Temporary residence — Investors and related personnel
Official SERMIG subcategory: Residencia Temporal for investors and related personnel. Foreign legal representatives and persons in executive/senior management roles who seek to invest in Chile an amount equal to or greater than five hundred thousand US dollars (or equivalent) destined to the production of goods or services may apply. Related executives, senior managers, and specialized technical personnel hired by a Chilean company whose capital/assets are controlled directly or indirectly by a foreign investor holding at least 10% of voting rights (or equivalent participation) may also qualify. Applicants must obtain a Sponsorship Letter from InvestChile, then file the temporary residence application from outside Chile through SERMIG’s Portal de Trámites Digitales. Always verify current wording on serviciomigraciones.cl and InvestChile.
Min. capital
USD $500,000
Best for: Founders and executives deploying ≥ USD 500,000 into productive Chilean operations, or qualifying related staff of foreign-controlled Chilean companies.
SERMIG states an amount equal to or greater than USD 500,000 (or equivalent in other currencies) destined to production of goods or services for the investor track. Related-personnel track is tied to foreign capital control (≥10%), not a separate published personal capital floor. Confirm on SERMIG and InvestChile before transferring funds.
Investment options
- ≥ USD 500,000 (or equivalent) investment aimed at production of goods or services in Chile
- Documented investment purpose, amount, and role (as SERMIG requires)
- InvestChile Sponsorship Letter (typically time-limited — follow InvestChile validity rules)
- Company tax evidence (e.g. SII inicio de actividades, carpeta tributaria, patente municipal) as listed by SERMIG when applicable
Eligibility
- Fit investor or related-personnel definitions on the official SERMIG page
- Obtain InvestChile Sponsorship Letter before/for the SERMIG filing as required
- Apply from outside Chile via SERMIG digital portal
- Passport, criminal-record, and other general temporary-residence documents as SERMIG lists
- Investment documentation matching the ≥ USD 500,000 production purpose (investor track)
Process timeline
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1
Structure the Chilean investment
Business plan and capital path sized to ≥ USD 500k productive investment (or related-staff role).
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2
Request InvestChile Sponsorship Letter
Apply via InvestChile official sponsorship-letter process; letter is not a visa grant.
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3
File SERMIG temporary residence
From abroad on the SERMIG digital procedures portal with the sponsorship letter and required evidence.
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4
Enter & comply
After approval, enter Chile, complete local registrations, and maintain the investment/role conditions.
Family
Family reunification or dependent options may exist under other SERMIG subcategories — confirm current family rules on official SERMIG pages; do not assume automatic work rights for dependents.
Work rights
Temporary residence generally allows activity consistent with the subcategory; confirm exact work permissions on your permit and SERMIG guidance.
Route to PR
Time in temporary residence can support later applications for permanent residence (Residencia Definitiva) when SERMIG criteria are met — verify current permanence rules on official sites.
Route to citizenship
Naturalisation is a separate, longer process after lawful residence — verify Chilean and Pakistani dual-nationality rules.
Pros
- Published USD 500,000 productive-investment threshold on SERMIG
- Clear InvestChile + SERMIG two-step process
- Related-personnel track for foreign-controlled companies (≥10%)
- Access to a stable OECD Latin American market
Watch-outs
- Sponsorship Letter does not guarantee SERMIG approval
- Investment must be destined to production of goods or services — not every asset purchase qualifies
- Application is from outside Chile for this subcategory
- Start-Up Chile is an accelerator programme — it is not itself a visa; you still need a SERMIG category