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Last updated on 22/06/2026
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Moving to Chile is very doable (thousands of foreigners relocate every year), but the order in which you do things matters more than almost anywhere else, because since 2022 you must secure your residence permit before you travel. This hub walks you through the whole move, step by step.
Your moving to Chile checklist
1. Choose your visa pathway
Everything starts here, because the visa decides your timeline. Match your situation to a residence permit (work, retirement, investment, family) in our residency in Chile hub. If you only want a scouting trip first, most nationalities can visit visa-free for 90 days: see the Chilean visa guide. For the legal big picture, read our overview of immigration to Chile.
2. Prepare documents and apply from home
Residence applications are filed online with the Servicio Nacional de Migraciones (SERMIG) from your home country and commonly take 6-8 months to process. Background checks, apostilles, and certified translations take another 2-3 months to assemble, so start roughly a year before your target move date.
3. Plan the physical move
Decide what to ship and what to sell: import is straightforward for personal effects, but shipping a container to Chile takes 6-10 weeks door to door. Traveling with animals? Our guide to moving to Chile with pets covers vaccinations, certificates, and airline logistics.
4. First weeks after arrival
Once your visa is activated, the clock starts: book your ID card appointment at the Registro Civil within 30 days, get your RUT number, open a bank account, sort out a SIM card, and choose between Fonasa and an Isapre for health cover.
5. Settle in
Start in temporary accommodation while you explore neighborhoods, then commit to a long-term rental. Our housing section explains the rent-vs-buy decision. Moving with children? Begin school applications early, because international schools in Santiago have waiting lists.
Before any of this, read our list of things to know before moving to Chile, the practical realities (language, banking, driving, culture) that surprise new arrivals most.
When should you move?
Two calendar facts shape good timing. First, the visa: with document preparation plus the immigration service's processing, a realistic runway is 10-12 months from decision to arrival. Second, the school year: Chilean schools run March to December, so families ideally land between December and February to start the new school year. Arriving mid-year means children joining classes already in progress. Retirees and remote workers have more freedom, though arriving in Santiago's smoggy mid-winter (July-August) makes a worse first impression than the long, dry summer.
What does moving to Chile cost?
Beyond visa fees (see current costs), budget for apostilles and certified translations (often USD 500-1,500 per family), shipping if you bring furniture, temporary accommodation for your first weeks, and rental deposits. Our cost of living guide helps you size the monthly budget that follows.
How hard is it to move to Chile from the US?
Harder than booking a flight, easier than moving to Europe. There is no special treaty for Americans, but US citizens face no extra barriers either: the same residence permits, the same immigration process, visa-free entry for visits. The friction points are document legalization (FBI background check + apostille), the 6-8 month processing wait, and Chilean Spanish. We wrote a dedicated guide for moving to Chile from the US covering taxes, shipping, and the American expat experience.
Will Chile pay you to move there?
No. You may have seen "get paid to move to Chile" headlines: they trace back to Start-Up Chile, a government accelerator that gives equity-free funding to selected startups, not a relocation subsidy for individuals. If a website promises Chile will pay your moving costs, close the tab.
Want the move handled for you?
Since 2016 we have managed relocations to Chile end to end (visa, housing search, school search, and the settling-in paperwork) for families, professionals, and corporate clients. Browse our relocation services or book a consultation to plan your move with someone who has done it hundreds of times.
