Short-stay visas for Chile

Entry requirements overview for Chile

Chile allows visa-free entry for tourism and business purposes for up to 90 days to citizens of numerous countries, provided they carry a passport valid for the duration of their stay with at least one blank page for stamps. The standard entry classification is the Permanencia Transitoria (Temporary Stay Permit), which covers tourism, family visits, and unremunerated recreational activities.

In September 2025, the Chilean government enacted Decree No. 359, which introduced a mandatory prior consular authorization (Autorización Previa) for nationals of more than 100 countries entering under the Temporary Stay Permit category. This means that travelers from those countries can no longer simply arrive and receive an entry stamp: they must secure consular clearance before flying to Chile. Australia was explicitly exempted from this decree on the basis of reciprocity, and Australian citizens can continue to enter Chile without prior authorization.

All travelers, regardless of nationality, are required to complete the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) digital affidavit. This declaration must be submitted online within 24 hours before arrival to declare any plant, animal, or organic items in your luggage. Failure to declare prohibited items leads to confiscation and significant fines. If you enter Chile multiple times, you must complete this declaration each time you cross the border.

Upon arrival, the Policía de Investigaciones (PDI) issues a Tourist Card (Tarjeta de Turismo, or TUM). This document is strictly required to exit the country, so keep it safe for the duration of your stay.

Good to know:

If you buy a local Chilean SIM card and use it in a phone brought from abroad, you have 30 days to register the device's IMEI number through a local certifier. If you stay longer than 30 days without completing this registration, your phone will be blocked from operating on Chilean cellular networks.

Visa-free entry to Chile

Citizens of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, European Union member states, Australia, and many other countries can enter Chile for up to 90 days for tourism and standard business visits without a visa. However, entering without a visa does not mean arriving without documentation: immigration officers at the border have the right to verify your financial situation before granting entry.

The minimum economic solvency required is USD 46 per person for each day of your planned stay. You can demonstrate this through bank statements, cash, or credit card limit certificates. Officers may also request a confirmed accommodation booking, such as a hotel reservation, or a formal letter of invitation signed before a Chilean notary public.

Travelers with dual US-Chilean citizenship must enter and exit Chile using their Chilean passport. Their US passport is used for re-entry into the United States.

Rapa Nui (Easter Island) operates under a separate set of rules. Even if you hold a valid entry permit for mainland Chile, visiting Rapa Nui requires additional steps: tourists are limited to a maximum stay of 30 days on the island, must complete a Single Entry Form (FUI) 48 hours before their flight, present a round-trip ticket, and show a reservation at a SERNATUR-registered accommodation or an official resident invitation.

Types of short-stay visas in Chile

Most foreign visitors enter Chile under the Permanencia Transitoria, the standard temporary stay permit for tourism, family visits, and non-paid activities, typically granted for up to 90 days. For countries covered by Decree No. 359, this entry category now requires an Autorización Previa: a prior authorization that must be obtained through the nearest Chilean consulate before departure. Travelers from those 104 countries who attempt to arrive without this clearance risk being refused boarding or denied entry.

Travelers intending to perform paid technical work in Chile, such as machinery installation, software deployment, or on-site technical assistance, cannot use a tourist visa for those activities. They must apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (Residente Temporario) before arriving in Chile, regardless of how brief the work intervention will be. This applies even if the technical activity will only take a few days.

Visa application process in Chile

All applications for short-stay visas and prior authorizations must be started online through the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs' digital platform, the Sistema de Atención Consular (SAC). Applicants select the appropriate category, either Permanencia Transitoria or Residente Temporario, depending on their travel purpose, and upload all supporting documents in PDF format.

Once the digital dossier is reviewed, applicants may be summoned to the nearest Chilean consulate for an in-person appointment to present original documents, confirm their identity, and have the visa stamped. Processing fees vary by nationality due to reciprocity schedules and must be paid either online during the application or via a specific bank deposit as instructed by the local consulate. Check the SAC platform directly for the fee that applies to your passport.

Required documents for a short stay in Chile

The documents you need depend on your entry category, but the following apply broadly to most short-stay applications and border crossings:

• A valid passport covering the full intended duration of your stay. Some consulates processing specific visas require at least 6 months of remaining validity from the date of application.
• A recent color photograph, passport-sized with a plain white background, uploaded digitally during the online application process.
• A verified hotel reservation covering your stay, or a formal letter of invitation from a host resident in Chile. If you use a letter of invitation, it must be signed before a Chilean notary public and include the host's ID, address, and the dates of the visit.
• Proof of financial solvency demonstrating access to at least USD 46 per day of the intended stay. Accepted documents include bank statements from the past three months or credit card limit certificates.
• A return or onward ticket showing your intention to leave Chile within the permitted period.

For technical work visas (Residente Temporario), additional documents are required: an apostilled criminal record certificate translated into Spanish, and a medical certificate confirming the absence of infectious diseases.

Minors under 18 traveling with only one parent or a guardian must carry an original apostilled birth certificate and a notarized, legalized travel authorization from the absent parent or parents.

At the border in Chile

Immigration is handled by the Policía de Investigaciones (PDI) at all ports of entry, including Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) in Santiago, land border crossings, and ports. Upon successful entry, the PDI issues a Tourist Card (TUM), either digitally or physically. This card is essential: you cannot exit Chile without it.

If you lose your Tourist Card during your stay, you must request a replacement through the PDI website or visit an International Police office before going to the airport. Losing the TUM also has a direct financial consequence: hotels are required to charge you the full 19% VAT on your accommodation bill if you cannot present it at check-in.

Foreign tourists are exempt from Chile's 19% accommodation tax when paying for their stay in USD or with a foreign-issued credit card, provided they present their foreign passport and the TUM at check-in. If either document is missing, the exemption does not apply.

Customs controls are exceptionally strict regarding agricultural and food products. All baggage is X-rayed, and sniffer dogs are routinely deployed to detect prohibited items, including fresh fruits, seeds, honey, meat, and dairy products. Declare everything on the SAG digital affidavit before you land, and do not attempt to bring restricted items through, as fines are substantial.

Extending your stay in Chile

Foreigners who wish to remain in Chile beyond their initial 90-day period can apply for a formal extension, the Prórroga de Permanencia Transitoria, for an additional 90 days. This brings the maximum total stay to 180 days. The extension application must be submitted entirely online through the National Migration Service (SERMIG) digital portal and must be filed within the last 30 days of the current permit's validity. Do not wait until after expiry: filing late triggers daily fines.

The processing fee is set at USD 100, payable in the Chilean peso equivalent, at the time of submission. Applicants must upload a scanned copy of their passport, a legible image of their original PDI Tourist Card, and solid proof of financial means to support the extended stay, such as recent bank statements.

If a person in Chile is sponsoring your extension, they must provide a digitally signed, notarized affidavit of support (declaración jurada de expensas), verifiable bank statements, and their last eight payslips. If the extension request is rejected, a proportional exit fine based on the days elapsed is due, and you are given a 10-day window to leave the country.

Good to know:

If you entered Chile with a permit shorter than 90 days because the border officer granted fewer days than the maximum, the first extension up to the original 90-day ceiling is free. Only extensions that push your stay beyond the initial 90 days cost USD 100.

Visa runs and border rules in Chile

Some people staying in Chile on a tourist permit choose to leave briefly for a neighboring country, such as crossing to Mendoza, Argentina, via the Los Libertadores Pass, or traveling north to Tacna, Peru, with the intention of re-entering to reset their 90-day allowance. While leaving and re-entering the country is not prohibited in itself, this practice carries real risks.

PDI border officers track travel patterns, and repeated short-duration exits flag a traveler's profile in the system. Officers have full discretion to deny re-entry if they conclude the traveler is effectively living in Chile without a resident visa. There is no guaranteed right to re-entry simply because you hold a valid passport and have previously entered legally.

SERMIG actively discourages visa runs and instead recommends that travelers wanting to remain for up to 180 days apply for the formal online Prórroga. This is both the legally secure option and the one that avoids the risk of being turned away at the border. Keep in mind that every time you re-enter Chile by land, you must complete the SAG agricultural declaration again from the start.

Consequences of overstaying in Chile and how to resolve them

Overstaying a tourist permit is an infraction under Chilean migration law and is penalized with a monetary fine ranging from 1 to 10 UTM (Unidades Tributarias Mensuales). In practical terms, this amounts to roughly USD 63 to USD 630, depending on the length of the overstay. Allowing a permit to expire for more than 180 consecutive days is classified as a serious infraction by SERMIG and will heavily affect future residency or visa applications in Chile.

The most important thing to understand about overstay fines in Chile is that they cannot be paid at the airport on the day of departure. Arriving at the boarding gate, hoping to settle a fine quickly, will result in your passport being held and your flight being missed. The process must be completed well in advance through the following steps:

1. Self-report online via the SERMIG platform's "Cálculo de Multa" tool, which calculates the exact fine owed.
2. Pay the fine electronically through the PDI platform once the amount is confirmed.
3. Obtain a clearance document confirming the fine has been settled.

This administrative process takes several days, so start it as early as possible. If you submitted an application for temporary residency through SERMIG before your Permanencia Transitoria expired, you are protected from fines while that application is being processed.

Frequently asked questions about short-stay visas for Chile

Can I work on a tourist visa in Chile?

No. The Permanencia Transitoria strictly forbids any remunerated activities. If you need to perform paid technical work or business operations in Chile, you must apply for a Temporary Resident Visa before arriving in the country. Attempting to work on a tourist permit is a violation of Chilean migration law.

How do I avoid paying the 19% VAT on hotel stays in Chile?

Foreign tourists are exempt from Chile's 19% accommodation tax when they pay for their stay in USD or with a foreign-issued credit card. At check-in, you must present your foreign passport and the PDI Tourist Card (TUM) issued to you at the border. If you cannot produce both documents, the hotel is required to apply the full tax to your bill.

What happens if I lose my PDI Tourist Card?

The Tourist Card (TUM) is a mandatory document for exiting Chile. If you lose it, you cannot leave the country until you request a digital duplicate through the PDI website or visit an International Police office. Do not wait until the day of your departure to resolve this, as the process takes time.

How much money do I need to show as financial proof at the border in Chile?

Immigration officers have the right to verify your financial situation before granting entry. The minimum legally required amount is USD 46 per person for each day of your planned stay. You can demonstrate this through cash, bank statements from the past three months, or a credit card limit certificate showing sufficient available funds.

Do children need special documents to enter Chile?

Yes. Minors under 18 traveling alone, with a third party, or with only one parent must carry an original apostilled birth certificate. They also need a notarized and legalized travel authorization from the absent parent or parents. Border officers enforce these requirements strictly, and missing documents can prevent a child from entering or exiting the country.

Can I do a visa run to Argentina to reset my 90 days in Chile?

Leaving and re-entering Chile is not prohibited, but PDI border officers track travel patterns and have full discretion to deny re-entry if they suspect a traveler is living in Chile without a resident visa. The formal 90-day extension through SERMIG is the legally secure alternative and removes the risk of being turned away at the border entirely.

Does my standard tourist entry to Chile cover a trip to Rapa Nui?

Your Permanencia Transitoria covers entry to Rapa Nui, but the island has its own specific requirements. Stays are limited to 30 days. You must complete a Single Entry Form (FUI) 48 hours before your flight, present a confirmed round-trip ticket, and show a reservation at a SERNATUR-registered accommodation or an official resident invitation from someone living on the island.

What is Decree No. 359, and does it affect me?

Decree No. 359, which took effect on September 17, 2025, requires nationals from more than 100 countries to obtain a prior consular authorization (Autorización Previa) before entering Chile as tourists. If your nationality is on that list, you can no longer arrive without pre-approval. Australia was explicitly exempted from this decree due to reciprocity. Check with the nearest Chilean consulate or the SAC platform to confirm whether the decree applies to your passport.

Can I pay my overstay fine at the airport before my flight?

No. Overstay fines cannot be processed at the airport. You must self-report online through the SERMIG platform, wait for the fine to be calculated based on your specific situation, pay it electronically through the PDI, and obtain a clearance document before heading to the airport. This process takes several days, so it must be started well ahead of your intended departure date.

Will my foreign phone be blocked if I stay in Chile on a tourist visa?

If you insert a local Chilean SIM card into a phone brought from abroad, you have 30 days to register the device's IMEI number through a certified local registrar. If you stay in Chile beyond 30 days without completing this registration, your phone will be automatically blocked from operating on Chilean cellular networks. This applies regardless of your visa status.

Have questions about visiting or moving to Chile? Join the Expat.com community to connect with expats who have been through the process and can share firsthand experience.