Residence Permit, Permanent Residency and Citizenship in Chile
The Chilean residence and permanent residency programs grant the right to legally live, work and run a business in the country, with a route to applying for and obtaining Chilean citizenship.
Travel without borders: 161 visa-free countries for the whole family once citizenship is obtained
Remote processing of the residence permit: ou visit the country only after a positive decision
We guarantee a high-quality submission through an official contract with clear obligations
completed cases
over 9+ years
in the migration business
We will discuss your situation and answer every question at a time that suits you
Advantages of a Residence Permit, Permanent Residency and Citizenship in Chile
Obtaining a residence permit in Chile is a lawful way to establish residency in one of the most stable countries in Latin America, with a clear migration system and a path to permanent status and citizenship. Chile combines economic resilience, a developed banking infrastructure and transparent regulation, which makes the country attractive to entrepreneurs, investors and individuals planning relocation.
A temporary residence permit in Chile (Residencia Temporal) lets you legally live in the country on the basis of work, business, investment, remote income or family ties. This is the foundational stage of immigration to Chile, after which permanent status can be arranged.
A Chilean residence permit can be obtained by confirming a lawful basis and financial means. During this period the resident has the right to live in the country, open bank accounts, register a company and use the state’s infrastructure, including paid and free education and healthcare.
For many applicants, Chile becomes a strategic choice for relocation, asset diversification and the creation of an alternative residence base outside Europe.
Permanent residency in Chile (Residencia Definitiva) grants the unlimited right to live, work and run a business in the country, and is a stage on the path to citizenship.
To obtain it, you must live in the country for 12 months out of the 24 spent on a residence permit and meet the migration requirements, including a stable income or business and the absence of a criminal record. The status is maintained by spending at least 1 day in Chile every two years.
Once the set residence period and integration conditions are met, a foreign resident may apply for Chilean citizenship.
Obtaining Chilean citizenship is the final stage of immigration, opening access to a full passport with visa-free entry to many countries, and the right to permanent residence, work and business with no restrictions.
Naturalization becomes available after living in permanent resident status and meeting the time requirements, and renouncing your first citizenship is not required.
For investors and entrepreneurs, Chilean citizenship is a strategic asset that provides a stable jurisdiction, a developed banking system and international financial opportunities.
Why Chile Is the Best Option for Residency, Permanent Residency and Citizenship
Visa-free reach
With a Chilean passport you can visit 163 jurisdictions without a visa, including every European Union country, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Japan, Russia and China.
A particular advantage of the Chilean passport is visa-free entry to the US and Canada, which is unavailable to citizens of most Latin American countries.
Requirements
to Apply for a Chilean Residence Permit
- The main applicant must have passive income from abroad:
from real estate rented out anywhere in the world, from company dividends, from dividends on shares or bonds, or from a pension or benefits. - The main applicant must have no outstanding criminal record.
- For additional applicants (spouse, minor children) there are no income-confirmation requirements.
Document package provided:
- A valid foreign passport
- Documents confirming passive income.
- In the case of real estat:
— a bank certificate,
— a title certificate or ownership extract,
— a lease agreement. - A criminal record certificate.
- Additional documents depending on family composition.
Requirements to Obtain Chilean Permanent Residency
- To apply for permanent residency under this procedure, you must have been in Chile for a total of at least 12 months out of the 24 on a residence permit.
- Permanent residency secures all resident rights for life.
- To keep your permanent residency, it is enough to be in Chile for 1 day once every two years.
Requirements to Obtain Chilean Citizenship
If you already hold permanent residency in Chile, the main requirements to apply for citizenship are as follows:
- The application is possible 5 years from the date of your first residence permit. For those married to a Chilean citizen, the term may be reduced to 2 years.
- Language: a basic level of Spanish is required, enough for communication and an understanding of local life.
- Social integration: you must show that you led a law-abiding life and took part in the social and economic life of the country (work, taxes, education, family and so on).
- No criminal record: no criminal offenses, either in Chile or in other countries.
Documents: a full package is required, including passport, permanent residency, birth and marriage certificates, proof of income, proof of residence and others.
Obtaining a Chilean residence permit calls for an individual approach to each case. Our expert will take your circumstances into account and propose the best-fitting program.
Turnkey Support Pricing
The price for a family of several people applies when documents are submitted for the whole family at the same time. Whether an applicant is an adult or not makes no difference to the price. The procedure is identical.
There is one main applicant per family.
Service includes:
- Help preparing the document package in Russia for submission to Chilean government bodies
- Full document support and consultations at every stage of obtaining the residence permit and permanent residency
- Completion of applications and review of the document package for submission on the official Migration Service website
- Monitoring of the status of submitted applications and notification when documents are ready
- Accompaniment to Chilean government bodies with an interpreter to obtain the ID card for the residence permit and permanent residency
The price does not include government fees, notarized translations of the document package, or legalization services.
We Know the Rules of the Game in Chile, Because We Live by Them Every Day
We at Waveris understand that in 2026 you need predictability, not surprises. So we work ahead of the curve: while others are only reading about new taxes or audits, our solutions are already in place. We take the entire bureaucracy off your hands so you can focus on your business instead of studying the law.
We sit inside the market and know about changes in Chilean legislation the moment they appear. If immigration requirements change, our updated strategy is ready without delay. For you this means no hold-ups and no excuses tied to changes, with documents and accounts prepared exactly on time.
We do 90% of the work without you. You handle your affairs in your own country while we work through the bureaucracy and obtain every required approval. We keep your personal presence to a minimum so you need not step away from what matters.
After obtaining a Chilean residence permit, you can open bank accounts and register companies free of charge and in just 1 day, with no additional costs, which gives you a fast business start and financial activity in the country.
We help confirm passive income from abroad: real estate, shares, bonds, business. We do not sell you “one of the tariffs.” We select the program individually for you.
Founders of Waveris:
Alexander and Irina Lukyanov
Over 9 years we have helped 500 families relocate, and we have changed our own country of residence 5 times. We know this process from the inside, not as lawyers working from a textbook, but as people who have lived through it. That is why we spot the pitfalls where others see a smooth road, and we clear them from your path in advance.
We will discuss your situation and answer all your questions at a time convenient for you.
They trust us
Stages of Obtaining a Chilean Residence Permit: Your 7 Steps to Freedom, Travel and Investment
We have reduced the entire relocation process to 7 clear stages. While you handle your own affairs, we close 90% of the tasks in the background. You step in only where your presence is physically required.
Stage 1. Free consultation
Stage 2. Contract and payment
Stage 3. Choice of basis and document preparation
Stage 4. Remote submission and electronic permit
Stage 5. Entry to Chile and obtaining the cédula
Stage 6. Residence and transition to permanent residency
Stage 7. Obtaining the Chilean passport
Stage 1. Free consultation
You submit a request and a manager contacts you within the hour and gives a free consultation on obtaining a Chilean residence permit:
- the choice of basis (work, business, investment, remote income, family reunification),
- timelines and requirements.
Stage 2. Contract and payment
You sign an official support contract and make an advance payment. Payment is staged: later amounts fall due as the work is completed; payment is possible in rubles at the Central Bank rate or in dollars.
Stage 3. Choice of basis and document preparation
A dedicated specialist assembles the document package around the chosen basis (employment contract, company registration, proof of income, investment, marriage and family documents). We arrange translation, apostille and a check against the requirements of the Chilean Migration Service.
Stage 4. Remote submission and electronic permit
The specialist files the application online through the official Chilean Migration Service system. After review, you receive electronic confirmation (approval) for entry and completion of the residence permit on the territory of the country.
Stage 5. Entry to Chile and obtaining the cédula
On arrival, you and our coordinator submit documents in person to the authorities. Within roughly 1 to 2 months you receive the cédula, the national resident ID card confirming your residence status in Chile.
Stage 6. Residence and transition to permanent residency
To apply for permanent residency under the rentier procedure, you must live at least 12 months out of 24 after entering in resident status; in certain cases the term can be reduced to 12 months by submitting a reasoned request to the National Migration Service. After obtaining permanent residency, you gain the rights to unlimited residence, employment and a later citizenship application.
Waveris supports every step: choice of basis, document preparation, remote submission, support on entry, and help obtaining permanent residency.
Stage 7. Obtaining the Chilean passport
Five years after your first residence permit, and once the residence and integration requirements are met, you can apply for naturalization. Chilean citizenship grants a Chilean passport with the right to visa-free travel, legal and financial independence, and the ability to keep your current citizenship.
Waveris supports every step: choice of basis, document preparation, remote submission, support on entry, permanent residency, and the citizenship application.
You Buy a Ready Solution and a Calm Life, Not a Stack of Documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Chilean residence permit give me?
A temporary residence permit (Residencia Temporal) grants the right to legally live, work, study and run a business in Chile. You gain access to the banking system, the ability to open a company, and the country’s infrastructure, including education and healthcare. The residence permit opens the path to permanent residency and Chilean citizenship.
What grounds for a Chilean residence permit exist?
The main basis is passive income from abroad: income from renting out property anywhere in the world, company dividends, dividends on shares or bonds, or a pension or benefits. The main applicant confirms the income and the absence of an outstanding criminal record. For a spouse and minor children, no proof of income is required.
How long does it take to obtain a Chilean residence permit?
Residence approval can be obtained remotely while you are in your own country. After a positive decision, you enter Chile already as a resident and, within roughly 1 to 2 months, receive the cédula, the national resident ID card.
For how long is a Chilean residence permit issued?
The residence permit is issued as temporary residence. After living in the country for at least 12 months out of 24, you gain the right to apply for permanent residency, which secures resident rights for life.
When can I apply for permanent residency in Chile?
You can apply for permanent residency after living in Chile for a total of at least 12 months out of 24 on a residence permit, and meeting the migration requirements, including a stable income or business and the absence of a criminal record.
What does Chilean permanent residency give me?
Permanent residency (Residencia Definitiva) grants the unlimited right to live, work and run a business in the country and is a stage on the path to citizenship. To keep the status, it is enough to spend 1 day in Chile once every two years.
Can I obtain Chilean citizenship?
Yes. You can apply for citizenship 5 years from the date of your first residence permit, and the term is reduced to 2 years for those married to a Chilean citizen. A basic level of Spanish, a law-abiding life and a clean criminal record are required. You do not need to renounce your current citizenship.
Does a child born in Chile receive citizenship?
As a general rule, a child born on Chilean territory acquires Chilean citizenship by right of birth. The specific nuances depend on the parents’ status, and we assess them individually during the consultation.
Do parents receive a residence permit through the birth of a child?
The birth of a child with Chilean citizenship gives the parents grounds for obtaining residency. We review the exact procedure and timelines for your situation.
How much does obtaining a Chilean residence permit and permanent residency cost?
Turnkey residence-permit support costs USD 4,250 for one person and USD 950 for each additional applicant. Permanent residency support costs USD 2,125 for one person and USD 475 for each additional applicant. The price does not include government fees, notarized translations or legalization services.
Is a personal visit to Chile required to obtain a residence permit?
Residence approval is arranged remotely. A personal visit is needed once, after the positive decision: together with our coordinator you submit the documents and receive the cédula.