COVID-19: New restrictions to affect residence, legalization processes

The Immigration Department and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have announced new COVID-19 measures that will affect immigration processes in the coming months.

Key Points:

• Permanent residence applications. From now until Oct. 12, the administrative office “Chile Atiende” will not accept permanent residence applications from nationals of Brazil, Haiti, Cuba, China or Peru. Instead, nationals of these countries will have to submit permanent residence applications online through the Immigration Department (as nationals of other countries do). Beginning Oct. 13, applicants who submitted their applications will have 60 days (until Dec. 12) to validate the authenticity of police records they submitted online.
• Legalizations and apostillizations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has suspended non-urgent legalization and apostillization services until further notice. The following documents are considered urgent:
  • Repatriation authorizations in cases involving the death of a foreign national.
  • Documents issued at Chilean consulates abroad, e.g., authorization for minors to travel with one parent or authorization to withdraw pension funds.
  • Documents that the Immigration Department requires for in-country residence applications.
  • Documents required by commercial businesses.

Additional Information: Chile has taken a number of steps in recent weeks to slow the spread of COVID-19. Officials suspended most international travel to the country on April 6, with some limited exceptions available.

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