How to Enter Chile

Do I need a passport or visa to enter?

U.S. citizens entering Chile must have a valid passport. U.S. citizens traveling to Chile for recreation, tourism, business, or academic conferences do not need to obtain a visa prior to their arrival in Chile. A Tourist Card will be issued for a stay of up to 90 days upon payment of a Chilean visa reciprocity fee, currently U.S. $160. Currently, the fee is only charged at the Santiago International Airport. Payment can be made in U.S. currency or by credit card. An extension of stay for another 90 days is possible upon payment of an extension fee at the Chilean Immigration Office located at San Antonio 580, Santiago; telephone 56-2-2550-2469. The Tourist Card must be surrendered upon departure. Failure to submit this card upon departure may result in delays until a replacement is obtained. If lost or stolen, the Tourist Card must be replaced by the International Police (the website is in Spanish only) at their nearest headquarters or at the international airport prior to departure.

U.S. citizens who intend to work, live, or study in Chile must apply in advance for a Chilean visa.

All people traveling on official business in possession of an official or diplomatic passport must obtain a visa at a Chilean Embassy or Consulate before traveling to or through Chile. If you hold an official or diplomatic passport and are traveling for tourism or personal reasons, you should obtain a tourist passport to present upon arrival in Chile as the authorities will not grant you a tourist visa or Tourist Card without one.

Ensure that you have appropriate documentation to enter Chile. U.S. passports must be in good condition and valid for the period of stay. The U.S. Embassy cannot secure entry on your behalf if you arrive without a valid U.S. passport, with a passport that is damaged or mutilated, or if you arrive without a visa when one is required.

Entry / Exit Requirements for Dual Nationals: Dual U.S./Chilean nationals must enter and exit Chile using their Chilean passports, and they must enter and exit the United States using their U.S. passports. A naturalization certificate is not a valid travel document. The Government of Chile considers all persons born in Chile to be citizens, even if they have since acquired U.S. citizenship. The Embassy has seen cases of U.S. citizen children, born in the United States to Chilean parents, who entered Chile on U.S. passports, being required by Chilean authorities to obtain Chilean passports in order to leave the country. This generally occurs when the child overstays the 90-day tourist entry period. Contact a Chilean Embassy or Consulate for more information. The U.S. Embassy cannot intervene if Chilean officials prevent a dual citizen from departing Chile due to a lack of a Chilean passport.

Entry/Exit Requirements for Minors: In an effort to prevent international child abduction, Chile has put in place strict requirements for the entry/exit of minors under the age of 18. Even when the minor is traveling with both parents, the parents will be required to show evidence of their relationship to the child when departing the country. Please carry an original birth certificate or a certified copy of the original.

Minors who are present in Chile on a visa category other than tourist will always be required to submit a written notarized authorization from any non-traveling parent(s) and a birth certificate at the time of departure. In Chile, the authorization can be executed before a local notary public. If the non-traveling parent(s) is in the United States, the written authorization can be notarized and executed directly at the Chilean Embassy or Consulate. If the non-traveling parent is in the United States and is unable to visit the Chilean Embassy or a Chilean Consulate, the authorization can be executed by a U.S. notary. However, an authorization executed by a U.S. notary must be authenticated to be valid in Chile. This means that after the document is notarized, it must be authenticated through a chain of steps involving submission to local, state, and national authorities before it can be submitted to the Chilean Embassy or Consulate. Click here to find additional information on the authentication process. Note that the final step in the process is to submit the document to the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Chile to authenticate the signature of the Chilean official in the United States. This is a lengthy process and should be commenced well in advance of travel.

A minor entering Chile as a tourist will generally not be required to present written notarized authorization from the non-traveling parent(s) at the time of departure if the minor leaves with the same adult companion with whom the minor entered Chile. The minor’s immigration record will be annotated to record the name of the adult(s) with him or her at the time of entering the country. If the minor will depart alone or in the company of another party, the minor will be required to submit a written notarized authorization from the non-traveling parent(s) and a birth certificate. If the authorization is notarized outside of Chile, it must be authenticated following the steps in the paragraph above.

The written notarized authorization should be in Spanish and include the following: 1) the full name of the custodial and/or non-custodial parents(s) or legal guardians; 2) the parents’ full address; 3) the full name of the child; 4) the child’s date of birth, place of birth, passport number, and date of issuance; 5) full name and passport details of the person accompanying the minor; 6) dates of travel, including arrival and departure information; 7) address where the minor will reside; and 8) explicit authorization that a minor can travel alone or in the company of another person.

Chile lies in an active seismic zone and is prone to major earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Several of the strongest earthquakes in history have occurred in Chile. Prepare yourself for a natural disaster by consulting the websites of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Chile's Oficina Nacional de Emergencia (ONEMI).

Minefields are found in Chile's northern border region with Peru and Bolivia and around the southern border with Argentina in Patagonia. Minefields are generally marked, but markers may have shifted or may not be visible. Follow clearly identified roads and trails when traveling in minefield areas. Border crossings should only be made at authorized locations. Consult with park or other local officials concerning minefields and other hazards.

Chile is a popular destination for outdoor and adventure sports. Despite the best efforts of local authorities, assisting persons lost or injured in isolated and wilderness areas can be problematic. Before you go, learn about local hazards and weather conditions. You can obtain information in Spanish about parks and wilderness areas from the Chilean Forestry Service, mountain climbing from the Federacion de Andinismo de Chile, and weather forecasts from the Chilean Meteorological Service. Forest fires can be a problem in many areas of the country, including areas frequented by tourists. Historically many fires occur during the dry summer months of December, January, and February, sometimes burning hundreds of acres. Check the Chilean National Travel Board (Spanish only) or the Chilean Federal Emergency Agency websites for alerts. Inform park rangers, police, or other local authorities of your itinerary, and report missing or injured persons to the police immediately.

Chile’s mountains and ski resorts are recreational destinations for hundreds of skiers and snowboarders each year. The main ski centers in Chile have good safety standards with well-groomed runs, ski and snowboard lessons with certified instructors, and clear signals for the closure and opening of runs. Skiing and snowboarding, however, are inherently dangerous sports and injury or death is always a possibility. Skiers and snowboarders should respect the rules of each ski resort and be aware that skiing or boarding out of bounds is extremely dangerous.

You are responsible for ensuring that you meet and comply with foreign entry requirements, and health requirements and that you possess the appropriate travel documents. Information provided is subject to change without notice. One should confirm content prior to traveling from other reliable sources. Information published on this website may contain errors. You travel at your own risk and no warranties or guarantees are provided by us.