Chile (CL)

Sign employment contract within 15 days of starting work

The Codigo del Trabajo requires a written employment contract signed within 15 days of starting (or 5 days for contracts under 30 days). The contract must be signed in duplicate — one copy for you, one for the employer. Notarising at a notaria within 5 days of signing is strongly recommended. Verify: role, salary, hours (42hr/week maximum from April 2026 under Ley 21.561), vacation days, and notice period.

Register as a boleta de honorarios freelancer with SII

If you will work as a self-employed freelancer in Chile, register with the SII as a contribuyente de boleta de honorarios at sii.cl. This enables you to issue electronic boletas (receipts for services). From 2025, self-employed boleta workers must pay AFP (10% + commission) and FONASA (7%) quarterly via SII — mandatory for all boleta workers earning above the minimum wage threshold.

Register birth at the Registro Civil within 60 days

Births in Chile must be registered at the Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificacion within 60 days. Hospital births: the hospital typically initiates registration — confirm before discharge. The child born in Chile to legal residents is a Chilean citizen by birth (jus soli) and receives a RUT at registration. Expat parents may simultaneously register their nationality at their home country embassy.

Enrol in FONASA — Chile's public health insurance

All formal workers contribute 7% of salary to FONASA automatically via payroll — but you must actively register to access benefits. Enrol at fonasa.cl or visit a FONASA office with your cedula and RUT. FONASA coverage starts immediately on enrolment. Self-employed boleta workers: pay 7% quarterly via SII and register independently at FONASA.

Sign notarised rental contract and complete move-in inspection

Chilean rental contracts must be signed before a notario (notary) to be fully enforceable. Photo-document every room and appliance on move-in day and create a written acta de recepcion signed by both parties. Keep all copies. UF-denominated contracts (standard) mean your rent adjusts monthly with inflation — check current UF rate at bcentral.cl.

Research and apply for the correct Chilean visa

Determine whether you need a Visa Sujeto a Contrato (employer-sponsored), Visa Temporaria (self-managed), Digital Nomad Visa (Nomades Digitales), or Student Visa. Apply online at sermig.gob.cl. Required documents: valid passport, clean criminal record certificate (apostilled and translated), proof of means of support, and health certificate. Application processing: 15-30 business days.

Notify Migraciones of your Chilean address within 30 days

After entering Chile, you must register your address with Servicio Nacional de Migraciones and update it whenever you move. Address registration (Aviso de cambio de domicilio) is done online at sermig.gob.cl with your ClaveUnica or temporary visa reference number.

Buy SOAP mandatory personal accident insurance for your vehicle

SOAP (Seguro Obligatorio de Accidentes Personales) is mandatory for all registered vehicles and motorcycles in Chile. It covers personal injury costs in road accidents for all parties regardless of fault. Renew annually with your permiso de circulacion (February-April). Without SOAP, driving is illegal. Purchase online at any major insurer website — takes 5 minutes.

Obtain SAG import clearance and meet pet health certificate requirements

Importing a pet into Chile requires: SAG (Servicio Agricola y Ganadero) import permit obtained before travel, ISO 15-digit microchip, valid rabies vaccination (administered 30 days before travel minimum and within 12 months), and an official health certificate endorsed by your home country veterinary authority. No quarantine if documents are complete. Process the SAG permit at sag.gob.cl — allow 2-4 weeks.

Register pet with your municipality and get annual licence

Dogs and cats must be registered with the local municipality (municipio) and receive an annual registration tag (patente municipal). Registration requires: proof of rabies vaccination, proof of sterilisation (encouraged), and your cedula. Cost: CLP $1,500-8,000/year. Restricted breed dogs (Pitbull, Rottweiler, Dogo Argentino, Presa Canario, Fila Brasileiro, Akita Inu, Bullmastiff) require additional registration and mandatory liability insurance under Ley 21.020.

Obtain your Chilean RUT from the SII

The RUT (Rol Unico Tributario) is Chile's universal identification and tax number — needed for virtually everything: bank accounts, mobile phone contracts, rental agreements, and government services. Foreign nationals obtain their RUT from the SII (Servicio de Impuestos Internos) at sii.cl or at an SII office. Your visa approval triggers the RUT assignment — the RUT is embedded in your cedula de identidad para extranjeros.

Get your cedula de identidad para extranjeros

After visa approval and RUT assignment, obtain your cedula de identidad para extranjeros (foreign national ID card) from the Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificacion. The cedula is required for almost all official transactions and replaces the need to carry your passport daily. Book an appointment at registrocivil.cl.

Register your Chilean address with SII and Migraciones

Register your home address with both the SII (for tax correspondence) and Servicio Nacional de Migraciones (immigration compliance). Update both agencies whenever you move. Do this online via sii.cl and sermig.gob.cl using ClaveUnica. Failure to update your SII address means important tax notices may go to a wrong address — resulting in unchallenged fines.

Activate your SII tax profile and understand Chilean income tax

Log into sii.cl with ClaveUnica and review your tax profile — verify your RUT, registered activities, and tax history. Formal employees have income tax withheld by the employer — verify the monthly withholding on your payslip matches the UTM-based bracket table. Self-employed boleta workers pay quarterly PPM (Pagos Provisionales Mensuales) at SII.

File your Operacion Renta annual tax return by April 30

Operacion Renta is Chile's annual income tax declaration — due April 30 each year for the prior calendar year. File online at sii.cl with ClaveUnica. Most formal employees have a pre-filled return (propuesta de declaracion) from SII based on employer-reported data — review carefully and accept or amend. Tax refunds are typically issued by the SII in May-June.

Purchase SOAP mandatory vehicle accident insurance

SOAP (Seguro Obligatorio de Accidentes Personales) is mandatory for all registered vehicles in Chile — purchased annually at the same time as the permiso de circulacion (vehicle permit, February-April). SOAP covers personal injury for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians in road accidents. Without SOAP, driving is illegal and your vehicle can be immobilised by Carabineros.

Apostille and translate key foreign documents for Chilean use

Key documents needed in apostilled, Spanish-translated form for Chilean authorities: criminal record certificate, birth certificate, marriage certificate (if applicable), degree certificates, and professional licences. Hague Apostille Convention member countries: apostille from your home country suffices. Non-Hague countries: full consular legalisation is required. Use a sworn translator (traductor oficial) approved by the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores.

Organise and secure copies of all official documents

Create a digital backup of all critical documents: passport (all pages), visa/cedula, RUT card, AFP affiliation certificate, FONASA enrolment certificate, employment contract, notarised rental contract, and all apostilled/translated documents. Store in a secure cloud service (Google Drive, iCloud, OneDrive) AND in a physical folder. Chilean bureaucracy frequently requires document copies — having them ready saves hours.

Register AFP pension beneficiaries immediately on enrolment

Your AFP savings belong to you — register your beneficiaries (spouse, children, dependants) at your AFP immediately so the funds can be accessed by your family if you die before retirement. Do this via your AFP app or website, or in person at an AFP branch. Without registered beneficiaries, your AFP balance goes into the inheritance estate process (posesion efectiva), which is slow and bureaucratic.

Open BancoEstado CuentaRUT — the easiest first account

BancoEstado's CuentaRUT is a free basic bank account available to any Chilean RUT holder — no income proof, no DICOM check, no monthly fee. Open online at bancoestado.cl or at any BancoEstado branch or Caja Vecina agent. Provides: debit card, transfers, and cash access. Perfect for your first weeks in Chile before a traditional bank accepts your application.

Open a full bank account for direct salary payment

Open a current account (cuenta corriente) at Banco de Chile, Santander, or BCI for full banking services — direct salary deposits, international transfers, cheques, and credit card eligibility. Requires: cedula, 3 months salary slips or boleta history, clean DICOM record. Apply in branch — online account opening for foreigners is limited.

Set up MACH digital wallet for immediate cashless payments

MACH (by BCI bank) is Chile's leading digital wallet — open with just RUT and cedula photo in under 5 minutes via the app. Provides: free peer-to-peer transfers, a Visa prepaid card (physical or virtual) for online shopping and tap-to-pay, and instant reload via TEF. Essential for the weeks before a traditional bank account is approved.

Get a Chilean prepaid SIM card

Purchase a prepaid SIM (chip prepago) immediately on arrival — available at airports, pharmacies, supermarkets, and mobile operator stores. WOM offers the cheapest data plans; Entel has the best rural coverage; Movistar and Claro have good urban 5G networks. A Chilean mobile number is practically required — landlords, doctors, and banks all use WhatsApp. SIM requires your passport or cedula.

Connect home fibre internet

Chile has excellent fibre broadband coverage in Santiago. Providers: Movistar Fibra (200-1000 Mbps), Entel (300-1000 Mbps), VTR (up to 1 Gbps), WOM Hogar. Installation wait: 5-15 business days. You need a cedula and RUT to sign a contract. Minimum 12-month contracts are typical — read cancellation terms carefully.

Install WhatsApp and set up Chilean contact habits

WhatsApp is the dominant communication channel in Chile for everything: landlords, employers, doctors, plumbers, and building managers. Install WhatsApp on your Chilean number immediately. Expect to join building WhatsApp groups, receive government notifications, and conduct professional communications via WhatsApp.

Save emergency contacts and locate your nearest hospital

Save these numbers before you need them: Carabineros (police) 133, SAMU (ambulance) 131, Bomberos (fire) 132, General emergency 112. Identify the nearest Hospital de Urgencias to your address — in Santiago: Hospital del Salvador (Providencia), Hospital San Juan de Dios (Santiago Centro), Clinica Las Condes or Clinica Alemana for private emergency. Share your address and emergency numbers with a trusted contact at home.

Learn your consumer rights and save the SERNAC hotline

Chilean consumer law gives you: 10 working days to return online purchases (derecho a retracto), 6-month legal warranty on goods (garantia legal), protection against automatic contract renewals without notice, and free SERNAC mediation for disputes. Save SERNAC's free hotline: 800 700 100. Knowing your rights means you can resolve landlord, retailer, mobile operator, and bank disputes faster.

Activate ClaveUnica and explore ChileAtiende portal

Once you have your cedula, activate ClaveUnica at the Registro Civil. Then explore ChileAtiende (chileatiende.cl) — the unified portal for 1,200+ government procedures. Complete: FONASA enrollment, immigration notifications, SII tax registration, AFP balance checks, and civil status certificates — all from a single login. Download the ChileAtiende app for appointment booking at government offices.

Download essential Chile apps for daily life

Key apps to install on arrival: Bip! (Metro/bus card management), Uber Chile (rideshare), MACH (digital wallet, instant payments), PedidosYa (food delivery), Rappi (grocery and restaurant delivery), Portalinmobiliario (housing), MercadoLibre Chile (shopping), Metro de Santiago (official Metro app with real-time train tracking), and ChileAtiende.

Set up SII online profile for tax filings and boleta de honorarios

Activate your SII profile at impuestos.cl using ClaveUnica. If you will issue boletas de honorarios: complete "Inicio de Actividades" specifying your economic activity code. Set up your boleta electronica de honorarios system — required for all freelance invoicing to Chilean clients from 2024 onwards. Set up email alerts for SII tax notifications to avoid missing deadlines.

Enrol child in Chilean public school via SAE

Chilean public school (colegio municipal) is free and available to all children regardless of nationality. Enrol via the SAE (Sistema de Admision Escolar) at sae.mineduc.cl — the centralised school admission system for public and publicly-subsidised schools. Applications for the following March school year open in November. Bring birth certificate and cedula or passport for the child.

Access JUNJI or Integra free public daycare for under-6

JUNJI (Junta Nacional de Jardines Infantiles) and Fundacion Integra provide free public childcare for ages 0-6. Priority given to families in the bottom 60% of income. Register at junji.gob.cl or integra.cl — bring proof of income, cedula, and birth certificate. Chile Crece Contigo programme: registering at CESFAM during pregnancy connects you to daycare priority.

Verify AFP and FONASA deductions on first payslip

Check your first payslip (liquidacion de sueldo) against expected deductions: AFP contribution 10% + commission (~1.2-1.44%), FONASA 7%, income tax (withholding per tax brackets), and AFP employer reform contribution (~2%). Verify AFP affiliation at spensiones.cl and FONASA at fonasa.cl with ClaveUnica. Discrepancies must be reported to your employer and Direccion del Trabajo within the month.

Enrol in Chile Crece Contigo programme at CESFAM during pregnancy

Chile Crece Contigo (ChCC) is Chile's universal early childhood development programme — free for all FONASA-enrolled residents. Register at your CESFAM on your first prenatal visit. Benefits include: free obstetric monitoring, baby hamper (ajuar — crib, clothing, health kit) at birth, priority daycare access for vulnerable families, home social work visits, and educational support to age 9.

Review and optimise your AFP pension fund allocation

Your AFP pension contributions are automatically invested in the default Fund C unless you choose otherwise. Review fund options at spensiones.cl: Fund A (most aggressive, best for under-40), Fund E (most conservative, suited for near-retirees). Switch funds online at myafp.cl or your AFP app — takes 3-5 business days. Also compare AFP commissions — AFP Uno has the lowest fees in 2026.

Register with your local CESFAM for primary care

CESFAM (Centro de Salud Familiar) is the public primary care system — your local CESFAM provides GP appointments, FONASA prescriptions, referrals to specialists, and access to Chile Crece Contigo maternity support. Register in person at the CESFAM geographically assigned to your address. Bring cedula and proof of address.

Find accommodation via Portalinmobiliario and Yapo

Research Santiago communes and property types before committing. Search Portalinmobiliario.com (Chile's main rental portal) and Yapo.cl for direct-from-landlord listings. Check Toctoc.com for market price benchmarking. Never transfer a deposit before viewing the property in person. Bring cedula, last 3 pay slips, and a clean DICOM report to your rental interview.

Start learning Chilean Spanish before and after arrival

Chilean Spanish is one of the most challenging dialects for non-native speakers — fast, heavily slang-laden ("cachai?", "bacan", "fome", "pololo"), and with strong dropped consonants. Begin with Duolingo or Babbel for fundamentals. Book Chilean tutors on iTalki for accent-specific practice. The Instituto Chileno-Norteamericano and Instituto Chileno-Britanico offer structured evening courses.

Understand your tenant rights and keep all housing documents

Know your rights under Ley 18.101: landlords cannot evict without a court order; you have 2 months notice for month-to-month contracts; the landlord must provide an itemised accounting for any deposit deductions. Keep copies of: signed rental contract, notarised copy, move-in inspection acta de recepcion, all rent receipts, and correspondence with the landlord. File at SERNAC (sernac.cl) for disputes.

Activate ClaveUnica — your national digital identity credential

ClaveUnica is Chile's single digital login for all government services — SII (tax), FONASA (health), Migraciones (immigration), AFP (pension), Registro Civil, and ChileAtiende (1,200+ services). Activate at any Registro Civil office with your cedula. You will receive an email activation link on the spot.

Get a Bip! card and load credit for Metro and Red buses

The Bip! card is Santiago's integrated smart card for Metro (all 6 lines) and Red buses. Purchase at any Metro station customer service desk (CLP $1,500 initial card charge). Load credit at Bip! reload points — pharmacies, supermarkets, or online via the Bip! app. Metro fare: CLP $750-950 depending on time of day. Red bus fare: CLP $750.

Understand Chilean driving licence exchange rules

MERCOSUR countries (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru) and bilateral agreement countries can exchange their licence directly at the Registro Civil — no test required. All other foreign nationals must pass Chilean theory and practical tests to get a Chilean licence. International Driving Permit is valid for 90 days.

Register for Asignacion Familiar via employer or FONASA

The Asignacion Familiar (family allowance, CLP $14,075-14,890/child/month in 2026 for lowest income bracket) is paid to formal workers with dependent children, spouses, or parents. Formal employees: the employer registers the benefit and pays it via payroll. Self-employed boleta workers: apply directly at fonasa.cl. Provide birth certificates for qualifying dependants.