How to apply for residency when married to a Chilean?

[JohnG]

Hello All. I've been looking around the internet for this information, but some of it sounds outdated and some of it is conflicting. It seems that this site has a lot of great info, so I am trying here. If I have missed the information I am seeking in another thread, I apologize. Be easy on me.

I got married in Santiago in January 2018 and my wife is a Chilean. I am currently here on a Work Visa, but I plan on living here for many, many years. I am from the US.

I'm having trouble figuring out what I am supposed to do to get 1) Temporary Residency and 2) Permanent residency years down the line. I can't really find a step by step guide to the process online and I do not want to follow the wrong steps (since some are from 2010, etc.). My basic Spanish is not helping me either.

Just a few thoughts: Does being married here in Chile help me in my process? Are there firms that can help me for fee? Is the US embassy of any help in these situations?

Thanks for any help you can provide. John

[eeuunikkeiexpat]

(1) Search is your enemy, do not use search.
(2) If you cannot apply for permanent residency after the first year of work visa, you can switch over to the spouse visa.
(3) Yes, you want to apply under the spouse visa for permanent residency.
(4) US Embassy for info.......that was a joke right? Would the Chilean government be the best source of info for a Chilean wanting US residency? Like most countries, Chile has an internal immigrations agency and the rules are spelled out quite clearly as for example on the extranjeria.gob.cl site.
(5) You can pay someone but the spouse visa has got to be one of the no-brainer visa apps of Chile and many on this very forum (search is your enemy) have done it on their own even me with my shitty high school and college Spanish skills.

[admin]

Why do americans think the u.s. embassy does anything?

The only u.s. embassies that do anything are in hollywood.

The only time i we have seen a spouse based visa denied is when someone did something really, really wrong with the application (like try to fake a contract for no good reason).

The rest of the info on the forum is still valid, because immigration law in chile has not changed in like 35+ years, and the procedures for spouses will be the last thing they change.

[admin]

We can handle filing a spouse based visa, but typically we only file them for people that simply dont want to be bothered with the hassle of doing it themselves.

[JohnG]

Why do americans think the u.s. embassy does anything?

The only u.s. embassies that do anything are in hollywood.

I knew I'd get some crap for that... haha.

The only time i we have seen a spouse based visa denied is when someone did something really, really wrong with the application (like try to fake a contract for no good reason).

The rest of the info on the forum is still valid, because immigration law in chile has not changed in like 35+ years, and the procedures for spouses will be the last thing they change.

Thanks. I will do more research based on this.

[admin]

That is nothing. At least it is vaguely related to something the embassy might have something to do with.

Over the years we have heard some really strange beliefs about what the u.s. embassy does.

As much as i dislike what the the u.s. embassy and state department does and does not do, some have definitly never been in their job description.

Things like contacting the embassy to have them find a a property in chile, and then want to transfer money through the embassy to pay for it.

Or, this a favorite one, american trying to contact the u.s. embassy to pay their medical bills in chile. That person also tried to borrow money from us to pay the medical bill, at a mental instution. Did not know them. Not a client. Just out of the blue request for money. At least they were in the right place.

Probably be fun some day to track down a receptionist at the embassy and buy them a beer. If we get those sorts of request or stories just in passing contact with americans overseas, then they really have to have some crazy stories.

[at46]

Probably be fun some day to track down a receptionist at the embassy and buy them a beer. If we get those sorts of request or stories just in passing contact with americans overseas, then they really have to have some crazy stories.

She's probably on the Hollywood payroll to collect those stories. I mean you could definitely sell yours as well

[Jamers41]

Why do americans think the u.s. embassy does anything?

The only u.s. embassies that do anything are in hollywood.

The only time i we have seen a spouse based visa denied is when someone did something really, really wrong with the application (like try to fake a contract for no good reason).

The rest of the info on the forum is still valid, because immigration law in chile has not changed in like 35+ years, and the procedures for spouses will be the last thing they change.

They do a few things..........some very specific stuff (renew US passports, hand out nonimmigrant visas to Chilean students, etc). A few of them (but not the one here in Santiago) even process US Social Security applications.

But yeah, I haven't found out yet how to get them to "send in the Marines."

[Jamers41]

Probably be fun some day to track down a receptionist at the embassy and buy them a beer. If we get those sorts of request or stories just in passing contact with americans overseas, then they really have to have some crazy stories.

She's probably on the Hollywood payroll to collect those stories. I mean you could definitely sell yours as well

The security guards at the public entrance (who are Chilean) probably have a few of their own stories as well.

[Britkid]

I did write up my personal experiences a few years ago. You may or may not have already found the below on search.

Whether anything has changed, I don't know. Does anyone know how valid these kind of old articles are today? Has much changed?

You probably want to go straight to official documents and websites for your main source of how to do this, and just look at these kinds of articles to add a bit of colour.

Things could have changed sice then, but also some of this could be specific to my individual situation, but not necessarily to yours.

Getting the 1-Year Temporary Visa (2014)
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11909&p=140997#p140997

Getting Permanent Residence (2015)
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=13086&p=157807#p157807

The above was a blow by blow account and were very long, especially the second one. I wouldn't read that 2015 one for now but make a note if it incase you want to read if after you have temp residence.

[admin]

Probably be fun some day to track down a receptionist at the embassy and buy them a beer. If we get those sorts of request or stories just in passing contact with americans overseas, then they really have to have some crazy stories.

She's probably on the Hollywood payroll to collect those stories. I mean you could definitely sell yours as well

The security guards at the public entrance (who are Chilean) probably have a few of their own stories as well.

Yea they are typically the friendliest people at the embassy. Too bad part of their job description is to be killed so that americans dont have to be.

[admin]

Probably be fun some day to track down a receptionist at the embassy and buy them a beer. If we get those sorts of request or stories just in passing contact with americans overseas, then they really have to have some crazy stories.

She's probably on the Hollywood payroll to collect those stories. I mean you could definitely sell yours as well

There is a book written by a mercenary that got turned in to a movie called something like "adventures in kidnap and ransom".

When i retire i'm going to write a book " adventures in expat relocation"; or simply "crazy crap that expats do". Probably wont get russel crow to play me in the movie version, but should still be entertaining.