On November 15, 2021, the Chilean government announced major changes to the country’s border restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The revised version of the “Protected Borders Plan” will go into effect on December 1. The government’s move follows another relaxation of entry and exit restrictions earlier this month.
Relaxed Entry and Exit Requirements
Notable updates to the Protected Borders Plan include:
- All exit restrictions are lifted. Travelers will be able to leave Chile regardless of nationality, age, or vaccination status.
- Travelers who have received a booster dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine will be able to enter Chile without undergoing quarantine or testing requirements. The booster dose must be from within the past six months and must be stated on the traveler’s Pase de Movilidad (Mobility Pass).
- Foreign nationals holding a Pase de Movilidad may enter the country through the border crossings at Chacalluta (Región de Arica y Parinacota), Colchane (Región de Tarapacá) and Pino Hachado (Región de La Araucanía). Such foreign nationals may also continue to enter through the Iquique, Antofagasta, Santiago, and Punta Arenas airports.
- Children under age 6 may enter the country regardless of nationality or vaccination status.
Travelers who hold a Pase de Movilidad but have not received a booster shot must undergo COVID-19 testing upon arrival and must quarantine until a negative test result is received.
Salvoconducto for Unvaccinated Foreign Nationals
Nonresident foreign nationals who do not hold a Pase de Movilidad and who do not have their vaccines validated may still enter Chile by securing a “Salvoconducto” (Safe Passage). Nonresident foreign nationals may be eligible for a Salvoconducto if they meet any of the exceptions listed in Supreme Decree No. 102. The exceptions include foreign nationals who, for reasons which may not be postponed, must enter the country for business management purposes, paying special attention to the convenience or usefulness of the country. Regardless of their nationality, nonresident foreign nationals who enter with a Salvoconducto must undergo PCR testing for COVID-19 and complete a five-day quarantine without exception, even if the result of the PCR test is negative.
Please continue monitoring COVID-19 legal developments on our blog, The Mobile Workforce.