Religious communities across the country have begun to enter a new stage of institutionalization, transparency, and freedom thanks to a key measure by the National Government. Through Decree 486/2025, provinces are requested to facilitate the obtaining of legal status for religious entities registered in the National Registry of Religions. The regulation represents a substantial change: for the first time, churches and faith spaces will be able to act with full legal recognition without having to become civil associations.
Behind this transformation is the drive of Nahuel Sotelo, current Secretary of State for Religion and Civilization, who actively promoted this reform as a way to "ensure that each community can practice its faith with freedom, legality, and dignity". The measure, which puts an end to a historic legal contradiction, responds to a long-standing demand from various spiritual communities in the country.
What changes with Decree 486/2025?
Until now, many religious organizations were forced to operate with parallel structures: on one hand, as a faith community; on the other, as a civil association, in order to open bank accounts or acquire assets. This created costs, bureaucratic hurdles, and unnecessary obstacles.
With the new provision, that is beginning to change. Communities registered in the National Registry of Religions will be able to:
Have bank accounts in the name of the religious institution
Register assets without intermediaries
Certify their accounting books with legal validity
Act with transparency without giving up their religious identity
In addition, the need for parallel legal structures that did not represent their spiritual essence is eliminated.
A voluntary and federal measure
Religions and legality: Nahuel Sotelo launches a measure to guarantee transparency | La Derecha Diario
The Government clarified that this new possibility is not mandatory. Communities that are already registered will be able to freely choose this path. Those that are not yet registered must first register in the National Registry of Religions.
The decree also respects federalism, since provinces are invited to join, thus facilitating a coordinated but not mandatory implementation.
Nahuel Sotelo, a key figure in modernizing the relationship with religions
With this measure, Nahuel Sotelo consolidates his profile as one of the most active officials in modernizing the institutional framework of religions in Argentina. His approach combines respect for tradition with modern tools of legality and management.
The initiative also helps strengthen transparency in resource management and compliance with tax regulations, providing legal security to communities that previously operated in a gray area of the legal system.
La Derecha Diario 
