Citizenship in Chile
Naturalisation timelines, tests, and dual nationality
Naturalisation is available after roughly five years of residence in Chile with permanent residence held, subject to age and good-conduct requirements. Historically applicants were required to renounce their previous nationality, a requirement that has been reformed in practice, and dual nationality is now common among naturalised Chileans.
| Route | Naturalisation by decree (carta de nacionalización) source |
| Residence requirement | Commonly around five years, with permanent residence held |
| Minimum age | Generally 18, with a route for those aged 14 and over in defined cases |
| Birthright | Children born in Chile are generally Chilean, with narrow exceptions source |
| Dual nationality | Historically renunciation was required; the practice has since been reformed |
The five-year clock
The residence requirement is counted in years of residence in Chile, and the applicant is expected to hold permanent residence at the point of applying. Time on temporary residence contributes to the residence history but does not substitute for holding the definitive permit.
Applications are decided by the executive rather than by a court, which means naturalisation is a discretionary grant rather than an entitlement that follows automatically from completing the years.
The renunciation question
For much of the twentieth century Chilean naturalisation required the applicant to renounce their previous nationality, and this requirement is the single most repeated claim in older material about Chilean citizenship.
That position has been reformed, and dual nationality is now widely held by naturalised Chileans. Because the previous nationality's own rules also determine whether it survives naturalisation elsewhere, the outcome depends on two legal systems rather than one, and the position of the other country should be checked separately.
Citizenship by descent and by birth
- Children born in Chilean territory are generally Chilean by birth, with narrow exceptions for the children of transient foreigners and of foreign officials.
- Children born abroad to a Chilean parent can acquire nationality, subject to the conditions set out in the constitution and administered through the civil registry.
- Nationality documents, once granted, are issued and recorded by the Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación.
What citizenship adds
A Chilean passport carries broad visa-free access, including a visa waiver arrangement with the United States that is unusual in the region. Citizenship also removes the presence expectations that attach to permanent residence, and confers full political rights.
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Official sources
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