Voluntary Renuncia + Reacquisition (Art 17 Ley — Voluntary Loss Frame)

Art 17 of the Ley de Nacionalidad 1998 establishes the only mechanism through which a mexicano por nacimiento may voluntarily lose their Mexican nationality: a formal renuncia declaration before SRE-DGAJ. This is the procedural complement to the constitutional protection in CPEUM Art 37 Apartado A, which shields mexicanos por nacimiento from state-imposed loss ("Ningún mexicano por nacimiento podrá ser privado de su nacionalidad"). The Art 37 A shield is absolute against state imposition — but it is not absolute against the individual's own free choice. A mexicano por nacimiento who genuinely wishes to renounce Mexican nationality must go through the Art 17 procedure.

The renuncia procedure has two significant gatekeeping requirements that reflect Mexico's anti-statelessness domestic policy. First, the applicant must document that they hold another nationality — renuncia to Mexican nationality is not permitted if it would render the person stateless. This requirement is consistent with Mexico's 1954 Statelessness Convention party status (acceded 2000-06-07), which requires non-creation of statelessness, even though Mexico is not party to the 1961 Convention. Second, applicants with bienes inmuebles in Mexico's zona restringida (50 km from international borders, 100 km from coastline) must declare those assets, as CPEUM Art 27 fracción I prohibits foreign nationals from owning property in the zona restringida; Ley de Inversión Extranjera Art 10-A provides for fiduciary holding structures that must be established or continued post-renuncia.

The route is named "Reacquisition" in the bucket because Art 17 renuncia interacts with the Recuperación framework (MX-RST-01): a person who renounces Mexican nationality and later wishes to reacquire it must proceed through the Recuperación or Declaratoria pathways, depending on their specific prior status.

• Applicant is a mexicano por nacimiento (or por naturalización, though naturalización-based renuncia is less common given Art 37 B already provides two loss grounds)
• Must document existing holding of another nationality — statelessness prevention is a hard bar to renuncia approval
• Must declare bienes inmuebles in zona restringida (50km border / 100km coast) for Ley Inversión Extranjera compliance
• The renuncia declaration is a solemn unilateral act — no judicial proceeding required
• Minors may not renounce on their own behalf; parental/guardian authority over renuncia for minors is legally uncertain (no SCJN tesis on point retrieved)

MX eligibility framework (RST): bucket-specific anchored in CPEUM Art 30 (Apartado A jus soli + Apartado B jus sanguinis) + Ley de Nacionalidad 1998 (DOF 1998-01-23, última reforma DOF 2012-04-23) + Reglamento DOF 2009-06-17 (Calderón). Constitutional ceiling CPEUM Art 30/32/37.

1. Verify that applicant holds valid, existing nationality in another country (documentary evidence: foreign passport, naturalization certificate)
2. Identify and declare all bienes inmuebles in zona restringida; arrange fideicomiso structure (via Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores permit + bank trustee agreement) if applicable
3. Submit renuncia application to SRE-DGAJ with: foreign nationality documentation, bienes declaration, completed renuncia form
4. SRE-DGAJ reviews for anti-statelessness compliance (Art 17 + 1954 Convention policy) and bienes compliance
5. Renuncia certificate issued within 20 días hábiles upon approval
6. RENAPO records updated: person's CURP status shifts to foreign-national category
7. Future reacquisition: if applicant later wishes to regain Mexican nationality, Recuperación (MX-RST-01) or Declaratoria (MX-DSC-05) procedures apply

Filing authorities: SRE-DGAJ. MX procedure (RST): SRE-DGAJ + RENAPO + Registro Civil estatal operational; CPEUM Art 30/32/37 + Ley de Nacionalidad 1998 (última reforma DOF 2012-04-23) + Reglamento DOF 2009-06-17 framework; CURP Biométrica reform DOF 2025-07-16.

• Primary statute: Ley de Nacionalidad 1998 Art 17 (renuncia procedure) + Reglamento DOF 2009-06-17 Art 6 (implementing renuncia requirements)
• Constitutional anchor: CPEUM Art 37 Apartado A (non-deprivation by state — shield against compulsory loss); Art 27 fr I (zona restringida foreign ownership prohibition)
• Property law: Ley de Inversión Extranjera Art 10-A (fideicomiso structure for post-renuncia zona restringida holdings)
• Anti-statelessness constraint: 1954 Statelessness Convention party (MX acceded 2000-06-07) — no renuncia permitted if would cause statelessness
• Operative period: 1998-03-20 → present
• Authority: SRE-DGAJ (exclusive)
• Tarifa 2025-26: MXN 1,435
• Processing time: 20 días hábiles

Primary statute: Ley de Nacionalidad 1998 Art 17 + Reglamento Art 6 — voluntary renuncia procedure. Operative period: 1998-03-20 → present. Mexican citizenship legal framework: Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos (CPEUM) Art 30, 32, 37 primary constitutional framework — Art 30 nationality acquisition (Apartado A jus soli + Apartado B jus sanguinis); Art 32 dual-citizenship + Mexican-by-naturalization restrictions; Art 37 ciudadanía + nacionalidad loss framework. Constitutional anchor: CPEUM is the longest-continuous-single-text constitution globally (since 1917-02-05); Apartado A fracción I textually preserved across reforms 1934/1969/1974/1997/2021. Implementing statute: Ley de Nacionalidad 1998 (DOF 1998-01-23; última reforma DOF 2012-04-23). Implementing regulation: Reglamento de la Ley de Nacionalidad DOF 2009-06-17 (Calderón sexenio — NOT 2014). Key recent reforms: Art 30 multi-generational jus sanguinis reform DOF 2021-05-17 (Sheinbaum-era); Indigenous Originario framework DOF 2024-09-30 reforming Art 2 + 27 + 73 (CPEUM); Oaxaca Usos y Costumbres 417-418 SNI framework. Treaty anchors: ILO 169 (Mexico 2nd globally ratifier, 1990-09-05 after Norway 1990-06-19); 1933 Montevideo denuncia trifecta (1997-2000 — Inter-American Citizenship Treaties withdrawal); ICJ Avena 2004 (Mexico v USA — consular notification); Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848 (territorial cession + nationality transition framework). NOT party to 1961 Stateless Convention. Apex: Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación (SCJN) — Pleno + Primera Sala + Segunda Sala. Indigenous parallel framework distinct.