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Business & Corporate

Company Formation in Chile for Foreigners

Incorporate a Chilean company you can actually operate — with the tax ID, the legal representative and the banking path solved, not just the deed signed.

What this involves

Foreigners can own a Chilean company outright, and in most cases you do not need to live in Chile to form one. The incorporation itself is rarely the hard part. What determines whether the company can actually operate is the sequence that follows: the tax ID, the notification of commencement of activities, a legal representative with real authority, and a bank willing to open the account.

We treat those as one project rather than five errands. And we raise the questions that are cheap to answer now and expensive to answer later — who can bind the company, how profits will leave Chile, and whether the bylaws you sign today will survive your next investor.

What we handle

Entity selection

SpA, limited liability company or branch of your foreign entity, chosen on the basis of your ownership, investor plans and how money will move — not on which is fastest to file.

Incorporation and publication

Drafting the bylaws, executing the incorporation and completing the registry and publication formalities that give the company legal existence.

Tax ID and start of activities

Obtaining the company's RUT and filing the commencement of activities with the tax authority, without which the company cannot invoice.

Legal representative

Structuring who holds authority to act for the company in Chile, with powers drafted to the scope you actually intend.

Banking and operational setup

Preparing the documentation banks require and guiding the account opening, which is the step most likely to need your involvement.

How we run this for a client abroad

01

Assessment first

You send the documents you have. We tell you what applies, what it costs and how long it takes — before you commit to anything.

02

Power of attorney

Granted at a Chilean consulate or apostilled where you live. It lets us act for you in Chile without you travelling.

03

We file, you get updates

Our attorneys handle the filings and appearances in Chile. You get plain-English updates at every stage.

Company Formation in Chile — common questions

What English-speaking clients ask us most about this specific service.

Do I need a Chilean partner?
No. For most business activities Chile does not require a local shareholder, and foreign ownership can be 100%. What you do need is a Chilean tax ID for each foreign shareholder and someone with authority to act for the company locally — both solvable without giving away equity.
How long does incorporation take?
A straightforward incorporation under the simplified electronic regime can be constituted very quickly. The realistic timeline for a company that can invoice and bank is longer, because the tax registration and the bank account are the gating steps, not the deed. We give you the full-sequence estimate rather than the headline one.
Can I do it without travelling to Chile?
Largely yes, using a power of attorney granted at a Chilean consulate or apostilled where you live. Bank account opening is where remote setup most often stalls, since banks apply their own verification requirements and some insist on meeting a representative.
What does the company have to do once it exists?
Monthly and annual tax filings, accounting records kept to Chilean standards, and registry updates whenever capital, directors or the legal representative change. Employing staff adds a further layer of labor obligations. We hand you the calendar at incorporation so nothing lapses in year one.

Talk to a Chilean lawyer about forming your company in Chile

Get an initial assessment in English — confidential, with no obligation.

Book your consultation now →
WhatsApp+56 9 5217 5304
Emailhola@oklegal.cl
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