Chile Retirement Visa: A Comprehensive Guide

What is retirement visa?

Retirement visas are a type of passive income visa that has been popular worldwide since the 1980s. Typically, they are issued to retirees who have sufficient retirement funds or stable income.

In general, global retirement visas have the following characteristics:

1. Applicant Qualifications: Typically, retirement visas require applicants to be retirees, reach a certain age, or have retirement funds.

2. Restrictions on Employment: Visa holders are usually not allowed to work locally.

3. Path to Permanent Residency: After residing in the destination country for a certain period, retirement visa holders can often apply for permanent residency or even citizenship.

If you’re interested in retirement visas or passive income visas, you might want to read our informative article: ‘Global Passive Income Visa | An Incomplete Guide‘.

Chile Retirement Visa: An Overview

There are two ways for applicants over 55 to get a Chile retirement visa. You can prove either your assets or your income.

• To apply based on assets, the main applicant must show proof of a net worth of at least $125,000. For each additional dependent, this amount increases by $25,000. The assets should ideally be held in a stock account, bank account, retirement fund, or real estate.

• To apply based on income, you must prove a monthly retirement income of no less than $1,500. This method grants a one-year visa, which can be renewed once.

Application Process:

Most Chilean long-term residency visas can be applied for online from overseas. The application process generally involves these steps:

Step 1: Online Application

First, you’ll need to go to the official Chilean visa application website. The site is available in both Spanish and English.

1. Navigate to https://tramites.minrel.gov.cl.

2. Choose “Retired foreigners or leasers” and then click “Apply for Residencia Temporary.”

3. Register and fill out your basic personal details like age, phone number, nationality, and where you live.

4. Upload digital copies of all the required documents.

The system will perform an initial review of your application, which usually takes about 30 business days. If it’s approved, you’ll be notified and instructed to schedule an in-person appointment at a Chilean consulate.

Here’s a list of the documents you’ll need to prepare:

• Identification: A passport valid for at least six months for each applicant, a recent passport-sized photo for each person, and documents like marriage or birth certificates to prove the relationship between family members.

• Police Clearance: Every applicant over 18 must provide a police clearance certificate issued within the last 60 days, covering the previous five years of residence.

• Proof of Income: You must prove that your retirement income is enough to support everyone in your family. The main applicant must also provide a written promise to financially support any minor family members.

• Application Forms: The main applicant will need to complete a retirement visa application form, and everyone must sign a legally binding personal information form.

• Health Check: All applicants must submit a medical certificate issued within 60 days of the application date.

Step 2: In-Person Interview

Once your online application is approved, you’ll need to visit the Chilean consulate. Bring your passport and all the original paper copies of your documents for your interview and to get your visa.

Step 3: Arriving in Chile

After you receive your visa and land in Chile, you have 30 business days to complete a couple of important tasks:

1. Register with the Chilean police to receive your PDI (Policía de Investigaciones de Chile) card.

2. Visit the Ministry of the Interior to get your Chilean ID.

Once you have both of these, you’re all set to begin your new life in Chile.

The application fee for non-profit and retirement visas from China in 2023 was $90.