RESIDENCIA DEFINITIVA
The Residencia Defintiva is intended for those foreigners who wish to settle permanently in Chile and is granted exclusively as a follow-up permit to the Residencia Temporal.
Foreigners holding such Residencia Temporal in force may apply for Residencia Definitiva in cases where the migratory subcategory allows it.
The application for a Residencia Definitiva must be submitted before the expiration of the Residencia Temporal, not more than 90 days and not less than ten days before the expiry of this time limit.
When applying for this permit, it is essential to have all the required documents at hand. The applicant will be given a strict deadline for any resubmission of incorrect, illegible, or missing documents if necessary.
In case the foreigner's application for permanent residency is denied, he/she has a one-time opportunity to challenge the decision by submitting new information to justify his/her application. As the given time frame in such a case is very short, the applicant has to be well prepared to have all documents ready in the required form and up to date for uploading.
After receiving the Residencia Definitiva, a new Chilean identity card must be applied for.
In general, an application for citizenship can be submitted after five years of residence in the country.