Who can apply for Chilean citizenship?
The children of foreign parents who are in Chile in the service of their government, or the children of temporary foreigners, may opt for Chilean citizenship as indicated in Article 10 of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Chile.
Procedure to obtain citizenship
To opt for Chilean citizenship, you must apply through a declaration of Opción a la nacionalidad chilena (Option to Chilean citizenship) within the period of one year, counted from the date on which you have reached 18 years of age. This application must be submitted to the Servicio Nacional de Migraciones (SERMIG), or to the Chilean consul or diplomatic agent abroad, in the place where you reside. In any of the situations described above, you must pay the corresponding fees.
Once the authority has determined that you meet the requirements, the SERMIG or the corresponding Consulate, if you are outside the country, will inform that you must go to the Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación (SRCel) to obtain your Cédula de Identidad (Chilean ID), and passport as a Chilean.
