Chile · Country guide

Moving to Chile from the US

Visas, residency routes, citizenship and tax for Americans moving to Chile, with the law behind each rule.

Source-checked27 sources, 25 officialHow we check

Today's rate: $1 = 992.13 pesosUpdated 14 Nov 2026

CapitalSantiago

Visa-free (US)Up to 90 days, plus 90 more

Residency income fromNo fixed amount

CitizenshipAfter more than 5 years of residence

Tax on foreign incomeNot for your first 3 years; worldwide after

Dual citizenshipBeing checked: the law still lists renouncing

Chile in brief

Visit visa-free: up to 90 days, extendable once by 90 more for $100.
Residency starts abroad: you can't apply from inside Chile as a tourist.
Retirees: the retiree and passive-income permit has no fixed amount and allows paid work.
No remote-work visa: the work permit needs a Chilean employer or client.
Permanent after 2 years, or as little as 1 for retirees, at the director's discretion.
Foreign income untaxed for 3 years, but pay for work done in Chile is taxed.

About Chile

Chile is a long, thin country squeezed between the Andes and the Pacific. It runs from the world's driest desert in the north to rainy forests and fjords in the south. Most people live in the central valley around Santiago, near vineyards, ski slopes and the sea.

The jagged Cuernos del Paine peaks glowing pink at dawn above Lake Pehoé in Patagonia. — Torres del Paine at dawn

A wide view over Santiago's low-rise neighborhoods and towers, with dry hills on the horizon. — Santiago from San Cristóbal Hill

A clay dish of pastel de choclo, a baked corn pie, with a fork lifting a bite. — Pastel de choclo in Santiago

A row of tall stone moai statues on a platform at Ahu Tongariki, Easter Island, under a blue sky. — Moai statues on Easter Island

By the numbers

18.5 millionPeople counted, 2024

A bit over TexasLand area

89%Live in cities

36 yearsHalf are younger

7World Heritage sitesNeeds review

$18,000GDP per person

Needs reviewThe count is from news reports; confirming it on the official list.

Regions

The north: Desert, ancient ruins and Andean highlands; La Serena and San Pedro de Atacama.
Central Chile: Santiago, Valparaíso, vineyards and ski resorts: the country's core.
The south: Lakes, rivers, Mapuche lands and Chiloé Island.
Patagonia: Fjords, ice fields, lakes and forests; Punta Arenas.
Easter Island: A remote Pacific island famous for its ancient stone statues.

Culture and daily life

Language: Spanish everywhere; English is widely understood in big cities, especially Santiago.
Food: Meat, farm produce and seafood, with excellent wines.
Religion and holidays: 54% of adults are Catholic and 26% have no religion; Independence Day, September 18, is the big holiday.

Economy and politics, briefly

Prices: inflation was 4.5% in October, above the central bank's 3% goal. The peso has weakened, from about 840 per dollar in 2023 to about 990.
Politics: President José Antonio Kast took office on March 11, 2026; his term runs to March 2030.

Sources (14)

Cities in Chile

Where our city guides are planned. Hover a city to find it on the map.

All Chile guides

Every rule with its legal source.

Entry and visasUp to 90 days visa-free, plus one 90-day extension Residency3 routes: retiree income, paid work and permanent CitizenshipMore than 5 years of residence, then apply TaxesWhat retirees and remote workers pay

Free tools

Count your days in ChileTourist days used and left, the tax-residency test, and the US 330-day count.Social Security and Medicare in ChilePayments, direct deposit, agreements and what Medicare covers.

Still being checked

Fees for US citizens: the residence fee table is a scanned image we couldn't use.
Retiree income floor: the rules set no figure; which poverty line officials apply isn't confirmed.
Rule changes: a revised residence decree was announced on Nov 10, 2026; not yet published.
Later amendments: the 2022 regulations' later changes haven't been reviewed.
Pension proof: whether a US Social Security letter and pension statement are accepted.
Remote employees: a remote employee of a US-only employer doesn't qualify for any permit.

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