The Chile Business Visa, Explained
Do you have to come to Chile regularly for business purposes? This page reviews the multiple-entry business visa: who qualifies, the six-month-per-calendar-year stay limit, required documents, and how it compares to the investor and work visas.
What is a business visa in Chile?
The Chile business visa is officially the Permiso de Negocios de Múltiple Entrada (Spanish for "multiple-entry business permit"). It is a temporary residence permit for foreigners who, because of executive or management duties tied to a business or investment that a company maintains in Chile, must come to the country regularly. [1][2]
The permit allows an unlimited number of entries, but the total time you spend in Chile across all your visits cannot add up to more than six months in any calendar year (January 1 to December 31). This annual stay cap is set directly by Article 65 of Decreto 177 and takes priority over the general validity rules that apply to most other temporary-residence subcategories, set out in Article 72 of Ley 21.325. As a result, it applies regardless of how long the underlying permit document itself remains valid. [1][3]
Warning
The six-month limit runs on the calendar year, not on your permit's start/end dates. Track your cumulative days in Chile each January-December period so you do not exceed the cap.
Who can apply for a business visa in Chile? Is the Chile business visa right for me?
The business visa can be a good fit if you work for a foreign company with business or investment interests in Chile and need to visit the country regularly for executive or management tasks, without staying more than six months per calendar year. [1]
If you only need to come to Chile once for a short mission, a tourist visa with a work-as-a-tourist authorization will usually be faster to obtain than a residence permit. If your role requires you to live in Chile continuously, or you need a Chilean employment contract, the work visa is a better fit. If you or your company are investing USD 500,000 or more in the production of goods or services, the investor visa is the closer match. [4] It also has an easier path to permanent residency, since it is not subject to the six-month annual cap.
The requirements are:
- an executive or management role tied to a business or investment a company maintains in Chile.
- the need to come to Chile regularly for this purpose.
- not exceeding six months of total stay in Chile per calendar year.
- a passport valid for at least one year at the date of application.
- a criminal background certificate covering the last 5 years, from your country of origin (and country of residence, if different), apostilled or legalized.
- legalized or apostilled documents proving your contractual relationship with the company and the business income associated with it.
- not being subject to the imperative entry/residence prohibitions of Article 32 of Ley 21.325. See details on the Chile temporary visa page. [1][3]
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Who does not qualify, or shall not apply for a business visa?
You do not qualify if you cannot document an executive or management role tied to a business or investment that a company maintains in Chile, or if you need to stay in the country for more than six months in a calendar year. [1][2] If you plan to relocate to Chile and live there most of the year, the work visa, investor visa, or rentista visa are better alternatives, depending on your situation.
Required documents
Documents required for all temporary visas
- Copy of your passport (only the page with your photo), valid for at least one year at the date of application.
- Criminal background check from your country of origin, covering the last 5 years, apostilled or legalized.
- Criminal background check from your country of residence, apostilled or legalized, if you have resided in the last five years in a country different from your country of origin.
- Criminal record certificate (last 5 years)
- Valid passport
Requirements come from the official eligibility rules; always confirm against the cited source before applying.
Specific documents for this visa
- Document stating the reasons for the visit and the economic or commercial interests that justify your presence in Chile.
- Legalized or apostilled documents proving your contractual relationship with the company, together with evidence of the business income associated with that relationship.
Note
Documents issued abroad must be apostilled or legalized by the Chilean consulate in the country of origin and by the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, per articles 345/345 bis of the Civil Procedure Code. Public documents must be no older than 60 days and private documents no older than 30 days at the time of application, and any document not in Spanish or English must be translated. [1]
Duration and renewal
The business visa allows you to stay in Chile for up to six months in total per calendar year, no matter how many separate entries you make. [1]
To renew the permit, file your prórroga request between 90 and 10 days before your current permit expires, with updated legalized documents proving your contractual relationship with the company and the business income associated with it. If you miss this window, you can still request the renewal within 9 months of expiration, but you must declare the infraction and pay a fine through SERMIG's digital portal. [5] See the visa renewal page for the general renewal process.
Chile Business visa fees and related costs
The business visa is a category of temporary visa. For this reason, the associated visa fees vary based on the applicant's citizenship. [6]
Business visa complete application process
The business visa is one of the types of temporary visas available in Chile and must be applied for from abroad. [1] See the general application process for the temporary visa here.
Path to permanent residency and citizenship
The multiple-entry business permit leads to permanent residency. The typical stages are:
- Multiple-Entry Business Temporary Residence (Residencia Temporal — Negocios de Múltiple Entrada), total stay in Chile capped at 6 months per calendar year, renewable
- Permanent residence (Residencia Definitiva) eligibility: 24 months of continuous eligible temporary residence; given the 6-month-per-calendar-year stay cap, reaching this threshold typically spans several years of permit renewals
- Naturalization eligibility (Carta de Nacionalización): 5 years of continuous residence, counted from the Temporary Residence Electronic Stamp date, as a Residencia Definitiva holder aged 18+from 60 months[7]
Statutory minimums — actual processing adds time on top. Details on the visa page.
The business visa is not among the subcategories excluded from permanent residency. Only seasonal workers, Gendarmería-custody, court-ordered-stay, and medical-treatment permit holders are excluded under Article 10 of Decreto 177. [1] To apply for permanent residency (Residencia Definitiva), you must have resided in Chile in your temporary-resident capacity for at least 24 months. [5] Because this visa caps your stay at six months per calendar year, reaching 24 months of actual residence in the country typically takes about 48 months (4 years) of holding the permit and renewing it.
Once you hold permanent residency, naturalization (Carta de Nacionalización) requires 5 years of continuous residence in Chile, counted from the date of your Temporary Residence Electronic Stamp, provided you are 18 or older. [7]
Frequently Asked Questions about the business visa in Chile
Business visa application process
No. The multiple-entry business permit is a single subcategory of temporary residence (Decreto 177, letter o) of Article 10). It has no further sub-tiers. If you do not qualify for it, review the other categories of temporary visas.[1][2]
No, you must apply from abroad. The multiple-entry business permit is requested from outside Chile through SERMIG's digital application platform (see application process). It is not possible to apply for this category while in Chile on a tourist permit.[1][2]
Business visa conditions
Yes, but the same stay cap applies to them. Dependent temporary residence is available to your spouse or equivalent partner, parents, and children under 18 (or with a disability, or under 24 and studying), provided you can show economic capacity to support them. Because their permit is granted under your business-visa subcategory, they are subject to the same six-month-per-calendar-year stay limit as you. This means it is not the best visa category if you want to relocate your family to Chile permanently.[1][3][10]
With a business visa in Chile, your total stay cannot add up to more than six months in each calendar year, regardless of how many separate trips you make. This limit is set directly by Article 65 of Decreto 177 and overrides the general temporary-residence validity rules that apply to most other subcategories.[1][2]
Yes. This is precisely what the permit is designed for: foreigners who need to enter Chile regularly for executive or management tasks tied to a business or investment a company maintains in the country. There is no limit on the number of entries. The only limit is on cumulative time in the country, which cannot exceed six months per calendar year.[1][2]
No. Chile has not implemented a numeric cap on multiple-entry business permits.[2]
No. The requirements listed in Articles 65 and 66 of Decreto 177 do not include any language exam or cultural course.[1]
Business-related questions
No. Article 65 requires the applicant to come to Chile regularly for executive or management activities tied to a business or investment a company maintains in the country. It sets no minimum monetary threshold. This is what mainly separates it from the investor visa, which requires a USD 500,000 qualifying investment.[1][4]
No. Decreto 177 does not restrict or prioritize this permit by industry or sector.[1]
A formal business plan is not among the documents Article 66 lists. What is required is legalized or apostilled documentation proving your contractual relationship with the company and the business income associated with it. You can add a business plan to your application if it helps establish that relationship.[1]
No. Article 66 requires legalized documentation of your contractual relationship with the company and proof of associated business income. It does not require the company to maintain a physical office in Chile.[1]
Decreto 177 does not restrict who the Chilean business you work with can employ. Keep in mind that you can only be in Chile up to six months per calendar year under this permit, so any locally hired staff would need to be able to operate independently of your physical presence, and would need their own, separate work authorization.[1]
No. Articles 65 and 66 do not set any local-hiring requirement for this permit.[1]
The permit is granted for the executive or management purpose described in your application. Article 65 defines the permit by that purpose. A material change in activity could affect your case at renewal, since Article 66 requires proof of an ongoing contractual relationship and associated income tied to the business described when you applied.[1]
No fixed threshold. Renewal requires legalized documents proving your contractual relationship with the company and its associated business income (the same standard as the initial application), but Decreto 177 does not set a minimum revenue or profit figure.[1]
No. Unlike the investor visa, which requires an InvestChile sponsorship letter, the business visa's document list (Article 66) does not require a local partner or sponsor.[1][4]
A local legal representative is not among the documents Article 66 requires. Some applicants whose company has a Chilean branch choose to appoint one, since the visa holder is only in the country part of the year, but this is a personal choice, not a legal requirement.[1]
Business visa renewal / Permanent residency
Yes. Temporary residence holders can request a change of subcategory if they meet the requirements of the new one. The request must be filed between 90 and 10 days before your current permit expires, through SERMIG's digital platform.[5]
Yes. You must file the renewal (prórroga) request between 90 and 10 days before your current permit expires. If you file after your permit has already expired, you must also declare the infraction and pay a fine through SERMIG's digital portal. You have a 9-month window to do this before non-renewal can trigger expulsion proceedings.[5]
Yes, but it takes longer than for most other temporary visas. The business visa is not one of the subcategories excluded from permanent residency (only seasonal workers, Gendarmería-custody, court-ordered-stay, and medical-treatment permit holders are excluded). To apply for permanent residency (Residencia Definitiva), you must have resided in Chile in your temporary-resident capacity for at least 24 months. Because the business visa caps your stay at six months per calendar year, reaching 24 months of actual residence typically takes about 48 months (4 years) of holding the permit.
For citizenship, you must first hold permanent residency and then complete 5 years of continuous residence (DS 5.142/1960), so citizenship is not available directly from a temporary business visa.
[1][5][7]Note
This page is a private, independent information service and is provided for general information only. It is not legal advice. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by SERMIG (Servicio Nacional de Migraciones) or the Government of Chile. Official applications must be filed directly at serviciomigraciones.cl. For legal representation in a Chilean immigration matter, consult a licensed attorney in Chile. This page does not replace professional legal advice.
References
- [1]Decreto 177 — Subcategorías Migratorias de Residencia Temporal (Spanish) [law text]
- [2]SERMIG — Residencia Temporal, Subcategoría: Negocios (business) (Spanish)
- [3]Ley 21.325 — Ley de Migración y Extranjería (Spanish) [law text]
- [4]Resolución InvestChile — Requisitos Visa de Inversionista (Spanish)
- [5]Decreto 296 — Reglamento de la Ley 21.325 (Spanish) [law text]
- [6]SERMIG — Aranceles Migratorios (fee schedule) (Spanish)
- [7]DS 5.142/1960 — Ley sobre Nacionalización de Extranjeros (Spanish) [law text]
- [8]SERMIG — Residencia Temporal (Spanish)
- [9]SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Recomendaciones al Solicitar la Residencia Temporal (Spanish)
- [10]SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Requisitos: Residencia Temporal de Reunificación Familiar (Spanish)
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