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Do I need permanent residency before applying for citizenship?

Ciudadanía legal is based primarily on confirmed habitual residence and compliance with the requirements of the Constitution, not on mere possession of a permanent residence card.

Nationality and passport

Answer

Ciudadanía legal is based primarily on confirmed habitual residence and fulfillment of the constitutional requirements, rather than merely holding a permanent residence card for a certain number of years. Therefore, immigration residence status and citizenship are separate procedures, and the date you obtained your cédula cannot be assumed to mark the beginning of the relevant period without verification.

In practice, resident documents help confirm your lawful status and history of living in the country, and a particular office may request information about your immigration status. The absence of completed permanent residency should be interpreted neither as an automatic refusal nor as a guarantee that the application will be accepted.

Before your appointment, show your timeline to the Corte Electoral or a specialist: your first entry, residency application, cédula, departures, and proof of domicilio. Obtain a written list of the documents required for your particular status, and do not delay gathering evidence of actual residence.

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