Chile's investor route sits under Law 21.325 (the 2022 Migration Law) and its implementing Decree 177, and is unusual among the countries in this cluster for what it explicitly excludes. There is no version of a golden visa in Chile, in the sense used elsewhere in Latin America. There is no passive real estate purchase pathway. What exists is investor residency: a temporary residence category for an active, productive investment validated by InvestChile.
The distinction Chile insists on
A golden visa, as understood in Colombia, Ecuador, or much of Europe, grants residence through a passive purchase, real estate, bonds, or funds. Chile's Investor Visa requires an active project with genuine economic merit and job-creation potential, evaluated case by case. This is a materially different, and materially more involved, application than a property closing.
The threshold and its evaluation
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum investment | USD 500,000, the legal minimum for all Investor Visa applications regardless of sector |
| Qualifying vehicle | Active, productive investment in goods or services; real estate purchase alone does not qualify |
| Approving body | InvestChile, Chile's national investment promotion agency |
| Evaluation basis | Economic merit and impact of the project, not the amount invested above the USD 500,000 floor |
| Filing location | Must be filed from outside Chile, through the SERMIG online portal |
| Typical processing | 90 to 120 days from a complete submission |
Who this route actually suits
Founders launching or acquiring a genuine operating business in Chile, capital investors backing a productive project with InvestChile's sign-off, and family principals structuring a Chilean base around a real economic activity. It does not suit anyone looking for a property-based shortcut to residency, since none exists, or anyone below the USD 500,000 threshold, for whom the far more accessible Rentista visa or a standard work visa is usually the better fit.
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From investment to permanent residency and citizenship
The Investor Visa typically grants residency for 1 to 2 years, after which permanent residency (Residencia Definitiva) becomes available. From there, Chilean citizenship follows the standard naturalization timeline described in the Chile Citizenship guide, a further period of continuous legal residence totalling 5 years from the original temporary residency stamp.
Investing in Chile: company formation, registration and real estate
This section covers Chile as an investment destination on its own terms: company formation and the real estate market, independent of any residency visa. If the question is instead about the USD 500,000 Investor Visa and its residency requirements, that content lives in the Chile residency section's Golden Visa guide; this page will not repeat it.
Company formation: choosing a structure
| Structure | Best for | Formation time | Minimum capital |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpA (Sociedad por Acciones) | Most foreign founders: single shareholder, flexible governance, online formation | As little as 1 day online; 1 to 2 weeks including tax and municipal steps | None required |
| SRL / Ltda. (Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada) | Closely held businesses with a defined, stable group of partners | 5 to 10 business days | None required |
| SA (Sociedad Anonima) | Larger enterprises requiring a minimum of 2 shareholders and a board | Several weeks, SVS-regulated for certain company types | None required |
| Branch (Agencia) | A foreign company extending operations directly into Chile | Requires public deed registration | None required |
Why most foreign founders choose the SpA
No statutory minimum capital, a single shareholder permitted, the most flexible governance rules under Chilean corporate law, and the fastest formation path, with the entity itself formable online in as little as a day through the Registro de Empresas y Sociedades portal. Corporate tax in 2026 runs at 27 percent under the standard regime, with SMEs in the Pro-PYME regime paying a transitional, lower rate through 2027. Notably, a qualifying USD 500,000 investment channeled through a properly structured company can also support a Chile Investor Visa application, meaning company formation and the visa process are frequently run in parallel for larger investors.
Real estate: what actually differs from a residency purchase
Chile places no restriction on foreign ownership of property, and demand spans well beyond Santiago into Valparaiso, La Serena, Concepcion, and Chile's agricultural Central Zone. What buying property does not do is grant any residency or citizenship benefit on its own, a point Chile's own guidance is explicit about, consistent with the position covered in the Chile residency section. Every foreign buyer needs a Chilean RUT (tax ID) before completing a purchase, regardless of residency intentions.
Chile Start-Up Visa: the entrepreneur route
What clients mean by "Chile Startup Visa" is almost always one of two distinct government-backed routes, run by CORFO (Chile's economic development agency) through InnovaChile: acceptance into Start-Up Chile, the country's flagship accelerator, or the Tech Visa, a faster employer-sponsored work permit for tech professionals. Neither requires the capital threshold that applies to Chile's standard Investor Visa, and both are worth distinguishing clearly before advising a client.
Founder or employee: the fork in the road
Building a new venture and want equity-free funding plus a visa bundled together: Start-Up Chile. Already hired, or about to be hired, by a qualifying tech company and just need a fast work permit: the Tech Visa. Confusing the two is the most common mistake in this category; they have different applicants, different requirements, and different processing paths.
Start-Up Chile: the accelerator route
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Funding | Equity-free grant, approximately USD 15,000 to USD 100,000 depending on track and stage; 100 percent founder-owned, non-dilutive |
| Program tracks | Build (MVP stage), Ignite (product-market fit evidence), Growth (validated revenue, expansion-ready) |
| Visa granted | 2-year work visa for the founding team, processed in approximately 15 days once accepted |
| Team Leader equity | Minimum 10 percent stake in the startup |
| Presence requirement | Team Leader must relocate to Chile with exclusive dedication to the project for the full execution period; some flexibility for other team members |
| Eligibility | Age 18 or older; founders from any country and industry, though the product generally needs a genuine technological or innovative foundation |
| Documentation | Passport valid at least 24 months beyond program start; apostilled clean criminal record from country of residence or citizenship |
| Application | Online via the official Start-Up Chile portal, rolling cohorts with periodic deadlines; review typically takes 4 to 8 weeks |
Tech Visa (Visa Tech): the sponsorship route
For individual professionals or specialists in science, technology, or innovation, hired by a qualifying company rather than founding one. Eligibility requires a letter of invitation or certificate of sponsorship from InvestChile (for foreign companies), the Undersecretariat of Economy (for local companies), or Start-Up Chile itself, if the hiring company is associated with the program. The applicant must demonstrate proven professional experience, be of good character, and hold valid travel health insurance in Chile.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Applicant type | Employee or specialist, not a founder; must be hired by a sponsoring company |
| Sponsorship source | InvestChile, the Undersecretariat of Economy, or Start-Up Chile, depending on the hiring company's status |
| Processing time | Approximately 15 days, materially faster than the roughly 8 weeks typical of a standard work visa |
| Pre-hire entry | A Personalized Letter of Invitation can permit early entry into Chile to complete the hiring process before the visa itself is filed |
Why this beats the Investor Visa for most early-stage founders
Chile's standard Investor Visa requires USD 500,000 in active, InvestChile-approved capital, a threshold built for established capital deployment, not early-stage venture building. Start-Up Chile inverts that entirely: no personal capital requirement, and government funding flows to the founder instead. The trade-off is selectivity and relocation, not cost. Competition for a place in the program, and the requirement that the Team Leader actually live in Chile full time, are the real constraints, not money.
From startup visa to permanent residency and citizenship
Both routes lead to Chile's standard permanent residency track, generally available after 2 years of continuous temporary residency, the same timeline as the Investor, Rentista, and Jubilado categories. From there, Chilean citizenship follows the naturalization framework described in the Chile Citizenship guide, a 5-year clock counted from the original temporary residency stamp.
Frequently asked questions
Does Chile have a Golden Visa?
No, and Chile's own immigration guidance is unusually direct about this. There is no golden visa, no residency-by-real-estate scheme, and no citizenship by investment. What exists instead is the Investor Visa, requiring an active, productive investment of at least USD 500,000, validated by InvestChile, Chile's national investment promotion agency.
Does buying property in Chile give me residency?
No. Property purchase in Chile is open to any foreign national, but it confers no immigration benefit on its own. Chile's Investor Visa specifically requires an active project with genuine economic merit and job-creation potential, not a passive asset purchase.
What counts as a qualifying investment for Chile's Investor Visa?
An active, productive investment of at least USD 500,000 in goods or services, evaluated by InvestChile on the basis of economic merit and impact, not simply the amount invested above the threshold. This can include operating businesses, productive projects, or capital contributions to a qualifying Chilean enterprise.
Is there a lower-cost way to start a business in Chile without the Investor Visa?
Yes. Chilean company registration is open to foreigners regardless of investment size, and entrepreneurs below the USD 500,000 threshold can operate a business while holding a different residency category, such as the work visa or Rentista visa, rather than needing the Investor Visa specifically.
Is the USD 500,000 Investor Visa covered here?
No, by design. Chile's Investor Visa grants legal residency, so its full requirements live in the Chile residency section's Golden Visa guide. This section covers the underlying investment market itself: company formation and real estate conditions, without repeating the visa's requirements.
What is the easiest company structure for a foreigner to use in Chile?
The SpA (Sociedad por Acciones) is the structure most foreign founders choose: no minimum capital, a single shareholder permitted, and the most flexible governance available under Chilean law. It can be formed online through the Registro de Empresas y Sociedades portal, in as little as one day for the entity itself, with tax and municipal registration adding further time.
Can a foreigner own 100 percent of a Chilean company?
Yes. Chile applies no nationality restriction on shareholders or directors, and permits 100 percent foreign ownership of an SpA, Ltda., SA, or a registered branch of a foreign company.
Does buying property in Chile give me any immigration benefit?
No. Foreigners can buy property in Chile freely with no restriction, but a purchase confers no residency or citizenship benefit on its own. As covered in the Chile residency section, Chile's Investor Visa requires an active, InvestChile-approved productive investment, not a passive property purchase. A foreign buyer will also need a Chilean tax ID (RUT) before completing a purchase, even without an intention to live in Chile full time.
What is the Chile Startup Visa?
It is not a standalone visa category on its own. "Chile Startup Visa" search demand generally points to one of two distinct routes: acceptance into Start-Up Chile, the government accelerator program that bundles a 2-year work visa with equity-free grant funding, or the Tech Visa (Visa Tech), a fast-track work visa for foreign professionals sponsored by a qualifying tech company, InvestChile, or Start-Up Chile itself. They serve different people and should not be confused.
Do I need $500,000 to move to Chile as a startup founder?
No. That figure applies to the Investor Visa, a different route entirely, built for active capital deployment rather than early-stage founders. Start-Up Chile requires no personal capital at all; selected founders receive equity-free government funding instead of having to prove an investment threshold.
How much funding does Start-Up Chile provide?
Recent cohorts have offered equity-free grants ranging from approximately USD 15,000 to USD 100,000, depending on the program track (Build, Ignite, or Growth) and stage of the startup, with all funding non-dilutive and 100 percent founder-owned.
Do I have to move to Chile to join Start-Up Chile?
Yes, for the project leader specifically. The program requires the Team Leader to be physically present in Chile with exclusive dedication to the startup throughout the execution period. There is some flexibility for other team members, but the founder driving the application should plan on relocating, not running the program remotely.
What is the difference between Start-Up Chile and the Tech Visa?
Start-Up Chile is a competitive grant and accelerator program for founders; acceptance itself is the hard part, and the visa comes bundled with selection. The Tech Visa is an employer-sponsored work visa for individual tech professionals or specialists already hired (or being hired) by a qualifying company, and does not require founding a startup or winning a grant at all. A tech employee joining an existing Chilean or Start-Up Chile-affiliated company should look at the Tech Visa; a founder building a new venture should look at Start-Up Chile.
Last reviewed 15 September 2026.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Programme terms are set by the relevant government and can change; confirm any figure with the authority, or with us, before acting on it.
