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Do I need a Visa for Chile?
People who visit Chile from the USA, Canada, Germany and most other western countries can opt for a tourist visa of three months. As long as your passport is not expired, you will not have any problem entering the country.
Every tourist who enters Chile have their identification documents (ID or passport) as well as the stamped visa (depending on your country of origin) checked by the International Police.
Travelers from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay or Peru can enter with their ID cards or equivalent documents.
At the moment of entering to Chile, the International Police office will hand you over the so called “Tarjeta de Turismo” (Tourist Card) form, which represents the tourist visa. This form is personal, not transferrable and valid for 90 days. It can be prolonged for another 90 days. One part of the card is handed over to the police, while the other part remains with the tourist for the whole stay. It has to be presented again to the International Police when leaving the country. Any prolongation of the tourist card can be solicited at the Foreign Offices and their regional sub-offices.
Do I need special vaccines?
No, Chile does not have problems with Malaria, Dengue or Yellow Fever. You do not need any special vaccines.
Do I need to bring a system to purify the water?
No, Chile has very pure and unpolluted water, especially in the nature and the sparely populated areas. Nevertheless, the are some cities where it is not recommended to drink water from the tap, especially in the northern regions. In the Chilean Altiplano (highland) and San Pedro de Atacama we advise you to drink only bottled water. In central Chile you can drink tap water without a problem, and in southern Chile we even encourage you to – there we have some of the purest water in the world.
Although water is potable, you should be aware that your body needs to get used to it gradually. We therefor recommend that you consume mineral water when available.
Do I need an insurance to travel?
A travel insurance is not mandatory, but it is still useful for these kind of tours as we travel through nature and remote areas. We would therefor recommend you to opt in for a travel insurance.
What is the currency in Chile?
The currency in Chile is the Peso ($). We have coins of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 pesos, and bills of 1.000, 2.000, 5.000, 10.000 and 20.000 pesos.
In the cities you will find cash machines/ ATMs that allow you to withdraw money in the local currency.
Although in Chile some stores and restaurants accept US Dollars or Euros, it would be more convenient to change your money into Chilean Pesos. We recommend to do so in recognized exchange offices, as there the exchange rate will be best for you.
Where can I change money?
You can change your money at the international Airport of Santiago, however here the exchange rates and applying fees are usually less favorable than in the city. Money can be changed in exchange offices against a small fee. In most big cities you can find exchange offices in the center, but in smaller villages and towns they are not always present. Sometimes you can change your currency in banks or hotels, yet you should be aware that their fees and exchange rates tend to be the most expensive ones.
Other important formalities:
Custom formalities
Travelers can enter the country without making any declaration to customs if they carry the following: travel items (suitcases, bags, personal items), clothing, bathroom electronics (shaving machine, hairdryer), other personal utensils (photo camera, typewriter and portable calculator).
Also, you are allow to import items that relate to your profession, always if they are portable, manual, simply manufactured, do not need installation to be used and correspond to your profession or the purpose of your visit.
Any adult can bring a maximum of 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 500 grams of pipe tobacco and 2,5 liters of alcoholic beverages.
The tourist entering to the country with a film camera, video equipment or similar items has to complete a request of temporal internment, which then is presented to the International Police. This way, you can avoid to pay at customs.
The customs office effects random baggage checks to verify that the luggage only contains the allowed objects. If unauthorized objects are found, customs withholds the right to retain said objects, charge penalty fees against the traveler or, in serious cases, even enact imprisonment.
Separate regulations apply for:
Furniture
Household effects, tableware, lingerie and pictures
Music instruments
Electrical or electronical devices or artefacts
Office installations
For more information, please visit: www.aduana.cl
Sanitary formalities
The agriculture association in Chile (Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero S.A.G.) imposed sanitary laws, which prohibit tourists to carry products or sub-products of vegetable or animal origin in their baggage.
You are obliged to DECLARE all products of vegetable or animal origin that you are bringing to Chile.
If you do not declare these goods, you will be sanctioned with a fine of 3 to 300 UTM (Unidad Tributaria Mensual, Chilean unit of account).
Declaration Process:
Complete the form “Declaración jurada conjunta Aduana/SAG” (customs declaration), which will be handed over to you by the airline or at the point where you enter the country. This form has to be presented to the SAG.
Make sure to declare ALL the products of vegetable or animal origins that you are carrying. Your bag will be checked by the SAG through manual and visual inspection, x-ray or dog search. All products will be revised and assessed by SAG to determine whether they can enter the country.
Important: Keep in mind that a false customs declaration is a criminal offense and can be held responsible under criminal law.
Tourists are allowed to bring certain domestic animals, like cats or dogs. For pets, a certificate of vaccination is needed that attests vaccination against distemper and canine madness. This certificate has to be accredited by the respective Chilean consulate.
For more information, please visit: www.sag.cl
Safety
Santiago, the capital of Chile, is much safer than many other cities in Latin America. Nevertheless, like in any other big city you can become the victim of robbery or assault. We recommend not to take any unnecessary risk and to travel with precaution.
Other and especially lesser populated areas like the North of Chile are much safer than the cities and the metropolitan region.
In case of any emergency, call the police (carabineros) using the numer 133 or visit the closest police station (cuartel de carabineros). The Chilean police uses an olive green uniform, while the military personnel uses grey uniforms. You can address them in any problematic situation, and they will be happy to help, even when you are just asking for directions.
It is important to mention that bribing (called “coima” in Chile) is not a common practice in Chile. We highly recommend to refrain from insinuating any kind of bribe to the police as this can have serious consequences.
Useful information:
Website with all the information on foreign affairs: Extranjeria (Address: San Antonio 580. Santiago, Centro. Open from 9:00 to 16:00 hrs)
International Police (Address: Eleuterio Ramírez N° 852, ESQUINA San Francisco, Santiago Centro. Telephone +56-2-26809110. Open Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 14:00 hrs)
Police – 133
Police Information – 139
Firefighters – 132
Ambulance – 131
Information – 103
For more information on telephone numbers and opening hours, for example of emergency pharmacies, as well as information on arriving and departing flights please visit www.sitios.cl
Security Advise
If you travel to Chile, you should keep in mind a few aspects in order to enjoy a safe stay.
When traveling the country and walking around the cities, we recommend you to watch your bags to avoid small robberies. Take photocopies of your important documents like your passport. Avoid walking alone during the night in lonely streets. Don’t carry valuable objects that could raise attention in public. Always have a map with you and remember the address of the place where you are accommodated. If you travel to more remote places, it is recommendable to bring a first aid kit as well as the names of pharmaceuticals you might need in Spanish.
Climate
In Chile, there are regions that have not seen any precipitation in years, while in other regions the plentiful rainfalls have grown lush green forests.
The diversity that this country offers surprises and captivates many visitors. Due to its unique geography, Chile combines almost all the climates of the planet and has well established seasons. The warmest time is from October to April, the coldest months are May to September.
As you travel southward, you will notice that the temperature decreases. In the northern regions of Chile, days are characterized by warm temperatures all year round, while the nights can get quite cold. In the central region, the climate is rather Mediterranean. The lowest temperatures are found in the South, which also is the region with the highest registered precipitation throughout the year.
Tourist Information Offices
Throughout Chile you can find several tourist information offices providing information for those while travel the country.
Most of these offices attend to the public from Monday to Friday between 09:00 and 18:00hrs as well as Saturdays from 10:00 to 14:00hrs. You can visit the tourist offices to solicit any information that facilitates your stay and enhances your experience.
You can find all the information on your closest tourist office and its opening hours under www.sernatur.cl
