Chile · Permanent Residence
Chile Residencia Definitiva for Investors
Residencia Definitiva is Chile's permanent residence, a permit that lets the holder live in the country indefinitely. Most temporary residents can request it after 24 months, provided the subcategory they hold allows the change.
- Startup route
- No startup visa; investor or work-based temporary residence
- Minimum capital
- USD 500,000 for the investor subcategory
- Permanent residence
- 24 months of temporary residence (12 in some cases)
- Citizenship
- 5 years from the temporary permit's stamping
Residencia Definitiva
For applications filed after May 14, 2022, temporary residents generally need at least 24 months of residence in Chile before applying for Residencia Definitiva. The period can start from 12 months for people in certain personal circumstances, such as a family tie to a Chilean or a permanent resident, or available income or pensions. It can be longer than 24 months where SERMIG finds insufficient means of support, unstable employment, long absences from Chile, or migration or other legal violations. Applicants may apply only in the cases their own temporary subcategory accepts, and any fee is paid after the review.
- Standard wait
- 24 months of temporary residence
- Reduced wait
- From 12 months in some family or income cases
- Longer wait
- If support, job stability or absences fall short
- Effect
- Residence in Chile for an indefinite period
- Fee
- Paid after review, if applicable; confirm with SERMIG
- Missing documents
- 60 calendar days to respond, or refusal
Requirements
- At least 24 months of temporary residence in Chile, or from 12 months in qualifying family or income cases.
- A temporary subcategory that allows an application for Residencia Definitiva.
- A criminal record certificate issued no more than 60 days before filing.
- Means of support and stable activity, which SERMIG weighs when setting the required period.
How to apply
- Confirm that the subcategory allows the change and count the months of residence.
- Apply through the Portal de Trámites Digitales.
- Answer any document request within 60 calendar days.
- Pay the fee when notified by email and complete the permit formalities.
Planning the move from investor to permanent resident
For an investor, the 24-month clock runs on the temporary permit, so keeping the investor subcategory extended and in good standing matters as much as the investment itself. Long stays abroad during that period can lengthen the required residence, and gaps in documenting income or activity can have the same effect. Chile has no separate program that grants permanent residence for a fixed investment amount; the investor subcategory is the entry point, and Residencia Definitiva then follows the general rules that apply to every temporary resident.
Residencia Definitiva is also the gateway to Chilean nationality. The carta de nacionalización requires a valid Residencia Definitiva and five years of residence counted from the electronic stamping of the temporary permit that led to it. Years spent as a temporary resident therefore count toward naturalization, which means an investor who moves to Residencia Definitiva on schedule can reach the nationality threshold about five years after first stamping the temporary permit.
Questions and answers
How long before a temporary resident can request Residencia Definitiva in Chile?
The standard minimum is 24 months of residence in Chile for applications filed after May 14, 2022. SERMIG can accept applications from 12 months for people with a family tie to a Chilean or permanent resident, or with income or pensions, and can require more than 24 months in other cases.
Can absences from Chile delay permanent residence?
Yes. SERMIG lists absence from the country and its duration among the factors that can push the required period beyond 24 months, together with insufficient means of support, lack of job stability and legal violations. Investors who travel frequently should expect their file to be assessed with those absences in mind.
Does Chile offer permanent residence by investment?
Not as a separate program. The USD 500,000 investor subcategory grants temporary residence, and permanent residence comes afterwards under the general Residencia Definitiva rules, normally after 24 months. The investment helps only insofar as it keeps the temporary permit valid and shows stable activity and income.
Official sources
- Residencia Definitivaserviciomigraciones.cl
- Investors and related personnelserviciomigraciones.cl
- Nacionalidadserviciomigraciones.cl
Reviewed October 2026. Immigration rules change often. Confirm the current requirements with the official authority or a licensed adviser before applying.
Your path in Chile.
Startup visa
No startup visa; Start-Up Chile funds founders but grants no permit
02Temporary residence
Subcategory 13 for USD 500,000 investors, or Subcategory 2 for salaried work
03Permanent residence
Residencia Definitiva after 24 months of temporary residence
04Citizenship
Carta de nacionalización after 5 years, filed from inside Chile