Chile Forum

Hi all- My father is a Chilean citizen ex-detenido, who was exiled to this country in the late seventies after some very sh-tty years ( Im sure you all know) of torture and encarceration.. I was born here, and have visted Chile, where the majority of my family still resides. I am curious about obtaining Chilean citizenship... I think since my father is still a Chilean citizen that I am a candidate.. he told me to contact the consulate, but so far what I can see on their website is mostly about visas.. do I need to get a visa and move to Chile before I can get Chilean citizenship even though my dad is Chilean? Any info would be great.
thanks.

There is a new law allowing people in your situation to have duel citizenship.

Bring your father's birth certificate to the consulate and register yourself.That's all you have to do.My son is also an american born of a chilean mother and italian father and I asked at the consulate the citizenship question just in case in the future he decides to visit and reside in Chile.He is automatically a chilean citizen as well (dual citizenship) but he hasn't registered to any Consulate.You don't need a visa.Give them a call and they will answer all your questions (hopefully you'll find magnificent people as I did.... at the Consulate in Philly of all places!)

Sorry had to run with that brief posting.

Do not get discouraged if the consulate blows you off. We have had many problems with the consulates around the World. We just spent a week arguing with their translators in New York over how they would translate a legal term to English for an official document.

There are a bunch of reasons, but they are in part really really busy and two the people you talk to are often neither Chilean attorneys nor often even authorized to tell you the information they tell you (i.e. not really the last word, buck stops here type authority). So, don't be surprised if you get some odd or incomplete answers from them.

If so, try, try again. Just consider it an informal citizenship test. Knowing how to place persistent steady pressure on low level bureaucrats is a real art form in Chile.

Again, the consulate should handle it, but...

Who you really want to talk to is immigration in Chile and there is also a special procedure at the civil registry that needs to be completed.

The new law that was passed was designed to fix a situation where most people that want to become full citizens had to give up their existing citizenship in other countries like the United States or in Europe, even though they where born there. Basically kids that had a right to Chilean citizenship where not applying because they had to give up their home.