nationality is prohibited from making an application, and that Argentina do allow their passport to be held as part of a dual nationality, the benefits, at least in terms of the criteria for application, seem unparalleled. It is, however, also important to know what additional documentation you will need to supply as part of the application, this can be found here:
1. Proof of address
2. Passport-sized photo
3. Marriage/Birth certificates
4. Source of funds
5. CV and evidence of your experience in business
Again, a relatively short list considering the scale of investment and the reward of a one- year residency that can be renewed for up to three years until you are eligible for permanent residency. One other thing to note is that with your investment, the location in which the money is held must be prior approved by the Central Bank of the Argentine Republic (BCRA), in essence to secure the funds and maintain the integrity of the investment.
Also, it´s important to know that creating a company is not the only investment route that can bring you the benefit of residency. There is the possibility of being able to invest in companies that already exist within the country.
After submitting the documents and before you decide where to store the investment funds, the DNM (Director Nacional de Migraciones) will decide if you can go ahead. The possibility of citizenship after 3 years and the potential to extend the benefits to your family should help with this!
So, if you are interested in finding out more, contact us today! Below this article you will find a link to set up a free fifteen-minute consultation with us to discuss your options further.
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