Chilean Nationality by Carta de Nacionalización
Answer
The general rule applies to you
No exception is recorded for citizens of Colombia on this topic. That is the answer, not a gap - everything below is the rule you get, unchanged.
81 exceptions recorded across 33 countries · none match Colombia to Chile · Becoming a citizen
Naturalisation in Chile is governed by a 1960 decree that the 2021 migration law left largely in place, and it asks for two things the neighbours do not: you must already hold permanent residency, and the consolidated text still requires you to renounce your existing nationality. The ordinary wait is five years of residence plus permanent residency; a family tie to a Chilean cuts it to two years of continuous residence. The decision is the President's, by decree countersigned by the Interior Minister - it is a grant, not an entitlement.
At a glance
- Ordinary residence requirement
- More than 5 years
- Also required
- Current permanent residency
- Counted from
- The electronic stamp of the temporary residency that led to permanent residency
- With a family tie to a Chilean
- 2 years of continuous residence
- Spouse route
- Married to a Chilean for at least 2 years, marriage registered in Chile, living in a common home
- Renunciation of prior nationality
- Required by the consolidated text of Decreto 5.142
Decreto supremo N° 5.142 de 1960 is the consolidated text on the naturalisation of foreigners, left in force by article 84 of Ley 21.325. The renunciation requirement is its article 2, inciso segundo, as amended by DL 1.432 de 1976.
- Minimum age
- 18, or 14 for children of foreigners with parental authorisation
- Who decides
- The President of the Republic, by decree countersigned by the Interior Minister
- Where you apply
- From inside Chile only
- Short trips abroad
- The Interior Minister decides whether they broke continuity
Requirements
- Be 18 or over, or 14 with the authorisation of whoever has personal care of you
- More than five years of residence in Chilean territory
- Hold a current permiso de permanencia definitiva (permanent residency)
- Renounce your nationality of origin, and any other you hold or could hold - formalised in writing after the application is approved in principle
- Alternatively, two years of continuous residence as a permanent resident plus a qualifying family tie to Chile
- Applied for online through the migration service's portal, from inside Chile only
In detail
Permanent residency is a precondition, not a stepping stone
Chile does not let residence time alone carry you to nationality. The decree asks for more than five years of residence and for a current permanent residence permit, and the migration service counts the five years from the electronic stamp of the temporary residency that gave rise to the permanent one. Since permanent residency itself normally needs 24 months of temporary residency, and longer if you have been away, the real sequence is temporary, then permanent, then a wait, then the application.
The renunciation clause
The consolidated text of the 1960 decree, in the version dated 12 February 2022, still contains the requirement introduced in 1976 that the applicant renounce their nationality of origin and any other they hold or could hold, in writing and in person, after the authority has assessed the file favourably. This is a real divergence from Argentina, Uruguay and Colombia, none of which asks a naturalising foreigner to give anything up. It is also a point where the government's own public-facing pages are silent: neither the migration service's nationality page nor the ChileAtiende card mentions it. We record the statute as we read it and flag the silence rather than resolving it.
The two-year route for family
Article 85 of the migration law creates a shorter path for permanent residents with two years of continuous residence who are the spouse of a Chilean for at least two years with the marriage registered in Chile and living in a common home, a blood relative of a Chilean to the second degree or adopted by one, or the child of someone who was Chilean and lost the nationality before the applicant was born. The migration service publishes the same three cases.
Children of recognised refugees
Both the decree and the migration service state a separate rule: a person under 18 whose parent has been recognised as a refugee by Chile may naturalise as soon as at least one parent has obtained the naturalisation certificate, without meeting any other legal requirement.
Country-level policy
Every Chilean residence route runs through the same gate. Permanent residency normally needs 24 months of temporary residency in a subcategory that admits the application, and that number is not fixed: time spent out of the country pushes it up on a published scale that reaches 48 months, while family ties, a pension, an investment or a recognised contribution can pull it down to 12. Once granted it is indefinite, but it lapses by itself after two continuous years abroad. This is the fact that decides how long each of the residence topics on this page actually takes.
What applies to you
Nothing changes for a citizen of Colombia
We have no rule recorded that treats your citizenship differently here, so the general rule above is the one that applies to you. That is an answer, not a gap.
What the law says
«Artículo 84.- Otorgamiento de la nacionalidad chilena. La nacionalidad chilena se otorgará conforme al decreto supremo Nº 5.142, de 1960, del Ministerio del Interior, que fija el texto refundido de las disposiciones sobre nacionalización de extranjeros.»Our translation - not official
Article 84.- Granting of Chilean nationality. Chilean nationality shall be granted in accordance with supreme decree No. 5,142 of 1960 of the Ministry of the Interior, which fixes the consolidated text of the provisions on naturalisation of foreigners.
The 2021 migration law deliberately did not rewrite naturalisation. It points back at a 1960 decree, so the rules a reader meets here are much older than the rest of the system.
Read it at the sourceAbout this source
The National Congress Library's consolidated-law service. Publishes each norm as a dated, versioned consolidated text with amendment provenance in the margin and an explicit last-version date.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: Holds the text and nothing about how it is applied - no practice, forms, fees or processing times. It also does not follow delegation: Ley 21.325 art. 27 hands the visa-required country list to a supreme decree, and reading art. 27 tells you nothing about that list. Beware the printing view, where margin notes interleave into the middle of sentences, so a quotation taken from a rendered page will not match the stored text.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Artículo 2.o Podrá otorgarse carta de nacionalización a los extranjeros que hayan cumplido 18 años de edad, que tengan más de cinco años de residencia en el territorio de la República y que sean titulares del permiso de permanencia definitiva.»Our translation - not official
Article 2. A naturalisation certificate may be granted to foreigners who have reached 18 years of age, who have more than five years of residence in the territory of the Republic, and who hold the permanent residence permit.
'Podrá otorgarse' - may be granted. Meeting the conditions makes you eligible, not entitled.
Read it at the sourceAbout this source
The National Congress Library's consolidated-law service. Publishes each norm as a dated, versioned consolidated text with amendment provenance in the margin and an explicit last-version date.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: Holds the text and nothing about how it is applied - no practice, forms, fees or processing times. It also does not follow delegation: Ley 21.325 art. 27 hands the visa-required country list to a supreme decree, and reading art. 27 tells you nothing about that list. Beware the printing view, where margin notes interleave into the middle of sentences, so a quotation taken from a rendered page will not match the stored text.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Será requisito para la concesión de la carta de nacionalización que el extranjero renuncie a su nacionalidad de origen, o a cualquier otra adquirida o que pudiere corresponderle.»Our translation - not official
It shall be a requirement for the grant of the naturalisation certificate that the foreigner renounce their nationality of origin, or any other acquired or to which they might be entitled.
Introduced in 1976 and still present in the consolidated text as at 12 February 2022. Ley 21.325 art. 175 N° 11 deleted article 3 of this decree and left article 2 standing. Neither the migration service's guidance page nor the ChileAtiende card mentions the renunciation, which is a discrepancy worth raising with the authority before relying on either reading.
Read it at the sourceAbout this source
The National Congress Library's consolidated-law service. Publishes each norm as a dated, versioned consolidated text with amendment provenance in the margin and an explicit last-version date.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: Holds the text and nothing about how it is applied - no practice, forms, fees or processing times. It also does not follow delegation: Ley 21.325 art. 27 hands the visa-required country list to a supreme decree, and reading art. 27 tells you nothing about that list. Beware the printing view, where margin notes interleave into the middle of sentences, so a quotation taken from a rendered page will not match the stored text.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Esta renuncia se formalizará, ante el Ministerio del Interior, si el extranjero residiere en la Región Metropolitana de Santiago, o ante el Intendente o Gobernador respectivo, si residiere en provincia, y deberá ser escrita y firmada personalmente por el solicitante.»Our translation - not official
This renunciation shall be formalised before the Ministry of the Interior if the foreigner resides in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, or before the respective Intendant or Governor if they reside in a province, and must be written and signed personally by the applicant.
The same paragraph places the renunciation after the authority has assessed the application favourably, so it is the last step rather than a precondition of filing.
Read it at the sourceAbout this source
The National Congress Library's consolidated-law service. Publishes each norm as a dated, versioned consolidated text with amendment provenance in the margin and an explicit last-version date.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: Holds the text and nothing about how it is applied - no practice, forms, fees or processing times. It also does not follow delegation: Ley 21.325 art. 27 hands the visa-required country list to a supreme decree, and reading art. 27 tells you nothing about that list. Beware the printing view, where margin notes interleave into the middle of sentences, so a quotation taken from a rendered page will not match the stored text.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Corresponderá al Ministro del Interior calificar, atendidas las circunstancias, si viajes accidentales al extranjero han interrumpido o no la residencia continuada, a que se refiere el inciso precedente.»Our translation - not official
It shall fall to the Interior Minister to assess, in the circumstances, whether incidental trips abroad have interrupted the continuous residence referred to in the preceding paragraph.
Compare Argentina, where the two-year residence for citizenship is read as admitting no departures at all. Chile leaves it to a minister's judgement.
Read it at the sourceAbout this source
The National Congress Library's consolidated-law service. Publishes each norm as a dated, versioned consolidated text with amendment provenance in the margin and an explicit last-version date.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: Holds the text and nothing about how it is applied - no practice, forms, fees or processing times. It also does not follow delegation: Ley 21.325 art. 27 hands the visa-required country list to a supreme decree, and reading art. 27 tells you nothing about that list. Beware the printing view, where margin notes interleave into the middle of sentences, so a quotation taken from a rendered page will not match the stored text.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Artículo 85.- Nacionalización calificada. También podrán solicitar la nacionalización aquellos residentes definitivos que acrediten dos años de residencia continuada en el territorio nacional, y que tengan alguno de los siguientes vínculos con la República de Chile:»Our translation - not official
Article 85.- Qualified naturalisation. Permanent residents who show two years of continuous residence in national territory and who have one of the following ties with the Republic of Chile may also apply for naturalisation:
This is the one part of naturalisation the 2021 law did write itself, and it is the fast route: two years instead of five, for people with a Chilean family connection.
Read it at the sourceAbout this source
The National Congress Library's consolidated-law service. Publishes each norm as a dated, versioned consolidated text with amendment provenance in the margin and an explicit last-version date.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: Holds the text and nothing about how it is applied - no practice, forms, fees or processing times. It also does not follow delegation: Ley 21.325 art. 27 hands the visa-required country list to a supreme decree, and reading art. 27 tells you nothing about that list. Beware the printing view, where margin notes interleave into the middle of sentences, so a quotation taken from a rendered page will not match the stored text.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Artículo 1.o La nacionalización se otorgará por el Presidente de la República, en decreto refrendado por el Ministro del Interior.»Our translation - not official
Article 1. Naturalisation shall be granted by the President of the Republic, by decree countersigned by the Interior Minister.
About this source
The National Congress Library's consolidated-law service. Publishes each norm as a dated, versioned consolidated text with amendment provenance in the margin and an explicit last-version date.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: Holds the text and nothing about how it is applied - no practice, forms, fees or processing times. It also does not follow delegation: Ley 21.325 art. 27 hands the visa-required country list to a supreme decree, and reading art. 27 tells you nothing about that list. Beware the printing view, where margin notes interleave into the middle of sentences, so a quotation taken from a rendered page will not match the stored text.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Con todo, también podrán solicitar carta de nacionalización los hijos de
extranjeros que hayan cumplido 14 años de edad, tengan más de cinco años de
residencia en el territorio de la República, cuenten para ello con la autorización
de quienes estén a cargo de su cuidado personal y hayan obtenido permiso de
permanencia definitiva.»Our translation - not official
Even so, children of foreigners who have reached 14 years of age, have more than five years of residence in the territory of the Republic, have for that purpose the authorisation of those responsible for their personal care and have obtained a permanent residence permit may also apply for a letter of naturalisation.
BCN's annotated text attributes this paragraph to Ley 20.888, art. único N° 1 b), D.O. 08.01.2016. The child needs permanent residency and five years of residence in their own right; the authorisation comes from whoever has their personal care, which is not always a parent.
Read it at the sourceAbout this source
The National Congress Library's consolidated-law service. Publishes each norm as a dated, versioned consolidated text with amendment provenance in the margin and an explicit last-version date.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: Holds the text and nothing about how it is applied - no practice, forms, fees or processing times. It also does not follow delegation: Ley 21.325 art. 27 hands the visa-required country list to a supreme decree, and reading art. 27 tells you nothing about that list. Beware the printing view, where margin notes interleave into the middle of sentences, so a quotation taken from a rendered page will not match the stored text.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
Practical notes
The application is filed through the migration service's digital portal with ClaveÚnica, and can only be made from inside Chile.
Applicants aged 14 to 17 need notarised authorisation from both parents, with an apostilled or legalised authorisation where one parent is abroad.
A separate constitutional route exists for people granted nationality by special law, and Chilean nationality is also acquired by birth in the territory - neither is covered here.
The fee depends on the case and is published on the migration service's schedule of migration charges rather than in the decree.
- consolidatesDecreto 5.142 de 1960 - texto refundido sobre nacionalización de extranjeros
Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile (Ley Chile)
About this source
The National Congress Library's consolidated-law service. Publishes each norm as a dated, versioned consolidated text with amendment provenance in the margin and an explicit last-version date.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: Holds the text and nothing about how it is applied - no practice, forms, fees or processing times. It also does not follow delegation: Ley 21.325 art. 27 hands the visa-required country list to a supreme decree, and reading art. 27 tells you nothing about that list. Beware the printing view, where margin notes interleave into the middle of sentences, so a quotation taken from a rendered page will not match the stored text.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
- adjudicatesNacionalidad chilena
Servicio Nacional de Migraciones (Chile)
About this source
The agency created by Ley 21.325 that grants, extends and revokes residence permits and decides nationalisation files. Its pages carry a per-page update date, which makes staleness visible without a diff.
Standing: Decides what it means
Cannot be cited for: Not the text of the law - its pages summarise and occasionally narrow it. Not fees, which sit on a separate schedule expressed relative to the minimum income. Not the visa-required country list, which it hands to the foreign ministry. Nothing on tax or health entitlement.
We re-read it every 45 days. More about this source
- reportsSolicitud de Carta de Nacionalización
ChileAtiende, Instituto de Previsión Social (Chile)
About this source
The state's citizen-services portal. Each card carries its own update date and aggregates one procedure across whichever body owns it.
Standing: Reports, establishes nothing
Cannot be cited for: Never the originating authority. It is a restatement layer and demonstrably drops things - its nationalisation card omits the renunciation requirement contained in the decree it links to. Its account card describes one commercial product of one bank and is not evidence of what the law requires of banks. Corroboration that sends you elsewhere, never the last source read.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source