Bolivia: Information on the residence requirements for the acquisition of Bolivian nationality
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 January 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | BOL15786.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Bolivia: Information on the residence requirements for the acquisition of Bolivian nationality, 1 January 1994, BOL15786.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab9030.html [accessed 27 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Please consult the section on nationality of the 1967 Constitution of Bolivia, attached to Response to Information Request BOL15785 of 4 January 1994, which governs acquisition and loss of Bolivian nationality.
According to a consular officer at the Embassy of Bolivia in Washington, DC, in order to apply for Bolivian nationality a foreigner must reside in Bolivia for one or two years (depending on the specific circumstances of the case, as outlined in the constitution) (4 Jan. 1994). Normally, a person seeking Bolivian nationality will first obtain a temporary visitor's permit or visa that is good for remaining in Bolivia only 30 days (ibid.). During this first month of residence the person can request a temporary residence permit that is valid for one or two years (ibid.). After residing in Bolivia for a year or two, the person can apply for Bolivian nationality (ibid.). The source added that although permanent residents can apply for Bolivian nationality after residing in Bolivia for more than one or two years, they can lose their permanent resident status if they are absent from Bolivia for an uninterrupted year or longer (ibid.). Finally, the source stated that the authorities in Bolivia make decisions on questions of naturalization according to the existing regulations and the specific circumstances of each case (ibid.).
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
Consulate of Bolivia, Washington, DC. 4 January 1994. Telephone interview with consular officer.
Attachment
Flanz, Gisbert H., Carol Corcoran and Sandra Laureano. July 1992. "Bolivia," Constitutions of the Countries of the World. Edited by Albert P. Blaustein and Gisbert H. Flanz. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Oceana Publications, pp. 27-28.
