What you get: a company ready to operate
Our company formation package covers the full sequence:
- --Power of attorney drafted by us, signed before a notary in your country and apostilled — this is what lets everything happen without you traveling;
- --Investor tax ID (RUT) for you or your foreign company, required to own shares in Chile;
- --Incorporation of the company — usually an SpA (simplified stock company), Chile's most flexible vehicle, which allows a single shareholder and tailor-made management;
- --Tax registration and start of activities before the Chilean tax authority (SII), including a tax domicile;
- --Legal representation in Chile when you need a local representative for tax purposes;
- --Support opening a corporate bank account — in practice the hardest step for foreign-owned companies, and one we prepare from day one.
Fixed legal fees, quoted before you commit. You will know the total cost of the package upfront — no hourly surprises.
How it works, step by step
- 1
Video call and structure
We review your project — what you will sell, who the shareholders are, whether your existing foreign company should own the Chilean one — and recommend the right structure (a new company, or a subsidiary or branch of your existing one).
- 2
Documents in your country
We send you the power of attorney and the exact list of documents to sign, notarize and apostille where you live. For corporate shareholders, we tell you which corporate documents your company needs to certify.
- 3
We incorporate and register
With the documents in hand we obtain the investor RUT, incorporate the SpA, register it with the tax authority and set up its tax domicile. You receive a company that can invoice and contract.
- 4
Bank account and operations
We prepare the banking file and accompany the account opening. Afterwards, we remain available as your law firm in Chile: taxes, customs, employment and immigration.
Why Chile — and why with us
Chile combines a stable, rules-based economy with an extensive network of free trade agreements and double taxation treaties. For many founders it is the natural entry point to South America.
What makes our firm different:
- --Lawyers who are also customs brokers, based next to the port of Valparaíso: if your business imports or exports, we cover the legal and the operational side in one team;
- --Deep experience with foreign founders — especially the Spain-Chile corridor — so we know what a foreigner actually needs explained;
- --Immigration practice in-house: investor and work visas for you and your team, handled together with the company — see our immigration area (in Spanish) at Extranjería en Chile;
- --100% remote service, with meetings scheduled across time zones and documents handled by apostille.
Taxes for foreign owners, in brief
Your Chilean company pays corporate income tax on its profits. When profits are distributed abroad, a withholding tax applies — generally 35%, with credits for corporate tax already paid, and reduced burdens under Chile's double taxation treaties. If your country has a treaty with Chile, the overall burden improves and we structure the investment to use it correctly.
We coordinate with your tax advisor at home so the structure works in both countries at once.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner own 100% of a Chilean company?
Yes. There is no local-partner requirement: a foreign individual or a foreign company can own 100% of a Chilean SpA. You will need an investor tax ID (RUT), which we obtain for you as part of the process.
Do I need to travel to Chile to incorporate?
No. The entire process — investor RUT, incorporation, tax registration — can be executed through a power of attorney signed before a notary in your country and apostilled under the Hague Convention. Meetings happen by video call.
How long does it take to set up a company in Chile?
The critical path is usually preparing and apostilling your documents in your home country. Once we receive them, incorporation and tax registration take weeks, not months. We give you a realistic timeline for your specific case before you commit.
What does it cost?
We work with fixed-fee packages covering the full formation and setup, quoted upfront after the first call. The exact amount depends on scope — type of shareholder (individual or foreign company), legal representation, tax domicile, visas. No hourly billing surprises.
Can you also handle my visa or residency?
Yes. Our immigration practice handles investor and work permits for founders and relocated employees, in parallel with the company formation, so the corporate and immigration tracks move as one project.
Is opening a bank account difficult for a foreign-owned company?
It is the step where most foreign founders get stuck when they try alone: banks apply strict compliance checks to foreign shareholders. We prepare the banking file from the start — clean corporate documents, tax registration in order, a clear business description — which is what makes approval realistic.
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Informational page by Sánchez & León Abogados; it does not constitute legal advice. Rules, deadlines and administrative criteria may change: contact us about your specific case before making decisions.