The Chile Temporary Residency Visa, Explained
Temporary residence (Residencia Temporal) is the permit almost everyone relocating to Chile for more than 90 days needs first. This page walks through what it is, how and where to apply, the deadlines that apply once you file, and what happens after SERMIG approves your permit.
What is temporary residence in Chile?
Temporary residence (Residencia Temporal) is a time-limited permit for foreigners who intend to settle in Chile, granted by Chile's National Migration Service (SERMIG) [1]. It is the first permit almost anyone relocating to Chile for longer than 90 days needs, and it is what a tourist visa cannot substitute for once you plan to stay, work, or study long-term.
Ley 21.325 defines temporary residence in Articles 68-70 and requires at least 16 specific subcategories to be created by decree [2]. Decreto 177 is that decree. It defines subcategories such as family reunification, paid work, study, seasonal work, retirees and rentiers, investors, and several humanitarian and treaty-based routes [3][4]. Each subcategory has its own eligibility rules. This page covers what is common to the application process across all of them. For the requirements of a specific subcategory, see the full list of residency visas.
Advantages and trade-offs
- You can stay in Chile for up to two years without leaving or renewing every 90 days, unlike a tourist permit.
- Most subcategories authorize you to work legally in Chile.
- Filing is entirely online. There is no consular interview built into the standard process.
- You still need to meet the specific requirements of one subcategory, and gather and file the supporting documents for it.
Chile temporary visa eligibility
Across every subcategory, an applicant must also:
- Meet the specific requirements of the subcategory being applied for. Check the visa subcategories for the criteria that apply to your situation [4].
- Hold a passport valid for at least one year at the date of application.
- Not be subject to any of the nine mandatory entry prohibitions of Ley 21.325, Article 32. These include an active expulsion or entry-prohibition order, convictions abroad for serious crimes such as trafficking, homicide, kidnapping, or sexual offenses, outstanding Chilean criminal convictions, UN Security Council sanctions, and International Criminal Court prosecution, among others [2].
- Not have been convicted abroad, in the last 10 years, of an act that Chilean law treats as a crime (crimen), or in the last 5 years, of an act Chilean law treats as a simple offense (simple delito) [2].
Required documents common to every subcategory
Document requirements vary by subcategory, but a common core applies to most temporary residence applications [3]:
- Copy of your passport (photo page), valid for at least one year at the date of application.
- Criminal background certificate from your country of origin, apostilled or legalized.
- Criminal background certificate from your country of residence, apostilled or legalized, if you have lived in a country other than your country of origin during the last five years.
- Any document issued in a language other than Spanish or English, accompanied by an authorized translation.
Documents issued by private entities are only accepted if issued within the last 30 calendar days. Documents issued by public institutions are accepted within the last 60 calendar days, unless the document itself states a different validity period.
For the documents specific to your situation, check the visa subcategories.
Warning
Your passport must have at least one year of validity remaining on the date you apply. Renew it before you start collecting the rest of your documents if it is due to expire within a year.
Where and how to apply
Shall apply at a consulate or after arriving in Chile?
It is no longer possible to apply for temporary residence at a Chilean consulate. Applications must generally be filed from abroad through SERMIG's Digital Procedures Portal, before you travel to Chile [3][5].
There are limited exceptions that let you file from inside Chile: family reunification, humanitarian subcategories (for example, the pregnancy visa), stays aligned with the National Migration Policy, and other qualified cases the Subsecretaría del Interior may authorize [3]. Existing temporary residents may also file from inside Chile for a subcategory change, an extension, or a change of dependency status.
You may still need to visit a consulate during the process. This can be to sign a work contract before the consulate, to have documents legalized, or, for the remote procedure filed from outside Chile, for a consular interview [6].
Temporary visa application process in Chile
- Go to the immigration service platform or the SERMIG Digital Procedures Portal [5].
- Select the correct application: Solicitud de Residencia Temporal para Extranjeros fuera de Chile if you are outside Chile, or Solicitud de Residencia Temporal para Extranjeros dentro de Chile if one of the in-country exceptions above applies to you [7].
- Create an account (or sign in with ClaveÚnica, where the subcategory requires it).
- Fill in the required information and upload your documents, the common documents above plus whatever your subcategory requires.
- You receive an email confirming your application was received.
- SERMIG analyzes your file. If your documentation is manifestly incomplete or contains an error, you get 10 business days to fix it [3]. While your application is pending, SERMIG must email you a status update at least every 60 business days [6].
- If SERMIG is heading toward a rejection, you receive a pre-rejection notice by email and get 10 business days to respond with supporting documents before the final decision [6].
- Once approved: if you applied from abroad, download your electronic stamp within 120 business days of the grant, then enter Chile within 90 calendar days of downloading it, to activate the permit [6]. If you applied from inside Chile, the permit's validity instead starts from the date of the resolution [6].
- Request an appointment at the Registro Civil for your Chilean ID card (cédula de identidad) within 30 days of activation [6].
Warning
If you travel to Chile before your temporary residence application (filed from abroad) is approved, you enter as a tourist, not as a resident. If your application was filed from within Chile and is approved, you must still download the electronic stamp. Re-entry is not required to start the permit's validity in that case, since validity runs from the resolution date.
Note
Applying with a licensed attorney is not required for the standard application, but a lawyer can help where a case is unusual, for example prior immigration infractions, complex family situations, or an appeal against a rejection.
Application process for family members
Family members generally apply together with the principal applicant, as dependents (dependientes):
- At the end of the principal applicant's application, you are asked whether you want to file a grouped application [3].
- Answer yes and enter the number of family members applying (excluding the principal applicant).
- After the principal applicant's application is filed, you are taken to a screen to enter the first family member's details and documents. Repeat for each additional family member [3].
- Each dependent must prove the family relationship (birth or marriage certificate, or a notarized declaration for a cohabiting partner) and that the principal applicant can support them economically [3][8].
Info
If you do not select the grouped-application option, family members must wait until the principal applicant's temporary residence is granted before they can apply. This is not the recommended path, since it significantly delays the family members' applications.
What happens after your visa is approved?
Your temporary residence is granted and activated in one of two ways. If you applied from abroad, activation happens when you enter Chile. If you applied from inside Chile, activation happens from the resolution date [5]. Either way, you still have two things to do. Request your Chilean ID card (cédula de identidad) at the Registro Civil within 30 days [6]. If you ever move, report your new address within 30 calendar days [6]. Missing the ID-card deadline is a migration infraction and can complicate a future renewal or permanent-residence application. Visalpha's Chile post-arrival guide covers cédula, RUN, and registration steps in full.
How long can I stay in Chile?
Temporary residence is generally granted for up to two years, renewable once for two more years [6]. Some subcategories run differently. For example, seasonal-worker permits are capped at 6 months of stay per calendar year and that time does not count toward permanent residence eligibility. Student, medical, and some humanitarian permits can be granted for shorter periods tied to the underlying study program or treatment [3]. Check the specific visa subcategory page for the duration that applies to your case.
If your application is rejected: appeals
SERMIG must reject applications that fail the subcategory's requirements, one of Article 32's entry prohibitions, false documentation, or insufficient means, among other grounds, by a reasoned resolution [6]. As covered above, it must generally give you a 10-business-day pre-rejection window to respond first. If the application is still rejected, you can file an administrative appeal (recurso administrativo) within 5 days of notification, through the Digital Procedures Portal, while in Chile [2][9]. Visalpha's guide to fines and appeals in Chile covers this process, and the fine regime for related migration infractions, in more depth.
Frequently Asked Questions related to visa applications in Chile
Applying: channels, interview, and how the visa is issued
Yes. Since the 2021 immigration law, applying online through SERMIG's Digital Procedures Portal before you travel is the standard channel, and for most subcategories it is the only channel available. Chilean consulates no longer decide temporary residence applications, though you may still need to visit one to sign a work contract or legalize documents.[1][3][5][10]
It depends. Applications must generally be filed from abroad. The exceptions are family reunification, humanitarian subcategories such as the pregnancy visa, cases aligned with the National Migration Policy, and other qualified cases the Subsecretaría del Interior may authorize. Existing temporary residents may also file from inside Chile for a subcategory change, extension, or dependency-status change. All other categories must be filed before you relocate.[3][5][11]
No, not as a general rule. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chilean consulates are no longer part of the decision on temporary residence applications, so there is no consulate interview built into the standard process. You may still need to appear before a consulate to sign a work contract or to legalize documents for your file, and applicants filing from abroad under the remote procedure can be asked for a consular interview as part of that specific track.[5][6]
It depends. Most subcategories have no numeric cap. Two subcategories, job-search permits and seasonal-worker permits, are administered under the National Migration Policy. The President sets this policy by supreme decree, and it can set the number and type of permits issued by period or geographic zone.[2][4]
Everything happens electronically. If SERMIG approves your application, it issues an Estampado Electrónico (electronic stamp), a digital document that replaces the old physical passport stamp. It records your identity data, your subcategory, and the permit's expiration date. You retrieve it from the Digital Procedures Portal following the instructions sent to the email address on file.[6][12]
Processing stages and deadlines
SERMIG must reject applications that do not meet the subcategory's requirements by a reasoned resolution. But if the problem is a manifest error or missing documentation rather than an eligibility failure, you get 10 business days to fix it before that happens. If SERMIG is instead heading toward a full rejection, it must first send a pre-rejection notice by email, and you again get 10 business days to respond with supporting documents before the final decision is made.[3][5][6]
If you applied from abroad, you have 120 business days from the grant to download your electronic stamp. If you do not, the permit becomes void and you would need to reapply. Once you download it, you have 90 calendar days to enter Chile. Do not download it too early if you plan to delay your trip. The 90-day entry clock starts on download, not on grant, and the permit's validity period is counted from your actual entry into the country.[1][6][14]
You have 90 calendar days from the date you download the electronic stamp to enter Chile. There is no separate physical stamp on the passport anymore. The electronic stamp is the visa. The permit's validity period is calculated from the date you actually enter the country, not from the date it was granted or downloaded.[6][14]
Yes. If you applied from outside Chile, you activate the permit by entering the country with it within the 90-day window above. If you applied from inside Chile, the permit's validity instead starts on the date of the resolution notifying you it was granted. Either way, you then have 30 days to request an appointment at the Registro Civil (Civil Registry) for your Chilean ID card (cédula de identidad). Skipping this step is a migration infraction and can affect a future renewal or permanent-residence application.[5][6]
The Digital Procedures Portal shows the broad processing stage your application is in, though not a precise time estimate since stage duration varies by case. Separately, SERMIG is required to email you a status update at least every 60 business days while your application is pending, indicating the processing stage and the responsible unit.[6][10]
By email. When your application enters analysis, and again when a decision is reached, SERMIG emails you. An approval email states the resolution number and date that granted your visa. Any certificates are sent digitally, in PDF, with an advanced electronic signature. If your file needs correcting first, see the question above on incomplete or erroneous documentation for the response window that applies.[6][10]
Family-related application questions
No, but the outcome is close. Family members apply as dependents (dependientes) alongside the principal applicant, or shortly after. A dependent's permit runs on the same validity period as the principal's, and also lets the dependent work or study. While it is technically a distinct permit, the practical conditions are very similar.[3][8]
Application fees
It varies by subcategory and by the applicant's nationality. There is no single flat figure. See visa fees in Chile for the current schedule.[17]
Yes, dependents are charged their own fee, separate from the principal applicant's. See visa fees in Chile for current amounts by category.[17]
It depends on the child's age and whether the applicable fee schedule exempts minors for that subcategory. See visa fees in Chile for current amounts.[17]
Timing, appeals, and other practical questions
There is no fixed minimum lead time, but processing takes time and varies by subcategory and caseload. See Chile's residency visa hub for indicative processing-time information, and start early since some document types (background checks, notarized contracts) have their own age limits once issued.[3]
No, not as a general document requirement for temporary residence. The medical-treatment subcategory instead requires a medical report about the treatment you are seeking, and a small number of subcategories (for example, working holiday under some bilateral agreements) can carry their own health-certificate requirement. Check the specific subcategory page.[3]
Yes. You can file an administrative appeal (recurso administrativo) within 5 days of being notified of the rejection, through the Digital Procedures Portal, while you are in Chile. If that is unsuccessful, a Recurso de Protección (a court appeal) is available as a second step and requires a lawyer. See Visalpha's guide to fines and appeals in Chile for the fuller picture of your options after a negative decision.[2][9][19]
No, not directly. Property ownership is not itself an eligibility criterion for most subcategories. It can be relevant in a specific case: renting out property you own can help you qualify for the rentista visa, which is based on demonstrated rental or asset income.[3][20]
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 not legal advice and does not substitute for a licensed attorney's advice on your specific situation. Official applications must be filed directly at serviciomigraciones.cl.
References
- [1]SERMIG — Residencia Temporal (Spanish)
- [2]Ley 21.325 — Ley de Migración y Extranjería (Spanish) [law text]
- [3]Decreto 177 — Subcategorías Migratorias de Residencia Temporal (Spanish) [law text]
- [4]SERMIG — Subcategorías de Residencia Temporal (Spanish)
- [5]SERMIG — Etapas de la Residencia Temporal (Spanish)
- [6]Decreto 296 — Reglamento de la Ley 21.325 (Spanish) [law text]
- [7]SERMIG — Etapas de la Residencia Temporal Solicitada Dentro de Chile (Spanish)
- [8]SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Requisitos: Residencia Temporal de Reunificación Familiar (Spanish)
- [9]Ley 19.880 — Establece Bases de los Procedimientos Administrativos (Spanish)
- [10]SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Preguntas Frecuentes: Residencia Temporal (Spanish)
- [11]SERMIG — Residencia Temporal: Cambio de Subcategoría o Calidad (Spanish)
- [12]SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Descarga de Estampado Electrónico con Datos de Resolución (Spanish)
- [13]SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Apostilla y Legalización (Spanish)
- [14]SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Qué Hacer Tras Descargar el Estampado Electrónico Estando Fuera de Chile (Spanish)
- [15]SERMIG — Residencia Temporal: Calidad de Dependiente (Spanish)
- [16]SERMIG — Residencia Temporal, Subcategoría: Reunificación Familiar (Spanish)
- [17]SERMIG — Aranceles Migratorios (fee schedule) (Spanish)
- [18]SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Preguntas y Respuestas Frecuentes: Residencia Definitiva (Spanish)
- [19]SERMIG Centro de Ayuda — Reconsideración de Residencia Definitiva (Spanish)
- [20]SERMIG — Residencia Temporal, Subcategoría: Jubilados y Rentistas (retirement / rentista) (Spanish)
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