Plurinational State of Bolivia vs Republic of Chile
A neutral side-by-side of immigration systems, routes and regulators. Each row links to the underlying visa page with its primary government source.
Last reviewed:
Plurinational State of Bolivia
Bolivia publishes its migration law and implementing decrees through the Direccion General de Migracion. The official route set covers multiple visas for investment and business, transitory work permanence, temporary work, study, family and humanitarian permanence, and definitive permanence after the qualifying period.
- Languages
- Spanish
- Currency
- Bolivian boliviano
Republic of Chile
Chile administers immigration through the Servicio Nacional de Migraciones (SERMIG) under the 2021 migration reform, Ley 21.325. Most foreigners progress through a tiered system — Permanencia Transitoria, then Residencia Temporal, then Residencia Definitiva — with the headline routes being temporary residence for lawful remunerated work, employment-opportunity seekers, investors, family reunification and students.
- Official portal
- Servicio Nacional de Migraciones (Chile)
- Languages
- Spanish
- Currency
- Chilean peso
How Plurinational State of Bolivia and Republic of Chile differ
| Dimension | Plurinational State of Bolivia | Republic of Chile |
|---|---|---|
| Total routes covered | 7 | 5 |
| Routes without employer sponsor | 6 | 2 |
| Routes leading to permanent residence | 3 | 4 |
| Typical full settlement timeline | — | — |
| Dominant skilled visa | Temporary Work Residence (Permanencia Temporal) | Temporary Residence - Lawful Remunerated Activities |
| Skilled visa salary minimum | — | — |
| Skilled visa processing time | — | — |
| Skilled visa government fees | — | — |
| Official languages | Spanish | Spanish |
| Currency | Bolivian boliviano | Chilean peso |
| Primary regulator | DIGEMIG | CACh |
| Policy changes (last 12 months) | 0 | 0 |
Skilled-route head-to-head
Comparing each country’s most-used skilled-migration route side by side.
Plurinational State of Bolivia
Temporary Work Residence (Permanencia Temporal)
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- —
- Processing time
- —
- Sponsor required
- No
- Leads to settlement
- Yes
Republic of Chile
Temporary Residence - Lawful Remunerated Activities
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- —
- Processing time
- —
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- Yes
Routes unique to Plurinational State of Bolivia
Routes unique to Republic of Chile
Visa routes side by side
Plurinational State of Bolivia (7)
Multiple Visa for Business and Investment
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Granted for one year and renewable for similar periods, according to the cited regulation.
Short-Term Work Stay (Permanencia Transitoria)
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to 180 calendar days for the work object-purpose transitory permanence.
Temporary Work Residence (Permanencia Temporal)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Issued for one, two or three years, depending on the time of the activity in Bolivia.
Temporary Student Residence (Permanencia Temporal)
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to three years, prorogable for periods of up to three years until completion of studies.
Temporary Family Residence (Permanencia Temporal)
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Granted according to the duly founded request; confirm the current duration and renewal treatment with Migration.
Temporary Humanitarian Residence (Permanencia Temporal)
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to one year, prorogable for similar periods where applicable.
Permanent Residence (Permanencia Definitiva)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Definitive residence or stay. The later decree text says foreign identity cards for definitive permanence are renewed every five years with SEGIP, with indefinite cards possible for qualifying older residents.
Republic of Chile (5)
Temporary Residence - Lawful Remunerated Activities
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Temporary residence valid up to 2 years; counts toward Residencia Definitiva after roughly 24 months.
Temporary Residence - Job Offer Pathway
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · 90 calendar days on approval via the job-offer pathway; after entry, the contract must be filed within 45 days to support a 1-year extension.
Temporary Residence - Investors and Related Personnel
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Temporary residence (up to 2 years per the Residencia Temporal framework); counts toward Residencia Definitiva.
Temporary Residence - Family Reunification
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Temporary residence (up to 2 years under the Residencia Temporal framework); renewable and counts toward Residencia Definitiva.
Temporary Residence - Students
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Temporary residence aligned to the study programme; extensions require continued enrolment and financial capacity.
Frequently asked questions
Which country has an easier skilled-migration route, Plurinational State of Bolivia or Republic of Chile?+
Plurinational State of Bolivia’s Temporary Work Residence (Permanencia Temporal) is the dominant skilled route; Republic of Chile’s Temporary Residence - Lawful Remunerated Activities is the dominant skilled route. “Easier” depends on your salary, sponsor situation, and nationality — see each visa’s eligibility detail.
Does Plurinational State of Bolivia or Republic of Chile have more visa routes without an employer sponsor?+
Plurinational State of Bolivia has more: 6 of its covered routes can be pursued without an employer sponsor, against 2 for Republic of Chile. No-sponsor routes — such as digital-nomad, self-employment, and points-based skilled migration — matter most if you do not yet have a job offer.