Local employment · Last checked 2026-08-04

Personas que desarrollan actividades lícitas remuneradas

Dependent employment, a formal employment offer, or qualifying self-employed services lasting more than 90 days

Chile’s lawful remunerated activities subcategory covers three distinct bases: dependent employment, a formal employment offer followed by the required contract sequence, and qualifying self-employed services lasting more than 90 consecutive days.

Country: Chile
Applicant basis: Dependent employment, a formal employment offer, or qualifying self-employed services lasting more than 90 days
Responsible authority: Servicio Nacional de Migraciones
Official route status: Current official route
Information available: Detailed guide
Last checked: 2026-08-04

Supported requirements

What the current source supports

Apply from outside Chile through the SERMIG digital portal. The general framework contains limited exceptions for other circumstances; this guide does not treat them as part of the ordinary route.
Dependent employment branch: provide a contract of at least three months with a natural or legal employer domiciled or established in Chile. The employer signs before a Chilean notary and the applicant signs before the competent Chilean consulate.
Formal-offer branch: provide an offer protocolized before a Chilean notary and written acceptance before the competent consulate. After entry, the contract with that same employer and its electronic registration must be submitted within 45 calendar days.
Self-employed branch: before entering Chile, make a civil or mercantile contract with a Chilean or definitive resident for immaterial or specialized services lasting more than 90 consecutive days, perfected before the competent consulate.
Provide a passport with at least one year of validity, the applicable recent criminal-record evidence for an adult applicant, and the current photograph required by SERMIG.
Provide the employer’s or contractor’s tax folder or other source-listed evidence of sufficient resources, together with the branch-specific contract, offer, entity, and representation documents that apply.
Foreign documents must be apostilled or legalized as applicable. Documents not in Spanish or English require an authorized Spanish translation.

Applicant scope

Who this route generally serves

Generally designed for: Foreign applicants using one of three supported bases: an employment contract with a Chile-based employer, a formal offer from a Chile-based employer, or a pre-entry civil or mercantile contract for immaterial or specialized services.
Legal basis named by the authority: Law 21.325; D.S. 177, Articles 17–22; and D.S. Exento 4.236, Article 4.

Route lifecycle

What to confirm from application onward

Financial basis: SERMIG requires the employer or contractor tax folder or other source-listed solvency evidence appropriate to the branch. The official package does not establish one universal income threshold for applicants.
Government service fees: Temporary-residence fees depend on nationality. Check the current SERMIG nationality-based schedule and confirm the applicant-specific amount in the official portal; no universal amount is stated here.
Initial status: The standard permit may be granted for up to two years. The formal-offer branch instead begins with a 90-day permit and requires the same-employer contract and registration sequence after entry.
Renewal: Apply from Chile no more than 90 and no less than 10 days before expiry. The applicant must continue the qualifying activity and show lawful remunerated activity during at least 60% of the prior permit period. Standard renewals may be granted successively for up to two years; the first extension after the 90-day offer permit is one year.
Dependents: A qualifying spouse or partner and qualifying children may apply as dependents. Their permit validity follows the principal permit, and current guidance allows lawful remunerated work subject to the rules governing work by minors.
Work rights: The permit supports the remunerated activity for its applicable branch. For a standard dependent-employment permit, job loss or a voluntary employer change does not by itself revoke the permit and need not be reported to SERMIG. That portability rule does not apply while using the 90-day offer permit, and the sources do not establish self-employed contractor portability.
Permanent residence: This subcategory admits a later application for definitive residence. The current general baseline is at least 24 months of temporary residence, with lawful reductions or longer periods based on the applicant’s circumstances. Definitive residence is a separate application and is not automatic.

Official evidence

Sources for this route

General planning information only—not legal, tax, or investment advice. A listed route does not determine eligibility. Verify current rules with the responsible authority before acting.