The Chile Medical Visa, Explained

No. There are no distinct subcategories of medical visas in Chile. There is only one category, which is a temporary residence permit for foreigners who are undergoing medical treatments that must be initiated or continued with institutional or private health providers registered with the Superintendence of Health and residing in Chile.

You cannot apply for a medical visa after arriving in Chile as a tourist. The application for a medical visa must be made outside Chile through the digital platform set up by the Chile Immigration Service. The application must include medical documents detailing the type of treatment, cost, and approximate duration, as well as proof of sufficient financial means for subsistence during the stay in the country and for financing the treatment.

The medical visa is a category of temporary visa. You can find the current application time on this page, section "Reply Time".

No. There is no fast track regarding the medical visa. Remember that the medical visa described on this page is a residency visa for foreigners who need to stay for an extended time in Chile. If you only have a short (less than 90 days) medical treatment to do in Chile, a tourist visa must be better suited and faster to obtain.

No. There are no specific appointments. Yet, you need to obtain a medical certificate to prove the requirement of having the treatment in Chile. You may have to go to medical consultations or exams, depending on the disease and your country of origin.

Yes. You must prove you can support your stay in Chile and finance the treatment cost. You can demonstrate it through health insurance that offers necessary and sufficient coverage to pay for the treatment.

No. There is no limit on the number of times you can apply for a medical visa, providing that you meet the requirements. Remember, though, that this visa does not allow you to apply for permanent residency.

A valid medical condition for the medical visa application in Chile requires ongoing treatment, as evidenced by a medical certificate signed by a medical professional. This certificate should detail the illness, type of treatment, duration, and cost of the treatment.

No. There are no medical conditions that are not eligible or restricted under the medical visa category in Chile.

No. There is no list of hospitals or medical institutions you must attend to qualify for a medical visa.

Yes. There are no restrictions on the institutions you can attend as long as the institution is located in Chile and registered with the Superintendence of Health.

It depends. The medical visa requires a medical certificate that stipulates the disease, type of treatment, duration, and cost. The certificate must also include the name of the doctor and institution where the applicant is planning to undertake the treatment. This institution must be registered with the Superintendence of Health. Therefore, whether or not you can undertake alternative or holistic medical treatments depends on the registration of the institution providing these treatments with the Superintendence of Health in Chile.

Yes. You can bring dependents or family members to Chile under your medical visa. The family members that you can include are your spouse or equivalent, children under 18 years old, children with disabilities, unmarried children under 24 years old who are (or will be) studying in Chile, and minors under your personal care or guardianship. Additional documents are needed to establish family links. See the temporary visa application page for more information.

The immigration service determines the visa duration based on the planned duration of the treatment indicated in the medical certificate provided during the application.

No. The medical visa does not extend to caregivers or personal assistants. A caregiver would have to file a separate visa application.

Yes, you could. The medical visa is a subcategory of temporary visas. As such, there is no limitation on working in Chile. Yet, remember that the medical visa's primary purpose is to undertake medical treatment, and this visa does not allow you to apply for permanent residency. If you want to work in Chile, we recommend finding another category of visa that best suits you.

No. There are no restrictions on where you can reside in Chile during medical treatment.

Yes. You can travel in and out of Chile without any restrictions on a medical visa. There are no travel restrictions, provided that your health condition permits travel, of course.

Yes. You could switch to another temporary visa category if needed. Remember that you can not apply for permanent residency while residing in Chile on a medical visa.

No. No cap exists for medical visas in Chile.

Yes. You can switch to a different visa type while residing in Chile on a medical visa. However, you must meet the requirements corresponding to the visa subcategory you are applying for and comply with the set timelines.

Yes. It is possible to renew a medical visa in Chile when it expires. You need to present the same list of documents as the initial request. You need to submit updated documents, however. You can not re-use the documents from the previous application.

No. You cannot apply for permanent residency or citizenship in Chile after living on a medical visa. The law explicitly states that those under medical treatment are not eligible to apply for permanent residency.