Temporary residency program
Chile Investor Visa
Residency in Latin America's most developed country for investors who back an active Chilean business, with a 5-year path to the region's strongest passport.
- Contribution from
- $500K
- Processing time
- 6-12 months
- Citizenship path
- 5 years
- Presence required
- 180 days a year
As featured in
Why the Chile Investor Visa?
Very few of our clients know much about Chile before they talk to us. Many leave the conversation surprised by the lifestyle, the strength of Chilean residency, and the passport at the end of it.
Chile is the most developed country in Latin America, and its passport is the only one in the region that travels to the United States without a visa. That privilege reflects decades of political and economic stability.
Chile makes you qualify on the merits. Real estate gets you a home here, not residency, so this route is for investors who want to build or back an active Chilean business.
If you become a tax resident, your foreign income is outside Chilean tax for your first 3 years. We'll plan what comes after with you before you move.
James NuveenFounder of the Freedom Files
Benefits of the Chile Investor Visa
An active business you back
Your $500K goes into a Chilean company that produces goods or services, with InvestChile, the national investment agency, sponsoring your application.
Permanent residency from 12 months
With your investment made, you can apply for permanent residency after as little as 12 months, rather than the usual 24.
Citizenship after 5 years
You can apply after 5 years of residence. Chile allows dual citizenship, and its passport travels to about 175 destinations, including the United States.
Foreign income outside Chilean tax for 3 years
If you become a tax resident, Chile taxes only your Chilean income for your first 3 years as a resident.
Your family as dependents
Your spouse or partner, children under 18, student children under 24, and children with a disability join you as dependents.
Is the Chile Investor Visa Right for You?
Right for you if
- Investors with $500K for an active Chilean business
- Founders expanding a company into Chile
- Families who want the strongest passport in Latin America
- Anyone planning to become a tax resident and use the 3-year break on foreign income
- Planners with a 5-year horizon to Chilean citizenship
Look elsewhere if
- You want residency through real estate: Property doesn't qualify in Chile, though rental income can count toward the [Retirement Visa](/chile/retirement-visa).
- You want a passive investment: The money must go into a business that produces goods or services.
- You want citizenship without living there: Naturalization counts 5 years of residence in Chile.
- You need residency in a few weeks: Decisions on temporary residence average 6-12 months.
Who Your Chile Investor Visa Application Covers
One investment covers everyone applying with you. Each person files as your dependent and receives the same residency.
| Family member | Condition |
|---|---|
| Spouse or partner | Marriage or a civil union |
| Children under 18 | Yours, your spouse's, or your partner's |
| Children 18 to 23 | Studying at a recognized institution |
| Children with a disability | Any age |
Are You Eligible for the Chile Investor Visa?
Answer 3 quick questions. In 2 minutes, you'll know whether you're likely to qualify, and what fits better if you don't.
Chile Investor Visa Investment Options
There's 1 way to qualify: An investment of at least $500K in a Chilean business that produces goods or services. InvestChile sponsors your application, and real estate doesn't count.
- Popular
Business investment
$500K
How this route works
You invest at least $500K in a new or existing Chilean company that produces goods or services. InvestChile issues a sponsorship letter, and your file sets out the purpose and amount of the investment. To extend your residency, you show the investment's progress and the company's tax records.
Chile Investor Visa Cost
Estimated total for 4 people
$500,160
- Qualifying investmentBusiness investment
- $500,000
- Criminal record checkPaid directly to your country's police authority
- $40
- Apostilles on your documentsPaid directly to the issuing authority
- $120
Later
- Permanent residence permit, per adult$147
- Citizenship letter, per adult$41
Government and official fees only. The temporary residence fee depends on your nationality, and we confirm it before you file. Permanent residence and citizenship fees are set in pesos and shown at today's rate; children under 18 don't pay for permanent residence. Freedom Files fees aren't included. All amounts are subject to change.
Get your numbers on the call. We price your route for everyone applying before you commit.
Chile Investor Visa Costs at a Glance
| Qualifying investment | $500K in a Chilean business that produces goods or services |
|---|---|
| Temporary residence permit | Set by your nationality |
| Permanent residence permit | About $147 per adult |
| Citizenship letter | About $41 per adult |
| Company setup | Formation, accounting, and the municipal business license |
| Translations and apostilles | Depends on the number of documents |
| The Freedom Files | A fixed quote in writing before you commit |
Chile Investor Visa and Taxes
The basics below are for planning only, and each one is pending licensed review. Your own position depends on your income, your assets, and where you spend your time. Our team provides US and Chile tax planning, so you can have your plan reviewed before you commit.
Tax residency in Chile
You're a Chilean tax resident after 6 consecutive months in Chile in a calendar year, or more than 6 months in total across 2 consecutive calendar years.
US income tax treaty
The US and Chile have an income tax treaty. If you're a US citizen, you file US taxes too, and the treaty and foreign tax credits help prevent double tax.
Investor Visa presence vs tax residency
Permanent residency expects about 180 days a year in Chile, and citizenship counts 5 years of residence. Tax residency starts after 6 consecutive months in a calendar year, or more than 6 months across 2 consecutive years.
Special tax regimes
Chile taxes residents on worldwide income, but foreigners are taxed only on their Chilean income for their first 3 years as residents.
Chile Investor Visa Document Checklist
Here's the typical file for the Chile Investor Visa. Your country and your case can change the list, and we confirm yours on the call.
Main applicant
- Valid passport
- Recent color photo on a white background
- Criminal record check from your country of origin and anywhere you've lived in the last 5 years
Investment proof
- Sponsorship letter
- Investment plan with its purpose and amount
- Company start of activities certificate and electronic tax folder, for an existing company
- Municipal business license receipt, for an existing company
Spouse and children
- Marriage or civil union certificate
- Birth certificate for each child
- Proof of studies for children 18 to 23
Chile Investor Visa Process and Timeline
Total: 6-12 months from filing to temporary residency. You file from outside Chile, then travel to collect your ID card.
- 1
Freedom Consult
A call with our founder. We confirm the Investor Visa fits your goals, your investment, and anyone applying with you, or we point you to a better route. You leave with a clear plan and a quote in writing.
- 2
Investment plan and sponsorship
We help you shape a qualifying investment and prepare the file for InvestChile's sponsorship letter.
- 3
Engagement and document file
You gather your records, and we arrange the apostilles and any translations.
- 4
Filing from abroad
We file your temporary residence application with the National Migration Service while you're outside Chile, and answer any requests for more documents.
- 5
Arrival and ID card
Once approved, you enter Chile within 90 days, register your residency, and receive your Chilean ID card.
- 6
Permanent residency
With the investment made, we apply for your permanent residency after as little as 12 months as a temporary resident.
- 7
Citizenship
After 5 years of residence, we prepare your naturalization application. Contact us to renew your documents along the way.
Milestones to residency and citizenship
Temporary residency
6-12 months
Permanent residency
From 12 months
Citizenship application
After 5 years of residence
“I love the way the Freedom Files team present themselves and show up for our family. I much prefer their honest, on-the-ground-experience approach than the suited-up lawyers with bookshelves of textbooks behind them.”
Chile Investor Visa vs Alternatives
| Chile Investor Visa | Brazil Investor Visa | Panama Qualified Investor Visa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum financial requirement | $500K | $27K | $300K |
| Processing time | 6-12 months | 4-6 months | 4 months |
| Presence required | 180 days a year | 14 days every 2 years | 1 visit every 2 years |
| Time to citizenship | 5 years | 4 years | 5 years |
| Language test for citizenship | Spanish | Portuguese | Spanish + civics |
| Family included | Spouse, children to 24 if studying | Spouse, children, dependent parents | Spouse, children to 25, dependent parents |
| Capital returned | Yes, when you exit the business | Yes, when you sell | Yes, after 5 years |
Undecided between these programs? We compare them for you on the call.
How the Freedom Files Helps You with the Chile Investor Visa
You get one team from your first call to your arrival in Chile. We prepare, check, and file your application, and we're your single point of contact from start to finish.
- Clients served
- 200+
- years in investment migration
- 10+
- Americans educated
- 2M+
| This program only | Private Client Engagement | |
|---|---|---|
| An eligibility review before you pay a government fee | ||
| Your document file, assembled and optimized | ||
| We prepare and submit your application | ||
| Consular coordination and liaising | ||
| Qualifying investment vetting and due diligence | ||
| Your case manager | Through arrival | Long term |
| A global Plan B strategy across residency, citizenship, tax, asset protection, and more | ||
| Residency and/or citizenship in more than one country | ||
| US and foreign tax strategy, with introductions | ||
| Banking and asset protection strategy, with introductions | ||
| Healthcare, schools, and relocation, with introductions | ||
| Book a consult | Learn more |
Other Freedom Files Services in Chile
We can take on each of these for you, alongside your application or on its own. Our Chile team provides legal, tax, financial, immigration, and investment advice and services.
Tax strategy and filing
Bank account opening
Investment vetting
Real estate and accommodations
Healthcare enrollment
Residency renewals
“We came in with a complicated global setup and needed special attention. What we got from the Freedom Files team was direct, honest, and personal responsiveness at every turn. Exactly what we needed! Very impressed.”
Mike · New York“The Private Client Engagement has been perfect for our unique situation. James is the total quarterback of our whole Plan B strategy.”
Kenneth · Illinois
Why Chile?
From desert to glaciers
Chile stretches from the Atacama, the driest desert on Earth, to the lakes, volcanoes, and glaciers of Patagonia.
World-class wine country
The wine valleys of the center are a short drive from the cities, with the Andes on one side and the Pacific on the other.
Lakes, volcanoes, and the Pacific
The Lake District and the islands of Chiloé offer timber towns, snow-capped volcanoes, and a slower pace of life.
Stability you can plan around
Chile is the most developed country in Latin America, with strong institutions, modern infrastructure, and a passport that travels to the United States without a visa.
Chile Investor Visa Content
Chile Investor Visa FAQs
Cost and qualifying routes
How much do you need to invest for Chilean residency?
At least $500K in a Chilean business that produces goods or services, sponsored by InvestChile. The fee calculator adds the government fees for anyone applying with you.
Can you get residency in Chile by buying property?
No. Real estate doesn't qualify on its own. If you own rental property, its income can count toward the Chile Retirement Visa.
What is InvestChile?
InvestChile is the government's foreign investment agency. It issues the sponsorship letter your application rests on, and we prepare that file with you.
Can you invest in an existing Chilean company?
Yes. A new or existing company qualifies, as long as the investment goes into producing goods or services. An existing company adds its tax records and municipal license to your file.
Timeline and presence
How long does the Chile Investor Visa take?
Decisions on temporary residence average 6-12 months, and more than half arrive within 6 months. You file from outside Chile, then enter within 90 days of approval.
How much time do you need to spend in Chile?
Plan on about 180 days a year once you have permanent residency, and on living in Chile if citizenship is your goal. An absence of more than 2 years in a row ends permanent residency.
Citizenship
How long until you can get Chilean citizenship?
You can apply after 5 years of residence, counted from your temporary residency, once you have permanent residency. You'll need to read and write Spanish.
Does Chile allow dual citizenship?
Yes. Chile doesn't require you to give up your other citizenship. Whether you can retain it also depends on your home country's law. If you're a US citizen, the US allows it.
Family, tax and living
Who can join your Chile Investor Visa?
Your spouse or partner, children under 18, children under 24 who are studying, and children of any age with a disability. Each one files as your dependent.
How does Chile tax new residents?
Only if you become a tax resident. Then, Chile taxes only your Chilean income for your first 3 years, and worldwide income after that. The US and Chile have an income tax treaty, and if you're a US citizen, you file US taxes too. We review your position before you move.
Is it right for you?
Chile vs Brazil investor visa: Which is better?
Chile offers the region's strongest passport and a 3-year break on foreign income. The Brazil Investor Visa costs far less and counts property. We compare both on a Freedom Consult.
Documents and approval
What documents does the Chile Investor Visa require?
Your passport, a photo, apostilled criminal record checks, the InvestChile sponsorship letter, and your investment plan, plus civil records for anyone applying with you. The document checklist on this page lists each one.
Working with the Freedom Files
What does the Freedom Files do on your application?
We review your eligibility, assemble and check your documents, and optimize your application for approval. We have a 100% approval rate so far. We prepare and file your application, liaise with the government, coordinate your consular appointments and communication, and support you through your arrival in Chile, when your residency or citizenship is formalized. We're your single point of contact from start to finish.
Who does the legal work?
Our Chile team can provide any legal, tax, financial, immigration, or investment advice and services you need. You work with one team from your first call to your arrival.
What does the Freedom Files charge?
Prices differ by program, because each program has its own costs and its own currency. You get a fixed quote in writing before any work begins. Government fees and third-party costs are listed separately, and you pay them directly.
How does the Freedom Files get paid?
We accept card, wire or ACH transfer, Bitcoin, USDC, and most other payment methods. You choose whether to pay for our services up front or monthly through the end of your engagement.
What if you need more than one country, or help with tax and banking?
That's what the Private Client Engagement is for. A long-term case manager with global expertise, always reachable on WhatsApp, manages your whole Plan B: Residency and citizenship in more than one country, tax strategy, banking and asset protection, and introductions for your move.
What if this program is the wrong fit?
Compare it with the alternatives on this page. Then book a Freedom Consult: If you're ready to move forward, we tell you which programs are best for you.
How do I start?
Book a Freedom Consult. There's no charge.
Start Your Chile Investor Visa
If Chile is the wrong fit, we tell you on the first call.