Chile citizenship by naturalization

Legal grounds for citizenship

Anyone can naturalize in Chile. The standard period is 5 years of residence. If your child is a Chilean citizen, the period is cut to 2 years of continuous residence. Since 13 April 2026 a child becomes a citizen at birth only if the parents hold residence on the day of birth: tourists' children are registered as children of transient foreigners, see Chilean citizenship by birth.

Three stages of the process

• Temporary residence permit. Applied for online. With temporary residence you can live in Chile, start a business, open bank accounts and take a job.
• Permanent residence. Granted 1-2 years after the temporary permit and valid indefinitely. To apply you need at least 24 months in Chile on a temporary permit. The law cuts this to 12 months if you have family in Chile with citizenship or permanent residence, a pension, investments or a working business.
• Citizenship. The final stage, once you have completed the required period of residence.

Two routes to citizenship

The clock starts not on arrival but on the electronic stamp of the temporary permit that led to permanent residence. The legal basis is the Constitution, the 2021 migration law and the naturalisation decree.

What it costs, item by item

The naturalisation fee is paid only after a positive decision. Dollars at the Central Bank of Chile rate of 05.10.2026, CLP 988.10 per dollar, rounded up.

Steps and timeline

1. Temporary residence online via the migration service portal, for work, study, family, pension or passive income.
2. Permanent residence after 24 months on temporary residence, or 12 months with family holding citizenship or residence in Chile, a pension, investment or an operating business.
3. Citizenship application online with the government login, only while in Chile.
4. Processing about 3 years on average, 2-3 in practice; no statutory deadline.
5. Interview not for everyone; questions on Chilean history, geography and civics.
6. Decision, oath and documents: citizen ID card and passport.

In total, from arrival to passport takes 7-9 years on the standard route and about 4-5 on the qualified route.

Documents and where to get them

• Passport and valid permanent residence.
• Police clearance from your country of citizenship with apostille and Spanish translation.
• Proof of activity in Chile: employment contract, income records.
• Tax folder from Chile's tax service and a no-debt certificate from the Treasury for business owners and the self-employed.
• Colour photo.
• For the qualified route: marriage certificate registered in Chile or the child's birth certificate.

How long you can be away

Residence must be continuous. Permanent residence lapses after more than 2 consecutive years outside Chile, and it must stay valid throughout processing. Long trips during processing can raise questions, so plan travel in advance.

Language and interview

There is no separate language exam, but working Spanish is needed in practice: if you are called for an interview, it is in Spanish and covers Chilean history, geography and civics. Prepare early, especially if you live in an English-speaking bubble.

Why applications fail or stall

• permanent residence expired or lost during processing;
• long absences breaking continuity;
• tax debts;
• a criminal record or unresolved migration breaches;
• inconsistencies in marriage or kinship documents on the qualified route.

What changed by 2026

Since 13 April 2026 a child born in Chile is a citizen at birth only if a parent held residence on the day of birth; children of tourists are recorded as children of foreigners in transit. So the birth route requires residence first. Citizenship processing remains slow, about 3 years on average.

Dual citizenship

Since 2005 Chile allows dual citizenship, so you keep your current passport.

Who can apply: rules by citizenship

Chilean naturalisation has no restrictions tied to the applicant's original citizenship: the route is the same for everyone - residence, 5 continuous years in the country counted from the temporary residence stamp that led to permanent residence, an exam and an application. Citizens of many countries enter Chile visa-free for up to 90 days.

Chile allows dual citizenship, so you do not have to give up your original passport, but check what your home country requires: some, such as Russia, require notice of a second citizenship within a set deadline. A Chilean bank account is opened with a local tax number, and the bank checks the source of funds whatever your citizenship.

Taxes before and after the passport

You become a Chilean tax resident after more than 183 days in any 12 months. Foreigners pay tax only on Chilean income for the first three years of residence, then on worldwide income at up to 40%. Citizenship alone does not change taxes. More on the Chile taxes page.

Comparison with neighbours

Chile wins with a strong passport including visa-free travel to the US, but loses to neighbours on speed: Argentina is faster.

What we do

We choose the ground for temporary residence, handle the switch to permanent residence, count the deadlines from electronic stamp dates, prepare documents and translations for the citizenship application, and prepare you for the interview. We fix our fee in writing after a free consultation.

Advantages of a Chilean passport

How to get Chilean citizenship step by step

FAQ

174 visa-free countries with a Chilean passport