Plan your move to Chile in 3 to 6 months, without the guesswork
A 265-page handbook that walks you through your relocation step by step: visas, housing, healthcare, schools, banking and more. Written by a relocation consultant who has helped foreigners settle in Chile since 2016.
Get the handbook for US$7Instant digital download · PDF · 30-day money-back guarantee
Moving abroad shouldn't mean weeks of guesswork
Which visa do you apply for, and in what order do you do the paperwork? Which of Santiago's comunas actually fits your family and your budget? How do you open a bank account, and what keeps your foreign phone from being blocked 90 days after you land?
The answers exist. But they are scattered across forums and official sites, half of them outdated, most of them contradictory. When I landed in Chile in 2014, I had a suitcase full of questions and no good answers, and I pieced it together the slow way. One wrong assumption early on can cost you months.
The Chile Handbook for Foreigners puts everything in one place, in the right order, and up to date, so you always know what to do next. Take finding a home as an example. Which process would you rather go through?
On your own
The hard way
- Search for information about cities in Chile where to live
- Identify reliable real estate portals
- Estimate your property cost
- Figure out who is a trustworthy real estate agent
- Fight to get an offer approved without income in Chile
- Verify if the real estate contract is fair or not
- Waste weeks and settle for a subpar property
With the handbook
The easy way
- Read the "Where to live" chapter
- Read the "Accommodation" chapter
- Pick a reliable agent from the book's yellow pages to assist you
- Move into your new home
The same is true for every big task of a relocation: the visa application, school applications, bringing your pet, shipping your belongings. Following a detailed process gets you there faster, with far fewer costly mistakes.
Here's what you're going to discover in the handbook
Don't know what visa you need to relocate long-term to Chile? Take the 17-question visa quiz to determine the best visa for your situation, and discover the factors to consider before applying if your goal is to become a permanent resident.
Take the quiz on page 35Need help preparing the documents for your visa application? Discover three valuable services that can help you prepare the required visa documentation if you want to apply on your own. Without involving immigration lawyers!
Read about them on page 54Where to live in Chile: an overview of the different regions and cities where foreigners usually relocate, with a description of each one and who it is best suited for. Discover also the few places to avoid (even if you work there), with better alternatives nearby.
The list starts on page 59The local Chilean real estate portals to search for your new home. Do not use international English portals that are often outdated and misleading…
Check page 75, and 153 if you buy a propertyHow to rent a property in Chile? An introduction to real estate rental contracts: how and where to sign, and when to pay the property owner when signing the contract (so you are protected against scams).
See page 80
Utilities, internet, and phone: how to register with providers and quickly pay them using a single online platform. And a tip to reduce your gas bill during winter.
All explained on pages 83 to 90A comparison of the public and private health insurance systems in Chile, as well as the international health insurance providers. And how you can combine various providers to get the best protection at an affordable cost.
Compare on page 110Three little-known pharmacy options to decrease your medical costs if you are on a budget. As well as recommended brands that sell quality supplements (not the ones you see in the main pharmacies).
See page 118The specific administrative procedure you must follow when traveling in and out of Chile with your children. Plan in advance and avoid being denied boarding with your children.
Read about it on page 104Understand education in Chile: an introduction to international colleges and universities and the details of the application process for private colleges, which can be cumbersome. If you have children, this is something to prioritize.
Check out page 97Do you plan to relocate with your pets? Discover the strict procedures from the Chilean agricultural agency you have to comply with. Plan in advance and avoid issues during the relocation.
Information on page 108The 3 criteria to avoid paying 6% customs tax and 19% VAT when shipping your personal belongings to Chile. Get these done before shipping your container.
Revealed on page 135Understand how to open a bank account in Chile as a foreigner. This seemingly simple topic is actually one of the hardest tasks for foreigners due to bank bureaucracy. Discover shortcuts based on your situation.
Explained on page 125The alternatives to international SWIFT transfers to move funds between your country of origin and Chile. Save time and money when transferring funds internationally, for small and large amounts.
More details on page 128Looking to work in Chile? Learn the requirements to work legally, get strategies to find a job locally, and discover where to get insights about local salaries.
See page 142
Get a first overview of the Chilean tax framework, the exemptions for foreigners you could benefit from, and how to avoid double taxation between Chile and your country of origin.
All on page 133The detailed real estate buying process in Chile: when and to whom to give the funds, the verification checks to conduct, and how to make sure the escrow process works so the funds only get released to the seller when you receive the property title.
Broken down on page 154A detailed chapter about driving and vehicles: what brands to prefer, the buying and selling process for vehicles, and what to check to avoid issues when buying a car or motorcycle in Chile.
Look at pages 187 to 212The step-by-step process to get your Chilean driving license (warning: this is a complex process if you are not a citizen of one of the 10 countries with driving license equivalency agreements with Chile).
See page 195Understand the most common scams targeting foreigners moving to Chile: when applying for visas, when renting or buying real estate, as well as the car-related and phone and WhatsApp scams.
Check out pages 82, 159, 193 and 255The two best methods to learn Spanish on your own before coming to Chile, as well as recommended online platforms and language schools if you need a teacher to speed up your learning.
Turn to page 232The Chileans: who are they? What should you expect? What are the main cultural differences? And a normal behavior here that may upset you.
See page 262And much, much more!
Get the handbook for US$7All 24 chapters
The full map of the book, so you know exactly what you're getting:
Why Chile?
The pros and cons of the country, if you are still deciding whether Chile is for you.
Planning your move to Chile
The factors that take the most time when settling in, so you can plan ahead and arrive without stress.
First visa? Choosing the correct one
The temporary residency visas available, and how to pick the right one for you and your family.
Immigrating to Chile: the entire process
From a first residency visa all the way to citizenship: how to apply, and the mistakes to avoid.
Where to live?
A review of the 36 comunas where most foreigners settle: the Santiago region, the coast, the north and the south.
Accommodation
Where and how to search for your new home, what to check before signing, and how to sort utilities, internet and furniture.
Education
The Chilean education system, and the private-school admission process (which, according to most of my expat clients, is more complicated than in many countries).
Children
Recommended babysitting and daycare options, and the one critical administrative step parents must complete before traveling with their children.
Pets
The paperwork and potential quarantine for pets entering Chile.
Healthcare
Public vs. private healthcare and insurance, compared so you can decide. Plus tips on pharmacies and supplements.
Finance
The three financial indicators to know, how to open a bank account, and how to transfer funds without overpaying fees.
Taxes
The Chilean tax framework for foreigners, and a tip to avoid taxes when shipping your personal belongings.
Working in Chile
Working legally, finding a job, whether an expat's spouse can work, and the salary and conditions to expect.
Real estate in Chile
The market, the buying and selling processes, scams to avoid, plus tips for buying at auction.
Doing business in Chile
Company structures for foreigners, registration, freelancing, and seven resources for business support.
Phone and internet
Mobile operators compared, and the required registration that keeps your foreign phone from being blocked after 90 days.
Public transportation
Buses, taxis, airlines, ferries and trains, and the apps and platforms that book them at the best price.
Driving
How to buy a vehicle and the two services to use when you do, licenses, insurance, and a life-saving tip for motorcycle riders.
Shopping
Chile's two main retail groups and their brands, free-trade zones, outlets, and how to buy online or import from abroad.
Learning Spanish
The two best language methods, three platforms to start online before you arrive, and an introduction to Chilenismos.
The Chilean administration
A review of the 19 government agencies you'll deal with, and how the notary works in Chile.
Chilean history
Two pages and 17 dates: a working understanding of Chile's history without reading a history book.
Things to know
13 topics and tips that didn't fit in the other chapters, but you should know about.
The Chileans
Who they are, their culture, their mentality, and whether you're in for a culture shock.
Who wrote this
I'm Jérémie Le Pévédic, a French mechanical engineer. I've lived in Chile since 2014, and I went through the country's visas and paperwork myself long before I ever helped a client with theirs.
In 2016 I founded Expat.cl, a relocation agency for foreigners moving to Chile, and I've helped hundreds of people settle here since. Last year alone, they came from more than 35 different countries. I became a Chilean citizen myself in 2022.
Clients ask me the same first questions, over and over: which visa, how to rent or buy, what to do about schools and banking. This handbook is what came out of structuring years of those questions. It's the guide I wish I'd had when I arrived.
What readers and clients say
After reading through the 1st lesson, I will have to say it was VERY thorough and well written. I plan to order the rest of Jeremie's materials.
The reviews below are for my relocation service. It is the same first-hand experience with Chilean visas, housing and paperwork that the handbook is built on.
Included with the book
The handbook doesn't stop at 265 pages. It comes with six extras built to save you even more time.
Chile relocation checklist
A step-by-step checklist for getting a relocation project started, so you know what to tackle first instead of feeling overwhelmed by everything at once.
Cost of living calculator
A spreadsheet to work out a realistic range for your monthly cost of living in Chile, based on your expectations. Useful for deciding where to live or negotiating a relocation package.
International schools database
A database to help you pre-select schools for your children before reaching out to them directly, so the first calls and emails you make are to schools that actually fit.
Guide to Santiago neighborhoods for foreigners
A 60-page, photo-heavy walkthrough of the areas of Santiago where foreigners tend to settle: housing types, shopping centers, and the hospitals and clinics nearby. It lets you picture a neighborhood before you've ever set foot in it.
List of helpful sites to know
A curated list of administration portals, real estate sites and online shopping sites, so you know where to look before you need them, instead of discovering them mid-crisis.
Memo on the new immigration law
A short briefing on what changed with Chile's 2022 immigration law update, and what it actually means for foreigners going through the process today.
Here's why it's only US$7…
When relocating to a new country, most people have the same first questions: What is the best visa for me? What are the requirements? How can I rent or buy a property? How can I get a job?…
I get many questions every week and unfortunately, I cannot reply to everyone. This is why I offer an affordable book: to reply to your first questions so you can start your relocation. It's not entirely selfless. My hope is that when you have more complicated questions later, you will think about me to assist you.
Frequently asked questions
I want this. What exactly am I getting?
You are getting a copy of the Chile Handbook for Foreigners, available instantly. You are getting the Chile Relocation Checklist. You are getting our Cost of Living Calculator.
You are getting our International Schools and Colleges Database. You are getting the Guide of Santiago Areas for Foreigners, our list of Helpful sites to know, and a short memo detailing the impact for foreigners of the 2022 immigration law.
What is the Chile Handbook for Foreigners?
The Chile Handbook for Foreigners is a shortcut. It contains everything you need to start planning your new life in Chile. This will prevent you from wasting time reading conflicting information on different websites.
It comes from my 7-year experience as a relocation agency owner, so I keep it very practical.
Do you offer more in-depth help?
Yes. Nothing was held back while writing this book, but for those who want further assistance, I offer opportunities to "upgrade" your order after purchasing.
I also have our group of private clients (by application only) if you want assistance with your relocation. I can, in particular, help you regarding visas (which can be complicated to get if you are in a specific situation) and real estate.
How is this different from other books?
The most recent books about Chile are tourist guides. They are great if you want to visit Chile for 2-3 weeks. However, if you want to live in Chile long-term, you will face issues (banking, visas, housing, and motoring… to name a few) not covered in these guides.
The last English guide written for expatriates dates back to 2013. As you can imagine, it is outdated. The Chile Handbook provides you with updated content.
Who is this book for?
This is for anyone who wants to relocate to Chile and enjoy all the opportunities this country has to offer. Expatriates, retirees, investors, business owners, foreigners reuniting with their families, and so on.
One caveat, though: as this book focuses on foreigners moving long-term to Chile, it is not the best option for students who come to Chile for an internship or a semester.
Is there a guarantee?
Yes, you get a 30 day money back guarantee in case it is not for you. I even let you keep the book.
Who are you?
I am Jérémie Le Pévédic, a French mechanical engineer who arrived in Chile in 2014. I founded the website and company expat.cl, a relocation agency for foreigners moving to Chile, in 2016. I have also been Chilean since being granted citizenship in 2022.
Get the handbook
The Chile Handbook for Foreigners is US$7. You get the book, the checklist, the calculator, and everything listed above.
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A simple guarantee
Read the book and put it to work. If it doesn't help you, email me within 30 days and I'll refund your US$7, and you keep the handbook.
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