Chile visas: information for foreigners moving to Chile

Do you need a visa for Chile? What are the visa requirements for Chile? Let's review immigration in Chile and answer your questions!

Chile visas: information for foreigners moving to Chile

27/07/2019, updated 10/07/2024

A 260-page practical handbook to plan your move to Chile?

Moving to Chile soon? Read this...

Since 2016, expat.cl has been maintaining this free online guide about Chile for foreigners, which takes a lot of time. Unfortunately, search engines now use this content to provide AI-generated answers. Therefore, our most up-to-date content is now only available in the Chile Handbook for Foreigners. Articles on this guide will still be updated, but less frequently.

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Chile Handbook for Foreigners
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On February 12th, 2022, a new immigration law came into force in Chile. On May 14th, 2022, the immigration service updated the categories of temporary visas. Several minor adjustments were made to the visa application rules at the end of 2022, but the processes are now consolidated. We have updated all the pages of this section to reflect the changes. However, should you have doubts, we recommend you book a consultation to review your situation more in-depth.

WARNING

Please note that, following the 2022 immigration law, you can NO LONGER come to Chile as a tourist and apply for a visa after arriving unless you are applying for a visa thanks to a family link with a Chilean / permanent resident foreigner. Previously, this was not the case, and you may still find sites saying the contrary. So be careful: this could cause trouble if you do not start your visa application in advance.

Are you planning to relocate soon to Chile? Do you need help understanding what the best visa is for you? What are the steps to get a visa in Chile?

We have summarized in this section the most helpful information for you to complete this process on your own. We also offer a visa support service in Chile if you need assistance.

Foreigners in Chile? Start your immigration journey here.

If you plan to immigrate to Chile, the three first articles to read are:

Furthermore, we wrote detailed articles about the types of visas most often used by foreigners who relocate to Chile:

After a few years, you can apply for permanent residency in Chile and then for Chilean citizenship.

If you come as a tourist, you will most of the time not need to apply for a visa in advance, but check our tourist visa page to see if your country is on the list of countries requiring a tourist visa.

Finally, we advise you to read all the Frequently Asked Questions about visas in Chile, as they answer a lot of issues foreigners usually face for their temporary and permanent residency in Chile.

A few other valuable articles about immigration in Chile

  • RUT and RUN: two ID numbers you need to know if you plan to migrate to Chile
  • Costs of visas in Chile: the visa fee to pay to the Chilean immigration service for a tourist visa, a temporary visa, or a permanent residency.
  • Chile immigration law: all the laws and policies that rule immigration in Chile

Visa processing time: How long does it take to get a visa in Chile?

Please note that due to the number of immigrants willing to relocate to Chile, the visa processing time of the Chilean immigration service has significantly increased. Therefore, you must plan at least 6-8 months in advance. Furthermore, you can only apply for a resident visa in Chile after arriving as a tourist if you meet specific criteria, such as a direct family link with a Chilean citizen or a permanent resident (parent, child, partner).

For permanent residency, the waiting time is approximately 18 months, and for citizenship, the waiting time is about 2.5 years. This is due to the backlog of the Covid crisis (yes, still in 2024...), the high immigration rate in the last few years, and the re-organization of the immigration service following the 2022 immigration law.

Need some help to immigrate to Chile?

If you want a specialist to take care of your Chilean visa process, we are happy to help. Please send us a detailed explanation of your situation using this form. Try to include as much detail as possible. We need to know your nationality, if you are relocating with family or alone, and if you have recurring income.

A 260-page practical handbook to plan your move to Chile?

Do you want to go more in detail?

I wrote the Chile Handbook for Foreigners for anyone and everyone looking to move permanently and enjoy life in Chile. It's a 265-page book that goes over all aspects of relocating to Chile. Here is what you get:
✅ Practical tips based on 7-year relocation experience
✅ To-do lists to help you start
✅ Last updated in 2024

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Chile Handbook for Foreigners

Start your relocation to Chile today

Click on the button below, fill out the form with a brief description of your project and requirements, and we will send you detailed information about how we can assist you. See you soon in Chile!

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