{"id":863168,"date":"2026-06-20T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=863168"},"modified":"2026-06-19T15:34:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T13:34:58","slug":"new-country-where-south-africans-can-retire-without-buying-property","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/lifestyle\/863168\/new-country-where-south-africans-can-retire-without-buying-property\/","title":{"rendered":"New country where South Africans can retire without buying property"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Argentina is set to join the list of popular destinations for South Africans seeking a second citizenship and retirement options abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The country is expected to launch a citizenship-by-investment programme in the second half of 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The programme is currently being developed under the oversight of Argentina\u2019s Ministry of Economy and other public bodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The government has moved beyond the planning stage and is appointing a specialist firm to help design and implement the framework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key details, including qualifying investment routes and minimum investment thresholds, are still being finalised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once launched, the programme is expected to provide eligible investors and their families with a pathway to Argentine citizenship without necessarily requiring them to purchase property. Final requirements, however, have not yet been confirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interest in the programme is expected to be strong among South African high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) who have traditionally favoured Caribbean citizenship-by-investment options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Argentina will offer several potential advantages. Holders of an Argentine passport currently enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to more than 165 destinations worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The country ranks 15th on the Henley Passport Index, and citizens also benefit from visa-free access to Europe\u2019s Schengen Area for short-term travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attraction is Argentina\u2019s membership of Mercosur, the South American trade bloc, which could provide settlement and mobility rights across member countries, subject to prevailing regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family inclusion is also expected to form part of the programme, in line with many citizenship-by-investment schemes globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HNWIs from South Africa use CBI programmes to secure a safe “Plan B”, increase global travel freedom, and diversify their wealth offshore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These programmes serve as a strategic hedge against local economic volatility, infrastructure challenges, and high domestic tax rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rising crime rates, political uncertainty, and institutional instability in South Africa are consistently highlighted as the main reasons why many HNWIs seek safe-haven jurisdictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For years, Caribbean nations such as St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and St. Lucia have been among the preferred destinations for South Africans seeking alternative citizenship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These countries have strengthened compliance requirements and raised due diligence standards in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This, while maintaining citizenship-by-investment programmes that typically require minimum investments of $200,000 (R3.3 million) to $250,000 (R4.1 million).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A list of notable Caribbean nations, with the current requirements as of June 2026, is below. Note that currency conversions are accurate as of 10 June 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St. Kitts and Nevis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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