Can a foreigner buy property in Argentina?

Last verified: 27 Oct 2026 · Status: Changing

Short answer. Yes. A foreigner, resident or not, can buy a house or apartment in Argentina on the same terms as a citizen. The national caps on foreign ownership of rural land were repealed by DNU 70/2023. Restrictions remain in border security zones. You need a CUIT, a notary's public deed and registration.

As of 26 Oct 2026. Rules in force at that date.

Key rules

Urban property: no nationality test. No national rule in the official sources limits foreign ownership of urban property outside border security zones (unconfirmed).

Rural land: national caps repealed, by decree. Law 26.737 (BO 28 Dec 2011) capped foreign ownership of rural land at 15% (art. 8), 30% of that per nationality (art. 9) and 1,000 hectares per owner in the core zone (art. 10). DNU 70/2023 (BO 21 Dec 2023), art. 154, reads "Derógase la Ley N° 26.737", and Infoleg records the law as abrogated. This is a decree of necessity and urgency, not a statute. Under Law 26.122 it stays in force (art. 17) unless both chambers reject it (art. 24). Infoleg's list of resolutions under Law 26.122 (downloaded 26 Oct 2026) shows rejections of other decrees, none of DNU 70/2023 (unconfirmed). Whether a later rejection would revive Law 26.737 is contested.

Border security zones still restrict. Decree Law 15.385/1944, art. 4 (as replaced by Law 23.554, art. 42), declares it "of national convenience" that property in security zones belong to native born Argentines and subjects transfers and leases there to prior authorisation. The zone reaches up to 150 km from land borders and 50 km from the coast (art. 2); the map is in Decree 253/2018. Under Res. 166/2009, a foreign individual buying rural land there needs 10 years of uninterrupted residence or an approval by exception (art. 9). Towns in its Annex B are exempt (art. 14), as are urban plots up to 5,000 m² with no profit purpose (art. 16, as replaced by Res. 434/2010). Approvals lapse after one year (art. 39). Requests are decided by the Vice Chief of Cabinet for the Interior (JGM Res. 65/2026, Annex II, item 4).

How title passes. The sale must be made by public deed before a notary (escribano) (CCyC art. 1017(a)) and binds third parties once registered (art. 1893). A non resident individual gets a CUIT through a representative domiciled in Argentina, with Form 460 F/PD and a passport (ARCA RG 5803/2025, art. 6, in force 2 Mar 2026). The CDI is now for diplomatic missions and entities only (art. 19).

Paying in dollars is legal. The debtor is released only by paying in the agreed currency, and judges cannot change it (CCyC art. 765, as replaced by DNU 70/2023, art. 250).

What changes the answer

Location. Inside the border security zone, a transfer or lease needs prior consent unless a Res. 166/2009 exemption applies. Check the Decree 253/2018 map first.
Buying through a company. A foreign company may need registration under Companies Law arts. 118 or 123; see the parent page.
Paying cash. Notaries report to the UIF property purchases paid in cash above 750 minimum wages (UIF Res. 242/2023, art. 28(a)(i), as replaced by UIF Res. 78/2025, art. 9). At ARS 391,200 from 1 Oct 2026 (CNEPSMVM Res. 4/2026, art. 1(b)), that is ARS 293,400,000 (US$187,607.90), above this example.

Worked examples

A US resident buys a used US$150,000 apartment in Buenos Aires City (CABA), paying by wire. Dólar MEP ARS 1,563.90 per US$ on 23 Oct 2026 (dólar MEP selling rate (dolarapi.com)). Live rate: /data/mep/.

Step or item	Time	Cost ARS	Cost USD
1. Power of attorney abroad, apostille, translation	Not fixed	Private fees (unconfirmed)	Private fees (unconfirmed)
2. CUIT through a representative (RG 5803/2025 art. 6)	No term set (unconfirmed)	No fee in RG 5803/2025 (unconfirmed)	n/a
3. Stamp tax, buyer's half of 3.5%	Paid via notary at deed	4,105,237.50	2,625.00
4. Notary fee plus 21% VAT	At deed	Not in official sources (unconfirmed)	(unconfirmed)
5. Registry fee (national registry for CABA)	After deed (unconfirmed)	Not in official sources (unconfirmed)	(unconfirmed)
Sourced total		4,105,237.50	2,625.00

Calculation.

Price in pesos: 150,000 × 1,563.90 = ARS 234,585,000.
CABA stamp tax base: highest of price, fiscal valuation and AGIP reference value (CABA Tax Code art. 325). Assume the price (unconfirmed).
Rate: 3.5%, or 2.7% only if that value is ARS 226,100,000 or less (CABA Law 6.927, Annex art. 34). ARS 234,585,000 is above the threshold, so 3.5% applies to the whole amount: ARS 8,210,475 (US$5,250).
The parties are jointly liable (Code art. 357); a 50/50 split is custom, not law (unconfirmed). Buyer's half: ARS 4,105,237.50 (US$2,625). The single home exemption (art. 365(1)) needs a permanent family home that is the buyer's only property, so investors usually do not qualify. The notary collects the tax (art. 362).
No federal transfer tax: the ITI (Law 23.905, Title VII) was repealed from 8 Jul 2024 (Law 27.743, art. 67).

Cost to do it: about US$2,625 of sourced tax, plus notary, registry, power of attorney and representative fees that no official source prices (unconfirmed); capital: the US$150,000 price; months: no legal timetable (unconfirmed).

Practical traps

Asking for a CDI. Since 2 Mar 2026 individuals get a CUIT (RG 5803/2025, arts. 6, 19); existing CDIs stay valid until data must change (art. 33).
Getting dollars out later. A non resident buying foreign currency officially to repatriate needs prior BCRA consent; no exception covers property sale proceeds (BCRA Exterior y Cambios, point 3.13.1). Price any resale in US dollars.
No statutory escrow. No official source sets an escrow mechanism. Funds are usually wired to the seller or handed over at the deed (unconfirmed). Keep proof of origin of funds, which the notary must document (UIF Res. 242/2023, art. 24, as replaced by Res. 78/2025, art. 8).

FAQ

Do I have to be in Argentina to buy? No. A representative can obtain your CUIT (RG 5803/2025, art. 6) and an attorney can sign the deed (unconfirmed).

Can I buy farmland? Outside the border zone, yes, with no national cap. Inside it, a foreign individual needs 10 years of residence or an approval by exception (Res. 166/2009, art. 9).

Must the seller convert my dollars to pesos? BCRA point 2.3 makes residents settle proceeds of "non produced non financial assets" sold to non residents, but point 6.11 defines these as intangibles and does not mention land (unconfirmed).

Is there an annual tax? Yes. A local substitute pays personal assets tax at 0.50% (Law 23.966, art. 26; Law 27.541, art. 31). On ARS 234,585,000 that is ARS 1,172,925 (US$750) a year.

Published 27 Oct 2026 from our research draft. Points marked (unconfirmed) have not yet been checked against the official text; rely on the primary sources linked below.