Chile
Chile Temporary Residence (Investor, Rentista, Pensionado)
Also known as: Chile Inversionista, Chile Jubilado/Rentista
- Min investment
- $1K
- Program tier
- Renewable Temp
- Program type
- Investor Visa
- Initial validity
- 2 yr
- Renewable
- Yes
- Path to PR
- 2 yr
- Path to citizenship
- 5 yr
- Schengen access
- Yes
Investment options
Business Investment
$500KInversionista — Documented investment or commitment of at least USD 500,000 in a Chilean business project. Business plan required; SERMIG approval before deployment.
Passive Income Proof
$1KJubilado (Retiree) — Documented monthly pension USD 1,000-1,500+ (no fixed statutory minimum; practical threshold). Plus USD 500/month per dependent. Pension, Social Security, government annuity acceptable.
Passive Income Proof
$2KRentista (Periodic Income) — Documented monthly passive income USD 1,500+ from non-employment sources (rentals, dividends, interest, annuities) sustained for 2 years prior.
Physical presence
Path to citizenship
- Available: Yes
- Minimum years: 5
- Physical-presence years: 5
- Language test: Yes
Naturalization after 5 years total legal residence; Spanish proficiency; integration. Dual citizenship allowed since 2005 reform. Chilean passport is the strongest in South America (Schengen, US ESTA visa-waiver).
Tax implications
- Becomes tax resident automatically: No
- Worldwide income taxed: No
- Territorial tax system: No
- Day-count for tax residency: 183 days
- Wealth tax: No
Chile uniquely offers a 3-year (extendable to 6) foreign-income exemption for new tax residents — only Chilean-source income taxed during this transition period. After 6 years, worldwide income taxed (PIT progressive to 40%). No wealth tax (despite recurring proposals). No inheritance tax. New residents benefit from a meaningful tax holiday — comparable to Italy 24-bis but at much lower cost.
Family inclusion
- Spouse: Yes
- Children under 18: Yes
- Dependent adult children: No
- Parents: No
Spouse/civil partner and unmarried children under 24 in education. Each adult dependent must demonstrate own income or be sponsored on family-unity visa.
Additional fees
- Application fee: $100
- Government fees: $400
- Legal/agent (est.): $3K
Application via SERMIG online portal from abroad. Visa stamp ~USD 200-400 depending on nationality. RUT and Cédula fees minor. Legal fees USD 2,000-4,000.
Eligibility requirements
- Age 18+
- Clean criminal record (Chilean Antecedentes + foreign)
- Proof of qualifying investment/income
- Civil documents apostilled/translated
- Health certificate (Carné de Salud not required but recommended)
Disqualifiers
- Application from inside Chile (must apply from abroad; reform applies as of 2022 Migration Act)
- Failure of source-of-funds review
- Criminal record
Recent changes
- 2022
New Migration Act in force — restructured all temporary residence categories under a single Permit with 16 subcategories. Application must be from abroad (tourist-to-resident conversion eliminated).
- 2024-2025
Processing improvements; SERMIG online portal mandatory. Investor route at USD 500K positioned as higher than equivalent Latin American routes.
- 2026
3-year foreign-income exemption for new tax residents reaffirmed; widely used by HNWI relocators.
Notes
Chile's tax holiday (3-6 year foreign-income exemption) is the program's standout feature — among the most generous in Latin America. Investor visa at USD 500K is high relative to neighbors but Chile offers superior infrastructure, stability, and a strong passport. Rentista at USD 1,500/month is mainstream. The 'apply from abroad' rule eliminates the common Latin American pattern of arriving as tourist and converting; this is enforced. Security has improved post-2022; political stability strong despite previous constitutional convention turmoil.
EasyPassport is a document-organization tool focused on citizenship by descent. This page is reference research, not legal or financial advice. Always verify with the official program authority.