2024-07-06 16:40:49
In the last 10 years, Venezuelan citizens have led the requests for Chilean naturalization, followed by those from Colombia.
A study showed that naturalization applications skyrocketed by 300% in Chile in the last three years.
The analysis by the consulting firm Nómade and released by LUN, based on the records of the National Migration Service, showed that between 2021 and 2023, 85,270 foreign citizens requested Chilean nationality.
While in 2021 there were only 10,436 requests for naturalization, in 2023 they reached 42,147.
Meanwhile, the increase in requirements in the same period soared to 1,700%.
In the last 10 years, 109,904 foreigners have applied for naturalisation, from 2,250 in 2013 to 42,147 in 2023. However, only 14.9% of them were accepted, i.e. 16,466 people.
José Tomás Vicuña, from Nómade, explained that “naturalization implies acquiring Chilean nationality, so the person is considered Chilean for any State procedure. In the case of having residency, even if it is permanent, the person continues to be a foreigner, because residency is a document that has implications related to legally residing in Chile.”
Regarding this increase in formal applications over the last decade, Vicuña said that “the percentage is very large, but we see that the quantities are still small. The percentage is very high because the vast majority of migrants in Chile are meeting at least one of the requirements, which is to have lived in the country for five years.”
Venezuelans lead requests for naturalization
In the last 10 years, Venezuelan citizens have led the requests for Chilean naturalization, followed by those born in Colombia.
- Venezuela = 49.281
- Colombia = 15.249
- Peru = 10,967
- Haiti = 7,565
- Ecuador = 5.621
- Bolivia = 4.704
- Dominican Republic = 3,895
- Cuba = 3.539
- Argentina = 1.676
- Spain = 649