Does Chile Allow Dual Citizenship? 2026 Dual Citizenship Guide

Yes, Chile allows dual citizenship. Since the constitutional reform of 2005, Chileans keep their nationality when they acquire another, and foreigners who naturalize do not have to renounce their original citizenship. Chilean nationality is lost only by voluntary renunciation or a few narrow constitutional grounds.

Does Chile Allow Dual Citizenship?

Chile allows dual citizenship, and in fact multiple citizenship, with any country. A person can be Chilean and hold one or more other nationalities at the same time, with no general cap on the number. This applies in both directions: a Chilean who naturalizes abroad keeps Chilean nationality, and a foreigner who naturalizes in Chile keeps their home nationality.

The rule sits in Articles 10 to 12 of the Constitution. Article 10 sets out how nationality is acquired, and Article 11 lists the narrow ways it can be lost. Nothing in either article forces a dual national to choose. This is one of the more open positions in Latin America, and it makes Chilean citizenship attractive to people who do not want to give up an existing passport.

What Changed in 2005?

Dual citizenship in Chile has a clear before and after. The dividing line is Law 20.050, published on August 26, 2005, which reformed the nationality articles of the Constitution.

Before 2005, the rule was restrictive. Becoming Chilean by naturalization generally required renouncing the prior nationality, and a Chilean who took another citizenship could lose Chilean status. The only standing exception was the dual-nationality treaty with Spain, signed in 1958, which let Spaniards born in Spain and Chileans born in Chile hold both. That is why older sources still claim Chile does not recognize dual citizenship except with Spain. Those sources are out of date.

Law 20.050 removed the renunciation requirement and opened dual nationality to any country. Since then, acquiring another citizenship no longer costs a Chilean their nationality, and naturalizing in Chile no longer costs a foreigner theirs.

Who Can Hold Dual Citizenship in Chile?

Every route into Chilean nationality is compatible with holding another. The table below maps the main paths and what each one means for a second passport.

For the detail on each path, see our guides to citizenship by birth, citizenship by descent, citizenship by marriage, and citizenship by naturalization.

How Do You Keep Both Nationalities?

For most people the answer is simple: do nothing special. Chile does not ask a new citizen to renounce anything, and it does not strip a Chilean who naturalizes elsewhere. Dual status exists by default once each nationality is acquired through its own rules.

Two practical habits matter. First, register the foreign-born route correctly. A child born abroad to a Chilean parent should be registered through a Chilean consulate to document the nationality. Second, travel on the right document. A dual national should enter and leave Chile on the Chilean passport, because Chile treats them as Chilean while in the country. The same logic applies in the other nationality's territory.

When Can Chilean Nationality Be Lost?

Dual citizenship is secure because the grounds for losing Chilean nationality are few and listed exhaustively in Article 11. Acquiring another passport is not one of them.

Because voluntary renunciation only works once a second nationality is in hand, even giving up Chilean nationality presupposes that dual status was allowed in the first place.

Does Your Home Country Allow It?

This is the question most people forget. Chile permitting dual citizenship does not bind any other state. Some countries automatically withdraw their nationality when a citizen voluntarily acquires another, or require a formal renunciation. The risk sits with your home country's law, not Chile's.

Treat the table as a starting point, not legal advice. The safe step before naturalizing is a written check with your own government on whether taking Chilean nationality affects your original status.

What Are the Benefits and Practical Rules of Dual Citizenship?

The headline benefit is mobility. The Chilean passport reaches 174 destinations visa-free in 2026, the strongest in Latin America, while a second passport adds its own access. A dual national can live, work, own property, and vote in Chile with no foreigner restrictions, and can pass Chilean nationality to children born abroad through descent.

A few practical rules apply. Use the Chilean passport to enter and exit Chile, and the relevant passport for each other country. Chile does not tax on nationality, but tax residence is a separate matter from citizenship, so cross-border tax questions should go to a qualified adviser. For families putting down roots, our guide to Chilean residency covers the steps that precede naturalization.

Common Misconceptions to Avoid

A handful of myths cause most of the confusion around Chilean dual citizenship:

• Believing Chile bans dual citizenship except with Spain. That was true before 2005 and is now outdated.
• Assuming you must renounce your old passport to naturalize. Chile dropped that requirement with Law 20.050.
• Forgetting the home-country side. Chile may allow it while your own country does not.
• Traveling on the wrong passport. Enter and leave Chile as a Chilean, using the Chilean passport.
• Confusing tax residence with citizenship. Holding a Chilean passport does not by itself create a Chilean tax liability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Chile Allow Dual Citizenship in 2026?

Yes. Chile allows dual and multiple citizenship with any country, with no general limit on the number of nationalities. Since the 2005 constitutional reform, neither acquiring a foreign nationality nor naturalizing in Chile requires giving up another passport. The rule is set out in Articles 10 to 12 of the Constitution.

Do I Have to Give Up My Original Citizenship to Become Chilean?

No. Foreigners who naturalize in Chile keep their original nationality. The old renunciation requirement was removed by Law 20.050 of 2005. Whether your first citizenship survives also depends on your home country, since a few states withdraw nationality when a citizen naturalizes elsewhere.

Will I Lose Chilean Nationality if I Become a Citizen of Another Country?

No. A Chilean who acquires another nationality keeps Chilean status automatically. Acquiring a foreign passport is not a ground for loss under Article 11. Chilean nationality is lost only by voluntary renunciation, a wartime supreme decree, or cancellation of a naturalization grant.

Did Chile Always Allow Dual Citizenship?

No. Before the 2005 reform, naturalizing usually required renouncing the prior nationality, and the only standing dual-nationality route was the 1958 treaty with Spain. Law 20.050 changed this, opening dual citizenship to any country. Sources that say Chile only allows it with Spain are out of date.

Which Passport Should a Dual Citizen Use to Enter Chile?

Use the Chilean passport to enter and exit Chile. Chile treats its nationals as Chilean while in the country, regardless of any other nationality held. In the other country's territory, use that country's passport. This avoids border complications and keeps each entry consistent with local law.

Can My Children Hold Dual Citizenship Through Me?

Yes. A child born abroad to a Chilean parent can acquire Chilean nationality by descent, registered through a Chilean consulate, while keeping the nationality of their country of birth. A child born in Chile to foreign parents is Chilean by birth and may also hold the parents' nationality.

How Golden Harbors Helps

Golden Harbors advisors map dual citizenship from both sides: how a person acquires or keeps Chilean nationality, and how their home country treats taking a second one. The team confirms the right acquisition route, handles consular registration for descent cases, sequences residence and naturalization for foreigners, and flags the home-country rules that could put an existing passport at risk, so a dual-citizenship plan holds up in both jurisdictions rather than only in Chile.

Last reviewed: June 2026.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or immigration advice. Program terms, tax rates, and regulatory requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements before acting.