Chilean authorities announced on Tuesday that starting on Thursday, April 14th, international travelers will no longer be required to present proof of vaccination or a PCR test to enter.
This means that travelers from all nations, regardless of vaccination status, can once again enter Chile test-free and quarantine-free.
After this announcement, Chile became the 31st country in the World to remove most entry requirements, just one day after Greece announced dropping COVID-related demands, and the second country in South America, right after Argentina.
According to the information shared on the Chilean news website Diario Financiero, the undersecretary of Public Health, Cristóbal Cuadrado, explained that travelers without a complete vaccination series certificate approved by Chilean authorities will be allowed to enter the country, but will not get a health card that is required to do certain activities such as enter specific restaurants or bars.
Covid tests will not be required either, but some passengers might be asked to take one, Cuadrado said that non-resident tourists could be randomly selected upon arrival for a mandatory test.
The Chilean government also recently announced that they will open land borders starting on May 1, and starting on April 14th masks will no longer be required outdoors. However, face coverings will still be required in regions like Arica, Tarapacá, and Isla de Pascua.
Chile has been consistent in prioritizing very strict rules for travelers, but has been easing measures within the past few days. The Chilean population represents one most successful inoculation cases in the World as 93,58% of the population has at least two vaccination doses.
What Travelers Must Know Before Traveling to Chile
Now that Chile removed its most strict travel rules and joined the list of countries without COVID entry requirements, more tourists —especially hikers and nature lovers— will be interested in visiting this fascinating destination.
Those traveling across Latin America, will now be able to include Chile as part of their route, and they can enter through the main land borders between Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina, or by air through international airports.
There are still a few requirements US and Canadian travelers must consider prior to arrival. The International airport—Arturo Merino Benítez— in Santiago, Chile’s capital, recently shared valuable information for travelers on Instagram. These are the main considerations for travelers starting on April 14:
- Passengers must fill out the C19 form, an affidavit for travelers, prior to arrival.
- A PCR test will not be required upon arrival
- The validation of vaccination certificates will be optional, those who don’t do it won’t get access to the local “Pase de Movilidad”, a virtual health certificate to enter certain establishments and perform certain activities. (more about this below)
- Random COVID tests could be performed, those who test positive must be isolated for 7 days.
- Proof of travel health insurance is still required, specifically a policy that includes medical coverage in the case of covid-19 infection.
Pase de Movibilidad – The Vaccine Passport Program Inside Chile
While proof of vaccination is no longer required to enter Chile, they still have a pretty robust internal vaccine passport program in effect. Travelers will need to validate their vaccine certificates so they can access the Pase de Movibilidad app to enter indoor dining, domestic travel, cinemas, and theatres, organized tours, and large events like concerts or sports games.
It’s not an easy approval either. Travelers who want to validate their vaccination certificates —must have at least 3 doses— validated by the Chilean Ministry of Health, have to create an account at the site mevacuno.gob.cl, fill out the form of manual verification, and attach images of the ID document and a profile picture. Once submitted, they will get a response via email within 48 to 72 hours.
In addition to these considerations, travelers must stay up to date with recent announcements since local alert levels might change depending on the increase of covid cases and authorities’ criteria.
It in unkown when the Chilean government might retire the Pase de Movibilidad program, as they just recently created the booster shot requirement weeks ago.
Fewer restrictions, more travel
Not being required to take a PCR test 72 hours before entering Chile is great news for many travelers, as PCR-type tests can be expensive, and since they are used less than antigens in 2022, harder to find.
Also, since the travel considerations are similar for land entry, starting in May, travelers visiting Argentina can now easily include Chile in their itineraries.
As these neighboring countries remove covid restrictions and open borders, more adventurers will find it easier to tour Patagonia, see Chilean and Argentinian glaciers and also have the opportunity to visit the magnificent Torres del Paine and the Fits Roy in the same journey.
The Metropolitan region also has plenty of entertainment for travelers and the coastal cities have beautiful landscapes and delicious food.
