If you are considering visiting Chile, the first thing you should figure out, is to know if you need to get a tourist visa (Visto Consular de Turismo) before traveling.

What countries (passports) need to obtain a tourist visa before traveling to Chile?

If you are going to visit Chile using with one of the following passports, you will need to apply for a Consular Tourist Visa through tramites.minrel.gov.cl before you travel:

A:

AFGHANISTAN, ALGERIA, ANGOLA, ASYLEES, AUSTRALIA (from May 9, 2020), and AZERBAIJAN

B:

BAHRAIN, BANGLADESH, BELARUS, BENIN, BHUTAN, BOTSWANA, BRUNEI DARUSSALAM, BURKINA FASO, and BURUNDI.

C:

CAMBODIA, CAMEROON, CAPE VERDE, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, CHAD, CHINA, COMOROS ISLANDS, CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE), CONGO (EX-ZAIRE), and CUBA.

D:

DJIBOUTI, DOMINICA, and DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

E:

EASTERN TIMOR, EGYPT, EQUATORIAL GUINEA, ERITREA, and ETHIOPIA.

G:

GABON, GAMBIA, GHANA, GUINEA, and GUINEA BISSAU.

H:

HAITI.

I:

INDIA, IRAN, IRAQ, and IVORY COAST.

J:

JORDAN.

K:

KAZAKHSTAN, KENYA, KIRIBATI, KOSOVO, KUWAIT and KYRGYZSTAN.

L:

LAOS, LEBANON, LESOTHO, LIBERIA, and LIBYA.

M:

MADAGASCAR, MALAWI, MALDIVES, MALI, MARSHALL ISLANDS, MAURITANIA, MICRONESIA, MOROCCO, MOZAMBIQUE, and MYANMAR.

N:

NAMIBIA, NAURU, NEPAL, NIGER, NIGERIA, and NORTH KOREA.

O:

OMAN.

P:

PAKISTAN, PALAU, PALESTINE, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, and PHILIPPINES.

Q:

QATAR.

R:

REFUGEES and RWANDA.

S:

SAMOA, SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE, SAUDI ARABIA, SENEGAL, SEYCHELLES, SIERRA LEONE, SOLOMON ISLANDS, SOMALIA, SOUTH, SUDAN, SRI LANKA, STATELESSNESS, SUDAN, SURINAME, SWAZILAND, and SYRIA.

T:

TAJIKISTAN, TANZANIA, TOGO, TUNISIA, TURKMENISTAN, and TUVALU.

U:

UGANDA and UZBEKISTAN.

V:

VANUATU and VENEZUELA.

Y:

YEMEN.

Z:

ZAMBIA and ZIMBABWE.

If you need to obtain a Consular Tourist Visa (“Visto Consular de Turismo”) you must apply for one online with at least 1 month in advance through tramites.minrel.gov.cl.

If your country is not in the list, it means that you don’t need to apply for a tourist visa before traveling to Chile. You will receive one on arrival (Tarjeta de Turismo).

How much is a tourist visa to Chile?

The cost of the tourist visa and the length of stay will depend on the nationality (passport). The following table contains the list of nationalities that need to obtain a Consular Tourist Visa, the length of stay and the price to pay:

  • SimTouVis: Simple Tourist Visa. Just one entry.
  • MulTouVis: Multiple Tourist Visa. Multiple entries during the length of the visa.
  • US$: United States Dollar.
  • TBA: To be announced.
  • N/A: Not applicable. A multiple tourist visa is not available in this case.

You can find the official list published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile containing the type of visas currently available and their cost for 201 countries here.

Can you extend your tourist visa in Chile?

Yes, you can. There are two cases:

  • Ampliación de Turismo: In some cases, the authority may decide to grant a tourist visa for less than 90 days. By applying for a “Ampliación de Turismo” you will be able to extend your tourist visa for up to 90 days. This process has no cost; AND,
  • Prórroga de Turismo: When you were given a 90 day tourist visa and you want to extend it for another 90 days (180 days in total). This process has a cost of US$100.

What are the documents needed to extend a tourist visa in Chile?

Ampliación de Turismo

  • Copy of your passport containing the page with the identification details: passport number, date of issue, expiry date; and also the page which has the entry stamp. The date of the appointment (if you live outside the Metropolitan Region) you will need to carry your passport as well; AND,
  • Tourism Card (Tarjeta de Turismo) – the original and a copy of the same. You will get this white paper on arrival.

You can check the official list of requirements here.

Prórroga de Turismo

  • Copy of your passport containing the page with the identification details: passport number, date of issue, expiry date; and also the page which has the entry stamp. The date of the appointment (if you live outside the Metropolitan Region) you will need to carry your passport as well; AND,
  • Tourism Card (Tarjeta de Turismo) – the original and a copy of the same. You will get this white paper on arrival; AND,
  • US$100.

You can check the official list of requirements here.

How to extend a tourist visa in Chile?

Both the “Ampliación de Turismo” and the “Prórroga de Turismo” can be obtained through tramites.extranjeria.gob.cl

If you are applying for a “Prórroga de Turismo” which has a cost involved, of US$100, you will have to wait for an email sent by Extranjería with the payment order which you will have to print and pay at any commercial bank or ServiEstado in Chile.

After you pay, you need to go back to tramites.extranjeria.gob.cl, select the same process again (Prórroga de Turismo), but this time, you will have to choose “Paso dos: Envío de orden de pago”.

Then, attach the receipt, complete the form, and then submit the application. After your application gets reviewed you will receive an email with the extension.

What if you overstay your Tourist Visa?

You must pay a penalty (fine) in order to be able to leave Chile.

If you are staying within the Metropolitan Region

You must calculate and pay the fine online through tramites.extranjeria.gob.cl choosing the process named “Cálculo de Multa Extranjero“:

After you pay and obtain the receipt, you will have 10 days to apply for a residency visa or to leave the country.

Note: You cannot apply for a Tourist Visa within Chile.

If you are staying outside the Metropolitan Region

You must pay the penalty (fine) through the closest Gobernación Provincial or Intendencia.

You can find a map with all the Extranjería offices throughout Chile here.

If you are having troubles communicating with the Gobernación Prinvicial or Intendencia, you can contact them directly through:

Can you work under a tourist visa in Chile?

Yes, you can work for periods of 30 days, paying (every 30-day period) 150% of what a work visa cost – based on your nationality – during the length of your tourist visa.

What are the documents you need to gather if you want to work under a tourist visa?

  • Copy of your passport containing the page with the identification details: passport number, date of issue, expiry date; and also the page which has the entry stamp. The date of the appointment you will need to carry your passport as well; AND,
  • Tourism Card (Tarjeta de Turismo) – the original and a copy of the same. You will get this white paper on arrival; AND,
  • Work contract signed by both parties at any Notary Public; or a letter issued by the company in which you will work, indicating the details of the parties and work to perform (it has to be signed by both parties at any Notary Public as well).

You can check the official list of requirements here.

How to apply for a work permit under a tourist visa

Just head over to tramites.extranjeria.gob.cl and select “Permiso de Trabajo como Turista“:

Once there, you will need to follow 2 steps to obtain the permit:

1) Step one: Apply for the Permit. In the first part you must complete the form with your personal information and attach the documentation required. After this step your application will be analyzed. If you meet all the requirements, you will receive an e-mail with the payment order, which you will have to print and pay at any commercial bank or ServiEstado.

2) Step two: Send the Payment Order. In the second part you must attach the payment order (already paid) and complete the form. As soon as the application it is analyzed, you will receive an e-mail with the permit and the instructions to finish the process.

Can you extend the work permit?

Yes, you can, as many times as you wish during the length of your tourist visa. Bear in mind that each time you apply for an extension you will have to pay the full amount again (150% of the cost of a work visa based on your nationality).

It follows the same process explained before, but this time you have to present the following documentation:

  • Copy of your passport containing the page with the identification details: passport number, date of issue, expiry date; and also the page which has the entry stamp. The date of the appointment you will need to carry your passport as well; AND,
  • Your current work permit; AND,
  • A document signed before any Notary Public, stating that you continue working for the same company and in which position.

You can check the official list of requirements here (second page).

Can you switch from a tourist visa to a residency visa?

Yes, you can. You need to do so before your tourist visa expires.

You can apply for a:

  • Work Visa (Visa Sujeta a Contrato); OR,
  • Temporary Visa (Visa de residencia temporaria); OR,
  • Student Visa (Visa de estudiante).

You may hear that there’s a new immigration law and because of it you are no longer allowed to make the switch, but is not true.

Yes, there’s a bill being discussed on the Congress which will eventually change the current immigration policy in Chile, BUT it hasn’t been approved yet.

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