Chile Forum

Hi. I'm new. This is a great site. I've read many of the threads, and collected a lot of notes about things I had questions about (and, things I hadn't thought of yet.).

I have a question about whether there are limits on how many times a person can have a Temporary Resident Visa. I've spent a lot of time at the immigration web site (http://www.extranjeria.gob.cl). From what I gathered:

1. The temp visa is a prerequisite to a perm visa (one year of uninterrupted residency required, although up to 180 days absence isn't an interruption).
2. The temp visa is valid for one year, and can be renewed only once for another year.
3. At the expiration of the renewal it is required to apply for the perm visa, or leave the country.

It's not clear to me whether that means that's all a person can do with a temp. visa. I.e., a person has only one shot at permanent residence? Or, is it possible to get a temp, leave, and get a temp again? Or, temp, renew, leave and get a temp again?

I know it's possible to stay indefinitely on a Tourist Visa (border runs). But, I'm curious if the temp. visa can be obtained multiple times. The wording of the law seems to imply it doesn't.

Thanks,
Mark