Chile offers Germans a working holiday visa based on a bilateral agreement of 20 February 2014. The conditions are set out in two Chilean sources: the document of the immigration authority from March 2024 and the page of the Chilean mission for Germany. Both agree on age, insurance and work rules. Neither of them names a visa fee.
Short answer: For the working holiday in Chile you must be 18 to 30 years old. According to the Chilean mission, the stay is limited to one year at most; the page mentions a one-time extension for the residence permit, and whether it applies to the working holiday is open. You need health and accident insurance with hospital cover and repatriation, proof of sufficient funds, and a return flight or the money for one. For work with the same employer, the limit is six months. No fee is named in the sources. Last updated: October 2026.
The Most Important Points at a Glance
- The age range is 18 to 30 years, confirmed by the National Migration Service (March 2024) and by the page of the Chilean mission.
- The stay is limited to one year at most. The mission mentions a one-time extension for the residence permit, and whether it applies to the working holiday is open. You may take part only once.
- Work is permitted only to supplement your travel funds, and with the same employer it is limited to six months. Courses are also limited to six months.
- Health and accident insurance is required for the entire stay, covering hospital treatment and repatriation.
- The sources do not name a visa fee, processing time or the application point in Germany. Ask the mission.
Who Can Apply for a Working Holiday Visa for Chile?
The immigration authority and the page of the Chilean mission both name the age range of 18 to 30 years. In addition, you need a valid passport, a return flight or the funds to buy one, sufficient financial means for your living costs and insurance. Family members may not accompany you, and according to the page you must be in good health. You may take part in the program only once. The visa type is, according to the Chilean mission, a temporary residence permit (residencia temporal).
| Point | Information | Status and source |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 18 to 30 years | National Migration Service, March 2024; Chile en el Exterior, undated |
| Duration | Up to one year, with a one-time extension for the same period named for the residence permit | Chile en el Exterior, undated |
| Work | Occasional work to supplement travel funds, up to six months with the same employer | Both sources |
| Courses | Education or further training up to six months | Chile en el Exterior, undated |
| Insurance | Health and accident insurance with hospital cover and repatriation | Both sources |
| Fee | Not stated | Ask the mission |
Pay close attention to the duration. The page of the Chilean mission describes one year, but it also mentions a one-time extension of the residence permit for the same period. Whether this extension applies to working holiday participants is not clear from the page. The document of the immigration authority does not give a total duration for Germany at all. Ask before you apply how long you may stay.
What Can You Work in Chile?
Both sources limit work: it is permitted only occasionally, to supplement your travel funds, and not to finance your living costs. With the same employer, you may work for at most six months. If you already know before the trip that you want to work mainly, this visa is the wrong choice. Get your contracts in writing and check whether the work fits the purpose of the visa.
Which Health Insurance Does Chile Require?
Chile requires valid health and accident insurance for the entire length of the stay, covering hospital stays and repatriation in the event of illness or death. The sources do not name a minimum sum. Your statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) pays in Chile only in the cases the law provides for. Section 13 (4) of the Social Code Book V (SGB V) limits cost reimbursement abroad to the EU, the EEA and Switzerland. When choosing a tariff, pay attention to duration, repatriation, pre-existing conditions and deductibles. More on the classification can be found in Student Health Insurance Abroad: Erasmus, USA and Work and Travel.
How Does the Application Work, and What Happens After Arrival?
The page of the Chilean mission for Germany states that the application is made at the Chilean Embassy in Germany or through the network of Chilean consulates. A date, an address and a fee are not given there, so you learn these from the mission. After arrival, you register with the Policía de Investigaciones de Chile and then with the Registro Civil, to receive your identity card and RUN number. In practice, every bank account and every employment contract requires these steps.
How Do You Plan Costs and Studies?
Reliable figures for the visa fee and living costs in Chile are not available from the sources named, so none are given. Plan for these items: the visa fee according to the mission, travel health insurance for twelve months, flight, accommodation and a reserve for the first weeks, and the funds you must prove. Whether your enrollment is suspended and how the stay affects your membership is something to clarify with your university and health insurer. If you want to study in Chile rather than work, read Study Abroad in Chile: Insurance, Visa, Costs 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Up to what age does the visa apply?
The immigration authority and the Chilean mission both name 18 to 30 years. Ask the mission whether your 30th birthday still counts.
How long may I stay in Chile?
The mission names one year at most, and a one-time extension of the residence permit for the same period. Whether this applies to the working holiday is to be clarified with the mission.
How much may I work?
Occasional work to supplement your travel funds is permitted, up to six months with the same employer. A career is not what this visa is meant for.
May I study or take a language course?
According to the page, education or further training is limited to six months.
May I take part twice?
No. You may take part in the program only once.
What to Do Now
- Ask the Chilean mission about duration, extension, fee and the application point in Germany.
- Prepare your passport, return flight proof, proof of funds and insurance certificate.
- Clarify your university enrollment, health insurance and travel health insurance before you leave.
- Plan the registration with the police and the Registro Civil after arrival.
Related Articles
- Study Abroad in Chile: Insurance, Visa, Costs 2026
- Working Holiday Argentina: visa, insurance and costs
- Health insurance abroad: what you need to know as a student (in German)
- Funding Study Abroad: BAföG, Erasmus and Scholarships
- Study abroad: health insurance, visa and costs for all countries (in German)
Sources: National Migration Service Chile, requirements for the working holiday (March 2024); Chile en el Exterior, visa for the vacation and work program (undated, referring to the agreement of 20 February 2014); SGB V, section 13 cost reimbursement (status October 2026)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information and not individual advice.
