When can you lose Chilean citizenship?
Chilean citizenship can be lost for the reasons established by law:
- Voluntary renounce expressed before the competent Chilean authority.
- Supreme decree, in case of provision of services during a foreign war to enemies of Chile or its allies.
- Cancellation of the Carta de Nacionalización.
- Law that revokes the nationalization granted by grace.
Important:
- If you are Chilean by birth, you will not lose your nationality because you are a citizen of another country, unless you voluntarily renounce it before the competent Chilean authority, as indicated in Art. 10 of the CPR (Chilean Constitution).
- If your birth certificate has a notation of loss of citizenship issued under previous legislation, you can request the removal of that annotation.
1. Renunciation of Chilean citizenship
Attention!
New procedure effective December 1, 2025
- The renunciation must be apply for through the Digital Procedures Portal of the Servicio Nacional de Migraciones (SERMIG), fulfilling all requirements.
- This procedure is for individuals who have obtained citizenship in a foreign country, which must be proven with a letter or official document.
Requirements
Start the application
In the SERMIG Procedures Portal, select the option “Eliminación de anotación de pérdida de la nacionalidad chilena” and log in as appropriate:
- If you are in Chile: access only with your ClaveÚnica.
- If you reside abroad: log in with your ClaveÚnica or your personal account. If you don’t have one, register on the Portal.
* Spanish only.
SERMIG will review your application and, if it is admissible, will send it to the Civil Registry and Identification Service to register the renunciation. You will be notified of the decision at the email address provided in the application.
2. Recovery of the Chilean citizenship
The recovery only applies to people who lost their citizenship in the situations provided for in Art. 11 of the Chilean Constitution.
3. Removal of the annotation of loss of Chilean citizenship
Attention!
New procedure effective December 1, 2025
- The application is submitted through the SERMIG Digital Services Portal, fulfilling all requirements.
- This procedure is for individuals who lost their Chilean citizenship by becoming citizens of a foreign country while the Constitution prior to the reform of Law No. 20.050 (published on August 26, 2005) was in effect, and whose birth certificate reflects this loss.
Requirements
Start the application
In the SERMIG Procedures Portal, select the option “Eliminación de anotación de pérdida de la nacionalidad chilena” and log in as appropriate:
- If you are in Chile: access the SERMIG Online Procedures Portal with your ClaveÚnica.
- If you reside abroad: log in with your ClaveÚnica or your personal account. If you don’t have one, register on the Portal.
* Spanish only.
SERMIG will review your application and, if it is admissible, will forward it to the Civil Registry and Identification Service to remove the entry. You will be notified of the decision via the email address provided in your request.
