How to get a permanent visa in Chile

Are you a foreigner who currently holds a temporary visa in Chile and want like to stay in Chile longer? This article explains how to obtain permanent residency.

How to apply for a permanent visa

When to apply

You can apply to a permanent visa (permanencia definitiva) 90 days before the expiration of your temporary visa if:

• Duration stay in Chile: At least 180 days/year
• Duration temporary visa: 1 year (para profesionales) or 2 years (sujeto a contrato)

If you don´t meet any of these requirements, you can also ask for an extension of your temporary visa and apply for a permanent visa a year later.

Required documents

Before you can apply, you have to gather quite a bit of paperwork. Requirements vary a bit depending on your specific visa, but generally require (for those currently holding a visa sujeto a contrato/visa para profesionales):

• Visa application form
• Motivation letter, which briefly explains why you would like to stay in Chile
• Valid temporary visa (NOTE: You can only apply for a permanent visa in the last 90 days of your temporary visa. If you apply any earlier, your visa application will be rejected.)
• Certificado de Antecedentes para fines especiales, which can be obtained by the Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación. This document declares you have not been involved in any criminal activity in Chile since your initial arrival.
• Certificado de Viajes, which can only be obtained by the PDI. (Bring your passport and about 1050 CLP in cash to obtain the documento). This document shows how long you have been outside of Chile since the start of your temporary visa.
• Copy of your passport (which shows your ID and all pages with entry/exit stamps into Chile)
• Copy of your Chilean ID
• Several passport photos (NOTE: These photos have a slightly different format than most passport photos, and you need to get them taken in Chile by a photographer specialised in visa photos. I personally used the photographer in Metro Los Leones, Portal Lyon (basement, right side)
• Copy of current work contract (notarised)
• Certificado de Vigencia de Contrato (notarised), which declares that your current work contract is still valid
• Certificado Histórico de Cotizaciones de Pension / SALUD, which you can download at the website of your mandatory Chilean pension plan (AFP Plan Vital) and health care provider (Fonasa or ISAPRE). There´s a section on each website where you can download an overview of all your past pension/health care contributions.

Additional requirements if you´ve switched jobs whilst on a temporary visa

• Copy of your initial work contract (notarised), which you used when applying for your temporary visa
• Copy of finiquitos de trabajos (notarised), which show that your earlier work contracts have been legally terminated

Additional requierements if you´re a business owner:

• Certificado de Inicio de Actividades, downloadable on SII or Empresaenundía (as applicable)
• Pagos form 29, last 12 months or all available, which you can download on the SII website (SII; Servicio de Impuestos Internos)
• Copia Declaración Renta, Solicitante y sociedad, which you can download on the SII website (SII; Servicio de Impuestos Internos)
• Copy of Pago patente municipal, which you receive upon visiting your local comuna to pay the patente municipal
• Informe comercial y de morosidad del solicitante y de las empresas en que es socio, which you can download at EquiFax and shows neither you nor your company have any outstanding debts
• Balance tributario, which you can download on the SII website (SII; Servicio de Impuestos Internos)

How to submit your application

Once you´ve gather all these documents, you can apply for a permanent visa (permanencia definitiva) by:

1. Send your application by certified mail (carta certificada) to CLASIFICADOR Nº 8, CORREO CENTRAL, SANTIAGO, dirigida a: SECCIÓN PERMANENCIA DEFINITIVA. Don´t forget to keep the receipt from Correos the Chile, which shows you´ve submitted your visa application on a certain date. Once your temporary visa expires, this paper will allow you to stay in Chile until your visa application has been evaluated.
2. Pay the visa processing fee (arancel) of $68.118 at any commercial bank. Just show the bank the payment request and your passport, and they will know what to do
3. Provide any additional documents requested by the Chilean government. Don´t worry if they ask for more documents. This is quite common

4. Wait until you receive the results. This may take 6–12 months. You can check for progress on your application here: https://consultas.extranjeria.gob.cl/index.action

5. Positive news? Congratulations! You now have 30 days to complete these tramites (in the listed order):

• Extranjeria: Receive Certificado de Residencia Definitiva, which allows you to stay in Chile for 5 years
• PDI: Register your Certificado de Residencia Definitiva
• Registro Civil: Get a new Chilean ID that shows you´re now a permanent resident

Can´t make it within 30 days? No worries! Just make it as soon as possible, and practise your guilty “I didn´t know, I´m just a stupid foreigner”-look, as you´ll receive a 5 minute lecture by the Chilean police, after which they´ll hand you your permanent visa anyway.

Other things to know about the visa application process

Regardless what type of visa you apply for; here are few other things you might want to know.

• If you need to ask Extranjeria any questions: Try asking your question in expat groups first (RECOMMENDED), as many will likely have asked similar questions before. Not helpful? You can book an appointment with Extranjeria online and get serviced in 15 minutes. Otherwise you might risk spending 2–8 hours waiting for your turn. If you need urgent assistance, try to make it to the Extranjeria building at least 2 hours before openings, and beat the cue. Be warned though: many bureaucrats at Extranjeria may give very contradictory informations.
• When to receive results: It normally takes 6–12 months for Extranjeria to review your application (with offices outside the Region Metropolitana typically a bit faster). Fortunately though, after 4–8 weeks Extranjeria will send you a letter confirming its receipt of your application. With this letter you can stay in Chile for as long as they take to decide on your application AND you can also leave/re-enter Chile as often as you like (provided you show the letter at customs).
• What if my temporary visa expires before I get the results from my permanent visa application: Don´t worry! This is (sadly) normal. Your work permit will remain valid for as long as it takes the Chilean government to decide on your visa application. If you pass by Extranjeria (bring your passport!), they will issue you a letter that declares your visa application is in process, and that temporarily extends your current visa.
• My temporary visa is expired and I need to leave Chile for holidays/work: Do´t worry! This is (sadly) normal . Visit Extranjeria (bring your passport!) and they will issue you a letter that declares your visa application is in process, and that temporarily extends your current visa. You can use this letter to leave / re-enter Chile as often as you like.
• How much does the visa cost: Regardless your nationality, you pay about $68.118 to get a permanent visa. Current prices are listed on their website (look for “aranceles” on http://www.extranjeria.gob.cl/aranceles/).

DISCLAIMER: This is a brief summary of visa requirements as of April 2016. Since then, visa requirements may have changed. ALWAYS check at Extranjeria.cl before submitting your application.

Once you have permanent residency

Once you have permanent residency, life in Chile will become a lot easier, as you will the right have the stay in Chile indefinitely to do anything you want.

How to lose your permanent residency

You will automatically lose your permanent residency if:

• You are convicted of certain types of crime
• You have not visited Chile for over 1 year (and have not requested an extension of your visa in due time)

If your permanent visa has expired, you will have to re-enter Chile as a tourist and start the visa application procedure again from scratch.

Thank you!

I hope you enjoyed reading this brief guide to getting permanent residency in Chile. All information is based on my personal experiences as a Dutch entrepreneur who moved to Santiago 2.5 year ago. If you have any questions or suggestions to improve this article, please let me know!