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Argentina Rentista Visa: The Real Income Requirement in 2026

The Argentina rentista visa needs passive income of 5x the minimum wage, ARS 1,994,000 a month from Nov 1, 2026. Official rules, documents, fees and steps.

This article is general immigration information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and amounts change. Check the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones (DNM) before you apply.

The Argentina rentista visa is a temporary residence for foreigners who support themselves with passive income from abroad. That income comes from things like investments, rental property or company shares, not pay for work. The official rule is monthly income of at least five times Argentina's minimum wage (5 SMVM). With the minimum wage at ARS 398,800 from November 1, 2026, that works out to ARS 1,994,000 a month. The funds must come into Argentina through a bank or financial institution authorized by the Central Bank. DNM grants the residence for 1 year, and it can be extended.

How the income threshold is calculated

No fixed dollar amount appears in the official rule. DNM states the requirement in minimum wages: income "equivalente o superior a la suma de CINCO (5) Salarios Mínimo Vital y Móvil." Argentina's wage council sets the minimum wage (Salario Mínimo, Vital y Móvil, or SMVM) in pesos. So the threshold moves whenever the wage does.

Resolution 4/2026 of the wage council (published in the Boletín Oficial on September 2, 2026) sets these monthly amounts in Article 1. The multiplication by five is ours:

Effective fromSMVM (official)5 x SMVM
October 1, 2026ARS 391,200ARS 1,956,000
November 1, 2026ARS 398,800ARS 1,994,000
December 1, 2026ARS 406,400ARS 2,032,000

Any dollar figure you see online is a conversion. It depends on the exchange rate and the date someone used. DNM's pages don't say how it converts foreign-currency income, so ask DNM how your income will be measured.

What counts as passive income

DNM defines the category as people who support their stay with returns from assets they own abroad: financial instruments, real estate, stakes in companies, or other sources DNM accepts at its discretion. You must prove the income comes from those assets.

What does not count, in DNM's words, is "retribuciones obtenidas por el trabajo personal," meaning pay for your own work. That rules out a salary or freelance fees under this category. Remote work is a different situation from passive income. This article doesn't cover whether another category fits it.

DNM Disposition 1732/2023, as amended, also says: "serán admisibles recursos propios depositados en cuentas bancarias en el extranjero, siempre y cuando se acreditare en forma indubitable la licitud del origen de dichos fondos." In plain terms, your own funds held in foreign bank accounts are admissible if you prove beyond doubt that the money has a lawful origin. That doesn't mean any savings balance qualifies on its own. The same disposition still sets the 5 SMVM minimum and requires the funds needed for the residence period to enter Argentina through BCRA-authorized institutions before residence is granted. DNM decides what proof it accepts.

For the consular entry permit, DNM describes a rentista as someone holding monthly income receivable for no less than two years, of at least 5 SMVM, generated in a stable way. DNM's pages don't say whether one-off savings, rather than recurring income, would be accepted.

Documents checklist

DNM's rentista page lists these:

  • A valid passport (MERCOSUR nationals may use certain other travel documents)
  • Argentine criminal record certificate, for applicants 16 and over (requested inside RaDEx)
  • Criminal record certificates from every country where you lived more than 1 year in the last 3 years, for applicants 16 and over
  • Proof of address in Argentina
  • Proof that you entered Argentina regularly
  • Proof that your income equals or exceeds 5 SMVM
  • Proof that the income comes from assets you own, not from your work
  • Proof that the funds enter Argentina through a bank or financial institution authorized by the Central Bank (BCRA)

Foreign documents need an apostille, or legalization by the Argentine consulate where the apostille doesn't apply. Documents in another language need a Spanish translation by an Argentine sworn translator (traductor público nacional), legalized by the Colegio de Traductores. Bring originals. DNM may ask for more documents.

How to apply: step by step

  1. Gather your documents from the checklist above.
  2. Be in Argentina legally. DNM says you must be inside Argentina to file. From abroad, a representative in Argentina can request a temporary entry permit as a rentista for you, after which you get the visa at an Argentine consulate.
  3. Open a RaDEx account and pay. The temporary residence fee is 100 UMSM for non-MERCOSUR nationals and 50 UMSM for MERCOSUR nationals. DNM's fee table lists 1 UMSM at ARS 1,000, so the fees are ARS 100,000 and ARS 50,000 at the current value.
  4. Upload your documents in RaDEx.
  5. Attend your in-person appointment. If your filing meets the requirements, DNM emails you a date. A preferential appointment costs an extra 50 UMSM.
  6. Extend each year. You must show you're still a rentista with income of at least 5 SMVM. DNM grants each extension for 1 year. The fee is 100 UMSM (non-MERCOSUR) or 50 UMSM (MERCOSUR).
  7. Ask about permanent residence later. DNM's residency FAQ lists 3 years of temporary residence (2 for MERCOSUR nationals) as a route to permanent residence. It also says you must have been in Argentina for more than half of the time granted. Since 2025 the law also asks applicants to show enough economic means and no disqualifying criminal record (see below).

DNM doesn't publish processing times on these pages, and approval is DNM's decision.

Rentista vs pensionado vs MERCOSUR residence

RentistaPensionadoMERCOSUR nationals in these categories
Income ruleAt least 5 SMVM a monthAt least 5 SMVM a monthSame rule as the category they apply under
Income sourceFinancial instruments, property, company stakes; not pay for workPension from a government, international body or private companySame as the category

The fee and time-to-permanent rules in the steps above come from DNM's general fee table and residency FAQ, which set them by nationality, not by category. DNM's pages don't list them separately for pensionados. MERCOSUR nationals also have a separate MERCOSUR residence category. Its rules are outside this article.

What this article does not cover

Permanent residence is a separate application from temporary residence, with its own requirements.

  • Citizenship is a separate process under Argentina's citizenship law. Ask an Argentine lawyer.
  • Tax residence is a different question from immigration status. This article doesn't cover how Argentina taxes residents or foreign income, so don't assume the visa is tax-free. Ask a tax professional.
  • Family members have their own documents and rules. This article doesn't cover them, so check DNM for each person.

What changed in 2025 and 2026

Decree 366/2025 (published May 29, 2025). This emergency decree (DNU) amended Migration Law 25,871. Under the new Article 22, a person applying for permanent residence "deberá acreditar que cuenta con los medios económicos suficientes para subsistir en el país" and have no criminal record that could justify refusal, under conditions set by regulation. It also caps a provisional residence (residencia precaria) at 90 calendar days, renewable by DNM, and says that time doesn't count toward the residence needed for permanent status or naturalization.

Decree 681/2026 (published July 30, 2026, in force from the next day). This decree added grounds to refuse entry or stay, and to cancel residence: directing hate messages or inciting violence against Argentines because of their nationality, or taking part in acts that insult national symbols. The text excludes ideological dissent and political, academic or civic criticism that is a legitimate exercise of constitutional rights.

Time abroad can cost you the residence. Under Article 62(e) of Migration Law 25,871, as rewritten by Decree 366/2025 (in force since May 29, 2025), DNM cancels a residence if, after it was granted, the holder stayed outside Argentina for 6 months or more (temporary residence) or 1 year or more (permanent residence). The exceptions are absences for an Argentine public office, activities, studies or research that DNM judges to be of interest to Argentina, or express authorization from DNM, which can be requested through an Argentine consulate. DNM's residency FAQ gives the same periods. The law also lets DNM waive cancellation in exceptional cases on humanitarian or family reunification grounds. Ask DNM before any long trip.

Building passive income takes time

Passive income of five minimum wages a month usually takes years of saving and investing to build. Small automatic habits can help you start. One example is putting cashback from everyday purchases into an investment that pays income.

Investments can lose value, and returns aren't guaranteed. Cashback alone won't get you to the threshold. Casherang doesn't make anyone eligible for residence in Argentina, and DNM decides each application.

FAQ

How much income do I need for Argentina's rentista visa? At least five times Argentina's minimum monthly wage (5 SMVM). From November 1, 2026 that is ARS 1,994,000 a month, rising to ARS 2,032,000 from December 1, 2026.

Can I apply for the rentista visa from outside Argentina? The residence itself is filed on RaDEx while you are in Argentina. From abroad, a representative can request a temporary entry permit as a rentista with DNM, and you then get your visa at an Argentine consulate.

Does a salary or freelance income count? No. Income must come from assets such as investments, property or company shares. Pay for personal work does not qualify. Pensions fall under the separate pensionado category.

How long does the rentista residency last? DNM grants it for 1 year when filed in Argentina, and each extension lasts 1 year if you still meet the income rule. The consular entry permit page describes temporary residence of up to 3 years.

Can the rentista visa lead to permanent residency? DNM lists 3 years of temporary residence (2 for MERCOSUR nationals) as a route. Since 2025 the law also asks applicants to show enough economic means and no disqualifying criminal record. DNM decides each case.

This article is general immigration information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and amounts change. Check the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones (DNM) before you apply.

Sources

All checked November 7, 2026.

Not investment advice. Returns are not guaranteed. Cashback rates change with the live catalog.