How to Apply for the German Working Holiday Visa at the German Embassy in Santiago (Embajada de Alemania en Chile)
If you are from Chile, you can live in Germany for up to 1 year on a Working Holiday Visa. On this page, we detail exactly how to apply for the German Working Holiday Visa at the German Embassy in Santiago (Embajada de Alemania en Chile).
The German Working Holiday Visa is a fantastic opportunity for Chilean citizens to immerse themselves in German culture, learn the language and find employment to support their stay in Germany. Further to this, Germany offers the perfect base from which to explore the rest of Europe while on your working holiday.
If living in Germany is something that takes your fancy, then find out exactly how to apply for the Working Holiday Visa for Germany at the embassy in Santiago below.
❗ Note: We endeavour to keep our visa information up to date. However, before applying, we recommend always cross-referencing our information with the official application information from the German Embassy in Santiago.
Who can apply for the Working Holiday Visa at the German Embassy in Santiago (Embajada de Alemania en Chile)?
In order to be eligible for the German Working Holiday Visa (Programa de Vacaciones y Trabajo Alemania), you must meet some basic requirements:
✔️ You must be a Chilean passport holder.
✔️ You must be between 18 and 30 years old. You can apply right up until your 31st birthday.
✔️ You must not be moving with dependents (i.e. children).
In terms of the basic requirements, it is as simple as that. So, if you meet these requirements, it is time to start preparing for your application at the German Embassy in Santiago.
How to Apply for the Germany Working Holiday Visa at the embassy in Santiago (Embajada de Alemania en Chile)
1️⃣ Prepare your application documents, book a visa appointment and apply for the German Working Holiday Visa at the Embajada de Alemania en Chile.
2️⃣ Move to Germany. Register at an address, set up a bank account, find a job.
1️⃣ Prepare your application documents, book a visa appointment and apply for the German Working Holiday Visa at the ‘Embajada de Alemania en Chile’
How to book a Working Holiday Visa appointment at the German Embassy in Chile
📅 First up, you need to secure an appointment at the Germany Embassy in Santiago. This can be secured via the embassy’s appointment booking platform.
Once you have booked your appointment, you then need to go to the German Embassy in Santiago at the time and date listed on your appointment confirmation. The embassy is located at:
Las Hualtatas 5677,
Vitacura,
Santiago de Chile
Essential documents for the German Working Holiday Visa application in Chile
At your appointment you will be required to submit a number of documents, which we have outlined in detail below:
✅ A valid passport and a photocopy of the passport data page
Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months longer than the intended stay, have at least 2 free pages, and not be older than 10 years old.
✅ Two current biometric passport photos
Guidelines recommend a 35 mm x 45 mm frontal shot with neutral facial expression, closed mouth, looking straight into the camera, with a light background.
✅ Completed visa application form
✅ Travel/expat insurance and two photocopies of travel insurance policy
Travel/expat insurance is arguably the most important aspect of your visa application at the German Embassy in Santiago.
In short, your policy should cover you for the entire period of your Working Holiday Visa (i.e. 12 months) and, as a minimum, provide €30,000 medical coverage as well as repatriation to your home country.
For this, our favourite insurance policy is Feather’s expat health insurance. We like Feather because:
It is widely accepted by German embassies and consulates worldwide.
It meets all the insurance requirements for the Working Holiday Visa for Germany.
It offers good coverage at an affordable price.
You can sign up for a Feather policy here.
When applying for the visa, ensure you submit a policy document that shows the name of the insured person, the length of coverage, the insurance sum and repatriation coverage.
Note: While Feather is widely accepted for this purpose, always check the specific insurance requirements with the German embassy or consulate before taking out and paying for an insurance policy.
✅ Proof of funds
In order to be granted the Working Holiday Visa for Germany, you must have had savings of at least €1,200 in your bank account over the past three months.
To prove that you have this minimum savings amount, you should bring a formal bank statement from your bank showing your name and account balance over the past three months. The official language of the bank statement must be German, Spanish or English.
✅ Flight booking to Germany
If you only book a one-way flight from Chile to Germany, you need to show an additional €1,000 in proof of funds. If you have a return flight booked, then you only require the €1,200 proof of funds stipulated in point 5 above.
✅ Proof of accommodation
This can be a hostel/hotel booking confirmation or letter from a relative/friend you will be staying with along with a copy of their passport and proof of their residence in Germany.
Note: when you arrive in Germany on a working holiday, it is important to officially register at an address, a process that is known as Anmeldung.
If you are struggling to find suitable accommodation in Berlin, then you may be interested in booking a furnished apartment with Smartments. Smartments provide well-located, studio accommodation and offer Anmeldung so long as you book for at least 14 nights. By opting for Smartments, you can get registered within days of arriving in Berlin.
✅ Motivational letter
This can just be a typed/written signed letter stating your plans for your working holiday in Germany. Standard things to include are that you would like to experience German culture, learn the language and work to supplement your stay. You can also include details about where you will be staying after you arrive, etc. There is no set format for this.
✅ A CV
When applying, we recommend that you submit original copies of each document plus two copies.
How much does the Working Holiday Visa cost?
💰 If applying at the German Embassy in Santiago, the Working Holiday Visa costs €75 and is payable in cash in the local currency.
How long does a Working Holiday Visa application take to be processed at the ‘Embajada de Alemania en Chile’?
🕓 The standard process time for a Working Holiday Visa for Germany is one week if applying at the German Embassy in Santiago.
Once processed, you will be invited to collect your visa at the ‘Embajada de Alemania en Chile’.
🎉 Congratulations, at this stage you will have successfully applied for the Working Holiday Visa and are all set to move to Germany! See step 2 below to find out what you need to do on arrival in Germany.
When can I apply for the Working Holiday Visa for Germany at the ‘Embajada de Alemania en Chile’?
📅 Visa appointments at the German Embassy in Santiago are released approximately 10 weeks in advance.
You can only apply for the visa within 90 days of your intended arrival in Germany.
Where else can Chilean citizens apply for the Working Holiday Visa for Germany?
🧭 Within Chile, you can only apply for the Working Holiday Visa at the German Embassy in Santiago (Embajada de Alemania en Chile).
However, you can also apply for the Working Holiday Visa at any overseas German embassy or consulate that processes this visa type. This may be particularly useful if you are already travelling overseas and do not want to return to Chile to apply for the visa. Always check the application process and requirements at the embassy or consulate where you will be applying.
You cannot apply for the visa after your arrival in Germany.
2️⃣ Move to Germany. Register at an address, set up a bank account, find a job.
Once you have successfully applied for the Working Holiday Visa in step 1 above, you are ready to make the move to Germany. On arrival in Germany, there are a number of key things you should do to ensure you have a smooth relocation.
🏠 Officially register at an address (Anmeldung)
Once you arrive in Germany, it is essential that you officially register at an address in Germany, a process that is known as Anmeldung. Without Anmeldung, you cannot receive your German tax ID (which you need when starting work in Germany) or perform most administrative tasks, such as signing up with an internet or energy supplier.
If you are struggling to find an address to register at in Berlin, then you may be interested in booking a furnished apartment with Smartments. Smartments provide well-located, studio accommodation and offer Anmeldung so long as you book for at least 14 nights. By opting for Smartments, you can get registered within days of arriving in Berlin.
We have also put together a guide on securing longer-term accommodation in Berlin, which may come in handy.
💰 Set up a German bank account
When starting out on your working holiday, it is important to have easy and (preferably) free access to your funds in Germany. To ensure this, we highly recommend that you set up a German bank account shortly after your arrival.
For Chilean working holidaymakers in Germany, a Vivid bank account is a great option. The account is 100% free to set up and maintain. When you factor in a free Debit Mastercard and free ATM withdrawals, it is definitely a good choice for your working holiday. For further details about why Vivid might be a good option for you, check out our Vivid review.
If you are also interested in doing lots of travel around the rest of Europe during your working holiday in Germany, then you may also benefit from getting a free borderless account with Wise, formerly TransferWise. Wise’s borderless account allows you to spend money in any currency at a market-leading exchange rate.
For further advice about your best banking options in Germany, see our banking page.
🧑💼 Find a job in Germany
One of the great benefits of the Working Holiday Visa is that it permits you to pick up work in Germany to help fund your stay. But you will still need to land a job – to get you started, we have put together some free job-hunting resources:
👍 Best board job boards in Germany
👍 Startup jobs, hospitality jobs and teaching jobs in Berlin