South America and South Atlantic Islands

No restrictions in this travel advice

Avoid all but essential travel to part(s) of country

Avoid all but essential travel to whole country

Avoid all travel to part(s) of country

Avoid all travel to whole country

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

• Wildfires in Torres Del Paine National Park – Patagonia Chile.
  
• In December 2011, the Torres del Paine National Park was temporarily closed due to forest fires. The Chilean Government have announced that over 80% of the trails in Torres del Paine National park are have been reopened.  for the public. Local authorities and CONAF are working on the restoration plan to reforest the park.
  
• You are encouraged to check for updates on access to the Park on the Oficina Nacional de Emergencias (ONEMI) website (only available in Spanish).
  
  
• If you are a British national resident in or travelling to Chile we encourage you to register your contact details with LOCATE, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s online consular registration service.
  
  
• A chain of volcanoes erupted in southern Chile (Puyehue and the Los Lagos region), about 500 miles south of Santiago, on 4 June. The volcanoes continue to be active, although at a slower rate, and the ash still has the potential to disrupt both internal air travel in Chile and international flights. Conditions can change rapidly, so please stay in contact with your airline/travel agent for further information and re-booking options.
  
  
• For any information regarding the status of border crossings in Chile check the website of the Chilean Ministry of Public works.
  
  
• Most areas of Chile affected by the February 2010 earthquake have now returned to normal and you are unlikely to face any difficulties travelling through the country. Tremors sometimes strong, are still occasionally felt.
  
  
• There is an underlying threat from international terrorism. Attacks, although unlikely, could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. See Safety and Security - Terrorism.
  
  

• Chile has a small but significant landmine problem, see further details in the Local Travel section below.
  

• In 2010, 46,100 British passport holders arrived in Chile, though we believe this figure includes multiple arrivals of individual travellers (source: Chilean National Service of Tourism. Most visits are trouble-free.  See General - Consular Assistance Statistics. See Safety and Security - Crime.
  

• You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. See General - Insurance.

Safety and Security - Terrorism
There is a general threat from international terrorism. Attacks, although unlikely, could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

There are occasional acts of low level domestic terrorism by anarchist groups, mostly in Santiago. On 15 July 2007, a bomb exploded outside the British Embassy causing some structural damage but no casualties. There is no evidence of an ongoing threat to British nationals but travellers are advised to remain vigilant.

See our Terrorism Abroad page.

Safety and Security - Crime
Pickpocketing and other thefts are common throughout Chile, particularly around well-known tourist sites, bus stations and areas of Santiago frequented by foreigners such as Las Condes, Vitacura and Providencia. You should pay particular attention to your belongings in popular foreign cafes, restaurants and internet cafes where there has been an increase in bag theft.

You should not leave luggage unattended, and should be particularly attentive at bus terminals, restaurants and whilst travelling up to the north of Chile, around the Atacama desert and specifically San Pedro, as well as through the Lake District (Pucon, Villarrica) as there has been a rise in theft in these areas. You are advised not to put any valuables in the storage compartments of buses and coaches - keep them with you at all times.

There have also been occasional reports of muggings, sometimes by armed groups, in popular Santiago walking or scenic areas such as Cerro San Cristobal, Cerro Santa Lucia and Cerro Manquehue. You are therefore advised to take great care with your belongings, keep in groups and not walk alone late at night.  When travelling by taxi you are advised to book in advance rather than hailing from the street, especially late at night. There have been a few reports of people being given ‘spiked’ drinks in nightclubs and bars, particularly in the Suecia and Bellavista areas of Santiago. These can have the effect of causing short-term amnesia, leaving the victim open to theft or worse.

You are advised to leave your passport, tourist card (given upon entry into Chile), most bank cards and larger amounts of money in a safe place and to carry a photocopy of the details page of your passport with you at all times.

See our Victims of Crime Abroad page.

Safety and Security - Public Safety
Previously reported unrest in Punta Arenas and Easter Island is now over and there are currently no public safety issues in Chile.

Safety and Security - Local Travel
Chile has a small but significant landmine problem. Landmine accidents mainly affect livestock and small numbers of local people crossing the borders at unauthorised crossing points. Minefields are located primarily in border areas adjacent to Peru and Bolivia in the extreme north of Chile, Regions XV, I and II, and Argentina in the south in Region XII. Although most minefields are clearly marked, some signs and fences have been subjected to the effects of weather or vandalism and may be hard to recognise, particularly in the north of the country. Minefields are, in some cases, laid right up to the edge of highways. You should also be aware that there are mined areas in six government-protected wilderness areas in Regions XV, I, II in the north and XII in the south. You are advised to check with local authorities before travelling to these areas, stick to clearly marked roads and observe all warning signs.  There is a map here produced by the National Commission for Humanitarian De-mining

If you wish to go exploring or mountaineering, we recommend that you notify the local authorities of your intended expedition before you set off. For further information on mountaineering you should contact the Federación de Andinismo de Chile, at Almirante Simpson 77, Santiago, Chile, Tel: (56 2) 2220888.  For any other type of exploring, we advise that you contact the Chilean Embassy in London, to see if any permits are required. There are good rescue facilities in Chile.  You may be charged for the service provided.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Road Travel
To drive in Chile, you will require a valid international driving licence or new European format driving licence (with a photograph). Car hire is possible throughout Chile and the most well known firms are represented. You are advised to take out adequate insurance including for windscreen damage, which can be expensive.

If hiring a car on Easter Island, please be aware that there is no car insurance available on the island.  In case of accidents or of any damage to the vehicle, travellers will have to pay personally for the repairs.

Main roads in Chile are paved. However, you may wish to consider a four-wheel drive vehicle for driving in the countryside. Chile contains a complete range of driving conditions, from snow and ice to hot sandy deserts. Road tolls are increasingly common. Between June and September, winter weather sometimes temporarily closes Chilean/Argentine border crossings high up in the Andes, including the main Los Libertadores one between Santiago and Mendoza.

For more general information see Driving Abroad.

Safety and Security - Political Situation

Chile Country Profile

Nationwide protests often take place on 11 September (anniversary of the military coup) and 1 May (Workers’ Day). They frequently become violent. The largest protests usually take place in central Santiago. Demonstrations have in the past resulted in destruction to property and arrests.  Police can use tear gas and water cannons against protesters.  You should avoid political protests, particularly on these dates. Other public demonstrations, often led by students or indigenous rights defenders, can occur sporadically around Chile.  Please try to avoid such demonstrations.

The consumption and possession of drugs is illegal. Homosexuality is legal in Chile. It is increasingly widely accepted socially, although much of Chilean society is conservative.

See our Your trip page.

Entry Requirements - Visas

If you are a British passport holder visiting Chile for less than 90 days, you do not require a visa.  If you wish to stay longer, you should consult the nearest Chilean Embassy.  On arrival in Chile the Immigration Authorities will issue you with a “Tarjerta de Turismo - Tourist Card”, an A5 sized white form. You need to retain this document and present it to Immigration on leaving the country. Once in Chile, if you decide to stay for 90 days or more, you should approach the Chilean Immigration Department located in An Antonio 580, Santiago.  Tel: 56 2 550 2469.

Entry Requirements - Passport validity

You must hold a valid passport to enter Chile. Your passport must be valid for the proposed duration of your stay. No additional period of validity beyond this is required. However, it is always sensible to have a short period of extra validity on your passport in case of any unforeseen delays to your departure. You do not have to wait until your old passport expires to apply to renew it. Any time left on your old passport when you apply will be added to your new passport, up to a maximum of nine months. For passport applications in the UK, you should apply to the Identity and Passport Service.

British-Chilean dual nationals may enter Chile using their British passport, but may require a Chilean passport to leave the country. Chilean entry and exit requirements for dual nationals may change without notice.

Entry/Exit Requirements - Travelling with children   

For information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the Chilean Embassy in London.

Chile has strict requirements for the entry and exit of minors under the age of 18.

Children born in Chile require a Chilean passport to leave.

A minor who entered Chile as a tourist should leave on departure with the same adult companion with whom they entered Chile. Upon entering Chile, the details of the adult companion will be noted on the minor’s immigration record. If the minor is required to exit alone or with a different party, a letter of consent from both parents to exit Chile will be needed. If the minor entered Chile with both parents but is exiting with only one parent, a letter of consent will be required from the non-travelling parent. All letters of consent must be obtained from a notary public in Chile or if outside the country, from the local Chilean Embassy or Consulate.

British minors resident in Chile and departing alone or in the company of another party, will be required to submit an authorisation executed before a local notary public from the non-travelling parent(s).

Please contact the local Chilean authorities or the Chilean Embassy in London for further information.

Entry Requirements - Emergency Travel Document (ETD)

If you lose your passport while in Chile, we may in certain circumstances be able to issue an Emergency Travel Document (ETD). Please be aware that, if you are an ETD holder and you wish to travel on to Argentina or to the USA, you will need to obtain a visit visa for those countries.

There are good health facilities in Santiago and the major cities, but private clinics and hospitals are expensive. Air pollution in Santiago during winter (June-September) is a major problem. You may therefore suffer from eye irritation and respiratory problems.

There are sporadic cases of cholera outside Santiago and typhoid and Hepatitis B are fairly common, especially during the warm season, which lasts from December to March in central Chile. (Cholera and Typhoid are food and water borne diseases).

Dengue fever is common to Latin America and the Caribbean and can occur throughout the year.  In Chile the only area reported still to be occasionally affected is Easter Island (Isla de Pascua). No fatalities have been reported.

In the 2010 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 39,000 adults aged 15 or over in Chile were living with HIV; the prevalence percentage was estimated at around 0.4% of the adult population compared to the prevalence percentage in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

Seek medical advice before travelling to Chile and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention visit the websites of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

See our Travel Health and Eat and Drink Safely pages.

Natural Disasters - Volcanoes

A chain of volcanoes erupted in Chile (Puyehue and the Los Lagos region), 500 miles south of Santiago, in June 2011 and are still active. There is a continuing risk of eruptions in Chaiten in southern Chile, Llaima in the Conguillo National Park and Lascar in northern Chile.

Natural Disasters - Earthquakes
An earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale struck 285 miles south west of the capital of Santiago in the early hours of 27 February 2010. Most affected areas have now returned to normality and you are unlikely to face any difficulties travelling through the country. Tremors, sometimes strong are still occasionally felt.

Future serious earthquakes are always a possibility; however, building regulations require new structures to take account of seismic risks. Safety measures are widely known and put into practice by national organisations and local authorities. You are advised to monitor the local press for government warnings and updates. Please also refer to the Chilean national emergency (Oficinal Nacional de Emergencia) website www.onemi.cl (Spanish language only) for further information.

General - Insurance
You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. Check for any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See our Travel Insurance page.

Only one hospital offers attention on Easter Island and its facilities are limited. Therefore it is very important for travellers to purchase travel insurance that includes emergency evacuation, as those suffering from serious illnesses or injuries are often flown by air ambulance to mainland Chile for treatment.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas then see our When Things Go Wrong page.

General - Registering with the British Embassy
Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency.

General - Money
ATMs are widely available. Be aware that your debit or credit card company is likely to charge you for using an ATM overseas.

Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard and, to a lesser extent, American Express) are accepted in most large shops and hotels. Dollar travellers’ cheques are more widely accepted than travellers’ cheques in other currencies. It is possible to transfer money from the UK to Chile through Western Union.

Tourists arriving on Easter Island can now buy a wristband at the airport for US$50, which gives five days admission to the national park sites.  This is cheaper than buying tickets on entering the sites themselves.

General - Consular Assistance Statistics
In 2010, 46,100 British passport holders arrived in Chile, though we believe this figure includes multiple arrivals of individual travellers (source: Chilean National Service of Tourism). Most visits are trouble-free. 18 British nationals required consular assistance in Chile in the period 01 April 2010 - 31 March 2011 for the following types of incident; four deaths; five hospitalisations and five arrests, for a variety of offences.

Contact Details
If you are a British national visiting Chile for more than a brief period, you are advised to register on arrival at British Embassy in Santiago, Chile.