How do you get a residence permit in Chile in 2026?

Residencia Temporal is SERMIG’s main settlement product for limited stays, usually up to two years depending on subcategory. Subcategories include family reunification, lawful paid work, study at recognised schools, seasonal work, humanitarian grounds, international agreements, religious roles, medical treatment, retired persons or leasers (pensionado/rentista), investors, and Mercosur reciprocity for qualifying nationalities. Confirm the live checklist for your subcategory on SERMIG rather than copying a friend’s older DEM-era folder.

Many applicants must file from abroad. Holders of Permanencia Transitoria inside Chile generally cannot switch to residence unless they fit the narrow exceptions in Ley 21.325 (family ties to Chileans or permanent residents, certain dependents, humanitarian cases, and other qualified situations). Pension and passive-income movers should read Country To Live’s Chile pensionado/rentista notes and still verify SERMIG’s current evidence list.

You apply and track the file in SERMIG’s Portal de Trámites Digitales (Spanish-first). Fees for abroad filings often go through the Tesorería General de la República (TGR) payment portal before or during submission; inland payment timing can differ after a favourable decision. When granted, you download the Estampado Electrónico. If you applied abroad, you typically have 90 days to enter Chile; validity then starts from entry. If you applied in Chile under an allowed path, validity usually starts when you download the stamp.

Within about 30 days of activating residence, book Registro Civil for the cédula de identidad para extranjeros. That card prints your RUN (Rol Único Nacional), which individuals use as their RUT for tax and contracts: Get a RUT. Next unlocks are ClaveÚnica, banking, health enrolment, and driving paperwork: Set up ClaveÚnica, Open a bank account, Enrol in public health, and Convert a driving licence. Keep passport pages, apostilles, translations, fee receipts, and every SERMIG PDF. Setup cash sits outside monthly living costs: How expensive is Chile.