Residency overview · Last checked 2026-07-31
Chile
Chile currently publishes 15 temporary-residence subcategories. The correct route depends on the applicant’s family relationship, activity, humanitarian or medical circumstances, income source, investment role, or agreement-based eligibility.
- Residency routes
- 15
- Information available
- Detailed country guide
- Official sources
- 18
- Last checked
- 2026-07-31
How the framework connects
Residence, permanence, and citizenship
Chile currently publishes 15 temporary-residence subcategories. The correct route depends on the applicant’s family relationship, activity, humanitarian or medical circumstances, income source, investment role, or agreement-based eligibility.
Residence frameworkTemporary residence is generally granted for up to two years, except the seasonal-worker subcategory. Most applications begin from outside Chile; the authority publishes limited in-country exceptions.Permanent residenceDefinitive residence is a separate application for a person holding a current temporary residence whose subcategory permits it. For post-14 May 2022 temporary applications, current SERMIG guidance uses at least 24 months in temporary residence and applies additional absence and compliance rules.Citizenship relationshipCurrent SERMIG guidance describes the ordinary nationality route for adults who hold valid definitive residence and have at least five years of residence counted from the qualifying temporary residence. A separate qualified route can use two years of continuous residence for specified ties to Chile.
Questions this guide can answer
Current, source-linked answers
- How many temporary-residence subcategories does Chile currently list?
- SERMIG’s current national index lists 15 named subcategories, each with its own applicant basis and requirements.Official source
- Can a retiree or rentier apply from inside Chile?
- The current retired-or-rentier page directs applicants to apply from outside Chile. Limited in-country exceptions exist for other circumstances defined by law.Official source
- Does Chile publish one fixed income amount for the retired-or-rentier route?
- No fixed amount is stated on the current route page. The pension or regular rent must cover at least the applicant’s basic needs under the cited government indicators.Official source
- Does temporary residence automatically become definitive residence?
- No. Definitive residence is a separate application, and the temporary subcategory must permit it. Current SERMIG guidance also applies residence-time and absence rules.Official source
Residency routes
Routes to investigate
Family reunification
Local employment
Education
Other officially established ground
Extranjeros bajo custodia de Gendarmería de ChileCustody by Gendarmería de ChileRequirements being verifiedExtranjeros que se encuentran en Chile por orden judicialPresence in Chile under an order of a Chilean courtRequirements being verifiedPersonas acogidas a acuerdos internacionalesNationality or residence covered by a current international agreement that requires Chile to authorize temporary residenceDetailed guidePersonas religiosas de cultos reconocidosReligious activity for a legally constituted religious entity in ChileRequirements being verifiedPersonas que se encuentran bajo tratamiento médicoMedical treatment that must begin or continue in ChileRequirements being verified
Humanitarian
Passive income
Special nationality or historical route
Business investment
Entrepreneur
MERCOSUR or regional mobility
Official evidence
Sources for this guide
Subcategorías de Residencia TemporalServicio Nacional de Migraciones · ES · Last checked 2026-07-31Inversionistas y personal relacionadoServicio Nacional de Migraciones · ES · Last checked 2026-08-07Personas que desarrollan actividades lícitas remuneradasServicio Nacional de Migraciones · ES · Last checked 2026-08-04Prórroga de Residencia TemporalServicio Nacional de Migraciones · ES · Last checked 2026-08-04Calidad de dependienteServicio Nacional de Migraciones · ES · Last checked 2026-08-04Decreto 177 — Establece las subcategorías migratorias de residencia temporalMinisterio del Interior y Seguridad Pública / Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional · ES · Last checked 2026-08-04Decreto 296 — Reglamento de la Ley 21.325Ministerio del Interior y Seguridad Pública / Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional · ES · Last checked 2026-08-04Decreto 4236 Exento — Fija vigencia de las subcategorías migratorias de residencia temporalMinisterio del Interior y Seguridad Pública / Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional · ES · Last checked 2026-08-04Ley 21.325 de Migración y ExtranjeríaCongreso Nacional / Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional · ES · Last checked 2026-08-04Aranceles migratoriosServicio Nacional de Migraciones · ES · Last checked 2026-08-04Residencia TemporalServicio Nacional de Migraciones · ES · Last checked 2026-07-31Personas jubiladas o rentistasServicio Nacional de Migraciones · ES · Last checked 2026-07-31Residencia DefinitivaServicio Nacional de Migraciones · ES · Last checked 2026-08-04Preguntas frecuentesServicio Nacional de Migraciones · ES · Last checked 2026-07-31Ex titulares de Residencia DefinitivaServicio Nacional de Migraciones · ES · Last checked 2026-08-08Negocios de múltiple entradaServicio Nacional de Migraciones · ES · Last checked 2026-08-08Personas acogidas a acuerdos internacionalesServicio Nacional de Migraciones · ES · Last checked 2026-08-08Mercosur — Principio de reciprocidad internacionalServicio Nacional de Migraciones · ES · Last checked 2026-08-08
General planning information only—not legal, tax, or investment advice. A listed route does not determine eligibility. Requirements, fees, timing, work rights, physical-presence rules, permanent residence, and citizenship appear only when a current source supports the specific statement.
Return to all countries