Chile Immigration Laws and Immigration Policy, a review

Do you have a question about immigration laws in Chile? In this article, we list the current laws and decrees that govern immigration in Chile, as well as the changes that occurred in the last few years. We start with the list of the main Chilean immigration laws, followed by a review of each relevant law.

Principal laws and decrees regulating immigration in Chile

Law 21325 (Abril 2021) - Chile Immigration Law

The immigration law 21.325 was published in April 2021, 8 years after the start of the legislative process. The law encompasses two main changes:

• the creation of the National Migration Service and its regional branches,
• a new framework for visas and permanent residency applications.

The National Migration Service service goal is to "standardize the procedures and processing times throughout the country, by centralizing the analysis, but decentralizing the attention, orientation, inclusion, and delivery of benefits, in addition to promoting coordination and communication with civil society, municipalities, and regional governments."

Decree 296 (February 2022) - Regulation of the Immigration Law

The decree 296 is the "application decree" of the immigration law 21.325. In Chile, this is called a "reglamento". It specifies the legal processes and norms related to immigration in Chile. It also defines more in-depth the roles of the various actors in the immigration process, such as the immigration service, the civil register, the police department, and the consulates of Chile abroad.

Decree 23 (January 2022) - Categories of tourist visas

The Decreto Supremo 23 (Government Decree 23) defines the categories of tourist visas used for short-stay (up to 90 days) visits in Chile. The decree also details the associated requirements for each category.

Decree 177 (May 2022) - Categories of temporary visas

The Decreto Supremo 177 (Government Decree 177) details the categories of temporary visas in Chile and the required documents for each category.

Recent changes in the Chile visa policy and immigration law

The last significant changes were the publication of the Chilean immigration law 21.325 in April 2021 and its "application decree" in February 2022.

Previous immigration regulations in Chile

Previously, these were the law and decree that ruled the immigration of foreigners in Chile. We indicate them for reference in case you see them mentioned. Remember that they are no longer valid.

• Ley de Extranjería (DL 1094 del año 1975)
• Reglamento de Extranjería (DS 597 del año 1984)

Frequent Questions concerning immigration laws in Chile

References