Chile digital nomad visa: requirements (2026)

Legal framework

Ley 21.325 de Migración y Extranjería (2021), administered by the Servicio Nacional de Migraciones (SERMIG); implementing Decree 177/2022

Key points: digital nomad & residency in Chile

1. 01No dedicated digital-nomad visa

   Chile does not have a visa category labelled 'digital nomad' or 'remote worker.' All long-stay options for remote workers flow through the general Residencia Temporal framework introduced by Ley 21.325 (2021).

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2. 02Residencia Temporal, self-employed subcategory

   The 'Foreigners engaged in lawful remunerated activities' subcategory explicitly covers self-employed (independent) workers. Applicants must demonstrate stable foreign-sourced income (commonly cited as USD 1,000-1,500/month) or provide a service contract. The permit is valid up to two years and renewable.

   serviciomigraciones.cl serviciomigraciones.cl

3. 03Residencia Temporal, retired/leasers (Rentista) subcategory

   Foreigners with passive income (pensions, rental income, dividends) may apply under the 'Retired foreigners or leasers' subcategory. Freelance or remote-work income generally does not qualify for this route; it is intended for provable passive/recurring income streams.

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4. 043-year foreign-income tax exemption

   New tax residents in Chile are taxed only on Chilean-source income for their first three years of residency. Foreign-sourced remote-work income is effectively exempt during this period, making Chile fiscally attractive for relocating remote workers.

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5. 05Investor subcategory (residency-by-investment)

   Ley 21.325 includes an 'Investors and related personnel' Residencia Temporal subcategory. A minimum investment of approximately USD 500,000 in a Chilean business or project is required. Two years of temporary residency leads to permanent residency; citizenship is possible after five cumulative years of legal residence.

   serviciomigraciones.cl bcn.cl

6. 06Processing backlogs and tourist-stay option

   Residencia Temporal processing currently takes 6-8 months due to administrative backlogs following the 2022 rollout of Ley 21.325. In the interim, nationals of many countries may stay up to 90 days visa-free (extendable once to 180 days) and work remotely for non-Chilean clients without a permit, though this does not confer legal work status in Chile.

   serviciomigraciones.cl ayuda.serviciomigraciones.cl

Timeline of decisions

1. 1 Jan 2025Guidance
   No Dedicated Digital Nomad Visa; Chambers 2025 Flags Remote-Work Framework as Imminent Gap

   Chile's Chambers & Partners Corporate Immigration 2025 guide confirms no dedicated remote-work or digital-nomad subcategory exists; foreign remote workers must use the rentista permit or the 'lawful remunerated activities' temporary residency subcategory. The guide notes short-term regulatory adjustments targeting international remote workers are expected under the PNME roadmap.

   Chambers & Partners – Corporate Immigration 2025 Chile

2. 27 Dec 2023Decision · official
   Decreto 181: Chile's First-Ever National Migration and Foreign Policy (PNME) Published

   Decreto 181 published in the Diario Oficial established Chile's first statutory National Migration and Foreign Policy (Política Nacional de Migración y Extranjería), mandated by Article 22 of Law 21325. Built around ten pillars and 28 immediately applicable measures, it explicitly targets attraction of highly qualified foreign nationals and creates the policy foundation for a future remote-work visa framework.

   Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional (BCN) – Decreto 181

3. 16 Jun 2023Guidance · official
   SerMig Mandates Exclusively Digital Residency Ratification Process

   Chile's National Migration Service (SerMig) required all ratification applications for temporary residency permits to be filed exclusively through its Portal de Trámites Digitales using ClaveÚnica or a personal account. This completed the administrative digitalisation mandated by Law 21325 and addressed severe in-person backlogs that emerged after the 2022 law took effect.

   Servicio Nacional de Migraciones (SerMig)

4. 14 May 2022Law · official
   Decreto Supremo 177: New Temporary Residence Subcategories Replace Employer-Tied Visa Regime

   Supreme Decree 177 entered into force, establishing the full list of subcategories of temporary residence under Law 21325 and retiring the old 'sujeto a contrato' (employer-tied) category from Decreto-Ley 1094. Remote workers and self-employed foreigners can qualify under 'persons engaged in lawful remunerated activities'; no dedicated digital-nomad subcategory was created.

   Refworld – Decreto Supremo 177, Ministerio del Interior

5. 12 Feb 2022Law · official
   Decreto 296 Published: Law 21325 Fully Enters Into Force, SerMig Created

   Decreto 296, the implementing regulation for Law 21325, was published in the Diario Oficial, bringing the new migration framework into full legal effect and replacing Decreto 597 of 1984. The decree also activated the new Servicio Nacional de Migraciones (SerMig) under the Ministry of the Interior and introduced electronic visa stamps, ending 38 years of paper-based procedures.

   Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional (BCN) – Decreto 296

6. 1 Jan 2010Decision
   CORFO Launches Start-Up Chile: First Government Program Granting Work Visas to International Entrepreneurs

   Chile's Economic Development Agency (CORFO) launched Start-Up Chile, the world's first public startup accelerator, offering international entrepreneurs a work visa, USD 40,000 in seed capital, and six months of residency. The program established Chile's precedent of using immigration incentives to attract foreign talent and remote entrepreneurial workers.

   WIPO Magazine / CORFO

Sources

1. 1.serviciomigraciones.cl/en/residencia-temporal-permit/
2. 2.serviciomigraciones.cl/en/residencia-temporal-permit/subcategories/
3. 3.serviciomigraciones.cl/en/residencia-temporal-permit/subcategories/remunerated-activities/
4. 4.serviciomigraciones.cl/en/residencia-temporal-permit/subcategories/retired-and-leasers/
5. 5.serviciomigraciones.cl/en/residencia-temporal-permit/subcategories/investors/
6. 6.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=1158549
7. 7.ayuda.serviciomigraciones.cl/en/support/solutions/articles/60000718665-what-are-the-residencias-te