The Chile Rentista Visa, Explained

Do you have a recurring income from real estate or financial investments? Chile's rentista visa lets you relocate and live there legally on that passive income. Here is who qualifies, what documents you need, and how the application works.

Jérémie Le Pévédic
updated: 17/07/2026

What is a rentista visa in Chile?

The rentista visa is officially the Residencia Temporal - Extranjeros Rentistas (Rentier Temporary Residence) [1]. It is a category of temporary residence for foreigners with regular, recurring income from real estate rentals or financial assets, sufficient to cover at least their basic needs while in Chile [2]. It is applied for from abroad and does not itself authorize you to work in Chile.

Note

Income generated by working remotely for a foreign company while living in Chile does not qualify for the rentista visa. There is no remote worker / digital nomad visa. Check out our page about options for digital nomads.

Who can apply for a rentista visa in Chile? Is the rentista visa right for me?

The rentista visa can be applied for by foreigners who receive a regular income from real estate rentals or from financial assets that pay dividends or other returns, and who do not need to work to support themselves while in Chile [2]. It is a good option if you can prove that you receive an income regularly, ideally (but not necessarily) every month [1].

Warning

The income must come from real estate or financial assets. If you are a digital nomad or remote worker and want to work for a company abroad while living in Chile, the rentista visa is not for you. There is no remote worker visa in Chile. Look at our Digital Nomad / Remote Workers in Chile page for options.

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Who does not qualify for a rentista visa?

Only recurring passive income derived from real estate or financial assets qualifies for the rentista visa [2]. If your income is a pension, choose the retirement visa instead. If your income comes from freelancing, remote work, or an employment contract, there is unfortunately no remote worker visa in Chile yet. See the work visa for employed applicants.

There is no officially published minimum monthly income figure. Instead, SERMIG measures whether your income meets basic-needs indicators set by the Ministry of Social Development and Family [1]. Applicants whose income does not clearly exceed this standard are more likely to face additional scrutiny. If approved, they face a longer 36-month wait before qualifying for permanent residency instead of the standard 24 months [3].

You must also not be subject to the mandatory entry prohibitions of Ley 21.325 (Article 32) [4]. See the shared temporary visa eligibility criteria for details.

Chile rentista visa eligibility

The requirements to apply for a rentista visa in Chile are:

  • a recurring income generated either by:
    • real estate properties that are rented out, anywhere in the world (not only in Chile), or
    • financial assets that pay dividends or other returns,
  • income that is sufficient to cover at least your basic needs, per Ministry of Social Development and Family indicators [2],
  • a passport valid for at least 12 months at the date of the application,
  • a criminal background certificate covering the last 5 years, from your country of origin and any country where you have resided in that period [2],
  • not being subject to Ley 21.325's mandatory entry prohibitions [4]. See details on the Chile temporary visa page.

Required documents to apply for a rentista visa

Documents required for all visas

  • 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

To obtain a rentista visa in Chile, you need one of the following document sets [1][2][5]:

If your income comes from real estate:

  • Certificate proving that you own the real estate property.
  • Rental contract or agreement establishing the obligation to pay you a determined sum of money on a regular basis.
  • Documents proving the income you receive from the rented property.

If your income comes from financial assets:

  • Certificate proving that you own the financial assets, issued by the institution holding them (bank, broker, or financial management company).
  • Documents proving the income you receive from the declared financial assets.
Note

Documents issued abroad about real estate or financial assets located outside Chile must be apostilled or legalized, as stipulated in articles 345/345 bis of the Civil Procedure Code [2]. This requirement is waived for assets located or held in Chile. Any document in a language other than Spanish or English must be accompanied by an authorized translation [2]. Documents issued by public bodies must be no older than 60 days at filing. Documents from private entities must be no older than 30 days [2].

Rentista visa duration and renewal

The rentista visa is granted for up to 24 months per period [2]. To renew it, you must file between 90 and 10 days before the current permit expires [3] and present current documentation proving you still hold rentier status and sufficient income to fund your residence in Chile [3]. See the visa renewal page for the general renewal process.

The Chile rentista visa is part of the temporary visas in Chile. The visa fee varies based on the applicant's citizenship [6][7]. More information on the Chile visa fees section.

Rentista visa complete application process

The rentista visa is one type of temporary visa in Chile, and must be filed from abroad [1][2]. For the general steps, see the temporary visa application process [8].

Path to permanent residency and citizenship from a rentista visa

  1. Rentier Temporary Residence (Residencia Temporal — Extranjeros Rentistas), granted for up to 24 months per period, renewable
    from 24 months[2]
  2. Permanent residence (Residencia Definitiva) eligibility: 24 months of continuous eligible temporary residence
    from 24 months[3][4]
  3. 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[9]

Statutory minimums — actual processing adds time on top. Details on the visa page.

Holding a rentista visa leads to permanent residency and, eventually, citizenship:

  1. Temporary residence: the rentista permit is granted for up to 24 months per period, renewable [2].
  2. Permanent residency (Residencia Definitiva): you become eligible after 24 months of continuous, eligible temporary residence on this visa. If your income did not clearly exceed the Ministry of Social Development's basic-needs standard, the required period extends to 36 months instead [3].
  3. Naturalization (Carta de Nacionalización): available after 5 years of continuous residence, counted from your Temporary Residence Electronic Stamp date, once you hold permanent residency and are 18 or older [4][9].

Frequently Asked Questions about the rentista visa in Chile

Rentista visa application process

Yes. Decreto 177 recognizes two distinct income profiles under this permit: owners of real estate that is rented out, and owners of financial assets that pay income. Each profile requires a different set of supporting documents.[1][2][10]

You must apply for the rentista visa from abroad. This permit is only available through the process for applicants outside Chile. You cannot request it after entering the country as a tourist.[1][2][11]

The rentista visa is a category of temporary visa. You can find the current application time on this page, section "Reply Time".[12][13][14]

No. The Chile immigration service does not provide an option to expedite the visa process.[1][15]

Rentista visa conditions

Yes. You can bring dependents or family members to Chile under your rentista 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.[14][16][17]

The rentista visa is granted for up to 24 months per period, renewable.[1][2][3]

Yes. There are no travel restrictions tied to this visa category.[1][18]

No. There is no cap on rentista visas issued. The limiting factor is whether you meet the eligibility conditions for the visa.[19][20]

No. The rentista visa application does not require Spanish language or Chilean culture courses or exams.[1][21]

There is no officially published fixed amount. Decreto 177 only requires that your income from real estate or financial assets be regular and sufficient to cover at least your basic needs, measured against indicators the Ministry of Social Development and Family (Ministerio de Desarrollo Social y Familia) estimates and updates periodically. Ask our team or check the current indicators directly with SERMIG before applying.[1][2]

No. The rentista permit is built around passive income from real estate or financial assets, not employment. It does not itself authorize you to work in Chile. Income from remote work or freelancing for a foreign company does not qualify for this visa category. See our page on options for digital nomads.[1][2][22]

No. The apostille/legalization requirement is waived for real estate or financial assets located or held in Chile. It still applies to ownership, contract, and income documents tied to assets located abroad.[1][2]

Visa renewal / Permanent residency

Yes. You can apply to change your visa status while residing in Chile on a rentista visa. However, you must meet the requirements for the specific visa subcategory you are applying for.[22][23]

Yes. You must file the renewal application between 90 and 10 days before your current permit expires, presenting current documentation that proves you still hold rentier status and sufficient income to fund your residence in Chile.[2][3][24]

Yes. The standard residency period to apply for permanent residency (Residencia Definitiva) from a rentista visa is 24 months of continuous eligible temporary residence. If your income does not clearly exceed the Ministry of Social Development's basic-needs standard at the time you apply, the required period extends to 36 months.

No direct path for citizenship. You must first become a permanent resident, then complete 5 years of continuous residence to apply for naturalization.

[3][4][9][19]

Note

This is a private immigration information service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by SERMIG (Servicio Nacional de Migraciones) or the Government of Chile. The information on this page is general in nature and is not legal advice. Official applications must be filed directly at serviciomigraciones.cl. For legal representation in Chilean immigration matters, consult an attorney licensed in Chile. This page does not replace professional legal advice.

References

  1. [1]
    SERMIG — Residencia Temporal, Subcategoría: Jubilados y Rentistas (retirement / rentista) (Spanish)
  2. [2]
    Decreto 177 — Subcategorías Migratorias de Residencia Temporal (Spanish) [law text]
  3. [3]
    Decreto 296 — Reglamento de la Ley 21.325 (Spanish) [law text]
  4. [4]
    Ley 21.325 — Ley de Migración y Extranjería (Spanish) [law text]
  5. [5]
    SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Cómo Acreditar Sustento Económico al Solicitar un Permiso de Residencia (Spanish)
  6. [6]
    SERMIG — Aranceles Migratorios (fee schedule) (Spanish)
  7. [7]
    SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Aranceles Migratorios (Spanish)
  8. [8]
    SERMIG — Etapas de la Residencia Temporal (Spanish)
  9. [9]
    DS 5.142/1960 — Ley sobre Nacionalización de Extranjeros (Spanish) [law text]
  10. [10]
    SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — ¿Qué es la Residencia Temporal? (Spanish)
  11. [11]
    SERMIG — Permanencia Transitoria, Subcategoría: Turistas (tourist) (Spanish)
  12. [12]
    SERMIG — Residencia Temporal: Estampado Electrónico (Spanish)
  13. [13]
    SERMIG — Residencia Temporal (Spanish)
  14. [14]
    SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Preguntas Frecuentes: Residencia Temporal (Spanish)
  15. [15]
    SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Ampliación de Certificado de Residencia Temporal en Trámite (Spanish)
  16. [16]
    SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Requisitos: Residencia Temporal de Reunificación Familiar (Spanish)
  17. [17]
    SERMIG — Residencia Temporal, Subcategoría: Niños, Niñas y Adolescentes (NNA) (Spanish)
  18. [18]
    SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Preguntas y Respuestas Frecuentes: Residencia Definitiva (Spanish)
  19. [19]
    SERMIG — Residencia Definitiva (Spanish)
  20. [20]
    SERMIG — Estimaciones de Personas Extranjeras en Chile (Spanish)
  21. [21]
    SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Traducción de Documentación en Idioma Distinto al Español o Inglés (Spanish)
  22. [22]
    SERMIG — Residencia Temporal, Subcategoría: Actividades Remuneradas (paid work) (Spanish)
  23. [23]
    SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Preguntas Frecuentes: Permanencia Transitoria (Spanish)
  24. [24]
    SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Preguntas Frecuentes: Residencia Temporal (v2) (Spanish)

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