The United States and Argentina on Monday announced the start of a process that would restore visa-free travel for Argentine citizens, a move widely seen as a gesture of support for President Javier Milei, Washington’s closest South American ally.
The initiative, expected to take two to three years to complete, would allow Argentine passport holders to enter the U.S. without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program. The announcement came during a visit by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to Buenos Aires, where she held closed-door meetings with Milei and signed a joint statement of intent with Security Minister Patricia Bullrich.
Homeland Security praised Milei for aligning Argentina’s foreign policy with U.S. priorities. “Under President Javier Milei’s leadership, Argentina is becoming an even stronger friend to the United States — more committed than ever to border security for both of our nations,” Noem said in the statement. DHS also cited Argentina’s exceptionally low visa overstay rate — the lowest among Latin American countries — as a key factor in initiating the process.
Argentine citizens last enjoyed visa-free entry to the U.S. in the 1990s, during the presidency of the late Carlos Menem, a staunch proponent of free-market policies. His neoliberal reforms, including the 1-to-1 peg of the peso to the U.S. dollar, ultimately undermined Argentina’s industrial base and deepened poverty in a nation once ranked among the world’s wealthiest. The U.S. reimposed travel restrictions in 2002 amid a surge in illegal immigration to the U.S.
Now, with Milei pursuing sweeping austerity measures and slashing inflation after years of populist rule, U.S. officials view Argentina as a rising regional partner. The Argentine presidency described the growing relationship as “strategic and comprehensive,” grounded in a shared global outlook.
