Chile · Spouse visas
Chile Spouse visa
Temporary Residence - Family Reunification (spouse or civil-union partner of a Chilean or definitive resident)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse visa is a spouse visas route for Chile. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
The permit can be extended while the link to the Chilean or definitive-resident spouse remains.
Permanent residenceAfter 2 years of residence
You can apply for Residencia Definitiva after 24 months of temporary residence; the period can be as short as 12 months for some circumstances, and longer if income, work stability or absences are a concern.
CitizenshipGeneral rule: 5 years of residence
The Carta de Nacionalización needs Residencia Definitiva plus 5 years of residence in Chile since obtaining the electronic residence stamp.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
You can apply from inside Chile or from abroad.
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- Married to, or in a civil union (unión civil) with, a Chilean citizen or a holder of Definitive Residence.
- Partner relationships equivalent to marriage under applicable law are accepted.
Documents5
- Passport valid at least one year for applications from abroad; identity document accepted for applications in Chile.
- Criminal record certificate from the country of origin or last 5 years of residence, issued within 60 days.
- Marriage certificate or civil-union certificate with the Chilean citizen or definitive resident.
- Recent colour passport-style photo with white background.
- Foreign documents apostilled or legalised, with official translation unless in Spanish or English.
Steps1
- Apply in the SERMIG digital portal under Temporary Residence abroad or in Chile.
After you arrive1
- To extend, the applicant shows the link with the Chilean or definitive-resident spouse still exists.
What happens at day 183
How Chile decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in any period of 12 consecutive monthsPresence in Chile, continuous or not, of more than 183 days makes the person resident from the 184th day.
- Foreign-source income
First 3 years Chilean-source
A foreigner who establishes domicile or residence in Chile is taxed only on Chilean-source income for the first three years counted from entry into Chile; the Regional Director may extend that period in qualified cases, and afterwards worldwide income is taxed.
- Special regime
Three years on Chilean-source income only · Tax relief
A foreigner who sets up domicile or residence in Chile pays tax only on Chilean-source income during the first three years from entry; after that, worldwide income is taxed unless the Regional Director grants an extension in qualified cases.
All tax rules for Chile Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Certified translation
Foreign documents apostilled or legalised, with official translation unless in Spanish or English
- Police certificate and civil documents
Criminal record certificate from the country of origin or last 5 years of residence, issued within 60 days
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
For the foreign spouse or civil-union partner of a Chilean citizen or of a holder of Definitive Residence. It gives temporary residence with the right to do paid work. 1
Requirements
- Married to, or in a civil union (unión civil) with, a Chilean citizen or a holder of Definitive Residence. 1
- Partner relationships equivalent to marriage under applicable law are accepted. 1
- Passport valid at least one year for applications from abroad; identity document accepted for applications in Chile. 1
- Criminal record certificate from the country of origin or last 5 years of residence, issued within 60 days. 1
- Marriage certificate or civil-union certificate with the Chilean citizen or definitive resident. 1
- Recent colour passport-style photo with white background. 1
- Foreign documents apostilled or legalised, with official translation unless in Spanish or English. 1
- Apply in the SERMIG digital portal under Temporary Residence abroad or in Chile. 1
- To extend, the applicant shows the link with the Chilean or definitive-resident spouse still exists. 1
Stay
- Temporary residence; extension is possible while the link to the Chilean or definitive-resident spouse remains.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Lawful paid activities are allowed.
Family
Parents, children and minors in the applicant's care are covered by separate links under the same sub-category.
Official sources
- Residencia Temporal — Reunificación familiar (subcategoría 1) · Servicio Nacional de Migraciones · checked 2026-10-10
- Residencia Definitiva en Chile · Servicio Nacional de Migraciones (Chile) · checked 2026-10-11
- Solicitud de Carta de Nacionalización · ChileAtiende (Government of Chile) · checked 2026-10-11
Spouse visa and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse visa | – | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a citizen Mexico | – | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Partner of a citizen Colombia | – | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a citizen Costa Rica | – | 1 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Spouse of a resident Brazil | – | – | Yes |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Spouse visa?
Temporary residence; extension is possible while the link to the Chilean or definitive-resident spouse remains.
Can I work on the Spouse visa?
Yes. Lawful paid activities are allowed.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse visa?
Parents, children and minors in the applicant's care are covered by separate links under the same sub-category.
Does the Spouse visa lead to permanent residence in Chile?
Time on the Spouse visa counts toward permanent residence in Chile, which the rules allow after 2 years of residence. The general rule for citizenship is 5 years of residence.
Is there a tax break for Spouse visa holders in Chile?
Chilean income tax: three years on Chilean-source income only for new residents (Ley de la Renta art. 3): A foreigner who sets up domicile or residence in Chile pays tax only on Chilean-source income during the first three years from entry; after that, worldwide income is taxed unless the Regional Director grants an extension in qualified cases. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Chilean income tax: three years on Chilean-source income only for new residents (Ley de la Renta art. 3)
Tax relief
Details
- On: Chilean-source income during the first three years
- Who: Foreign national who establishes domicile or residence in Chile
A foreigner who sets up domicile or residence in Chile pays tax only on Chilean-source income during the first three years from entry; after that, worldwide income is taxed unless the Regional Director grants an extension in qualified cases.
Taxed on
Chilean-source income during the first three years; worldwide income afterwards.
Who it applies to
- Foreign national who establishes domicile or residence in Chile.
- The three years count from the date of entry into Chile.
Exclusions
- Chilean-source income remains taxable from the start.
- Chilean nationals who recover domicile or residence in Chile are not covered.
Days in the country
- More than 183 days in any period of 12 consecutive months · Presence in Chile, continuous or not, of more than 183 days makes the person resident from the 184th day.
Tax residence
A person present in Chile for more than 183 days, continuous or not, within any 12 consecutive months is resident from the 184th day; domicile is a separate test. The three-year period runs from entry into Chile whether or not residence or domicile has yet been established.
Visas
The rule depends on domicile or residence, not on the type of temporary residence.
Other taxes
Extension of the three-year period must be requested from the Regional Director.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in Chile
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 against 3 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Residencia Temporal — Reunificación familiar (subcategoría 1) · Servicio Nacional de Migraciones · checked 2026-10-10
- Residencia Definitiva en Chile · Servicio Nacional de Migraciones (Chile) · checked 2026-10-11
- Solicitud de Carta de Nacionalización · ChileAtiende (Government of Chile) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.