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Trade agreements with Chile
The UK has 2 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with Chile:
- the UK-Chile Association Agreement, henceforth referred to as the UK-Chile FTA, which entered into force on 1 January 2021
- the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a trade agreement including 12 countries (Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the UK and Vietnam) which entered into force between the UK and Chile on 15 December 2024
The UK-Chile FTA should be read in conjunction with the EU-Chile Association Agreement because the UK-Chile FTA incorporates provisions of the EU-Chile Association Agreement. The following Parliamentary Report provides information about significant differences between the two.
The UK-Chile FTA will remain in force alongside CPTPP. At times, you will need to specify which agreement you choose to trade under (notably when applying rules of origin), but benefits from either agreement will mostly apply automatically. Our guides attempt to highlight where businesses may need to make an explicit decision.
CPTPP entry into force and ratification
As of 24 December 2024, CPTPP is in force between the UK and:
- Australia
- Brunei
- Chile
- Japan
- Malaysia
- New Zealand
- Peru
- Singapore
- Vietnam
This means that the UK can access CPTPP provisions with said countries.
The following countries have not yet ratified the terms of the UK’s accession:
Canada and Mexico.
This means that the UK cannot yet access CPTPP provisions with those countries.
This guidance will be updated following each of the remaining countries’ ratification of the terms of the UK’s accession to CPTPP and will include when CPTPP will enter in force between the UK and the relevant remaining country.
This guidance is an explanation of CPTPP Chapter 12: Temporary Entry for Business Persons. Key documents include Chile’s schedule of commitments for temporary entry for business persons in accordance with Article 12.4 of the CPTPP agreement.
This guidance outlines how the temporary entry provisions in CPTPP support the movement of skilled UK business professionals to Chile to facilitate trade in goods and services, as well as investment. CPTPP is now in force with Chile, and UK professionals can bow benefit from the agreement. Please note, when applying for temporary entry to Chile, you will not need to specify that you are entering under a particular FTA.
Please be aware that entry into Chile is subject to meeting the relevant immigration and employment requirements set out in Chilean legislation. For more details, read the UK government guidance on living in Chile.
Temporary entry
Temporary entry provisions in FTAs help provide greater certainty and access for the temporary movement of professionals to:
- deliver services
- negotiate the sale of goods
- invest in businesses in person
The movement of skilled UK professionals supports economic growth, innovation, and collaboration between the UK and its international partners.
These commitments do not afford legal rights to business persons directly. They apply to British citizens only, and not to foreign nationals who reside in the UK. For example, they do not allow British citizens to enter a CPTPP country to look for employment, nor do they apply to measures regarding citizenship, nationality, residence or permanent employment.
FTA commitments on temporary entry do not necessarily lead to improvements in domestic legislation of CPTPP countries. However, they guarantee that CPTPP countries will treat covered business persons no less favourably than what is set out in the FTA. The domestic law of each CPTPP country remains the authoritative source of rights and obligations on temporary entry. Each CPTPP country must ensure that its domestic law conforms with its FTA commitments. If there is an inconsistency between the country’s FTA commitments and its domestic law (the latter is less favourable than the former), this needs to be brought to the attention of the UK government. See the contacts in the support section on this page.
Categories of business person
Within CPTPP, Chile provides access for the following categories of business persons. A summary of the main categories and length of stay permitted is below. Please read the full CPTPP definitions in Annex 12-A Chile Temporary Entry for Business Persons for each category to ensure you meet the criteria including applicable sectors.
Please note that final visa names are set by the destination country and may vary from the FTA text. Prospective visa applicants should check the Chile information page (please be aware that some content is only available in Spanish) for full visa details and other immigration requirements.
Find information for:
- Business Visitors
- Intra-Corporate Transferees
- Investors
- Independent Professionals and Technicians
- Contractual Service Suppliers
In addition, for all categories of business persons, excluding Business Visitors, Chile will allow a family dependent (spouse, parent, or offspring) to enter Chile for the same length of time as the covered business person. Accompanying dependents may also apply for the right to work while residing in Chile, subject to meeting the relevant requirements and approval by the government of Chile.
Business Visitors
Business Visitors are UK businesspeople who are paid from a source outside of Chile. They should be seeking to travel to Chile for a relatively short amount of time for business purposes.
Applicable business purposes comprise the following activities:
- attending meetings or conferences with business colleagues
- negotiating contracts or taking orders for an enterprise in the territory of another CPTPP member, but not selling goods or providing services to the general public
- consultation to establish, expand, or wind up an enterprise or investment in Chile
- installation, repair, or maintenance of machinery, or providing services or training in workers to perform services, for the completion of warranty or service contract commitments
Business Visitors can stay in Chile for up to 90 days, which may be extended, subject to meeting relevant immigration requirements.
Intra-Corporate Transferees
Intra-Corporate Transferees are business persons employed by an enterprise of the UK, who are being transferred to a parent entity, subsidiary, or affiliate of their enterprise in Chile. Under CPTPP, Intra-Corporate Transferees must be employed in 1 of the following 4 categories.
The first are Executives who:
- primarily direct the management of the enterprise
- have a decision-making remit
- receive only general supervision or direction from higher level executives, the board of directors, or stockholders
The second are Managers who:
- primarily direct the enterprise, or a department or sub-department of the enterprise
- supervise and control the work of other supervisory, professional, or managerial employees
- have authority to recruit and dismiss or take other personnel actions such as promotion or authorising leave
- exercise authority over day-to-day operations
The third are Specialists who possess:
- specialised knowledge of the enterprise’s products or services and its application in international markets or
- advanced knowledge or expertise of the enterprise’s processes and procedures
The fourth are Management trainees on professional development who:
- are employees with a post-secondary degree and are on a temporary work assignment intended to broaden knowledge and experience in preparation for a senior leadership position in the enterprise
These business persons can be required to provide confirmation that they have been employed for the enterprise uninterruptedly for 1 year within the 3 years immediately preceding the date of their application for temporary entry into Chile.
Under CPTPP, Intra-Corporate Transferees can stay in Chile for up to 1 year, subject to meeting relevant immigration requirements, which may be extended so long as the original basis for temporary entry remains in effect without the need to apply for permanent residence.
Chile shall also grant temporary entry and stay to a family dependent (spouse, parent, or offspring) for the same length of time as the Intra-Corporate Transferee under CPTPP. However, family dependents may only be permitted to undertake paid activities upon a separate successful application for their own visa as non-dependents, subject to meeting the relevant requirements.
Example: Are you a UK based business looking to transfer a senior manager or specialist to a branch office in Chile? That employee could benefit from Intra-corporate Transferee provisions within CPTPP that will mean they can stay in Chile initially for up to 1 year, with the possibility of an extension, alongside their spouse and any children, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Investors
Investors are business persons seeking to establish, develop or administer an investment in Chile. The business person, or the business person’s enterprise, must have committed, or be in the process of committing, a “substantial amount of capital”. The individual must be in a supervisory or executive role, or have “essential skills”.
Under CPTPP, Investors can stay in Chile for up to 1 year, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements. This may be extended so long as the original basis for temporary entry remains in effect without the need to apply for permanent residence. Temporary entry is subject to the business activities being performed by the Investor being deemed “in Chile’s interest”.
Chile shall also grant temporary entry and stay to a family dependent (spouse, parent, or offspring) for the same length of time as the Investor under CPTPP. However, family dependents may only be permitted to undertake paid activities upon a separate successful application for their own visa as non-dependents, subject to meeting the relevant requirements.
Example: Are you looking to invest in a business in Chile? You will have certainty that you can come to Chile for up to 1 year to do so, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Independent Professionals and Technicians
Independent Professionals and Technicians are self-employed business persons engaged in a specialty occupation and supplying a service under contract in Chile. Please note, the speciality occupation must fall within the list of sectors that the UK itself has committed to in CPTPP (for that list, see category E in Annex 12-A United Kingdom).
They must also:
- have theoretical and practical application of a body of specialised knowledge
- have attainment of a post-secondary degree, requiring 4 or more years of study for Professionals and 2 or more years of study for Technicians, or an equivalent
- receive payment from a person of Chile
Under CPTPP, Independent Professionals and Technicians can stay in Chile for up to 1 year, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements. This may be extended so long as the original basis for temporary entry remains in effect without the need to apply for permanent residence.
Chile shall also grant temporary entry and stay to a family dependent (spouse, parent, or offspring) for the same length of time as the Independent Professional or Technician under CPTPP. However, family dependents may only be permitted to undertake paid activities upon a separate successful application for their own visa as non-dependents, subject to meeting the relevant requirements.
Example: Are you a self-employed engineer looking to carry out contractual work in Chile? You will qualify as an Independent Professional and Technician and will be eligible to stay in Chile for up to 1 year, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Contractual Service Suppliers
Contractual Service Suppliers are business persons engaged in a specialty occupation and supplying a service as an employee of their enterprise, the enterprise having no commercial presence in Chile, under contract in Chile. Please note, the speciality occupation must fall within the list of sectors that the UK itself has committed to in CPTPP (for that list, see category D inAnnex 12-A United Kingdom).
They must also:
- have theoretical and practical application of a body of specialised knowledge
- have attainment of a post-secondary degree, requiring 4 or more years of study for Professionals and 2 or more years of study for Technicians, or an equivalent
- receive no payment from a juridical person of Chile
Contractual Service Suppliers can stay in Chile for 1 year, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements. This may be extended so long as the original basis for temporary entry remains in effect without the need to apply for permanent residence.
Chile shall also grant temporary entry and stay to a family dependent (spouse, parent, or offspring) for the same length of time as the Contractual Service Supplier under CPTPP. However, family dependents may only be permitted to undertake paid activities upon a separate successful application for their own visa as non-dependents, subject to meeting the relevant requirements.
Example: Are you an Accountant at a UK firm with a contract to provide accountancy services at a firm in Chile? As a Contractual Services Supplier you will have the certainty that you can stay in Chile for 1 year and may be able to bring your spouse and children with you, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Practicalities for business travel to Chile
Entry to Chile is subject to applicants meeting the relevant immigration requirements set out by Chile. For full details on visa requirements and applications, please visit the Chilean Servicio National de Migraciones (please be aware that the website is in Spanish only). Please note that final visa names are set by the destination country and may vary from the FTA business travel category titles.
Further information on providing services in Chile
To provide a service in Chile you need to follow the terms set out in Chile’s legislation. This might include:
- getting an authorisation or licence to provide a service
- complying with local business regulations
If in doubt, consider appointing an English-speaking lawyer in Chile to help you comply with specific regulations.
Department for Business and Trade support
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) helps businesses export, drives inward and outward investment, negotiates market access and trade agreements, and champions free trade. Helpful links, tools and services available from DBT and wider government include:
Export Support Service (ESS) team
Get support on how to do business abroad. You may also be eligible for 1-2-1 support from a local International Trade Adviser. Businesses in Wales can also access support from Business Wales.
Export Support Service – International Markets (ESS-IM)
DBT's overseas in-market export support service for SMEs with high-export potential. Our International Market Advisers provide tailored support and market introduction information to new and current UK exporters looking to enter or expand into new markets. The service may be accessed globally with International Markets teams in South Asia, China, the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, North America and Latin America.
Sign up to access free training on how to grow your international sales.
Information on finance and insurance for UK exports.
Trade and investment factsheets
The latest statistics on trade and investment between the UK and individual overseas partners.
Overseas business risk profiles
Information for UK businesses on political, economic and security risks when trading overseas.
Advice and warnings about travel abroad, including entry requirements, safety and security, health risks and legal differences.
Check or report a trade barrier
If you encounter an issue when exporting to any country – report the issue and UK government officials will be able to assess the issue and consider the options we have open to addressing it as appropriate
Search for your specific product to find applicable tariffs for each market, explore rules of origin and step-by-step help on customs procedures
Check import duties and allows you to check the status of available tariff rate quotas
Useful resources
You can find more information about export opportunities, business culture and any existing trade barriers on our Chile market guide.
Prior to export, you must be aware of local regulations and import conditions in Chile that apply to your goods or services. This can include tax considerations, labour laws, intellectual property rules, labelling and packaging regulations, among others.
To seek further information related to local regulations, business culture, or to find a local lawyer, translator, importer or distributor, you can use the following contacts:
- DBT’s Export Support Service International Markets team
- get in touch with DBT at the local British Embassy
- get in touch with the British Chamber of Commerce in Chile
To see information on political, economic and security risks when trading with Chile, please see: