Chile has a cultural heritage of great value, which includes a great diversity of manifestations, such as music, art, customs, traditions, gastronomy, architecture ... All this makes Chile a very attractive country for tourists. We inform you about the documentation you need, as well as the requirements that you must meet to work, study or live there.
Below you have an index with all the points that we are going to deal with in this article.
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Documentation and visas
The documentation necessary to travel to Chile as a tourist depends fundamentally on whether the tourist belongs to any of the following groups: that of countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Chile and that of countries that do not maintain such agreements.
Obviously, citizens from those countries that are within the second group, will need to submit more documentation, that is, meet a greater number of requirements. What can never be missing, whether you belong to one group or another, is your valid passport, since without it you will not be able to cross the Chilean border.
Countries that have diplomatic agreements
The documentation necessary for those citizens who come from any of the countries mentioned in the list below is detailed below:
- Valid passport: all foreigners who wish to enter Chile as tourists must have a valid passport.
- I.D: Citizens from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay can enter the country just by presenting their valid identity card.
- Tourist Card: also called tourist visa. When crossing the Chilean border, the International Police Office provides a duplicate form called Tourist Card, which must be filled out. Once this is done, this card will be granted, which is personal and non-transferable, and its maximum duration will be 90 days (3 months). It is important not to lose this card during our stay in the country, since they will ask for it at the time of leaving. If we wish to extend the validity of this card, we will have to make a request at the Regional Governments, Immigration Office.
- Notarial authorization for minors: Those foreign tourists who are minors and traveling alone will have to present a notarized authorization from their father, mother or legal guardian when entering Chile. This authorization must be endorsed by the Chilean Consul of their country of origin. In addition, Argentines under 21 years of age traveling alone also need this same authorization.
List of countries that have diplomatic agreements with Chile:
- A: Albania, Germany, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia and Austria.
- B: Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria and Burkina Faso.
- C: Canada, Cyprus, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivorre and Croatia.
- D: Denmark and Dominica.
- E: Ecuador, El Salvador, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United States and Estonia.
- F: Russian Federation, Fiji, Philippines, Finland, France and Fyrom.
- G: Gabon, Gambia, Grenada, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea and Guyana.
- H: Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region only), and Hungary.
- I: Comoros Islands, Indonesia (only in case of simple visa for a maximum period of 60 days), Ireland, Iceland, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Solomon Islands, Israel and Italy.
- J: Jamaica and Japan.
- K: Kiribati.
- L: Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania and Luxembourg.
- M: Macao (applies to nationals of the Special Administrative Region), Madagascar, Malaysia, Malawi, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, and Myanmar.
- N: Nuaru, Nicaragua, Norway, New Zealand,
- P: Netherlands, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland and Portugal.
- R: Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Romania and Rwanda.
- S: Samoa, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Marino, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Saint See, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden. Switzerland, Suriname and Swaziland.
- T: Thailand, East Timor, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey and Tuvalu.
- U: Ukraine, Uganda, Uruguay. Vanuatu, Venezuela and Vietnam.
- Z: Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Countries that do not maintain diplomatic agreements
To enter the Republic of Chile, a Single or Multiple Visa for Foreigners, which is aimed at those foreigners whose purpose is to visit the country only for recreational, sports, family, religious, health, etc. without immigration purposes, permanent residence or development of activities with remuneration. Below is the documentation that must be attached to said request:
- Passport or national identity document: they will have to be in force until the end of your stay in Chile.
- Reasons for the tripWhen we apply for the tourist visa, we have to state the reason for the trip, the duration of our stay and the date of arrival and departure from the country to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Return ticket: it will also be mandatory to present the return ticket to our country of origin or to a third party, in which case we will also have to prove that we have authorization to enter that country.
- Refugees and stateless persons: tourists in any of these special situations will have to obtain the approval of tourism after consulting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Economic solvencyTourists from countries without diplomatic relations with Chile will have to prove economic solvency to be able to cross the border.
- Letter of Invitation: it may be from a natural person or from a company located in Chile.
- Hotel reservation: it will only be necessary to present a form that accredits the accommodation reservation if you do not have any family, friend or acquaintance in Chile.
List of countries that do not have diplomatic agreements with Chile:
- A: Afghanistan, Angola, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
- B: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Brunei and Burindi.
- C: Cape Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chad, China, Congo (Brazzaville), North Korea and Cuba.
- D: Djiboutian.
- E: Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Eritrea and Ethiopia.
- G: Georgia and Ghana.
- I: India, Iran and Iraq.
- J: Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Lesotho, Lebanon, Liberia and Libya.
- M: Mali, Morocco, Mauritania and Mozambique.
- N: Namibia, Nepal and Nigeria.
- O: Oman, Pakistan and Palau.
- Q:Qatar.
- S: Senegal, Sierra Leone, Syria, Somalia, Sri Lanka and Sudan.
- T: Tanzania, Tiyikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
- Y: Yemen.
Reciprocity Tax
Citizens from Albania, Australia, Canada and Mexico They must pay the Reciprocity Tax in order to enter Chile. This entry tax must be paid as soon as you get off the plane and before going through immigration control. The cost of this tax depends on your nationality, so below we detail the price per country:
- Australia: US $ 61 (€ 53,94).
- Albania: US $ 30 (€ 26,52).
- Canada: US $ 132 (€ 116,71).
- Mexico: US $ 23 (€ 20,33).
Until 2014, American citizens they also had to pay the reciprocity fee; however, with the entry of the Visa Waiver Program, the obligation to pay this tax, which amounted to US $ 160, has been eliminated.
Customs and import
All international citizens must go through customs control to enter the country. There is a regulation regarding what is allowed to enter and what is not. In what follows we present this information to you.
What is allowed
- Luggage and personal items: Personal items, whether new or used, carried by any traveler and are for personal use or as gifts, will be considered as luggage. Those goods that, due to their quantity or value, are presumed to be destined for commercialization will be excluded. An adult can pass customs control with a maximum of 400 units of cigarettes, 500 grams of pipe tobacco, 50 units of cigars and 2,5 liters of alcoholic beverages. The following items will not be considered as luggage: home furnishings, crockery, kitchenware, lingerie, paintings, musical instruments, electronic devices or devices, and office facilities.
- Articles from Duty Free: items that are not for commercial purposes purchased at the duty free at the arrival airport up to a maximum amount of US $ 500.
- Special items: the following items may enter the country by means of a prior declaration before the Customs Service: photo cameras and their accessories, cinematographic cameras or projectors and slides; record player and records; portable typewriters; tape recorders and cassettes; Portable radios; binoculars; sports accessories in general; camping equipment. Their entry is allowed as long as they are for personal use and are taken back to the tourist's country of origin.
- Vehicles and automobiles: It is only allowed to enter Chile with a vehicle or car if the stay is not going to exceed 90 days.
- Domestic animals: Tourists can enter Chile with domestic animals such as cats and dogs as long as a Certificate of Vaccination of these against rabies and dystemper is presented, which must be endorsed by the corresponding Chilean Consulate in the country of origin.
What is not allowed
- Unprocessed natural products: animal products, fruits, vegetables and seeds that have not been processed. If we want to enter a product of these characteristics in Chile, we will have to declare it or else we will be sanctioned with a fine of 3 to 300 UTM. To declare these products we will first have to fill in the Joint Customs / SAG affidavit, which must be delivered to the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG). Once this is done, our luggage will be reviewed by the SAG, an agency that will determine whether these products can enter the country or not.
- Weapons: explosives, ammunition and firearms.
- Drugs: any kind of illegal drug.
Labor migration
Foreigners who travel to Chile to develop some work activity acquire the denomination of Resident Subject to Contract.
In an automatic way, said consideration will also be given to the spouse, children or parents of the person who acquires this condition, as long as they depend on the holder of the work visa and do not carry out any remunerated activity.
In addition, the interested party must prove their residence or permanent visa in Chile, as well as be duly authorized to work. This is achieved after signing an employment contract. The worker may carry out her work activity before having obtained legal residence in the country with a special work permit for foreigners with a visa pending.
However, for a foreign worker to acquire this status, they must meet the following requirements:
- The company, institution or person that hires the foreign worker must have a legal address in Chile.
- The employment contract must be signed in Chilean territory before a Notary Public by both parties: the employer and the worker or their legal representative.
- If they are professionals or specialized technicians, they must prove their corresponding title, after legalization in their country of origin.
- The activities carried out by foreigners in Chile cannot be considered dangerous or threatening according to national security. In case of doubt, a report will be requested from the Ministry of National Defense.
- The hiring of the worker, as well as the employment contract, must comply with all the pertinent labor provisions, apart from those required by foreigners to obtain a work visa.
It should be taken into account that the resident visa subject to the contract may be valid for up to two years and may be extended for equal periods. In addition, even if such a visa is available, if the employment relationship ends for whatever reason, the validity of said visa expires automatically.
Artist Visa
There is a type of visa called Artist Visa, intended for those artists who travel to Chile to work during a period not exceeding 90 days. To obtain it, you will have to meet the following requirements:
- Have an artistic representative or producer.
- Apply for a tourist visa if there is no visa exemption agreement.
- Prove condition of artist.
- The artistic producer or representative must apply for a work permit from the Immigration Department of the Ministry of the Interior in Chile.
Scholarships and studies
In order to study as a regular student in Chilean institutions and educational centers, interested foreigners must apply for a Resident Student Visa for foreigners.
This visa will grant them permission to study in the country for a maximum period of one year and, in the case of scholarship recipients, for the duration of the scholarship. To obtain this visa, the following requirements must be met:
- Enrollment certificate or letter of acceptance from the Chilean University or Educational Entity in which the interested person is going to study.
- Accredit before the Chilean Consulate an economic solvency that will allow them to survive during the study period.
- Criminal record.
- Medical certificate.
- Valid passport.
- Four passport-size photos.
Likewise, the Chilean Government Scholarship Program offers two modalities:
- Postgraduate scholarships: These scholarships are aimed at foreign professionals to pursue their master's studies at a Chilean university.
- Scholarships for graduates: the objective is for foreign professionals to participate in one of the highly specialized courses that are part of the Chilean Government's offer of training courses in human resources. Its duration can be between 4 and 6 weeks.
These scholarships cover the cost of roundtrip tickets, maintenance allowance, book help, doctoral thesis support, medical insurance and fees charged by the University.
In any case, these data may vary every year, so it is advisable to consult it in the annual call. This information can be consulted on the website of the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (AGCI), by clicking on this link.
For more information about scholarships to study in Chile, we recommend you click on this link.
"Work and holiday" program
The program Work and Holiday It is an agreement signed between Chile and the two countries mentioned below: New Zealand and Australia.
The agreement with Australia allows young Chilean and Australian students and graduates not older than 31 years (when traveling to the other country on vacation with the possibility of studying and working at the same time, for a maximum period of one year.
In the case of the agreement with New Zealand, the requirements will be the same, except for the age, which should not be more than 30 years. You can get better information on the website of this Program by clicking on this link.
Nationalization
Below we detail the requirements that must be met in order to obtain Chilean nationality:
- Be a foreign citizen.
- Be 21 or 18 years old if you are the child of a Chilean father or mother.
- Have been residing in Chilean territory for more than 5 years (this period will be computed from the obtaining of the first residence visa).
- Be the holder of the Permanent Permanent Stay permit.
- Have no criminal record.
- Have the ability to earn a living on your own.
- Fill in and sign the form called Request for Letter of Nationalization, attaching the necessary documentation.
Clicking on this link, you can get more information about this process.
Spaniards: Dual Nationality Agreement
Spanish citizens, that is, born in peninsular territory, in the Balearic or Canary Islands, can choose to benefit from the Dual Nationality Agreement. For this, the interested party will have to present a Notarial Affidavit in which they request to avail themselves of this agreement between Chile and Spain.
Residence permit
There are two types of residence visa in the country: the temporary residence and definitive stay. In addition, within one of these types of visa, there are different modalities depending on the case of the interested party.
Temporary residence
First of all, we list the types of temporary residence visa:
- Temporary visa for foreigners with ties to a Chilean or a Chilean.
- Temporary visa for the child of a transient foreigner.
- Temporary visa for a foreigner related to a relative who has the definitive stay.
- Temporary visa for former residents.
- Temporary visa for religious.
- Temporary visa for retirees and rentiers.
- Temporary visa for investors and merchants.
- Temporary visa for professionals and technicians of higher level, with two or more contracts, paid abroad, journalists or professionals of the media.
- Temporary visa for pregnant women and medical treatment.
- Visa for states that are part of MERCOSUR (includes nationals of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay).
Definitive stay
Regarding the obtaining of the definitive permanence, this will be granted in the following cases:
- Residents with a contract as a dependent of an employer.
- Residents with a student visa.
- Residents with a temporary visa with ties to Chile.
- Residents with a temporary visa for the child of a transient foreigner.
- Residents with temporary visa for religious.
- Residents with a temporary visa for residents linked to a relative who has the definitive stay.
- Residents with a temporary visa as investors, fees or rentiers.
- Residents with a temporary retiree visa.
- Residents with a temporary visa for minors under 18 years of age not accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
- Residents whose spouse is a Chilean foreign service official.
- Residents with official visa (administrative or service personnel).
- Residents with a temporary visa as the son or daughter of foreign nationalized Chilean parents.
- Residents with a temporary visa as a former Chilean nationalized foreigner.
- Residents with a visa subject to contract or temporary visa for residents who act as crew members.
Vaccines
To enter Chile, you are not required to be vaccinated against any disease or to pass any type of specific medical examination. However, we recommend the following vaccines as a preventive measure:
- Routine vaccines: although we are usually vaccinated against these diseases when we are young, if you are not up to date against diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus, among others, we recommend doing it before starting your travel.
- Hepatitis A and B
- Typhoid fever
- Influenza (seasonal flu and H1N1)
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