Buying Property in Chile as a French Citizen: Complete Guide

Why French buyers look to Patagonia

French buyers have been quietly discovering Chilean Patagonia for over a decade. The appeal combines several factors that resonate strongly with French sensibilities: dramatic landscapes that rival the Alps and Pyrenees in grandeur, a food culture that values local ingredients and traditional preparation, and a pace of life that prioritizes quality over quantity.

From a financial perspective, Chilean property offers French buyers genuine portfolio diversification outside the eurozone. With property prices in Paris, Lyon, and the Cote d’Azur at historic highs, the cost of equivalent land and living space in Patagonia is remarkably accessible. A 5-hectare parcel with river access in the Aysen Region can cost less than a studio apartment in the 11th arrondissement.

For those approaching retirement or seeking a second home, Patagonia offers something increasingly rare in Europe: the ability to own significant land with genuine privacy, clean water, and functioning ecosystems, all within a stable legal framework that protects foreign property rights equally to those of citizens.

No SCI in Chile: structuring your purchase

French property investors are accustomed to using the SCI (Societe Civile Immobiliere) as a standard vehicle for real estate ownership. If you are a French buyer, understanding that Chile has no equivalent structure is essential before you begin your purchase.

What the SCI does in France

In France, the SCI provides three key benefits: tax transparency (income passes through to shareholders and is taxed at their individual rates), simplified succession (shares can be gradually transferred to heirs, reducing inheritance tax), and shared ownership management (multiple family members can hold interests with clear governance rules).

The SCI is deeply embedded in French property culture. Many French families hold their real estate through SCIs as a matter of course, and French notaires routinely set them up as part of standard property transactions.

Chile’s SpA (Sociedad por Acciones) as the closest alternative

Chile does not have a civil company structure equivalent to the SCI. The closest available vehicle is the SpA (Sociedad por Acciones), a flexible commercial company that can be formed by a single shareholder. An SpA can own property and has its own legal personality.

The SpA offers some of what the SCI provides: a corporate veil that separates personal and property liability, the ability to transfer ownership through share sales rather than property transactions, and a formal governance structure. For multi-generational planning, shares in a SpA can be transferred gradually, somewhat analogous to the SCI approach.

Key differences: SpA is commercial (not civil), no tax transparency

The fundamental difference is that the SpA is a commercial entity, not a civil one. This has direct tax consequences. An SpA is subject to Chile’s first category tax (27%) on its income, and distributions to shareholders trigger additional withholding tax. There is no “pass-through” treatment like the French SCI in its default regime.

This means the SpA does not replicate the SCI’s tax transparency. The overall tax burden of earning rental income through an SpA and distributing it to a French shareholder must be calculated carefully, considering both Chilean corporate and withholding taxes plus French personal income tax.

When to use an SpA vs. buying in your personal name

An SpA makes more sense when you plan to hold the property long-term with multiple family members, when you want to facilitate gradual ownership transfer to the next generation, or when the rental income from the property is significant and the corporate tax rate (27%) is more favorable than the non-resident individual rate (35%).

For a single-owner vacation property with minimal rental income, buying in your personal name is simpler, cheaper to maintain, and avoids the ongoing administrative costs of an SpA (annual accounting, tax filings, legal compliance). Most French buyers of Patagonian properties end up purchasing in their personal name.

France-Chile double taxation treaty

France and Chile have a convention for the avoidance of double taxation (convention fiscale) that has been in force since 2006. This treaty provides clear rules for how property income and capital gains are taxed across both jurisdictions. It is a concrete advantage over German buyers, who have no treaty and depend on the unilateral credit in their own domestic law (we explain this in our guide for German buyers).

How immovable property income is taxed

Under the treaty, income from immovable property located in Chile may be taxed by Chile. France also taxes your worldwide income but must grant relief under the treaty’s provisions. For rental income from a Chilean property, Chile applies its domestic non-resident rate (currently 35%), and France allows you to claim a credit for the Chilean tax paid.

Capital gains: 35% non-resident rate in Chile, French tax credit

When you sell a Chilean property, the capital gain is taxed at Chile’s non-resident rate of 35%. The treaty allows France to also tax the gain but requires a credit for Chilean taxes paid. Since France’s tax rate on real estate capital gains (19% plus social contributions of 17.2%, totaling 36.2%) is comparable to Chile’s rate, the credit mechanism generally works to prevent significant double taxation.

The French prelevement social (social contributions) applied to foreign property gains is an area of ongoing legal discussion. Verify with your conseiller fiscal how current French law treats social contributions on Chilean property gains.

IFI (Impot sur la Fortune Immobiliere): does Chilean property count?

This is a question that matters for wealthier French buyers. The IFI is France’s real estate wealth tax, applicable to individuals whose worldwide real estate assets exceed EUR 1,300,000. The question is whether Chilean property falls within its scope.

Under current French tax law, the IFI applies to all real estate assets held directly or indirectly by French tax residents, including property located outside France. If you are a French tax resident and own Chilean property (directly or through an SpA), that property should be included in your IFI declaration at its market value.

The France-Chile DTA does not specifically address wealth taxes on real estate, which means French domestic law applies. Consult your conseiller fiscal for the current treatment, as IFI rules and their international application continue to evolve.

Notarial systems: shared origins, practical differences

Both France and Chile follow the Latin notarial tradition, which creates a sense of familiarity for French buyers. However, the practical functioning of the two systems diverges in important ways.

Both follow the Latin notarial model

In both countries, the notaire/notario is a legally qualified professional appointed by the state to authenticate legal acts. The escritura publica in Chile has similar probative force to the acte authentique in France. Both systems require certain transactions (including property sales) to pass through the notarial process.

Chilean notary does not handle registration

In France, the notaire manages the entire property transaction from start to finish, including registration with the service de publicite fonciere. Many French buyers expect the same in Chile.

In Chile, the notary authenticates the deed but does not manage its registration. The buyer (or their lawyer) must separately present the signed escritura publica to the Conservador de Bienes Raices for inscription. This is a distinct step that requires its own timeline and follow-up.

No minutier system in Chile

French notaires maintain a minutier, a permanent archive of all deeds they have executed. These records are kept for 75 years, then transferred to departmental archives, providing a continuous chain of documentation for any property.

Chile has no equivalent centralized notarial archive system. While Chilean notaries keep records, the primary source of property ownership history is the Conservador de Bienes Raices. Due diligence therefore requires a title study (estudio de titulos) tracing inscriptions at the Conservador rather than reviewing a notarial archive.

Chilean notaries do not provide tax advisory services

In France, the notaire plays an active advisory role, calculating tax obligations, advising on structuring options, and ensuring fiscal compliance as part of the transaction. French buyers often rely heavily on their notaire for financial guidance.

Chilean notaries do not perform this function. They verify identities, confirm that documents are in order, and authenticate the signing. Tax advice, structuring recommendations, and fiscal compliance are handled separately by an abogado tributarista (tax lawyer) or contador (accountant). Budget for separate professional tax advice in Chile.

The buying process for French citizens

The steps below are the same ones that apply to any foreign buyer (we cover them in detail in our guide to buying property in Chile as a foreigner), with the practical specifics for buyers starting from France. If you prefer a step-by-step checklist with timelines and documents, our foreign buyers guide condenses it onto a single page.

RUT via Chilean consulate in France or via power of attorney

The RUT (Rol Unico Tributario) is required before you can purchase property. French citizens can obtain it:

• At the Chilean consulate in Paris (or the honorary consulates in other French cities)
• In person at a SII office in Chile with your passport
• Through a Chilean lawyer using a notarized power of attorney

Apostille (Convention de La Haye)

France and Chile are both parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. Documents executed in France (such as a power of attorney signed before a notaire) need only an Apostille from the competent French authority (typically the Procureur de la Republique at the Tribunal judiciaire) to be valid in Chile.

The power of attorney must be translated into Spanish by a sworn translator (traducteur assermente). Budget several weeks for the translation and Apostille process.

Transaction timeline and steps

1. Obtain your RUT through the consulate or a representative in Chile
2. Engage a Chilean lawyer with experience in foreign buyer transactions
3. Conduct due diligence: title study, lien checks, property tax verification, water rights
4. Sign the promesa de compraventa (5-10% deposit, binding preliminary contract)
5. Transfer funds from France to Chile through formal banking channels
6. Sign the escritura publica (final deed, balance payment)
7. Register at the Conservador de Bienes Raices (1-4 weeks for registration to complete)

The entire process from initial offer to completed registration typically takes 2 to 4 months, depending on due diligence findings and any border zone authorization requirements.

From the compromis de vente to the promesa de compraventa: no delai de retractation

This is the procedural difference that surprises French buyers most. In France, after signing the compromis de vente, a non-professional buyer has a 10-day delai de retractation (article L271-1 of the Code de la construction et de l’habitation) during which they can withdraw without penalty and recover the deposit. In addition, when the purchase is financed with a loan, the condition suspensive d’obtention de pret protects the buyer if the bank declines the mortgage.

Chile has neither mechanism by default. The promesa de compraventa (article 1554 of the Civil Code) is binding from the moment it is signed before a notary, there is no statutory cooling-off period, and walking away typically costs the amount set in the clausula penal, which normally equals the 5% to 10% deposit. The conditions that protect you (title study results, financing, border zone authorization, water rights clearance) only exist if they are written into the promesa expressly as suspensive conditions.

Two practical consequences. First: the title study must be completed before you sign the promesa, not after, because once signed you can no longer walk away for free if a problem surfaces. Second: in France the deposit sits in the notaire’s sequestre; in Chile the deposit (pie) is often paid directly to the seller. The safe alternative is to place the funds under instrucciones notariales, so the notary releases them only once the deed is registered at the Conservador de Bienes Raices. Your Chilean lawyer should build both protections into the first draft.

The border zone in Aysen: what it means for a French buyer

The Aysen Region borders Argentina along its entire eastern edge, and part of the regional territory is classified as border zone under Decree Law 1939. For French buyers the news is good: the prohibition on acquiring in these zones applies to nationals of neighboring countries (Argentina, in the case of Aysen), not to citizens of non-bordering countries like France. In addition, private-to-private property sales do not require prior authorization from DIFROL. The restriction operates mainly on state-owned (fiscal) land within 10 km of the border.

In practice, a French buyer can purchase without specific restrictions in Coyhaique, where most urban properties are unaffected, and across nearly all of the rest of the region. For properties close to the border, such as in Chile Chico or Cochrane, your lawyer should verify in the title study whether the land was originally state-owned and still carries restrictions in its title. We explain the details in our guide to border zone restrictions in Aysen, and you can check whether a specific property falls inside the strip with our border zone checker.

Inheritance considerations

French reserve hereditaire vs. Chilean legitima

Both France and Chile have forced heirship systems, but the proportions differ. French law reserves a portion for the children (reserve hereditaire): one-half for one child, two-thirds for two children, three-quarters for three or more. The remainder (quotite disponible) can be freely willed.

Chilean law reserves 50% as the legitima rigorosa (distributed equally among forced heirs), plus 25% as the cuarta de mejoras (which must go to certain heirs but can be distributed unevenly among them). Only 25% is freely disposable (cuarta de libre disposicion).

For a French buyer with two children, the difference is notable: French law allows one-third to be freely willed, while Chilean law allows only one-quarter. This matters when planning for a surviving spouse or non-family beneficiaries.

EU Regulation 650/2012 and professio juris

Under EU Regulation 650/2012, French citizens can choose French law to govern their succession through a professio juris clause in their will. This is particularly useful for unifying the treatment of your worldwide estate under a single legal system.

However, Chilean courts may apply Chilean law to immovable property on Chilean territory (lex rei sitae), regardless of your choice-of-law clause. This creates a potential conflict that must be managed through careful planning.

Practical tip: a Chilean will for Chilean assets

The recommended approach is to have two wills: a French testament for your French and EU assets (with a professio juris clause if desired), and a separate Chilean testamento for your Chilean property. Both wills must explicitly reference each other to avoid one accidentally revoking the other.

Have your notaire in France and your abogado in Chile review each other’s documents. The cost of this coordination is modest compared to the complications that arise from poorly planned cross-border succession.

Inheritance tax: two tax authorities and no treaty coordinating them

The France-Chile treaty covers income taxes, not droits de succession. This means that on the owner’s death, the Chilean property can be subject to two separate inheritance taxes. Chile taxes the inheritance of assets located on its territory under Law 16.271 at progressive rates from 1% to 25%, with an initial exemption for the spouse and children, regardless of where the heirs live. France, for its part, taxes the worldwide estate when the deceased was a French tax resident (article 750 ter of the Code general des impots) and grants a credit for inheritance tax paid abroad on assets located outside France (article 784 A). In practice, relief depends on that unilateral French credit and on keeping proof of the Chilean payments, one more reason for your notaire and your Chilean lawyer to work in coordination.

Water rights and environmental regulations in Patagonia

For rural properties in the Aysen Region, water rights deserve special attention. Unlike in France, where water usage is generally tied to the property through administrative permits from the agence de l’eau, Chilean water rights (derechos de aprovechamiento de aguas) are entirely separate from land ownership.

You must verify that the property includes water rights for your intended use (domestic, agricultural, or commercial). If the property does not include water rights, you will need to acquire them separately, which involves its own market, registration process, and costs.

Chile’s 2022 Water Code reform introduced time-limited rights for new grants and environmental flow requirements. Your lawyer should verify the status, type, and conditions of any water rights associated with the property you are considering. If the topic is new to you, our guide to water rights when selling land in Chile explains how these rights work and how they are registered and transferred.

What buying in Aysen costs today: real prices and the comparison with frais de notaire

To size the market before you travel: as of September 2026 the Aysen Region has 971 active for-sale listings in our database, including 324 parcelas, 249 houses, 201 lots and 130 farms. Coyhaique concentrates 393 active for-sale listings (143 parcelas, 114 houses, 72 lots and 34 farms), which makes it the natural starting point for comparing prices of the same type in the same town.

Price bands by property type (UF and approximate euros)

The bands below were computed over active listings that publish a price, applying the same visibility filter the site uses. They are asking prices from live listings, not closing prices: in Aysen there is room to negotiate and the final price usually lands below the published one. The euro conversion is approximate and for orientation only: we use UF 1 = CLP 39,842 and a reference exchange rate of EUR 1 = CLP 1,050, which gives roughly UF 1 = EUR 38.

Type	Cheapest 10%	Typical price (median)	Most expensive 10%
Houses	UF 1,243 (EUR 47,000)	UF 3,514 (EUR 134,000)	UF 10,775 (EUR 409,000)
Parcelas	UF 452 (EUR 17,000)	UF 1,380 (EUR 52,000)	UF 6,292 (EUR 239,000)
Lots	UF 226 (EUR 8,600)	UF 3,061 (EUR 116,000)	UF 28,670 (EUR 1,089,000)
Farms	UF 989 (EUR 38,000)	UF 13,024 (EUR 495,000)	UF 46,000 (EUR 1,748,000)

Three readings for a French buyer. First: the typical house in the region, UF 3,514 or about EUR 134,000, equals what buys just 13 to 15 m2 inside Paris, where prices per square meter hover around EUR 9,000 to 10,000. Second: farms are the category where the gap with France is widest. The UF 13,024 median (about EUR 495,000) corresponds to properties that usually run to hundreds of hectares, while free agricultural land in France trades on the order of EUR 6,000 per hectare according to the SAFER barometers; in Aysen the per-hectare price of a farm without water frontage sits far below that figure. Third: the spread inside each type is enormous because there is no official price reference comparable to the DVF database (Demandes de valeurs foncieres) that the French tax authority publishes for every transaction. The asking price is set by the seller, so comparing several listings of the same type in the same comuna is the only practical way to spot a price that sits outside the market. To see how a buyer starting from the Swiss franc reads this same market, see our guide for Swiss buyers.

Acquisition costs: frais de notaire versus Chilean costs

In France, the frais de notaire on an existing home add up to 7% to 8% of the price, and most of that goes not to the notaire but to the State as droits de mutation (5% to 6% depending on the departement), plus emoluments and debours. Chile levies no equivalent transfer tax, and sales of existing property between private parties are not subject to VAT. On top of the purchase price, budget for:

• Legal fees: 1% to 1.5% for the title study, drafting the promesa and the deed, and representation under power of attorney
• Notary: fees for the escritura publica usually stay under 0.5% of the price
• Registration at the Conservador de Bienes Raices: roughly 0.2%, with a legal cap
• Apostille and sworn translation in France: a fixed cost of a few hundred euros
• Currency exchange: the EUR to CLP spread costs 0.5% to 2% depending on the provider

In total, 2% to 4% on top of the price. On the typical house at UF 3,514 (EUR 134,000), that is EUR 2,700 to EUR 5,400 against EUR 9,400 to EUR 10,700 in frais de notaire in France. One nuance French buyers do not expect: in Chile the broker’s commission is customarily charged to both parties, 2% plus VAT each, whereas in France agency fees are usually borne by the seller or built into the price. Even after adding that commission, the total Chilean cost stays below the French one. This article is informational and does not constitute legal or tax advice: confirm every figure with your notaire and a Chilean lawyer before signing.

Contribuciones: the Chilean equivalent of the taxe fonciere

Chile’s annual property tax (contribuciones) is paid in four installments a year (April, June, September and November) and is calculated on the avaluo fiscal set by the SII, a value that usually sits well below market price. The annual rate is close to 1% of that assessed value, with an exemption for low-value homes. Unlike the taxe fonciere, which is based on the cadastral rental value and arrives once a year, contribuciones must be fully paid at the time of the deed: the notary requires the debt certificate, and arrears follow the property, not the former owner. Ask for the payment status as part of due diligence.

Frequently asked questions

Can a French citizen buy property in Chile in their own name?

Yes. Chile protects foreign property rights equally to those of Chilean citizens, and you do not need residency or a special visa to buy. The only prerequisite is obtaining a RUT (Rol Unico Tributario), which you can arrange at the Chilean consulate in Paris, in person in Chile, or through a lawyer with a power of attorney. Most French buyers of Patagonian properties purchase in their personal name.

Is there a Chilean equivalent of the French SCI?

No. Chile has no civil company structure equivalent to the SCI, and the closest vehicle is the SpA (Sociedad por Acciones), which is a commercial company. Unlike the SCI, the SpA offers no tax transparency: it pays first category tax (27%) on its income, and distributions to shareholders trigger additional withholding. For a single-owner vacation property, buying in your personal name is usually simpler and cheaper.

Is there a double taxation treaty between France and Chile?

Yes, a convention for the avoidance of double taxation has been in force since 2006. Rental income and capital gains from a Chilean property are taxed first in Chile (at the 35% non-resident rate), and France must grant a credit for the Chilean tax paid. Since France’s combined rate on real estate gains is comparable, the credit mechanism generally prevents significant double taxation.

Does Chilean property count toward the French IFI?

If you are a French tax resident, yes. The IFI applies to all worldwide real estate assets of French tax residents exceeding EUR 1,300,000, including property located outside France, whether held directly or through an SpA. The France-Chile treaty does not address real estate wealth taxes, so French domestic law applies: declare the property at its market value and confirm the current treatment with your conseiller fiscal.

Can French citizens buy in the Aysen border zone?

Yes. The prohibition under Decree Law 1939 applies to nationals of neighboring countries (Argentina, in the case of Aysen) and operates mainly on state-owned land within 10 km of the border. France is not a bordering country, and private-to-private sales do not require DIFROL authorization. Even so, for properties close to the border your lawyer should verify that the land does not carry restrictions of fiscal origin in its title.

How much does buying in Chile cost compared with French frais de notaire?

Much less. In France, the frais de notaire on an existing home add up to 7% to 8% of the price, mostly droits de mutation that go to the State. Chile has no transfer tax: between legal fees (1% to 1.5%), notary (under 0.5%), registration at the Conservador (about 0.2%), apostille, sworn translation and currency exchange, the total lands between 2% and 4%. On the typical Aysen house (UF 3,514, roughly EUR 134,000), that is EUR 2,700 to EUR 5,400 against EUR 9,400 to EUR 10,700 in France. The one line item that surprises French buyers is the broker’s commission, which in Chile is charged to both parties (2% plus VAT each).

Does Chile have the 10-day withdrawal period of the compromis de vente?

No. The 10-day delai de retractation of article L271-1 of the Code de la construction et de l’habitation has no equivalent in Chile. The promesa de compraventa is binding from the moment it is signed before a notary, and withdrawing costs whatever the clausula penal sets, normally the 5% to 10% deposit. Nor is there a default condition suspensive d’obtention de pret: any condition (financing, title study, border zone authorization) must be written expressly into the promesa. That is why the title study is done before signing, and why the deposit is best placed under instrucciones notariales instead of being paid directly to the seller.

Your path to property in Patagonia

French buyers bring strong analytical skills and a cultural appreciation for quality of life to their property search in Patagonia. The key is recognizing where French assumptions about property law, notarial practice, and ownership structures do not translate directly to Chile.

With the France-Chile DTA providing a solid tax framework, and with proper professional guidance on both sides of the Atlantic, purchasing property in Chilean Patagonia is a well-established and transparent process.

Browse our current property listings across the Aysen Region, or contact our team to discuss how we can help you find the right property for your goals.