Seems citizenship by investment is kind of dead in the water?

[mageesa]

I'm not rich enough for this route (jaja) but it seems the bid to find a company to administer the operation is kind of... well, left to die by the side of the road?

This article is above my head in terms of legaleze (and bureaucratic -eze), but it sounds like the government can't even manage to hire a consultancy firm to start cobbling together an outline of a plan?

"For applicants, agents, and observers who had been waiting on the program’s parameters since the framework was first established in mid-2025, the immediate effect is a reset to zero. The legal pathway exists. The pathway to operationalising it does not."

Sheesh. No wonder I'm on my 3rd Precaria, waiting for temporary residence.

 

[Ries]

for whatever reason, (and I certainly have my opinons) the government is pretty much immobilized, and has been for quite a while, except for executive orders cutting employees or funding.
Most government agencies are understaffed, overworked, and have lost a lot of senior, experienced employees.
the congress is pretty deadlocked on most votes, and unable or unwilling to make any sweeping changes.
so we get press releases, generating news stories, but actual large scale change is just not happening.

 

[Ceviche]

for whatever reason, (and I certainly have my opinons)

Can you share them please?

 

[Ceviche]

Bajo_cero , your views on the dead citizenship by investment. Apart from what has been published about it in news papers. The real reason?

 

[SlowWalker]

Bajo_cero , your views on the dead citizenship by investment. Apart from what has been published about it in news papers. The real reason?

Summary from Gemini and some links (the first two work in some browsers but not others, I'm not sure why), but in short the US is Travel Banning countries with it, so it will be a risk for the vast majority of citizens.

Misuse of Citizenship and Residency by Investment
The Misuse of Citizenship and Residency by Investment
US to Travel Ban most Citizenship by Investment Programs

The US largely opposes or scrutinizes citizenship by investment (CBI) programs due to significant security risks, including money laundering, terrorism financing, and the circumvention of financial regulations. These programs allow individuals to purchase citizenship, creating vulnerabilities for bypassing travel restrictions, concealing identities, and facilitating financial crimes.
Key reasons for the U.S. stance include:

• Security Concerns: US law enforcement believes CBI programs are used by criminals, money launderers, and individuals seeking to evade sanctions to hide assets and travel freely.
• Weakened Due Diligence: The US Treasury Department and other agencies have expressed concern that many nations' "golden passport" programs have lax due diligence, allowing potentially dangerous individuals to acquire citizenship.
• Financial Integrity: Schemes such as these are viewed by organizations like the OECD and researchers, as noted by the LSE (see also OECD reports), as threats to tax transparency and tools for moving illicit funds.
• Misuse of Travel Access: CBI programs often provide visa-free travel to the US and Europe, enabling holders to exploit these benefits without the scrutiny of traditional immigration processes.

The U.S. has responded by implementing travel restrictions and targeting countries with high-risk programs to maintain international financial and security standards, as explained in reports from the FATF and OECD.

 

[steveinbsas]

...in short the US is Travel Banning countries with it, so it will be a risk for the vast majority of citizens...

...The US largely opposes or scrutinizes citizenship by investment (CBI) programs due to significant security risks, including money laundering, terrorism financing, and the circumvention of financial regulations. These programs allow individuals to purchase citizenship, creating vulnerabilities for bypassing travel restrictions, concealing identities, and facilitating financial crimes...

...The US Treasury Department and other agencies have expressed concern that many nations' "golden passport" programs have lax due diligence, allowing potentially dangerous individuals to acquire citizenship.

The U.S. has responded by implementing travel restrictions and targeting countries with high-risk programs to maintain international financial and security standards, as explained in reports from the FATF and OECD.

This is great information. I am not in favor of Argentine citizenship by investment, but it would be entertaining (at least to me) if it was implemented and ALL Argentine citizens suddenly found themselves "travel banned" (to any extent) to visit the USA, just because an infantesable number of foreigners were able to buy citizenship in Argentina.

 

[Ries]

Summary from Gemini and some links (the first two work in some browsers but not others, I'm not sure why), but in short the US is Travel Banning countries with it, so it will be a risk for the vast majority of citizens.

Misuse of Citizenship and Residency by Investment
The Misuse of Citizenship and Residency by Investment
US to Travel Ban most Citizenship by Investment Programs

The US largely opposes or scrutinizes citizenship by investment (CBI) programs due to significant security risks, including money laundering, terrorism financing, and the circumvention of financial regulations. These programs allow individuals to purchase citizenship, creating vulnerabilities for bypassing travel restrictions, concealing identities, and facilitating financial crimes.
Key reasons for the U.S. stance include:

• Security Concerns: US law enforcement believes CBI programs are used by criminals, money launderers, and individuals seeking to evade sanctions to hide assets and travel freely.
• Weakened Due Diligence: The US Treasury Department and other agencies have expressed concern that many nations' "golden passport" programs have lax due diligence, allowing potentially dangerous individuals to acquire citizenship.
• Financial Integrity: Schemes such as these are viewed by organizations like the OECD and researchers, as noted by the LSE (see also OECD reports), as threats to tax transparency and tools for moving illicit funds.
• Misuse of Travel Access: CBI programs often provide visa-free travel to the US and Europe, enabling holders to exploit these benefits without the scrutiny of traditional immigration processes.

The U.S. has responded by implementing travel restrictions and targeting countries with high-risk programs to maintain international financial and security standards, as explained in reports from the FATF and OECD.

I dont really think AI is very predictive about the current vagaries of US immigration policies, since trump has been arbitrarily announcing changes by executive orders all the time, but actual laws are not being changed by congress, and enforcement at entry is arbitrary, local, and inconsistent.
Theoretically you can buy US residency in several ways, but realistically its as confused there as in Argentina, and green card holders are being deported, legal visa holders refused entry, and sometimes put in jail on entry.

Regardless, migraciones in Argentina is not currently implementing a program for investment residency beyond the old rentista or pensoinistas, and we see again and again these being interpreted differently in different times and places by different migraciones employees.

To quote the great Mose Allison- Life is Short, Talk is Cheap.
We have had success using a lawyer.
Long term professional relationships trump trying to interpret argentine laws found on outdated websites every time.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

Summary from Gemini and some links (the first two work in some browsers but not others, I'm not sure why), but in short the US is Travel Banning countries with it, so it will be a risk for the vast majority of citizens.

Misuse of Citizenship and Residency by Investment
The Misuse of Citizenship and Residency by Investment
US to Travel Ban most Citizenship by Investment Programs

The US largely opposes or scrutinizes citizenship by investment (CBI) programs due to significant security risks, including money laundering, terrorism financing, and the circumvention of financial regulations. These programs allow individuals to purchase citizenship, creating vulnerabilities for bypassing travel restrictions, concealing identities, and facilitating financial crimes.
Key reasons for the U.S. stance include:

• Security Concerns: US law enforcement believes CBI programs are used by criminals, money launderers, and individuals seeking to evade sanctions to hide assets and travel freely.
• Weakened Due Diligence: The US Treasury Department and other agencies have expressed concern that many nations' "golden passport" programs have lax due diligence, allowing potentially dangerous individuals to acquire citizenship.
• Financial Integrity: Schemes such as these are viewed by organizations like the OECD and researchers, as noted by the LSE (see also OECD reports), as threats to tax transparency and tools for moving illicit funds.
• Misuse of Travel Access: CBI programs often provide visa-free travel to the US and Europe, enabling holders to exploit these benefits without the scrutiny of traditional immigration processes.

The U.S. has responded by implementing travel restrictions and targeting countries with high-risk programs to maintain international financial and security standards, as explained in reports from the FATF and OECD.

Argentina has CBI programs since e 1869. This is why the project of Milei is falling. It already exist and there are many lawyers asking for its unconstitutionality. This is why the cancel the public tender.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

I dont really think AI is very predictive about the current vagaries of US immigration policies, since trump has been arbitrarily announcing changes by executive orders all the time, but actual laws are not being changed by congress, and enforcement at entry is arbitrary, local, and inconsistent.
Theoretically you can buy US residency in several ways, but realistically its as confused there as in Argentina, and green card holders are being deported, legal visa holders refused entry, and sometimes put in jail on entry.

Regardless, migraciones in Argentina is not currently implementing a program for investment residency beyond the old rentista or pensoinistas, and we see again and again these being interpreted differently in different times and places by different migraciones employees.

To quote the great Mose Allison- Life is Short, Talk is Cheap.
We have had success using a lawyer.
Long term professional relationships trump trying to interpret argentine laws found on outdated websites every time.

AI is whatever but not intelligent.

 

[SlowWalker]

Argentina has CBI programs since e 1869. This is why the project of Milei is falling. It already exist and there are many lawyers asking for its unconstitutionality. This is why the cancel the public tender.

Was the previous CBI not based on rendering services, innovation, or investment in an industry which is of national priority?

Is the proposed one not more of straight forward transaction without other obligations?

Is the basis of the constitutional challenge that this cannot be executed by decree but needs to be passed by congress not that it already exists?

If the government were able to pass the votes, I still think the issue with the US coming down pretty hard on many of these programs, is what might be slowing down the governments efforts in willingness to proceed. Something along the lines of don't bite the hand that feeds you.

I am not challenging you, I am just trying to understand the entire picture.