Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Argentina Property Pack
Everything you need to know before buying real estate is included in our Argentina Property Pack
Argentina's mortgage market has evolved significantly, and foreigners are now exploring whether they can finance a property purchase rather than paying all cash.
This guide breaks down the real requirements, bank expectations, and insider strategies for getting approved in Argentina in early 2026.
We constantly update this blog post to reflect the latest regulations and lending conditions in Argentina.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Argentina.
Can foreigners get a mortgage in Argentina right now?
Can a foreigner get a residential mortgage in Argentina right now?
Yes, foreigners can technically get a residential mortgage in Argentina, but the practical answer is that most approvals go to people who are already "financially local" in the country, meaning they have Argentine bank accounts with regular deposits and documented local income.
The foreigners who have the easiest access to mortgages in Argentina are those with permanent residency, a local work contract with salary paid into an Argentine bank, and an established banking relationship of at least several months with the lending institution.
The most common restriction Argentine banks impose on foreign applicants is the requirement to prove stable local income, typically through payroll deposits into an account at the same bank where you are applying for the mortgage, which effectively excludes most non-residents and remote workers.
By the way, we have a whole document dedicated to mortgages for foreigners in our property pack about Argentina.
Can I get a mortgage in Argentina without residency?
Non-resident mortgages in Argentina are uncommon because banks want borrowers they can pursue legally and operationally inside the country, which means they strongly prefer applicants with local salary deposits, an Argentine address, and ties to local courts.
Temporary residents with work visas can sometimes qualify for a mortgage in Argentina if they have documented Argentine income and a tax identification number, while permanent residents are treated most similarly to local borrowers and have the best approval odds.
For applicants without permanent residency in Argentina, banks typically require a larger down payment (often 30% or more), a longer local banking history, and proof that your income is verifiable and enforceable within the Argentine financial system.
By the way, we've written a blog article detailing residency and citizenship options that exist when you buy property in Argentina.
Do banks require a local work contract in Argentina right now?
Many Argentine banks effectively require a local work contract for their best mortgage terms, with products like Santander's UVA mortgage being positioned as exclusive for clients who receive their salary at that bank, which practically means you need local employment.
If you do not have a local work contract in Argentina, banks may accept alternative proof of income such as monotributo (self-employed) tax declarations with at least two years of history, though this typically comes with higher rates and stricter scrutiny.
When a local work contract is present in Argentina, banks usually require a minimum employment duration of 12 months in that role, though some banks accept 6 months if you have a strong overall financial profile and longer work history in the country.
Can self-employed foreigners qualify for a mortgage in Argentina?
Self-employed foreigners can qualify for a mortgage in Argentina, but it is significantly harder than for salaried borrowers because banks require longer income histories, more documentation, and typically offer less favorable terms to compensate for the perceived income volatility.
Banks in Argentina typically require self-employed applicants to show at least 24 months of consistent declared income through tax filings (monotributo or responsable inscripto status), along with bank statements showing regular deposits that match the declared amounts.
Is foreign income accepted for mortgages in Argentina right now?
Foreign income is occasionally accepted for mortgages in Argentina, but you should not build your purchase plan around it because most banks strongly prefer income they can verify locally and collect from directly through salary debits or local account garnishment.
When banks in Argentina do consider foreign income, they typically require additional documentation including certified translations of employment contracts, apostilled tax returns from your home country, and proof that the income is regularly deposited into your Argentine bank account.
Can I buy a primary home (and an investment property?) with a mortgage in Argentina as a foreigner?
Foreigners can obtain a mortgage for a primary home in Argentina, and this is where banks are most willing to lend because most UVA mortgage products are specifically designed for "vivienda de uso permanente" (permanent residence), which means the property you will actually live in.
Getting a mortgage for an investment property in Argentina as a foreigner is possible but comes with worse terms, including lower loan-to-value ratios (meaning you need a larger down payment), higher interest rate spreads, and stricter approval criteria than for a primary residence.
If you're buying for investment, you might want to check our blog article about buying and renting out in Argentina.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Argentina versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
What are the eligibility rules banks actually use in Argentina?
What minimum monthly income do I need in Argentina as of 2026?
As of early 2026, there is no single statutory minimum income for mortgages in Argentina, but banks typically require your monthly payment to stay below 25% to 30% of your net household income, which means the minimum income depends entirely on how much you want to borrow.
The realistic income range for most approved mortgage borrowers in Argentina falls between ARS 2,000,000 and ARS 8,000,000 per month (roughly USD 1,400 to USD 5,600 or EUR 1,300 to EUR 5,200), depending on the loan amount and the specific bank's requirements.
In Argentina, the minimum income requirement scales directly with your loan amount: for every USD 10,000 you want to borrow, you should expect to need roughly ARS 350,000 to ARS 950,000 in monthly net income, with the wide range reflecting different bank spreads and affordability calculations.
Most Argentine banks allow combining household incomes from multiple applicants (typically spouses or partners) to meet the minimum threshold, which can significantly expand your borrowing capacity if both parties have documented local income.
What debt-to-income limit do banks use in Argentina right now?
The maximum debt-to-income ratio that banks in Argentina use for mortgage approval is typically expressed as a "cuota/ingreso" (payment-to-income) cap of 25% to 30%, meaning your mortgage payment cannot exceed that percentage of your net monthly income.
When calculating this ratio in Argentina, banks include your existing debts such as credit card minimum payments, car loans, personal loans, and any other mortgage obligations, all of which reduce the room available for your new mortgage payment within that 25% to 30% cap.
Do I need a local credit score in Argentina right now?
You do not need a formal credit score in the American sense to get a mortgage in Argentina, but banks do check local credit databases for any negative flags, delinquencies, or defaults, so you need to appear "clean" in the Argentine credit information system.
Foreign credit reports or scores are sometimes accepted as supplementary comfort in Argentina, but they typically cannot replace the local credit check, and banks will still require you to have no negative marks in Argentine databases like Veraz or Nosis.
Do banks require a local guarantor in Argentina right now?
For standard residential mortgages in Argentina, banks do not universally require a local guarantor because they rely primarily on the property mortgage lien itself, combined with borrower income verification and affordability checks, as their main security.
Banks in Argentina are most likely to request a guarantor when the applicant is a foreigner with limited local credit history, has income that is harder to verify or enforce, or is seeking a higher loan-to-value ratio than the bank's standard offering.
If a guarantor is required in Argentina, they must typically be an Argentine resident with stable income, good credit standing, and sufficient assets to cover the loan obligation if the primary borrower defaults.
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How much cash do I need upfront in Argentina as of 2026?
What's the minimum down payment in Argentina right now?
The minimum down payment for foreigners buying property with a mortgage in Argentina is typically 20% to 30% of the property value, with most banks financing up to 70% to 80% of the appraised value for primary residence purchases.
The realistic range of down payment percentages across different banks and buyer profiles in Argentina runs from 20% (for the strongest local profiles with salary at the lending bank) to 40% or more (for foreigners with less established local financial histories).
A buyer might secure a lower down payment requirement in Argentina if they have a long-standing banking relationship with the lender, credit their salary at that bank, and are purchasing a primary residence rather than an investment property.
What loan terms can I realistically get in Argentina as of 2026?
What mortgage interest rates are typical in Argentina as of 2026?
As of early 2026, mortgage interest rates in Argentina are quoted as UVA (inflation-indexed) plus a fixed annual spread, with typical spreads for qualified borrowers ranging from 6% to 14% depending on their banking relationship and profile strength.
The factors that most significantly influence your interest rate in Argentina are whether you credit your salary at the lending bank (this alone can cut several percentage points off your spread), the size of your down payment, and whether you bundle insurance products with the mortgage.
Foreigners in Argentina typically receive higher interest rates than local residents with established banking relationships, with the difference often being 2 to 5 percentage points in the spread, though this gap can narrow significantly if the foreigner has strong local financial ties.
The interest rate is one of the factors we look at when assessing whether now is a good time to buy a property in Argentina.
Are fixed-rate mortgages available in Argentina right now?
Traditional fixed-rate mortgages are not the mainstream product in Argentina right now because virtually all long-term mortgage lending uses the UVA (Unidad de Valor Adquisitivo) system, where your balance and payments adjust with inflation, plus a fixed spread on top.
If you see "tasa fija" (fixed rate) marketing from Argentine banks, read the fine print carefully because it may refer to a different product structure, a shorter loan term, or pricing that compensates the bank for taking on inflation risk in ways that make it much more expensive than UVA alternatives.
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of Argentina. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.
How do I maximize approval chances in Argentina right now?
What financial profile gets "yes" fastest in Argentina right now?
The ideal financial profile that gets mortgage approval fastest in Argentina is someone who credits their salary at the same bank where they are applying, has a debt-to-income ratio well below 25%, and has been a customer at that bank for at least 6 to 12 months with consistent deposits.
Banks in Argentina consider an ideal applicant to have net monthly income of at least ARS 3,000,000 (roughly USD 2,100 or EUR 1,950) for a modest loan, with a payment-to-income ratio targeting 20% or less even though banks may allow up to 30%.
The employment type most favored by Argentine banks for mortgage applicants is permanent salaried employment ("relación de dependencia") with at least 12 months in the current role, as this provides the most predictable and enforceable income stream.
A down payment of 30% or more typically signals a strong applicant profile in Argentina and can compensate for other factors that might be weaker, such as shorter local banking history or income that is harder to verify.
We give more detailed tips in our pack covering the property buying process in Argentina.
What mistakes make foreigners get rejected in Argentina right now?
The most common mistake that leads to mortgage rejection for foreigners in Argentina is applying without first establishing a local banking footprint, because banks need to see several months of account history, regular deposits, and on-time payments before they will consider you a credible borrower.
The financial red flag that most often disqualifies foreign applicants in Argentina is having a payment-to-income ratio that is too high at origination, because the BCRA explicitly warns banks about UVA affordability risk and underwriters are cautious about loans where payments could become unmanageable if inflation spikes.
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Which banks say yes to foreigners in Argentina right now?
Which banks are most foreigner-friendly in Argentina as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the banks most commonly cited as foreigner-friendly for mortgages in Argentina are Banco Nación, Santander Argentina, BBVA Argentina, and Banco Galicia, with Banco Macro and ICBC also appearing regularly in the UVA mortgage market.
What makes these banks more accessible to foreign applicants in Argentina is their experience handling international clients in general banking, which means their staff understand foreign documentation, can navigate additional paperwork, and have established processes for non-standard applicants.
Which banks accept non-resident borrowers in Argentina right now?
Very few banks in Argentina actively lend to true non-residents without local income, and you should expect this to be the exception rather than the norm because mainstream mortgage underwriting assumes you have a local account, stable Argentine inflows, and are legally reachable within the country.
For the rare banks that might consider non-resident applicants in Argentina, additional requirements typically include a much larger down payment (40% or more), comprehensive documentation of foreign income with certified translations, and often a local co-borrower or guarantor with Argentine residency and income.
Do international banks lend more easily in Argentina right now?
International banks like BBVA and Santander do not automatically lend more easily to foreigners in Argentina because their local subsidiaries still underwrite to Argentine risk reality, including UVA inflation linkage and local enforceability requirements.
The international banks with a mortgage presence in Argentina include BBVA Argentina, Santander Argentina, and HSBC Argentina (now part of Galicia), and they operate under the same BCRA regulatory framework as domestic banks.
The main advantage of using an international bank for a mortgage in Argentina is often better process clarity, more consistent documentation requirements, and staff who may be more comfortable with foreign paperwork, though you will still need the same local financial footprint as with any other lender.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Argentina compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Argentina, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can ... and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why it's authoritative | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| BCRA Statistics Dashboard | Argentina's central bank official data portal. | We used it to anchor exchange rates and UVA index values. We also used it to explain how UVA-linked mortgages work. |
| BCRA Communication A8024 | The binding rulebook banks follow for mortgage lending. | We used it to describe what regulators require for UVA loan affordability. We used it to distinguish rules from bank practices. |
| Argentina.gob.ar CDI Portal | Official government portal for tax identification. | We used it to explain the CDI requirement for foreigners. We used it to keep foreigner guidance grounded in official steps. |
| Santander Argentina Mortgage Page | Primary bank product documentation from a major lender. | We used it to document salary crediting requirements. We used it to show what banks actually require in practice. |
| BBVA Argentina Mortgage Page | Primary product page from a major international bank. | We used it to verify rate structures and eligibility patterns. We used it to assess international bank accessibility. |
| Banco Galicia Mortgage Page | Primary product page from Argentina's largest private bank. | We used it to corroborate UVA terms and local banking requirements. We used it to shape approval guidance. |
| LA NACION Bank Compilation | Major newspaper summarizing bank-by-bank published terms. | We used it to triangulate spreads, LTVs, and income caps. We used it as a cross-check across multiple lenders. |
| Infobae Income Analysis | Major outlet with concrete bank-by-bank affordability examples. | We used it to build income estimate frameworks. We used it to show why minimum income varies by bank and loan size. |
| Interior Ministry Border Zone Guide | Competent ministry describing security zone authorization. | We used it to flag location-specific foreigner restrictions. We used it to provide a verifiable checklist item. |
| Banco Nación Mortgage Page | Primary product page from Argentina's largest public bank. | We used it to verify public bank terms and accessibility. We used it to expand the list of foreigner-friendly options. |
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