Obtaining a temporary residence visa for foreign nationals traveling to settle in Chile through family ties, interests in the country or whose residence is useful and beneficial to Chile. This visa allows you to work, study and/or engage in commercial activities for a maximum of one year.
Required documents:
- A letter addressed to the consul indicating the reasons for the move.
- Background check
- Medical certificate.
- Valid passport.
- 4 passport size photos.
- Certificate of kinship, in the case of a relative.
- If the applicant is going to study, he must have a commitment from his parents or legal guardian for financial support.
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You may be eligible for a Chilean temporary resident visa if you:
- Are a family member of a Chilean citizen or holder of a final permanent residence permit (only available to a spouse, child or parent).
- Born in Chile (but your parents are not citizens of Chile).
- Is a former resident of Chile, but:
- He left the country for no more than five years and lost his status.
- They lost the status of final permanent residence because they were outside the country for more than a year.
- You are retired or have independent income from investments or property.
- Is an entrepreneur, investor or trader whose activities benefit Chile.
- A professional, journalist, media specialist or senior technician who will work in Chile but will be paid by a foreign company.
- Will be doing internship/research work in Chile.
- He is a religious worker.
If you do not fit into any of the above categories, contact a Chilean consulate to see if you qualify for a Chilean temporary resident visa.
Once you have arrived in Chile with a temporary resident visa, you must register your visa with the Policía de Investigaciones (PDI). All foreign nationals must register with PDI upon arrival.
In addition, you must also obtain a Chilean ID from the Chilean Civil Registry (Registro Civil). You must register and obtain ID within 30 days of arrival. Check with the Chilean consulate about the documents you need to have when you go to PDI and civil registration.
The temporary resident visa of Chile is issued for a maximum period of one year. You can only renew it once, meaning you can stay in Chile with a temporary resident visa for a total of two years. After that, you must apply for permanent residence (Definitive Permanence) or leave Chile.
This type of visa is intended for people who have relatives in Chile, for foreign investors, researchers, scientists and official members of the church, people who start working as technical advisors for Chilean institutions or foreign enterprises. The requirements are as follows.
- Family links to
- Chilean wife
- Chilean parents or children,
- spouses or children of foreigners living in Chile,
- Relatives of citizens of Chile, or
- Parents of foreigners living in Chile, aged 18 and over;
- Valid passport;
- Health certificates indicating that the applicant does not suffer from an infectious/infectious disease;
- Criminal action issued by the police.
- Application letter to the consul explaining the time and reasons for staying in Chile.
- You must provide a clear description of your financial situation. (This can be a monthly pay slip or any financial statement)
- Address in Chile. If the applicant is married, the spouse must also complete and sign the form.
- It is also desirable to indicate the phone number of the applicant and the date of the trip
- 3 passport size photos.
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The process takes about 4 weeks. After receiving the visa, the applicant has 90 days to enter the country. The applicant must personally appear at the consulate with his passport no more than 3 months old to obtain a visa.
Foreigners who have a permanent source of passive income or pension can get a temporary residence visa. There are no official income requirements. A monthly regular income or pension of $1,000-$1,500 is usually sufficient for one applicant. Additional amounts may be required for dependents (spouses, children and parents).
A temporary resident visa will allow you to live in the country for one year and apply for a work permit. After a year, you can apply for a permanent residence permit, provided you still meet the income requirements, have spent at least 185 days in the country per year and have paid taxes. When applying for a permanent visa, you must attach a letter to your application stating the reasons you want to become a permanent resident of Chile and your ties to the country. A permanent residence permit is valid for 5 years with the possibility of renewal. After 5 years of residence (including a temporary visa), you may be eligible for citizenship. The process of obtaining citizenship takes about 2 years. You must pass an interview, have a good level of Spanish and knowledge of Chilean culture, traditions, values and history.
Requirements for pensioners:
- 1 photocopy of the last 3 monthly payments of pension income or pension, duly legalized, or
- 1 photocopy of a certificate from the consul of the country of origin certifying the pension or pension income in the national currency (Chilean peso, CLP) or the equivalent in US dollars, legalized by a notary.
For independent persons:
- confirmation of regular passive income, by presenting rental contracts concluded in Chile or abroad, or other similar documents indicating periodic receipt of economic resources. Whatever the document, you must present a notarized photocopy.
Documents:
- Certified copy of passport
- Tourist card
- One passport size photograph
- Pension certificate
- income statement
- Original or certified copy of marriage certificate (if applicable)
- Original or certified copy of birth certificate (if applicable)
- Certificate of support for dependents
Dual citizenship is recognized in Chile. You do not need to renounce your previous citizenship to become a citizen of Chile.
There are four ways to obtain Chilean citizenship, namely:
- Territoriality: Anyone born in Chile, regardless of the nationality of their parents, automatically receives Chilean citizenship.
- Consanguinity: People who have a Chilean father and/or mother but were born in another country can apply for Chilean citizenship.
- Letter of naturalization: foreigners over the age of 18 who have lived in Chile for more than 5 years can apply for citizenship. Likewise, children under the age of 18, but over 14, who have lived in Chile for more than 5 years and have a notarized agreement from their legal representatives, can apply for Chilean citizenship.
- Nationalization by grace: granted by law to foreigners who have rendered an important service to the Republic of Chile.
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You can apply for Chilean citizenship if you meet the following conditions:
- You are the holder of a permanent residence visa.
- You have a resident visa of Chile for more than 5 years (temporary visas are taken into account during this period).
- You have a clean criminal record (depending on the nature of the offence, minor offenses may not discredit your request).
- You have a document that proves you have enough regular monthly income to live in Chile through work or retirement.
- If you have Chilean relatives, you can apply for citizenship if your parents, grandparents have Chilean citizenship, or if they did at some point.
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Documents:
- Passport or certificate from your country's consul or diplomatic agent accredited in Chile, confirming your citizenship or foreign passport.
- A letter or document explaining why you want to be a Chilean citizen.
- Photocopies of the passport, both sides of the identity card and permanent residence card.
- Your Criminal record document.
- In the case of a child of a naturalized parent(s), a birth certificate indicating the name of the parent(s). In the event of the death of one of the two parents, a death certificate must be provided.
- In the case of children under the age of 18, but over the age of 14, it is necessary to provide a notarized power of attorney from both parents.
- If your spouse is Chilean, you must provide a marriage or civil union certificate (if applicable), your spouse's birth certificate, and children's birth certificates (if applicable).
You can renounce your Chilean citizenship. Indeed, if you have Chilean citizenship but want to acquire the citizenship of another country that rejects dual citizenship, you must renounce your Chilean citizenship. The waiver will only take effect if you were previously naturalized in another country.