Chile MERCOSUR Residence
Chile
Residency
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See if you're a match →Chile's MERCOSUR temporary residence subcategory is for nationals of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It provides a nationality-based residence option without needing a Chilean job offer or investment.
- Type
- Nationality-based residence
- Passport fit
- Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, or Uruguay citizens
- Core requirements
- Eligible passport and standard temporary-residence documents
- What to know
- U.S. citizens need a second eligible passport
- Duration
- Temporary residence
- Renewal / path
- Can support longer-term Chile residence if requirements are met
Summary
Chile has a MERCOSUR temporary residence subcategory for nationals of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It is a nationality-based route: the core hook is your passport, not a Chilean employer, investment, or family sponsor.
For Americans, this is only relevant if you also hold one of those eligible South American passports.
Eligibility
You generally need:
- Citizenship of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, or Uruguay.
- A valid passport or national identity document.
- Standard temporary-residence documents required by Chile's Servicio Nacional de Migraciones.
- No inadmissibility issue that would block a Chilean residence grant.
Chile lists the MERCOSUR category under its temporary residence subcategories.
What This Pathway Allows
If approved, this pathway gives you temporary residence in Chile. It can be a lower-friction way for eligible South American nationals to live in Chile compared with employer-sponsored or investment routes.
What This Pathway Is Not
This is not available to U.S. citizens directly. It also is not Chilean permanent residence or citizenship. Those require separate eligibility, timing, and application steps.
Next Steps
- Confirm that your qualifying citizenship is one of Chile's listed MERCOSUR nationalities.
- Gather identity, civil-status, and police-record documents.
- File the Chilean temporary residence application under the MERCOSUR subcategory.
- Confirm work authorization, renewal timing, and any later permanent-residence step after approval.
Sources
- Servicio Nacional de Migraciones - Solicitud de Residencia Temporal - official Chilean temporary-residence page listing the MERCOSUR subcategory for nationals of Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina.