Protected borders: Government to authorize entry for vaccinated foreigners from October 1
Non-resident foreigners who want to enter Chile must have already validated their vaccination scheme at mevacuno.gob.cl. They must also present a negative PCR test given less than 72 hours before boarding, have a Health Passport and comply with strict self-isolation measures upon arrival in the country.
From October 1, 2021, non-resident foreigners who are fully vaccinated will be able to enter Chile. They must first apply for the Health Ministry to validate their vaccination scheme at mevacuno.gob.cl. Public Health Undersecretary Paula Daza, together with Crime Prevention Undersecretary María José Gómez and Tourism Undersecretary José Luis Uriarte, announced the new directive this Wednesday morning during the presentation of the Protected Borders strategy, which will change as of October 1.
Foreigners who wish to visit Chile must first validate their vaccination scheme at www.mevacuno.gob.cl, a process that could take up to a month. For this reason, the authorities do not recommend planning a trip to Chile before receiving validation. Travelers will only be able to enter the country via the Iquique, Antofagasta and Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benítez airports. Furthermore, they will have to upload an affidavit to the website www.c19.cl at least 48 hours before boarding. They must also show a negative PCR test given less than 72 hours before traveling and have medical insurance with a minimum coverage of US$30,000. On their arrival in Chile, they must complete a mandatory five-day period of self-isolation.
Chileans and foreign residents in Chile may enter the country via any border crossing with their affidavit and a negative PCR test given less than 72 hours before boarding. They must complete five days of self-isolation if they hold a Mobility Pass (Pase de Mobilidad) and seven if they do not have the document certifying they have completed their vaccination scheme.
Crime Prevention Undersecretary María José Gómez added that foreigners may enter Chile without a Mobility Pass, as long as they correspond to one of the categories established in the Interior and Public Security Ministry’s Decree 102. These are crew members, foreigners in transit, diplomatic personnel, etc. In these cases, however, the mandatory self-isolation period will be extended by seven days.
Undersecretary Gómez also gave a reminder that only Chileans and foreign residents in Chile that hold a Mobility Pass can leave the country. This provision does not include minors who do not hold the pass. Those who have an exceptional permit may also leave Chile. The permit can be processed and approved via the online police website (Comisaría Virtual) if it meets one of four conditions: humanitarian situations, activities essential to the functioning of the country, essential health reasons, and trips where the person does not intend to return to Chile. This exceptional permit can also be requested by minors.
Undersecretary Gómez emphasized that the Protected Borders Plan is being amended thanks to the sustained fall in the number of infections and active cases registered in recent weeks. “As the Government, we call on all citizens and foreigners, with or without Chilean residency, to act responsibly and strictly adhere to current regulations. Only in this way will we be able to maintain the freedoms that we’ve earned through such effort.”
Undersecretary Uriarte stressed that this measure will allow the entry of foreign tourists, which will be key to the reactivation and recovery of the tourism industry. “Inbound tourism represents around 40% of the industry’s income in Chile. As long as we respect the appropriate health measures, we can continue moving forward from this first step. We hope that this process is progressive and that we can continue to ease restrictions,” he stated.
The importance of travelers self-isolating
Once a person passes through the airport’s sanitary control, foreigners, Chileans and non-Chilean residents must travel in private transport directly from the airport to their declared address to complete a period of strict self-isolation. They must not spend the night elsewhere or interact with other people.
There will no longer be transit hotels. People who hold a Mobility Pass must complete five days of self-isolation at their declared address. This applies to Chileans and foreign residents vaccinated in Chile. It also applies to foreigners, Chileans and residents vaccinated abroad who have obtained their Mobility Pass by having their vaccination scheme validated by the Health Ministry. People without a Mobility Pass, however, must complete seven days of self-isolation.
“At this point I’d like to reflect on the meaning of strict self-isolation. It must be at the address the person has registered on their C19 form. Every person residing at the address alongside the traveler during the entire self-isolation period must also be declared. Nobody can leave the address - not to go to work, to school, to walk pets or carry out any other activity. Visits of any kind are also prohibited,” Undersecretary Daza explained.
She added, “if a person would like to self-isolate in a hotel, hostel, residence or anywhere similar, they can do so by registering the address on the affidavit. However, they must self-isolate in their room, and they cannot go out and interact with other people.”
Throughout the self-isolation period, the traveler’s Mobility Pass will be blocked and will controlled by the Home Isolation Control program (CAD), which is part of the Testing, Traceability and Isolation strategy. At present, more than 8,000 daily inspections are being carried out.
“During these inspections, if a person is found not to be at the address or there is anyone at the address who has not been declared as residing there, they will be sanctioned, because these are serious offenses that endanger the public health of all Chileans. In addition to being subject to investigation, their Mobility Pass can also be permanently blocked as a punitive measure,” Undersecretary Daza warned.
New Protected Borders Plan measures
• From October 1, Chileans and foreigners with a Mobility Pass will be able to leave Chile via the Iquique, Antofagasta and Arturo Merino Benítez airports (minors without a pass are not included). It will also be possible to leave the country with an exceptional permit obtained via the comisario virtual website under one of the four conditions established. Non-resident foreigners in Chile can leave the country via any authorized border crossing, as well as the abovementioned airports.
• Chileans and foreign residents in Chile may enter the country via any authorized border crossing. Non-resident foreigners with a Mobility Pass may enter via the Iquique, Antofagasta and Arturo Merino Benítez airports. To obtain the Pass, travelers must have first validated their vaccination scheme at mevacuno.gob.cl.
• People may also enter the country if they correspond to one of the categories mentioned in the Interior and Public Security Ministry’s Decree 102 (crew members, foreigners in transit, diplomatic personnel, etc.).
• Chileans and foreign residents in Chile who wish to enter the country must upload an affidavit to www.c19.cl and a negative PCR test given less than 72 hours before boarding.
• To enter Chile, non-resident foreigners must upload an affidavit to www.c19.cl, a negative PCR test given less than 72 hours before boarding, travelers’ medical insurance (minimum coverage of US$ 30,000) and the Mobility Pass obtained at mevacuno.gob.cl, having first validated their vaccination scheme.
Measures and self-isolation on entering Chile
• Strict self-isolation at the declared address (for all travelers). People with Mobility Pass: five days. People without a Mobility Pass: seven days.
• Travelers must travel to the address by direct private transport, without spending the night elsewhere or interacting with other people.
• All those residing at the address must complete the period of self-isolation.
• If the traveler prefers to self-isolate in a hotel, they cannot leave their room.
• Travelers and those residing at the address cannot leave the place of residence, receive visitors of any kind, walk pets, go to work or educational institutions, etc. They cannot use the Health Passport or Mobility Pass.
Traveler tracking
• In addition to self-isolating, all persons must comply with traveler tracking for 14 days. This consists of home inspection while the self-isolation period lasts, a daily self-report of health status and location and testing at the point of entry or at any other time during the following 14 days. In the event of a positive result or if the person has had close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, the traveler must carry out self-isolation in the place and for the time period determined by the health authorities.