Chilean citizenship by birth in 2026
Since 13 April 2026 a baby born to tourists is registered as the child of a transient foreigner and does not become a Chilean citizen. Citizenship by birth goes to children whose parents hold a residence permit on the day of birth.
Chile is a stable country with a strong passport, but since 2026 giving birth here no longer brings citizenship for everyone. The Civil Registry looks at the parents' migration status on the day of birth: tourists' babies are registered as children of transient foreigners, while children of parents with residence permits are registered as Chilean citizens. So a family's plan starts not with choosing a clinic but with a residence permit.
What changed in 2026
Chile's Constitution grants citizenship to everyone born in the country, with two exceptions: children of foreigners in their government's service and children of transient foreigners. For a long time tourists' children were in practice registered as citizens. On 13 April 2026 the Civil Registry issued Circular No. 14: if the parents are in Chile on a temporary stay on the day of birth, that is, they entered as tourists or on another short-term basis, the child is registered as the son or daughter of a transient foreigner. The registrar looks only at migration documents: a passport with an entry stamp or a tourist card. A lease, a job or an intention to stay are no longer taken into account.
Clarifying Circular No. 16 of 4 May 2026 kept this rule for temporary stays but restored registration as citizens for children of migrants without regular status. Earlier, the migration service had asked the registry to review the citizenship of 24 children born to Russian tourists in 2021-2025.
We will estimate online the budget for your family: the birth and the child's documents.
Who now gets citizenship by birth
| Parents' status on the day of birth | How the child is registered |
|---|---|
| Temporary residence permit | Chilean citizen |
| Permanent residence | Chilean citizen |
| Tourist entry or other temporary stay | child of a transient foreigner, no citizenship |
| Foreigners in their government's service | no citizenship, with the right to opt for it later |
Under Circular No. 16 children of migrants without regular status are registered as citizens, but breaching migration rules risks a fine and removal, so we do not consider this route.
How to plan a birth in Chile now
For the child to be a citizen from birth, the residence permit must be valid on the day of birth. As a general rule it cannot be obtained while in Chile as a tourist: Migration Law 21.325 does not allow switching from a temporary stay to residence inside the country, with exceptions mainly for families of Chilean citizens and permanent residents. So the application for temporary residence is filed from abroad before the trip, on a genuine basis: work, own income or a pension, investment, studies.
Processing takes months, so you need to start well before the planned birth. We check in advance whether the family can get residence by the required date, and if not, we say so straight away.
If the child was registered as the child of a transient foreigner
Such a child does not lose the link with Chile for good. The Constitution leaves them the right to opt for Chilean nationality: the application is filed with the National Migration Service within one year after turning 18, and this deadline is not extended. Citizenship can come earlier through naturalization: from age 14, if the child holds permanent residence, has 5 years of residence in Chile and the parents' notarised consent.
The registry entry can be challenged in court. The outcome depends on whether the family can prove it already lived in Chile on the day of birth and intended to stay, so we collect evidence of life in the country in advance.
The parents' path to citizenship
If the child is registered as a Chilean citizen, the parents gain a family basis. Permanent residence can be requested after 12 months of temporary residence instead of the usual 24. A parent of a Chilean qualifies for the shortened route to citizenship: permanent residence and 2 years of continuous residence in Chile. Without a citizen child, the general naturalization period is 5 years of residence, with permanent residence held at the time of applying.
If the child was registered as the child of a transient foreigner, there is no family basis and the parents follow the general rules. More on naturalization on the Chilean citizenship page.
If the child needs a passport by birth
If getting residence in Chile before the birth is not possible, there are countries where tourists' children also get citizenship by birth: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay. Timelines for the parents, budgets and limits for each country are compared in our overview giving birth abroad for citizenship.
What we do
Murblz specialists assess your timeline to the birth, choose the basis and arrange Chilean temporary residence from abroad, support the birth registration and the child's documents, and then the parents' path to permanent residence and citizenship. If residence cannot be obtained before the birth, we say so honestly and suggest a country where the child will be a citizen from birth. A consultant will calculate the cost in the chat.
Benefits of a Chilean passport
Freedom of travel
A Chilean passport gives visa-free access to 174 countries, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan and Singapore.
Residence across Mercosur
Chilean citizens obtain residence in Mercosur countries through a simplified procedure under the residence agreement.
Dual citizenship
Chile allows its citizens to keep the citizenship of other countries.
Social guarantees and safety
Access to public education and healthcare, plus consular support abroad.
How to get Chilean citizenship for your child step by step
Timeline and basis check
We check how much time is left before the birth and on what basis the family can obtain residence.
Residence before the birth
We file for temporary residence from abroad so that it is valid on the day of birth.
Birth and registration
The registry records the child as a Chilean citizen if the parents hold residence; we check the entry on the birth certificate.
The child's documents
We obtain the child's Chilean identity card and passport.
The parents' path
Permanent residence after 12 months of temporary residence, citizenship after 2 years of continuous residence.
FAQ
Will a tourist's baby get citizenship at birth in Chile?
Who gets Chilean citizenship by birth?
Can you get residence after arriving in Chile as a tourist?
What if the child was registered as the child of a transient foreigner?
How many years until the parents get citizenship?
Where do tourists' children get citizenship by birth?
174 countries visa-free with a Chilean passport
Europe
The Americas
Asia and Oceania
Services
Murblz services in Chile
Giving birth abroad is more than a clinic and a birth certificate: the family needs a bank account and housing, and the parents later need residence. Murblz specialists help with the account, property and company in the same country. The quote is fixed in writing before work starts.
Next step for parents - residence and citizenship:
See also
Related programs and destinations
All programs - Chile:
Similar destinations:
The same program in other countries:
How to send money to Chile in 2026 →
We can help with the transfer: ask in the chat.
Articles about Chile
How to send money to Chile in 2026: pesos or dollars in 1-3 business days and an amount matched to a price in the unit of account
Read →Buying an apartment in Chile and Santiago in 2026
Read →Relocating to Chile in 2026: visas, taxes, money and the fine print
Read →Giving birth in Chile in 2026: a top-tier passport with a catch most agencies won't mention
Read →Relocating to Chile in 2025: pros, cons, residency and the cost of living
Read →Choosing where to give birth in 2025: the US, Canada, Portugal, Argentina, Chile and Brazil
Read →Planning your child's birth in Chile?
We help with the clinic and registering your child as a Chilean citizen and arrange the parents' residence for later naturalization. The catalogue covers other routes to a second passport.
The Murblz consultant replies straight away in the chat on this page. Describe your situation and we will work it out together.
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