Civil Union Agreement in Chile
The AUC gives unmarried couples a legal civil status, with rights on property, inheritance and health benefits.
What the AUC is
The Acuerdo de Unión Civil (AUC) was created by Ley 20.830. It is a contract between two people, of the same or different sex, who share a home to organize their shared life as a stable couple. It is celebrated before an official of the Registro Civil, and it gives the partners a civil status of conviviente civil, with legal rights and obligations that an informal relationship does not have.
Chile also allows marriage between same-sex couples under Ley 21.400, which took effect in 2022, so the AUC is now a choice and not the only route. Some couples prefer it because it is lighter than marriage in how it begins and ends. For foreign couples, the question is usually how a Chilean AUC, or one concluded abroad, is recognized and what it means for residence, property and inheritance. Neither route is better in every case, and the choice affects inheritance, taxes and how easily the relationship can be ended, so it deserves advice before you register anything.
What we handle
Entering an AUC
Checking eligibility, preparing documents and guiding the registration with the Registro Civil.
Choosing the property regime
Advising whether to keep separate property, the default, or to opt for a community of property.
Agreements concluded abroad
Assessing whether a civil union or partnership from another country counts as an AUC in Chile.
Ending an AUC
Handling termination by agreement, by unilateral declaration or by other causes, and the financial consequences.
Partner rights
Inheritance, family-home protection, healthcare and other benefits that depend on the status.
Rights and obligations
Partners owe each other mutual help and support, and share the household. The law recognizes the partner as a family member for inheritance, with rights to inherit as a spouse would in some respects. The partner can also request that the shared home be declared a family property, as our family home page explains.
The law also gives rights in areas such as health coverage and social security benefits, subject to the rules of each system. Because the details change by benefit, we confirm the current requirements with the relevant institution before advising.
Property, termination and compensation
Without a declaration, each partner keeps their own property. Partners can choose a community of property at the time of the agreement. This choice affects what each partner owns at the end, and it is worth discussing before signing, especially if one partner owns property abroad.
An AUC ends by the death of a partner, by marriage, by mutual agreement, by unilateral declaration or by judicial decision on certain grounds. Economic compensation may apply in some cases where one partner gave up work for the household. We review your facts and are careful not to promise a result.
Formalizing or ending an AUC from a distance
Eligibility review
We check civil status, documents and residence requirements and flag anything that needs apostille or translation.
Authority and appointments
We explain what you must do in person at the Registro Civil and what can be handled by us.
Follow-through
We track the registration and send you the certificate, or run the termination process and report at each step.
Civil Union Agreement (AUC) — common questions
What English-speaking clients ask us most about this specific service.
Can foreigners enter an AUC in Chile?
Is the AUC the same as marriage?
Does an AUC help with a Chilean residence permit?
Is a foreign civil union recognized in Chile?
How do we end an AUC?
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