Chile: Information on whether an Argentine married to a Chilean female could apply for permanent residence, and on what grounds permanent residence would be denied
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 October 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | CHL18630.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Chile: Information on whether an Argentine married to a Chilean female could apply for permanent residence, and on what grounds permanent residence would be denied, 1 October 1994, CHL18630.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac0d84.html [accessed 2 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The information that follows was provided by the consulate of Chile in Ottawa (11 Oct. 1994). Additional and/or corroborating information could not be found among the sources currently available to the DIRB.
A male citizen of any country who marries a Chilean woman can apply for permanent residence, but he must first reside in Chile for a minimum of one year. Argentine citizens do not need a visa or passport to enter Chile, and can remain in the country on a visitor's permit for 90 days (the permit can be extended for another 90 days, to a maximum total of 180 days). A foreigner who enters Chile as the spouse of a Chilean and with the intention of residing there would likely obtain a temporary residence visa from a Chilean consulate before arriving to Chile, although the visa can also be obtained in Chile. The temporary residence visa is valid for one year, but can be extended for a second year. While residing in Chile on a temporary residence visa, the foreign spouse of a Chilean can complete all of the paperwork (tr mites in Spanish) required to obtain permanent residence. Although there may be exceptions, a police record of criminal activities (antecedentes policiales o criminales in Spanish) is usually the only grounds for rejecting a request for permanent residence from the foreign spouse of a Chilean.
Chilean consulates in other Canadian cities such as Toronto can issue temporary residence visas and advise on procedural details and other information that may be relevant for a specific individual wishing to reside permanently in Chile.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
Consulate of Chile, Ottawa. 11 October 1994. Telephone interview with staff member.
