Countries › Chile › Guide › 8. Immigration › Permanent residence in Chile: who can apply, the 24 month clock and what lengthens or shortens it, the filing window, fees and how it lapses

Permanent residence in Chile: who can apply, the 24 month clock and what lengthens or shortens it, the filing window, fees and how it lapses

Last verified: 2026-10-26 · Status: Stable

Permanent residence (residencia definitiva) lets a foreigner live in Chile indefinitely, do any lawful activity and enter without a visa, and it is open to holders of a temporary residence subcategory that admits it after at least 24 months. The clock stretches to 30, 36 or 48 months with absences over 2 months, unstable income or infractions, and SERMIG can shorten it to as little as 12 months for family ties, pensions or rents, investments with effective operation, and other listed grounds. The application is filed online 90 to 10 days before the temporary permit expires, the fee is CLP 142,726 (exempt for spouses of Chileans and minors), and the permit lapses after more than 2 continuous years abroad unless extended once at a consulate.

USD figures use the Central Bank rate of CLP 986.58 per US dollar published in the Diario Oficial of 23 October 2026 (Ley Nº 18.840 art. 44). Fees that SERMIG sets in US dollars are paid in pesos at the rate SERMIG publishes on its fee page, CLP 969.70 per US dollar until 31 October 2026, and peso amounts for those fees use that rate. UTM amounts use the SII value of CLP 72,151 for October 2026 (CLP 72,440 from November 2026). Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Minimum temporary residence before applying for permanent residence	24 monthsLey Nº 21.325 art. 79, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Lowest reduced qualifying period	12 monthsReglamento art. 66, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Longest qualifying period (absences over 12 months or repeat serious infractions)	48 monthsReglamento art. 65, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Qualifying period where household income is below the basic needs line	36 monthsReglamento art. 65 Nº 1, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Filing window before the temporary permit expires (from 90 to 10 days)	90 daysReglamento art. 62, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Permanent residence fee (general)	142726 CLPSERMIG fee page, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Continuous absence after which permanent residence lapses (more than)	2 yearsLey Nº 21.325 art. 83, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Length of the one time consular extension against lapse	2 yearsReglamento art. 69, as of 2026-10-26 · in force

The rule

1. Permanent residence is the permit to settle indefinitely in Chile, authorising any lawful activity with no limits other than those in laws and regulations. It can only be granted to holders of a temporary residence permit that expressly admits it. Permanent residents do not need prior authorisation or a visa to enter Chile.Ley Nº 21.325, Ley de Migración y Extranjería, Art. 78, 2021-04-20 official text · verified 2026-10-26

2. Holders of every temporary residence subcategory in Decreto Nº 177 can apply for permanent residence, except holders of the seasonal worker, Gendarmería custody, court order and medical treatment permits and their dependants. The law makes it always admissible for family links, paid activities, students, job opportunities, humanitarian cases, international agreements, religious workers and retirees and rentistas.Decreto Nº 177 of 2022; Ley Nº 21.325, Decreto Nº 177 art. 10 final paragraph and art. 76; Ley Nº 21.325 art. 70 final paragraph, 2022-05-14 official text · verified 2026-10-26

3. Temporary residents who are main holders must have resided in Chile in that capacity for at least 24 months. The application can be filed while the temporary permit is still valid once the period is met, but it must be filed within the renewal window, that is no more than 90 and no less than 10 days before the current permit expires. An applicant holding a valid permanent residence in process certificate can travel in and out without limit, even if the temporary permit has expired.Ley Nº 21.325; Decreto Nº 296 of 2021 (Reglamento), Ley Nº 21.325 art. 75 and art. 79; Reglamento art. 62, art. 63 and art. 65, 2022-02-12 official text · verified 2026-10-26

4. Absences from Chile lengthen the period: up to 2 months of absence in total, at least 24 months of residence; more than 2 and up to 6 months, at least 30 months; more than 6 and up to 12 months, at least 36 months; more than 12 months, 48 months.Decreto Nº 296 of 2021 (Reglamento), Art. 65 Nº 3, 2022-02-12 official text · verified 2026-10-26

5. Income and work also matter. If household income is below the basic needs line of the Ministry of Social Development and Family, the applicant needs at least 36 months. Applicants must show lawful income for at least half of their months of temporary residence; those who show income for more than 12 months within a 24 month period qualify at 24 months, while gaps without income adding up to more than 12 months push the requirement to 36 months. Employees prove it with pay slips, the AFP contribution history and the current contract; self employed people, rentistas and retirees with the SII carpeta tributaria, AFP statements or pension receipts.Ley Nº 21.325; Decreto Nº 296 of 2021 (Reglamento), Ley Nº 21.325 art. 79 Nº 1; Reglamento art. 65 Nº 1 and Nº 2, 2022-02-12 official text · verified 2026-10-26

6. Immigration infractions lengthen the period: one final less serious infraction, at least 30 months; repeat or two or more less serious ones, at least 36 months; one serious infraction, 42 months; repeat or two or more serious ones, at least 48 months. Final labour, social security, environmental, health, tax, customs or other infringements lead SERMIG to set a period of no less than 36 months.Decreto Nº 296 of 2021 (Reglamento), Art. 65 Nº 4 and Nº 5, 2022-02-12 official text · verified 2026-10-26

7. On request, the Director of SERMIG can reduce the period to no less than 12 months for: family ties with Chileans or permanent residents; official missions in Chile that support the current permit; holding a retirees and rentistas permit; investments or companies with effective operation in Chile for at least two annual financial years, or investments carried out continuously for at least 18 months; contributions to social, cultural, artistic, scientific or sporting life; and cases under international agreements in force. The Interior Minister can also grant permanent residence by grace.Ley Nº 21.325; Decreto Nº 296 of 2021 (Reglamento), Ley Nº 21.325 art. 79 and art. 82; Reglamento art. 66, 2022-02-12 official text · verified 2026-10-26

8. SERMIG's fee page sets the permanent residence fee at CLP 142,726 for foreigners in general, with exemptions for foreigners with a Chilean spouse and for those under 18. After approval the holder must book a Civil Registry appointment within 30 days of notification for the new cédula.
Cost to do it: CLP 142,726, about US$144.67; CLP 0 for applicants with a Chilean spouse and for minors.
Example: CLP 142,726. / About US$144.67.SERMIG aranceles migratorios (updated 1 October 2026); SERMIG permanent residence page (updated 17 July 2026); Ley Nº 21.325 art. 40 and art. 43, Ley Nº 21.325 art. 40 and art. 43, 2026-10-01 official text · verified 2026-10-26

9. Permanent residence is tacitly revoked when the holder is out of Chile for a continuous period of more than 2 years, unless the holder asks the Chilean consulate for an extension within the 60 calendar days before that period ends. The extension is granted once and lasts 2 years. A person whose permanent residence lapsed can return through the former permanent residents temporary residence subcategory.Ley Nº 21.325; Decreto Nº 296 of 2021 (Reglamento); Decreto Nº 177 of 2022, Ley Nº 21.325 art. 83; Reglamento art. 69; Decreto Nº 177 art. 60 and art. 61, 2022-02-12 official text · verified 2026-10-26

10. Permanent residence can be refused on the general grounds of art. 88, such as missing requirements, entry bans, false documents, lack of a trade and means of support, repeated tax or social security sanctions, and, since Ley Nº 21.816, appearing in the register of offending passengers under Ley Nº 18.287.Ley Nº 21.325, as amended by Ley Nº 21.816 (Diario Oficial 2 June 2026), Art. 88, 2026-06-02 official text · verified 2026-10-26 · changed: Ley Nº 21.816, published 2 June 2026, added art. 88 Nº 6 (register of offending passengers of Ley Nº 18.287) as a ground for rejecting residence applications.

Situation	Months of temporary residence required
Standard case, absences of 2 months or less	24
Absences over 2 and up to 6 months	30
Absences over 6 and up to 12 months	36
Absences over 12 months	48
Household income below the basic needs line	36
Gaps without income adding up to more than 12 months	36
One final less serious immigration infraction	30
Two or more less serious, or repeat	36
One final serious immigration infraction	42
Two or more serious, or repeat	48
Final labour, tax, customs or other legal infringements	Set by SERMIG, no less than 36
Reduction for family ties, missions, rents or pensions, investments, contributions, treaties	Down to 12, on request

How the qualifying period moves (Decreto Nº 296 of 2021 art. 65 and art. 66)

Worked example

A French product manager holds a paid activities permit from 1 March 2025 to 28 February 2027. During those 2 years she spends 7 weeks abroad on holidays and work trips, under the 2 month limit, so the standard 24 months applies (Reglamento art. 65 Nº 3).
She has worked throughout, so the income test is met with pay slips, her AFP contribution history and her current contract (art. 65 Nº 2).
The 24 months are complete on 28 February 2027, the day her permit expires, but the filing window closes 10 days before expiry. She therefore files a renewal between 30 November 2026 and 18 February 2027 and applies for permanent residence in the next window, or asks for a reduction if she has grounds (Reglamento art. 62 and art. 66).
When approved she pays CLP 142,726, about US$144.67, and books the Civil Registry appointment within 30 days for her new cédula.
Years later she moves to Lisbon for a 30 month assignment. To keep her Chilean permanent residence she asks the Chilean consulate in Lisbon for the one time 2 year extension within the 60 days before her second year abroad ends (Reglamento art. 69).

Step by step

From day one, log every exit and entry date and keep pay slips, AFP statements and tax filings; these drive the qualifying period.
Six months before the 24 month mark, check absences, income gaps and any fines against the table above.
If you qualify for a reduction (family, rents, investments with two financial years, contributions), prepare the supporting file and request it (Reglamento art. 66).
File on SERMIG's Portal de Trámites Digitales with ClaveÚnica within the 90 to 10 day window before your temporary permit expires; attach criminal records, passport, cédula, electronic stamp, photo and income documents.
Answer any request for documents within 60 calendar days of notice to avoid rejection.
Pay the fee when notified, then book the Civil Registry appointment within 30 days of the resolution.
Put the 2 year absence limit in the diary for any long posting abroad.

Common traps

The window is fixed: filing earlier than 90 days or later than 10 days before expiry of the temporary permit is outside the rule (Reglamento art. 62).
If the 24 months are only completed after the window closes, renew the temporary permit first; a permit that lapses can cost months and fines.
Absences add up whether continuous or not; frequent business travel can push the requirement to 30 or 36 months (art. 65 Nº 3).
Unpaid immigration fines and other final infringements lengthen the clock (art. 65 Nº 4 and Nº 5).
Seasonal worker time never counts, even after a switch to a paid activities permit (Decreto Nº 177 art. 27 Nº 3).
Leaving Chile for more than 2 continuous years ends permanent residence automatically unless the consular extension is requested in time (Ley Nº 21.325 art. 83).

Sources

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