The Chile Business Visa, Explained
Do you have to come to Chile for business purposes? Are you wondering if you need a visa, or what is the best visa for you? In this article, we review the business visa, detail when you need to apply for this visa, and what are the alternatives, depending on your situation.
What is a business visa in Chile?
A business visa is a specific type aimed at foreign citizens who regularly visit Chile for business purposes. This visa suits highly qualified individuals required to perform high-productivity tasks or make investments. They want to come for a limited time each year but do not plan to live permanently in Chile.
Warning
This visa is limited to 6 months per calendar year (from January 1st to December 31st). However, the calendar year may not match your visa's start/end date. Therefore, be careful. This might not be six months per year as defined by your visa's start/end dates.
Who can apply for a business visa in Chile? Is the Chile business visa right for me?
If you work for a foreign company interested in doing business in Chile, the Chile business visa can be a good option if you do not plan to stay more than six months per calendar year in Chile. If you need to stay longer, then the Chile work visa is a better option.
If you only need to come to Chile once for a short mission, then a tourist visa with a work permit as a tourist will be faster to obtain.
In some countries, you need a business visa to start a business in the country, which is different in Chile. If opening a business is your goal, look at the investor visa for large projects or the rentista visa if you have some savings to live in Chile while you start your project.
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Who does not qualify, or shall not apply for a business visa?
You shall not apply for a business visa if you want to relocate and live permanently in Chile for more than six months per year.
Foreigners who can not demonstrate that they work for a foreign company with a strong interest in Chile won't qualify for this visa. If you plan to open or expand a business in Chile, better alternatives might be the investor visa, the work visa, or the rentista visa.
How to apply for a business visa in Chile?
The requirements to apply for a business visa in Chile are:
- working for a foreign company that has economic / business interests in Chile.
- being required to come to Chile regularly to take care of these investments.
- not having to stay more than six months per calendar year in Chile.
- receiving a salary from a foreign company for this work.
- having a passport valid for at least one year at the date of the application.
- not having been convicted for a crime in Chile or abroad. See details on the Chile temporary visa page.
Required documents to apply for a business visa
Documents required for all temporary visas
- Copy of your passport (only the page with your photo).
- Background check of your country of origin, apostilled or legalized.
- Background check of your country of residence, apostilled or legalized, if you have been residing in the last five years in a country different from your country of origin.
Specific documents for this visa
- Document stating the reasons for the visit and the economic and commercial interests that justify your presence in Chile.
- Letter issued by the foreign institution you represent, specifying your function and interests.
Note
Documents issued abroad must be apostilled or legalized adequately by the Chilean consulate in the country of origin and by the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as stipulated in articles 345/345 bis of the Civil Procedure Code.
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.
Business visa complete application process
The business visa is one of the types of temporary visas available in Chile. See the application process for the temporary visa here.
Frequently Asked Questions about the business visa in Chile
Business visa application process
No. The business visa is already a subcategory of the temporary visas. There is no subcategory. If you do not qualify for this visa, you can review the other categories of temporary visas.
Yes. You must apply for a business visa outside Chile using the digital application platform from the Chile immigration service (see application process). It is not possible to apply for this visa category while being in Chile as a tourist.
The business visa is a category of temporary visa. You can find the current application time on this page, section "Reply Time".
No. There is, unfortunately, no way to expedite the application process. Make sure to plan or contact our local immigration specialist for alternatives to this visa.
Business visa conditions
**Yes, but... You can apply for a business visa for your family, too, but they are subjected to the same duration limit as your visa, meaning they can only stay in Chile for up to six months per calendar year. So there are better visa types than this if you want to relocate your family permanently to Chile.
With a business visa in Chile, you can stay six months each calendar year.
Yes. You can travel in and out of Chile on a business visa, but there are certain conditions. The visa, known as a "multiple entry business visa", is a temporary residence permit for foreign individuals who need to regularly enter the country for executive or managerial tasks related to businesses or investments in Chile. However, the total stay of the person during their visits to the country can be at most six months in each calendar year.
No. Chile has not implemented caps on business visas.
No. There are no courses required. Knowing a bit about the culture and the language can help your integration, but this is not a requirement.
Business-related questions
No. The business visa is not subject to a minimum investment. The visa that requires a minimum investment is the investor visa.
No. The Chilean immigration law does not prioritize particular sectors or industries for the business visa.
No. A business plan is not required. You can add it to the documents stating the reasons for the visit if they are relevant to your application.
No. You must demonstrate that the company sending you has economic and commercial interests that justify your presence in Chile, but an office is not required.
Yes. You can travel in and out of Chile multiple times on a business visa. This visa is suited for foreign individuals who need to regularly enter the country for executive or managerial tasks related to business or investments in Chile. However, the total stay during these visits can be at most six months per calendar year.
Yes. You can hire local employees while on a business visa. However, remember that you can only stay up to six months per calendar year, so make sure the hired employees can work on their own while you are not in Chile.
No. There is no such criteria.
There is no restriction on the activities that you can perform under this visa. So you could change of activity. Yet: 1. You are still limited to six months a year, and 2. You obtained this visa based on the information provided in your application, so we recommend not to knowingly misrepresent your situation when filing a visa application.
No. There is no such criteria.
No. Local partners/sponsors are not required to obtain a business visa in Chile.
If your company has a branch in Chile, it might be helpful to get a local legal representative since you will only be in Chile occasionally. Yet, this is not required to obtain the visa.
No.
Business visa renewal / Permanent residency
Yes. You can switch to a different visa type while residing in Chile on a business visa. The law allows for the possibility of changing your visa status. You shall file the request on the immigration service online platform.
Yes. It is possible to renew a business visa in Chile when it expires. You must request the renewal of a residence permit at most ninety days before the expiration of the current residence visa.
Possibly for permanent residency. No for citizenship. The business visa is not amongst the categories of temporary visas that do not qualify for permanent residency. Yet, one of the criteria to qualify for permanent residency is a minimum stay of 24 months in the country. Considering that the business visa only allows you to stay up to 6 months per year in the country, you will need to renew it and apply for permanent residency only after 48 months as a business visa holder. Regarding citizenship, you first need to be a permanent resident to qualify, so it is not possible to apply directly with a temporary business visa.
References
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