To work legally in Chile, you need a Chile work visa, formally the Temporary Residence permit for foreigners engaged in lawful remunerated activities, issued by the Servicio Nacional de Migraciones (SERMIG). The application runs entirely through SERMIG’s digital portal, and the permit itself is issued electronically. Under Law 21.325, the Migration and Foreigners Law in effect since 2022, the permit is no longer tied to a single employer, so you can change jobs without losing your immigration status.1Servicio Nacional de Migraciones. Immigration Regulations in Chile2Servicio Nacional de Migraciones. Foreigners Engaged in Lawful Remunerated Activities
Where You Apply From
You can file from outside Chile or from inside it, and the requirements differ.
If you apply from abroad, your passport must be valid for at least one year from the date you file. Once the permit is approved, you download the Estampado Electrónico (the digital visa) and have 90 days to enter Chile. The permit’s validity begins the day you arrive.
If you apply from inside Chile, a valid national ID is accepted alongside your passport. But there is an important limit: if you entered on a tourist permit (Permanencia Transitoria), you generally cannot switch to a residence permit from within the country. Narrow exceptions exist for people with family ties to Chilean citizens or permanent residents, dependents, and humanitarian cases.3Servicio Nacional de Migraciones. Residencia Temporal Permit
The Employment Contract
Your contract is the backbone of the application. Chilean labor law requires contracts with foreign workers to include four specific clauses, and missing any of them can get your file rejected.4Dirección del Trabajo. Foreign Workers in Chile
- Remuneration. The salary, which cannot fall below Chile’s minimum wage. It can be stated in Chilean pesos or foreign currency.
- Travel and return. The employer commits to covering a return ticket to the worker’s home country (or another agreed destination) for the worker and their family when the contract ends. The obligation continues until the worker leaves Chile or obtains a new visa or permanent residency.
- Pension. The employer agrees to handle the arrangements so pension contributions are paid, unless both sides invoke Law 18,156, which exempts certain technical workers who keep pension coverage abroad.
- Income tax. The employer takes responsibility for paying the income tax on the worker’s salary.
The contract has to be digitally signed and uploaded as a PDF through the SERMIG portal.
Documents You Need
Every applicant needs a valid passport and a criminal record certificate from their home country and from any country where they have lived during the past five years. The criminal record requirement applies to anyone over 18.5Servicio Nacional de Migraciones. Foreigners Who Are in Chile by Order of National Courts of Justice – Section: Requirements
Documents issued abroad must be apostilled or legalized under Articles 345 and 345 bis of Chile’s Code of Civil Procedure. Documents in a language other than Spanish or English need an authorized translation; English-language documents are accepted as they are.
If the job requires a professional degree, the diploma also has to be apostilled. Chile is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so U.S.-issued diplomas go through the state Secretary of State and then the U.S. Department of State for authentication. Formal revalidation of the degree through a Chilean university is a separate process and is not always required for the visa itself, though regulated professions such as medicine, law, and engineering may require it for practice.
Filing and Paying
Applications go through the “Trámites Digitales” section of the SERMIG website. You upload scanned PDFs, enter personal details, and provide the employer’s RUT, Chile’s national tax identification number.6Servicio Nacional de Migraciones. Servicio Nacional de Migraciones
Fees are set by reciprocity, so Chile charges roughly what your home country charges Chilean nationals for equivalent permits. For work authorization, the fee equals 150% of the standard Temporary Residence fee for your nationality. SERMIG publishes a fee table by country, and calculations use a reference dollar value updated periodically; as of early 2026, the reference rate is $857.58 Chilean pesos per dollar.7Servicio Nacional de Migraciones. Immigration Fees
Payment goes through the Electronic Payment system of the Tesorería General de la República. Applying from abroad, you pay before finalizing submission. Applying from within Chile, you pay only after the application receives a favorable preliminary review.3Servicio Nacional de Migraciones. Residencia Temporal Permit
While Your Application Is Pending
Once payment is complete, SERMIG issues a “Proof of Pending Residence.” That document is a legal placeholder that lets you stay in Chile and work legally while your file is under review. Processing times vary with backlog, and waits of several months are common.2Servicio Nacional de Migraciones. Foreigners Engaged in Lawful Remunerated Activities
Keep a digital copy of the proof accessible. If police or an employer asks about your status during the wait, that is what you show.
After Approval
When your application is approved, you receive an email with a link to download your Estampado Electrónico, the digital certificate that serves as your official visa. There are no more physical passport stamps. Carry the document alongside your passport.8Servicio Nacional de Migraciones. Estampado Electrónico9ChileAtiende. Estampado Electrónico
You then have exactly 30 days to book an appointment at the Registro Civil to obtain your Cédula de Identidad, the Chilean identity card. If you applied from abroad, the 30 days start when you enter Chile. If you applied from inside Chile, they start when you download the Estampado Electrónico. Missing the deadline triggers a sanction under Article 106 of Law 21.325.
The Cédula matters for daily life. Without it, you cannot open a bank account, sign a lease, or enroll in the public or private healthcare system. Appointment availability at the Registro Civil can be tight in bigger cities, so treat the 30-day window seriously.
One outdated piece of advice still circulates: registering with the Policía de Investigaciones (PDI). Since 2022, PDI registration is not required for any visa holder.
Duration, Renewal, and Changing Jobs
Temporary residence permits can be extended for up to two consecutive years. To renew, you apply within the last 90 days before your current permit expires.10Servicio Nacional de Migraciones. Extension of Residencia Temporal Permit
Employed workers renewing the permit need a notarized certificate proving the current contract is active, plus proof of pension and health contributions from the AFP and healthcare provider. Self-employed workers instead provide a valid civil or commercial contract and tax certificates from Chile’s Servicio de Impuestos Internos showing real business activity.
Because the permit is not tied to a specific employer, you can change jobs without losing status, and you do not need to notify SERMIG of every job change. Your new employer must still comply with the mandatory contract clauses for foreign workers. Timing matters at renewal, though: you have to prove current employment, so a gap between jobs right as your permit expires can complicate the extension.1Servicio Nacional de Migraciones. Immigration Regulations in Chile
Payroll Deductions and Tax
Working legally in Chile means automatic paycheck deductions. Employees contribute 10% of gross monthly earnings to an individual pension account managed by an AFP (Administradora de Fondos de Pensiones), plus a small commission that varies by AFP. Chile’s 2024 pension reform, Law 21,735, added a phased-in employer contribution of 8.5% of the monthly salary, with the final portion taking effect in January 2026.11ICLG.com. Workplace Pensions Laws and Regulations Chile
Another 7% of salary goes to health coverage. You choose between FONASA, the public system, or an ISAPRE, a private insurer. FONASA costs the flat 7%. ISAPREs often cost more, with the difference coming out of pocket.
For income tax, foreign workers are taxed only on Chilean-source income during the first three years of residency. After that, worldwide income becomes taxable. If your work qualifies as technical, engineering, or professional services, a flat 15% withholding rate generally applies during the initial period, handled by your employer under the income tax clause of your contract.4Dirección del Trabajo. Foreign Workers in Chile
Bringing Family
Temporary residence holders can sponsor a spouse or civil partner, children under 18, and disabled children of any age as dependents. Each family member files a separate application through the SERMIG portal.12Servicio Nacional de Migraciones. Dependent Status
A spouse or civil partner needs an apostilled marriage or civil union certificate, a criminal record certificate if 18 or older, a notarized affidavit from the visa holder assuming financial responsibility, and proof of sufficient income under Ministry of Social Development indicators. Children under 18 need an apostilled birth certificate and a notarized custody affidavit from the parent. Disabled children need an apostilled birth certificate, a criminal record certificate if 18 or older, a financial responsibility affidavit, and proof of sufficient income.
Dependent status lets family members live in Chile but does not authorize them to work. A dependent who wants a paid job has to apply for their own work-oriented temporary residence permit.
Moving to Permanent Residency
After at least 24 months of temporary residence, you become eligible to apply for Residencia Definitiva, Chile’s permanent residency. The required period drops to 12 months in certain cases, including family ties to Chilean citizens, substantial investments, or recognized contributions in science, culture, or sports.13Servicio Nacional de Migraciones. Residencia Definitiva Permit
The 24-month standard can also stretch. SERMIG may require more time if your income fell below the Ministry of Social Development threshold, if you were employed for fewer than half the months of your temporary residence, if you spent significant time outside Chile, or if you committed immigration or labor violations.
You file the permanent residency application within the last 90 days before your temporary permit expires. Permanent residency ends the renewal cycle, gives unrestricted access to the labor market and social services, and eventually opens the door to Chilean citizenship.