Chile Forum

Hi,
When we were employed in Chile we were told that as foreigners (that have evidence of paying into a pension scheme in our home country) we were able to get this money back or some of it. The AFP providers have made it so difficult to retrieve this money and our employers are so misinformed and will not assist us in this endeavor. I know numerous people who have gone to great lengths and expense to get documents/transcript notarized, then evidence of pension scheme only to be told that the documents granted by US government are not sufficient as they do not indicate what ever random detail they deem important at this moment. The documents provided as a guideline to retrieve this money by the AFP are UNCLEAR and the the AFP companies (or gov`t) are making a mint on foreigners that can`t be bothered to even try to collect and those who do not have time to collect before they are relocated. We need help? What can we do. A friend hired a `poder`to help her and even though she had all the documents still she did not recieved our money. Do we have grounds for a class action suit against these companies or against our own employers for misinforming us verbally on this detail. I do not speak spanish otherwise I would go happily and give our AFP a piece of my mind. If you know of any lawyer that could help or advise on this I would appreciate it.
thaibabykins@gmail.com

you can collect it when you retire

Also, you can opt out from day 1 if you pay into a eligible foreign scheme, you need a lawyer to help you with that, or a financial advisor

personally, i have put mine in chile, and will leave it here until i retire....

anyway, how much are you trying to extract? is it worth while?

XXIX. TECNICOS EXTRANJEROS
EXENCION DE COTIZAR Y DEVOLUCION DE FONDOS PREVISIONALES

A) ¿UN EXTRANJERO QUE TRABAJA EN CHILE ESTA OBLIGADO A COTIZAR EN UNA AFP?
La legislación chilena, para la incorporación al Régimen Previsional chileno, no hace diferencia entre un extranjero y un nacional, siendo obligatorio cotizar para todo trabajador dependiente. Sin embargo, se establecen exenciones para cierto tipo de trabajadores en disposiciones legales contenidas en Convenios Bilaterales de Seguridad Social y en la Ley Nº 18.156, publicada en el Diario Oficial el 25.08.1982, relativa a Técnicos Extranjeros.

La ley N° 18.156 establece la exención de efectuar cotizaciones para los trabajadores técnicos extranjeros, como para las empresas que los contraten cumpliendo con los requisitos establecidos en su artículo 1°.

B) ¿PUEDE UN TRABAJADOR EXTRANJERO, SUJETO A UN CONTRATO DE TRABAJO Y QUE COTIZA EN UNA ADMINISTRADORA, SOLICITAR LA DEVOLUCION DE SUS FONDOS PREVISIONALES?
La Ley Nº 18.156, de Técnico Extranjero, en su artículo 7º otorga tal posibilidad, sólo para trabajadores dependientes extranjeros, que den cumplimiento a los requisitos establecidos en el artículo 1, de dicha Ley, cuales son:

que detenten la calidad, de “técnicos”, se entenderá por técnico, a los trabajadores que posean conocimiento de una ciencia o arte, que pueda ser acreditado mediante documentos justificativos de estudios especializados o profesionales debidamente legalizados y, en su caso, traducidos oficialmente por el Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
que el trabajador se encuentre afiliado a un régimen de previsión o de seguridad social fuera de Chile, cualquiera sea su naturaleza jurídica, que le otorgue prestaciones, a lo menos, en casos de vejez, enfermedad, invalidez o muerte. El cumplimiento de este requisito debe acreditarse mediante certificación de la institución de seguridad social correspondiente, debidamente legalizada, en la que conste su obligación de otorgar las prestaciones señaladas
que en el contrato de trabajo respectivo el trabajador exprese su voluntad de mantener la afiliación referida
C) UN TRABAJADOR QUE CUMPLE LOS REQUISITOS DE LA LEY Nº 18.156 Y DE LA CIRCULAR Nº 553 DE LA SUPERINTENDENCIA DE AFP, PARA OBTENER LA DEVOLUCION DE SUS FONDOS ¿SE PUEDE INCLUIR DENTRO DE ESTA DEVOLUCION EL BONO DE RECONOCIMIENTO?
Es improcedente considerar dentro de la devolución el monto del Bono de Reconocimiento, al invocar la Ley Nº 18.156; por lo cual la Administradora debe efectuar la devolución del mismo, al INP.

D) ¿ESTOS FONDOS ESTAN SUJETOS A TRIBUTACION AL MOMENTO DE RETIRARLOS?
Sí, los fondos previsionales provenientes de cotizaciones obligatorias que se devuelven a los técnicos extranjeros están afectos al impuesto de Segunda Categoría establecido en la Ley de la Renta.

E) ¿CUAL ES EL TRAMITE PARA RETIRAR LOS FONDOS?
Firmar la solicitud correspondiente en la AFP de afiliación, entregando copia del contrato de trabajo con la cláusula especial, título de técnico o profesional y certificado otorgado por la entidad de previsión del país de origen el que debe dejar constancia que el trabajador se encuentra cubierto por los riesgos de vejez, invalidez, muerte y prestaciones de salud, debidamente legalizado y traducido si fuera el caso.

also, you know when you take it out, its heavily taxed........................

I actually have the opposite question... I previously looked at the page zer0nz is quoting from and it sounds like a foreigner cannot contribute voluntarily to a pension scheme (APV?) unless he/she is already contributing through a Chilean employer. Can anyone confirm that? I'm paid by a company based overseas that contributes to a US scheme, so I don't already have payments to a Chilean AFP (this is all above board BTW).

Also, is there such a thing as a Chilean pension fund where one can deposit already-taxed earnings, instead of being taxed when drawing the pension during retirement?

Thanks!

James.

PS. Hope I'm not unduly diverting the discussion. It sounds like section B maybe answers the OPs question?

I have the same problem as the OP, just wondered if you managed to get the money out in the end? I am from the UK and so only have my national insurance number as evidence for 'social security affiliation'. Has anyone actually managed to do this yet? If so any advise would be appreciated. If I do leave it until I retire, I doubt that I will be able to claim it from the UK, is that correct?

Cheers,
James.

I am also curious as to what is consdiered "tecnico". What types of degrees are accepted by the AFP in order to get your funds back?

I have a friend who got her AFP funds back after working in Chile for about 2 years. It took the whole process of legalizing her college degree in the US, through the consulate, and lots and lots of other paperwork. Make sure it's enough money to more than justify the time and funds you have to sink into the whole process to get it back!

I have been told that I also need to provide some certificado de pension. I am unclear on exactly what this is. Some have said your social security card but that doesn't seem right. Anybody gone through this process who knows what exactly is required. Also I was instructed to bring my diplomas to the US embassy here to have them translated and made official, not anything with the Chilean consulate. Again anyone who has actually gone through this process with the appropriate knowledge?
Thanks!