Chile · How long you can stay
How long can a US citizen stay in Chile?
Short answer
No visa needed: US citizens can stay up to 90 days, and extend once by 90 more for $100. You can't work or apply for residence while visiting.
The rules for a US passport
| Visa needed? | No, as a rule; the official list of countries that need one is still to confirm Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Days allowed | Up to 90 days per entry, recorded on your entry card |
| Can you extend? | Yes, once, by up to 90 days: apply online before your stay ends, for $100 (children free) |
| What you can't do | Paid work, unless officials authorize a specific one-off job. Remote work for a US employer isn't addressed Needs review |
| Overstay penalty | A fine of about $36–730, and possible expulsion |
| Passport validity | Your stay can't outlast your passport; no 6-month rule was found |
Checked against the law The 90 days, extension, work ban and overstay fine, read in the migration law.
Not yet verified The visa exemption list and the $100 fee, from the migration office's pages.
Still being checked Health rules and the US government's Chile page.
Good to know
- Want to stay longer? Residence permits are applied for from abroad; you can't switch from a tourist stay.
- At the border: officers may ask you to show you can support yourself; no amount is published.
- No yearly cap on repeat visits was found in the law.
Sources (11)
Legal basis and exact figures
- Law: Ley 21.325 art 27 (no visa for permanencia transitoria unless a decree names the nationality), arts 47 (purpose, means of subsistence), 48 (90 days, one extension of up to 90, a second free one only for force majeure), 50–51 (no paid activities except a SERMIG authorisation), 58 (no residence application as a tourist, save art 69 cases), 107 (overstay up to 180 days: 0.5–10 UTM), 119 (over 180 days: 1–10 UTM), 127 N°4 (expulsion). Minors need parental authorisation (art 28).
- Money: extension $100, paid in Chilean pesos (SERMIG). 0.5–10 UTM = CLP 36,220–724,400, about $36–730 at CLP 992.48 (13 Nov 2026).
- Still being checked: the decree list of visa-required nationalities and the consulate's country table; the US State Department page (HTTP 403); health-ministry guidance. For a residence application from abroad, the passport must be valid at least 1 year (DS 177 art 11).
Links
- Ley 21.325 de Migración y Extranjería (texto consolidado BCN)
- SERMIG: Permanencia Transitoria
- Minrel/Consulado: Información sobre visas para ingresar a Chile
- SERMIG: Prórroga de Permanencia Transitoria
- Decreto 177 de 2022 (Interior), establece las subcategorías migratorias de residencia temp
- US State Department: Chile international travel information
- SERMIG: Subcategoría 11 Jubilados y rentistas
- SERMIG: Extranjeros que desarrollan actividades lícitas remuneradas
- SERMIG: Aranceles migratorios (actualización 2 noviembre 2026)
- SII: UTM - UTA - IPC 2026
- Banco Central de Chile: Indicadores diarios, Dólar observado 13 Nov 2026
Count your days in Chile → Entry and visas in full → The full Chile guide →
Questions people ask
Do US citizens need a visa for Chile?
No, as a rule; the official list of countries that need one is still to confirm (Not yet verified)
How many days can a US citizen stay in Chile?
Up to 90 days per entry, recorded on your entry card
Can a US citizen extend a stay in Chile?
Yes, once, by up to 90 days: apply online before your stay ends, for $100 (children free)
Can I work in Chile as a tourist?
Paid work, unless officials authorize a specific one-off job. Remote work for a US employer isn't addressed (Needs review)
What happens if you overstay in Chile?
A fine of about $36–730, and possible expulsion
How long must my passport be valid for Chile?
Your stay can't outlast your passport; no 6-month rule was found