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‘THE TRANSIENT FOREIGNER’: RESTRICTIONS ON CITIZENSHIP ACQUISITION IN CHILE AND COLOMBIA FOR THOSE SAID TO BE ‘PASSING THROUGH’
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 December 2023
Abstract
This article explores the constitutional regulation of birthright ius soli citizenship in two Latin American countries which restrict access to citizenship for the children of foreigners deemed to be passing through the countries. Access to citizenship is a significant marker of membership, setting the boundaries of inclusion and exclusion within and across States. Choosing the cases of Chile and Colombia, this article uses historical, institutional and comparative analysis in order to excavate the evolving conceptions of citizenship in those two countries, with particular reference to the concepts of the ‘transient foreigner’ and of ‘domicile’. The case studies provide an excellent laboratory within which to examine the evolution of constitutional ideas of citizenship and ‘the people’. In Colombia, the outcome of the investigation shows that there is unlikely to be significant long-term change in the citizenship regime towards a more generalised acceptance of unconditional ius soli, notwithstanding the substantial shorter-term measures taken to accommodate the children of undocumented migrants from Venezuela and to respond to international pressure. In Chile, combined with other ongoing constitutional work in the citizenship space as part of a wider reform process, there may be a slow journey towards a different constitutional future for so-called ‘transient foreigners’ and others excluded within the State, but this is currently stalled. Chile has, however, introduced legislation cementing a more limited concept of ‘transient foreigner’, linking this work on citizenship to the wider domain of migration governance.
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- Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of British Institute of International and Comparative Law
References
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36 ibid.
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38 For the figures, see Migration Data Portal <www.migrationdataportal.org>.
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44 For the full text in English, see B Moses, ‘Supplement: Constitution of the Republic of Colombia’ (1893) 3 AnnalsAmAcadPol&SocSci 1 <http://www.jstor.org/stable/1008944>.
45 Constitution of the Republic of Colombia (1991); for an English translation of the 1991 constitution, see Constitute Project, ‘Colombia 1991 (rev. 2015)’ <https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Colombia_2015>; Escobar (n 40) 10; Acosta (n 19) 58.
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47 Bassi (n 41) 697.
48 Escobar (n 40) 7.
49 Código Civil (amended by Law No 1453 of 2011) (WIPO Lex) <https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/text/229920>.
50 Colombia: Ley No 43 de 1993 por medio de la cual se establecen las normas relativas a la adquisición, renuncia, pérdida y recuperación de la nacionalidad colombiana (1 February 1993) <https://www.refworld.org/docid/3dbd1ec44.html>.
51 Immigration Law No 2,136/2021, Congress of the Republic of Colombia: ‘Through which definitions, principles and guidelines are established for the regulation and orientation of the Colombian State's comprehensive immigration policy’ <https://dapre.presidencia.gov.co/normativa/normativa/LEY%202136%20DEL%204%20DE%20AGOSTO%20DE%202021.pdf>.
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53 Decreto 1,514 de 2012 (16 July 2012) por el cual se reglamenta la expedición de documentos de viaje colombianos y se dictan otras disposiciones [which regulates the issuance of Colombian travel documents and dictates other provisions] <https://www.suin-juriscol.gov.co/viewDocument.asp?id=1301334>.
54 Colombian Constitutional Court, Ruling T-075/15 (2015) <https://www.corteconstitucional.gov.co/relatoria/2015/t-075-15.htm>.
55 A Castro, ‘The Three Branches of Government Coping with Statelessness’ (2020) 9 OxMo 134; Moreno, Pelacani and Amaya-Castro (n 52).
56 A Castro, ‘El acceso a la nacionalidad colombiana: nuevas realidades, nuevos retos’ in AC Franco (ed), Venezuela Migra: aspectos sensibles del éxodo en Colombia (Universidad del Externado 2019) 297.
57 Circular 59/2015, National Registry of Civil Status of Colombia <https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/sites/default/files/Normograma/docs/pdf/circular_registraduria_0059_2015.pdf>.
58 Circular 168/2017, National Registry of Civil Status of Colombia <https://www.refworld.org.es/pdfid/5a8324174.pdf>.
59 Moreno, Pelacani and Amaya-Castro (n 52).
60 Castro (n 56); ibid.
61 Castro (n 55). On the restoration of diplomatic ties and the normalisation of relations, see Deutsche Welle, ‘Venezuela, Colombia Restore Full Diplomatic Ties’ Deutsche Welle (Bonn, 29 August 2022) <https://www.dw.com/en/venezuela-and-colombia-restore-full-diplomatic-ties-after-three-years/a-62957239>. This followed the election of a left-wing president in Colombia for the first time in its history.
62 Castro ibid.
63 ibid; Castro (n 56).
64 Up to two million persons had left Venezuela for Colombia by 2023; they can take advantage of the Permiso Especial de Permanencia (PEP) (Special Permit of Permanence), first created by Resolution 5,797/2017, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Diario Oficial No 50.307 (27 July 2017) <https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/sites/default/files/Normograma/docs/resolucion_minrelaciones_5797_2017.htm>.
65 The UNHCR and UNICEF referred to the situation of children of Venezuelan parents in Colombia in the framework of a judicial procedure before the Constitutional Court of Colombia in July 2019: UNHCR, ‘Observaciones de la Oficina del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados ante la Corte Constitucional de la República de Colombia en respuesta al Oficio OPTB – 1443/19, Expedientes T-7.206.829 y T-7.245.483 AC’ (July 2019) <https://www.refworld.org.es/pdfid/5d4082524.pdf>; and Colombian Constitutional Court, Ruling T-006/20 (2020) <https://www.corteconstitucional.gov.co/Relatoria/2020/T-006-20.htm>.
66 According to UNICEF data in 2015, 3 per cent of births of children under the age of five years in Colombia were not registered. See UNICEF, ‘Birth Registration’ <https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/birth-registration/>.
67 Resolution 8,470/2019, National Registry of Civil Status of Colombia (5 August 2019) <https://www.registraduria.gov.co/IMG/pdf/resolucion_8470.pdf>.
68 The ‘born alive’ certificate is a document issued by health institutions after the birth of a child, necessary to register them in the National Registry of Civil Status of Colombia: Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil, ‘Registro de nacimiento’ <https://www.registraduria.gov.co/-Registro-de-Nacimiento-.html>.
69 Law No 1,997/2019, Congress of the Republic of Colombia: ‘Through which a special and exceptional regime is established to acquire Colombian nationality by birth, for sons and daughters of Venezuelans in a situation of regular or irregular migration, or refugee seekers, born in Colombian territory, in order to prevent statelessness’ <https://dapre.presidencia.gov.co/normativa/normativa/LEY%201997%20DEL%2016%20DE%20SEPTIEMBRE%20DE%202019.pdf>.
70 Moreno, Pelacani and Amaya-Castro (n 52).
71 Judgment T-006/20 (n 65). For discussion, see Castro (n 55).
72 G Pelacani et al, Estatuto temporal de protección para migrantes venezolanos: reflexiones de una política de regularización migratoria (Centro de Estudios en Migración 2021).
73 ibid.
74 Castro (n 55).
75 ibid. The excepción de constitucionalidad derives from art 4 of the Constitution: ‘In all cases of incompatibility between the Constitution and the law or any other legislation or regulation, the constitutional provisions will apply.’
76 Moreno, Pelacani and Amaya-Castro (n 52).
77 Colombian Constitutional Court, Sentence T-079/21 (2021) <https://www.corteconstitucional.gov.co/Relatoria/2021/T-079-21.htm>.
78 Estatuto Temporal de Protección para Migrantes Venezolanos (ETPV), established by the Ministerial Decree 216/2021: Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Decreto 216 de 2021 (1 March 2021) <https://www.leyex.info/documents/leyes/6b60e592e5e6d83f1d5f0e949008cec9.htm>.
79 See the government announcement ‘La medida “Primero la niñez” continuará su vigencia y aplicabilidad, después del 21 de agosto de 2023’ (Colombian Foreign Affairs Ministry, 18 August 2023) <https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/newsroom/news/medida-primero-ninez-continuara-su-vigencia-aplicabilidad-despues-21-agosto-2023>.
80 ibid.
81 Judgment T-006/20 (n 65).
82 Immigration Law 2,136 (n 51).
83 See Semana, ‘Así es la nueva política migratoria que regirá en el país’ (Semana, 11 August 2021) <https://www.semana.com/nacion/articulo/asi-es-la-nueva-politica-migratoria-que-regira-en-el-pais/202153/>.
84 Law No 2,332/2023 through which requirements and necessary procedures are established for the acquisition, loss and recovery of Colombian nationality <https://dapre.presidencia.gov.co/normativa/normativa/LEY%202332%20DEL%2025%20DE%20SEPTIEMBRE%20DE%202023.pdf>
85 Moreno, Pelacani and Amaya-Castro (n 52).
86 ETPV (n 78).
87 Pelacani et al (n 72).
88 As cited in Deutsche Welle (n 61).
89 Escobar (n 40); Acosta (n 19).
90 Constitucion politica del Estado de Chile, enacted 29 December 1823, Santiago de Chile (Imprenta Nacional 1823). This built upon the consolidated constitutional text after the independence of Chile in 1810, which was the Constitution of 1822 which was only in force for a year. G Echeverría, Report on Citizenship Law: Chile (European University Institute, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies and EUDO Citizenship Observatory 2016).
91 A Mascareño, ‘Para una política reflexiva de inmigración en Chile: Una aproximación sociológica’ in I Aninat and R Vergara (eds), Inmigración en Chile. Una mirada multidimensional (Centro de Estudios Públicos (CEP), Fondo de Cultura Económica 2019).
92 C Norambuena, ‘Revisión Histórica de los Movimientos Migratorios en Chile’ in L Parentini (ed), Historiadores Chilenos frente al Bicentenario (Cuaderno Bicentenario, Presidencia de la República. Universidad Finis Terrae, Andrés Bello y Silva Henríquez, 2008).
93 CW Tooke (trans), Political Constitution of the Republic of Chile, Promulgated May 25, 1833, with Amendments Down to May 1, 1899 (Press of the Herald 1899).
94 Echeverría (n 90).
95 Political Constitution of the Republic of Chile, 1925; for an English-language version, see the Constitute Project, ‘Chile 1925’ <https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Chile_1925>.
96 Political Constitution of the Republic of Chile, 1980; for an English-language version, with amendments consolidated, see the Constitute Project, ‘Chile 1980 (rev. 2021)’ <https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Chile_2021>.
97 Spanish text of the Constitution of 1980 as codified in 2005 and as amended to Law No 20,414 of 2010 [5] (2010) ch II: ‘Nationality and Citizenship’, HeinOnline World Constitutions <https://heinonline.org/HOL/P?h=hein.cow/zzcl0002&i=5>.
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99 Ribera ibid.
100 Decree No 5,142 (13 October 1960) establishes the consolidated text of the provisions on naturalisation of foreigners. Available at: <https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=19444>.
101 Ribera (n 98).
102 Open Society Foundations, Born in the Americas: The Promise and Practice of Nationality Laws in Brazil, Chile, and Colombia (Justice Initiative 2017).
103 Law No 21,325 on Immigration and Foreign Affairs, 1 April 2021 (Immigration Law) <https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=1158549>.
104 Ministry of the Interior Memorandum No 6241 of 25 October 1995.
105 Abbreviation for child of transient foreigner in Spanish (hijo de extranjero transeúnte).
106 D Lawson and M Rodriguez, ‘Addressing the Risk of Statelessness in Chile: From Strategic Litigation to #Chilereconoce’ (2017) Statelessness Working Paper Series No. 2017/03; Open Society Foundations (n 102).
107 Immigration and Foreign Affairs Department, Memorandum No 27,601 (14 August 2014); see also Lawson and Rodriguez ibid.
108 Open Society Foundations (n 102).
109 Supreme Court of Chile Case No 24089/2015.
110 Lawson and Rodriguez (n 106).
111 ibid.
112 RT Middleton IV and T Flores, ‘Towards a Model of Reducing Statelessness: An Analysis of the Efficacy of Chile's Statelessness Reduction Plan, #Chilereconoce’ (2020) 19 SCIO: Rev de Filos 101.
113 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons (adopted 28 September 1954, entered into force 6 June 1960) 360 UNTS 117; 1961 Convention (n 24).
114 Lawson and Rodriguez (n 106).
115 Middleton IV and Flores (n 112).
116 Immigration Law (n 103).
117 Ramaciotti and Shaw (n 9).
118 Immigration Law (n 103) art 155.
119 Information obtained through a request for public information made to the Civil Registry Service, by virtue of Law 20,285 on Access to Public Information and held on file by the authors.
120 Chilean Electoral Service, Constitutional Referendum 2022 <https://plebiscitoconstitucional.servel.cl>.
121 Chilean Electoral Service, Elección Consejo Constitucional 2023 <https://www.servel.cl/eleccion-de-consejo-constitucional-2/resultados-preliminares-eleccion-consejo-constitucional-2023/>.
122 Constitutional Convention of Chile, First Report of the Commission on Constitutional Principles, Democracy, Nationality and Citizenship, to its Blocks II and III, 78th ordinary Session of the Constitutional Convention (1 April 2022).
123 Jesuit Service of Migrants, Presentation before the Commission on Constitutional Principles, Democracy, Nationality and Citizenship (29 November 2021).
124 UNHCR, Presentation before the Commission on Constitutional Principles, Democracy, Nationality and Citizenship (23 December 2021).
125 See V Buschschlüter, ‘Chile Constitution: Far-Right Party Biggest in New Assembly’ (BBC News, 8 May 2023) <https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-65524068>.
126 See Prensa Republicano, ‘Republicanos presentan plan “Cero Ilegales” enfocado en control migratorio’ (Partido Republicano, 17 April 2023) <https://partidorepublicanodechile.cl/republicanos-presentan-plan-cero-ilegales-enfocado-en-control-migratorio/>.
127 Acosta (n 13).
128 See Elkins (n 2).
129 Lawson and Rodriguez (n 106); Castro (n 55).
130 J Couso and L Hilbink, ‘From Quietism to Incipient Activism: The Institutional and Ideological Roots of Rights Adjudication in Chile’ in Helmke and Ríos-Figueroa (n 4) 99–127.
131 Ramaciotti and Shaw (n 9).
132 Moreno, Pelacani and Amaya-Castro (n 52).
133 See Acosta (n 8).
134 See Ramaciotti, JP and Shaw, J, ‘Constitutional Citizenship and Indigeneity: The Case of Latin America’ (2023) CompConstStud, doi: 10.4337/ccs.2023.0005, forthcomingGoogle Scholar.