Uploaded October 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this video we will discuss 5 of the easiest countries to get citizenship in South America.
😊 Best Travel Resources & Personal Consulting
https://linktr.ee/tomblakefinance
-----
💵 Join The Wealthy Traveler (FREE Guides!)
wealthytraveler.beehiiv.com/subscribe
-----
💸 Find Remote Work & Gigs
flexjobs.sjv.io/jrQQ1M
-----
💻 Top Laptop Side Hustles
thebudgetdiet.com/make-money-with-a-laptop
-----
00:00 Intro
0:45 Argentina
Argentina is a great option if you want to live in South America for a few years, experience the local lifestyle, learn Spanish, and on top of that, become a citizen of the country.
The time needed for an applicant to become eligible for Argentine citizenship is quite short, and after just two years living in the country you may apply to become a citizen of the country.
The Argentine passport is the second strongest in Latin America, just after Chile.
Argentine citizens can travel visa free for short stays to the European Union, the UK, Russia and even Japan. Very few South American passports have visa free access to Japan, and the Argentine passport is one of them.
01:40 Peru
Peru is also a great option if you want to live in South America and obtain a second citizenship fast.
By residing in Peru two consecutive years you can apply for Peruvian nationality.
The Peruvian passport is a relatively strong one. You can enter any country part of the European Union without a visa for stays of up to 90 days.
Peruvian passport holders also can travel to Russia visa free, for stays of up to 90 days.
02:32 Brazil
Brazil is another option if you want to live in South America and acquire a quite strong passport after living a number of years in a country.
In Brazil, the time requirement to apply for citizenship is 4 years. But Brazil has a lot of exceptions in which you can apply for citizenship with a much shorter time living in the country.
If you are married to a Brazilian national, or if you have a child born in Brazil, you can apply for citizenship after just one year in the country. Citizens of other Portuguese speaking countries can also apply after just one year residing in Brazil.
It is also mandatory to know the Portuguese language in order to successfully acquire Brazilian citizenship.
The Brazilian passport is a pretty strong one, with visa free access for short stays in the European Union, the UK, Russia and many others. Although you will need a visa to go to the US or Canada for example.
03:26 Bolivia
Bolivia is another country in South America that may be a good option, if you want to move to the continent, and also if you want to invest.
Bolivia is currently one of the fastest growing countries in South America, but it is also one of the poorest. So, it might just be a perfect place to invest if you have the right idea.
To acquire Bolivian citizenship you will need to reside three years in the country.
Among the Spanish speaking countries in South America Bolivia actually has the weakest passport. You cannot travel to the EU or UK without a visa using a Bolivian passport.
04:03 Colombia
Colombia is the last country in our list, and from the list the one that requires more time on the ground to get citizenship. Colombia is also one of the most stable countries currently in the region, and one of the closest to reach if you are traveling from the US or Canada.
In Colombia however, you need to live 5 years in the country to apply for citizenship. The good thing is that there are a number of exceptions, so if you qualify in one of them, you can get it much faster.
04:45 Advantages South American citizenship
04:48 Dual citizenship
Another advantage that most South American countries offer is that they broadly allow dual citizenship in cases of naturalization.
05:28 Faster naturalization process in Spain
One less known advantage of most passports in South America, is that if you move to Spain you may be able to apply for Spanish citizenship just after living two years in the country, when the usual requirement is 10 years.
06:24 Strong visa free access for short stays
Contrary to what most people think, most South American passports are actually quite good to travel in Europe and Asia. This doesn’t apply to all countries in the region, but to most of them.
07:25 Ability to live and work in other countries in South America
Another interesting advantage of having a South American citizenship is that depending on which citizenship you have, you will be able to live and work in other South American countries, depending on regional or bilateral agreements.
08:15 Important consideration
One important thing you should consider is that once you reach the number of years needed to apply for naturalization, you will be able to start your process.
In this video we will discuss 5 of the easiest countries to get citizenship in South America.
😊 Best Travel Resources & Personal Consulting
https://linktr.ee/tomblakefinance
-----
💵 Join The Wealthy Traveler (FREE Guides!)
wealthytraveler.beehiiv.com/subscribe
-----
💸 Find Remote Work & Gigs
flexjobs.sjv.io/jrQQ1M
-----
💻 Top Laptop Side Hustles
thebudgetdiet.com/make-money-with-a-laptop
-----
00:00 Intro
0:45 Argentina
Argentina is a great option if you want to live in South America for a few years, experience the local lifestyle, learn Spanish, and on top of that, become a citizen of the country.
The time needed for an applicant to become eligible for Argentine citizenship is quite short, and after just two years living in the country you may apply to become a citizen of the country.
The Argentine passport is the second strongest in Latin America, just after Chile.
Argentine citizens can travel visa free for short stays to the European Union, the UK, Russia and even Japan. Very few South American passports have visa free access to Japan, and the Argentine passport is one of them.
01:40 Peru
Peru is also a great option if you want to live in South America and obtain a second citizenship fast.
By residing in Peru two consecutive years you can apply for Peruvian nationality.
The Peruvian passport is a relatively strong one. You can enter any country part of the European Union without a visa for stays of up to 90 days.
Peruvian passport holders also can travel to Russia visa free, for stays of up to 90 days.
02:32 Brazil
Brazil is another option if you want to live in South America and acquire a quite strong passport after living a number of years in a country.
In Brazil, the time requirement to apply for citizenship is 4 years. But Brazil has a lot of exceptions in which you can apply for citizenship with a much shorter time living in the country.
If you are married to a Brazilian national, or if you have a child born in Brazil, you can apply for citizenship after just one year in the country. Citizens of other Portuguese speaking countries can also apply after just one year residing in Brazil.
It is also mandatory to know the Portuguese language in order to successfully acquire Brazilian citizenship.
The Brazilian passport is a pretty strong one, with visa free access for short stays in the European Union, the UK, Russia and many others. Although you will need a visa to go to the US or Canada for example.
03:26 Bolivia
Bolivia is another country in South America that may be a good option, if you want to move to the continent, and also if you want to invest.
Bolivia is currently one of the fastest growing countries in South America, but it is also one of the poorest. So, it might just be a perfect place to invest if you have the right idea.
To acquire Bolivian citizenship you will need to reside three years in the country.
Among the Spanish speaking countries in South America Bolivia actually has the weakest passport. You cannot travel to the EU or UK without a visa using a Bolivian passport.
04:03 Colombia
Colombia is the last country in our list, and from the list the one that requires more time on the ground to get citizenship. Colombia is also one of the most stable countries currently in the region, and one of the closest to reach if you are traveling from the US or Canada.
In Colombia however, you need to live 5 years in the country to apply for citizenship. The good thing is that there are a number of exceptions, so if you qualify in one of them, you can get it much faster.
04:45 Advantages South American citizenship
04:48 Dual citizenship
Another advantage that most South American countries offer is that they broadly allow dual citizenship in cases of naturalization.
05:28 Faster naturalization process in Spain
One less known advantage of most passports in South America, is that if you move to Spain you may be able to apply for Spanish citizenship just after living two years in the country, when the usual requirement is 10 years.
06:24 Strong visa free access for short stays
Contrary to what most people think, most South American passports are actually quite good to travel in Europe and Asia. This doesn’t apply to all countries in the region, but to most of them.
07:25 Ability to live and work in other countries in South America
Another interesting advantage of having a South American citizenship is that depending on which citizenship you have, you will be able to live and work in other South American countries, depending on regional or bilateral agreements.
08:15 Important consideration
One important thing you should consider is that once you reach the number of years needed to apply for naturalization, you will be able to start your process.
