Starting a Business - Chile

Chile imposes no foreign-ownership caps across most sectors; 100% foreign ownership is permitted without requiring a local partner or shareholder. Narrow exceptions apply only to Chilean-flagged shipping vessels and fishing boats.

There is no statutory minimum paid-in capital for an SpA (Sociedad por Acciones) or most other standard structures; it can be set as low as CLP 1. The SpA is the most popular structure for foreign investors due to its single-shareholder eligibility and flexible governance.

Ley 20.659 created the 'Tu Empresa en Un Día' portal (registrodeempresasysociedades.cl), where most company types can be incorporated digitally in 1–3 business days at no cost. The Ministry of Economy reported over 20,800 companies constituted on the platform in July 2025 alone, a 29.6% year-on-year increase.

Before incorporating, a non-resident foreign investor must obtain a Chilean tax ID (RUT) from the SII by submitting an apostilled power of attorney, certificate of good standing, and a tax residency certificate no older than three months. This step typically adds 1–2 weeks for investors based abroad.

At least one Chile-domiciled legal representative must be designated; they need not be Chilean nationals or shareholders but must hold a valid temporary or permanent visa permitting lawful activity. Foreigners on contract-dependent or student visas cannot serve in this role.

After company creation, the operator must file 'Inicio de Actividades' with the SII and open a corporate bank account; for foreign-owned entities the banking step alone can take 4–6 weeks. Full end-to-end operational readiness typically requires 3–6 weeks from document assembly.