About Mexican Citizenship
Mexican citizenship is acquired either through a birthright or naturalization. There are provisions for which individuals are citizens at birth and which must obtain citizenship through a process. Any person hoping to obtain Mexican citizenship must speak Spanish and meet certain criteria in order to take part in the process of naturalization.
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Function
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Mexico recognizes the "right of soil" and "right of blood" practices. "Right of soil" is essentially birthright citizenship in which a person is a citizen if they are born within the confines of Mexican territory. "Right of blood" states that citizenship is not determined by a place of birth, but by the ancestors of an individual. These are the fundamental stands on deciding Mexican citizenship.
Features
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Any person who is born in Mexico regardless of their nationality or origin is Mexican citizen. Mexico also recognizes anyone born abroad to a Mexican citizen, even when they are naturalized. Any person born on a ship or aircraft that either belongs to the Mexican government or is registered as an operating company in Mexico also receives citizenship. In addition, anyone adopted by a Mexican citizen is deemed a citizen. The only other way to maintain citizenship is through the naturalization system.
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Significance
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Anyone who is not a Mexican citizen can apply for citizenship only after meeting certain criteria. If an individual resides in Mexico for 5 years, he can apply for citizenship. However, if the individual was a citizen of a Latin American or Iberian peninsula country, the residency time is only 2 years. The only other exceptions are for people of direct Mexican descent or if a person marries a Mexican citizen. The only other main factor in receiving citizenship is the ability to speak and write Spanish and have a basic understanding of Mexican history.
Considerations
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Since the passage of a new law in 1998, all Mexican citizens are allowed to possess dual citizenship with another country. This was instituted due to the large percentage of Mexican citizens that live or work abroad and retain citizenship in those countries. However, the government makes no provisions for anyone who enters or leaves Mexico without a Mexican passport. A citizen must possess the document regardless of their situation, thus informing the government of which citizens are abroad.
Time Frame
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After meeting the requirements to become a Mexican citizen, either through residency or other means, the process to become a citizen must be initiated. The applicant should posses identification in the form of the F-2 and F-3 documents. They will be required to complete a five question verbal exam as per Mexico's Magna Carta at the time of application as well as the receipt of their naturalization papers. The process from start to finish in Mexican naturalization varies, however, most are processed in a matter of months.
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