How To Apply for Chilean Permanent Residence Visa

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Nathan Lustig | 16 Comments Chile just approved my Permanencia Definitiva or permanent residence yesterday so I thought Id share the steps you need to take you successfully get your visa. If youre looking for temporary chilean visa info, check my previous post. The entire process takes 6-7 months from when you first apply to when its granted or denied. They accept english applications, but in my opinion it makes sense to translate everything. If your spanish is bad, pay someone to translate your application. Step 1 - Review Previous Visa Requirements You must have already had a temporary visa for at least one year and have spent at least six months of that temporary visa in Chile. If you dont meet this criteria, you must apply for another temporary visa. Youre only able to apply for a temporary visa twice, after that you must apply for a permanent residence. If you dont meet the previous visa requirements, the extranjeria tells you you should apply for the permanent residence anyway and then appeal if its denied. Step 2 Review Application deadlines You can first apply 90 days before your temporary visa expires. Do this as early as possible to minimize time you have with an expired carnet. More on this later. Step 3 Go to Extranjeria website to pick your visa type If you have your own business, Inversionista is likely the best one for you, but there are many other options. If you get confused or dont know which one best fits your criteria, go to extranjeria in person and ask. They were very helpful every time I went and had questions. Step 4 Review the requirements. Heres the requirements for Inversionista. You can find the rest of the requirements for permanent visas here. Step 5 Fill out forms Download the current Residencia Definitiva document (pdf) from Extranjeria and fill it out. Step 6 Get Certificado de Antecedentes from Registro Civil You can do this online if youve already registered in the system or you have to go to a Registro Civil in person. Step 7 Get Certificado de Viajes from Policia de Investigaciones (PDI) This document shows how long youve been out of the country during your last visa. Go to PDI offices at Morand 672. This tramite costs CLP$800 and you usually have to wait at least an hour, sometimes more. Its open from 830-1400. Step 8 - Get all your paperwork

Copy of both sides of your carnet Copy of certificado de registro. You can use your certificado from last year or pay another CLP$800 from the PDI to get a new one when youre getting your certificado de viajes. Copy of your passport with all ID pages and any pages with Chilean visas or stamps. I just copied the entire thing. Three 32 color photos with your name and rut

Step 9 Write your personal statement You need to write a personal statement why youd like to stay in Chile. I included my resume, everything Ive done in Chile, any press clippings from Chilean newspapers and my plans to stay in Chile, plus bank information showing that I would not become dependent on the state if they granted me the visa. My packet was about 15 pages long and the clerk in Extranjeria told me it was more than enough. Most people write a page and thats it. Step 10 Get business documentation (if Inversionista) If youre doing the Inversionista visa for your own company or if you are an independent contractor you need to prove you are making money and have assets in Chile. Youll need:

Copy of operating agreement (Escritura) of your Chilean company Certificado de inicio de actividades from SII Your companys last 8 IVA payments Your companys last balance tributario Your companys last declaracion de renta Proof youve paid your companys patente Proof that you actually own stock in the company

If youre doing it as an independent contractor (emits boletas), you need to prove the same things as above, but with your own personal records. Step 11 (optional) Take everything to Extranjeria for a review The clerks at Extranjeria are happy to go through your paperwork with you and tell you if everything is in order. I did this and realized I was missing a form, so for me it was worth it. Step 12 Mail all of this via Correo Certificado to: SEORES: SOLICITUD PERMANENCIA DEFINITIVA CLASIFICADOR N 8 CORREO CENTRAL SANTIAGO Step 13 Wait for Visa en Tramite temporary 6 month visa. Extranjeria says it will take 45 days and mine took exactly 45 days. If your old visa has expired (like mine did), you cannot reenter Chile on your old visa and must pay for a tourist visa if you enter before you get your visa en tramite paper work. You can check on your progress on the extranjeria autoconsulta website. Once youre approved as en tramite you can print off your form which allows you to travel on your temporary six month visa.

Note: you must bring that paper with you if you travel, as your carnet will be expired. Make sure you have it on your person, not in your luggage. I made this mistake once and had to convince someone from my flight to get my backpack from baggage claim for me while I was waiting with a PDI agent who was mocking me the entire time. You will get a letter from Extranjeria that says that your visa is en tramite and that youre allowed to do any legal activity that you used to be able to do on your old visa, but no Chilean entity actually recognizes it, including:

Entel VTR Movistar Claro SII Banks Anywhere that requires a valid carnet

Basically you cant do anything in Chile with your letter because nobody recognizes it. This was the most frustrating part of being between visas. I was carnetless from Nov 15th, 2012 until May 17th, 2013. If you have any official business, get it done before your carnet expires or else youre screwed. Step 14 Pay application fee You have to pay a fee, depending on the visa your applied for, via bank check at any bank. Mine was ~$50.000 and I had to go in person to my bank to pay. Step 15 Wait for approval or denial It took me another five months before I was approved. You can check again on the extranjeria autoconsulta website for news. Step 16 Go to Extranjeria with your visa acceptance form, carnet and passport and get your permanent visa Step 17 Go to PDI to register your address and get your certificado de residencia definitiva (CLP$800). Step 18 Go to registro civil to get your carnet (CLP$4.050) Step 19 Wait two weeks and go back to the registro civil to pick up your carnet Step 20 Drink a piscola to celebrate being a Chilean permanent residence and being done with all of these tramites! Once you have the visa, you must either visit Chile once per year or you must go to an embassy once per year to renew your visa. If you go the embassy route, youll need to come back to Chile once every four years to keep your visa valid, or else you lose it. Note: please review each step on your own, this is the process I used in 2012/2013 and may change without notice.

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