Disclaimer: The travel rules and official government instructions are changing rapidly during the pandemic times and this article might NOT be up to date within a matter of hours. Therefore, you should always double-check the information with local authorities or your embassy in a given destination. Traveling Lifestyle does not take any responsibility for your decision to travel during pandemic.
October 16. COVID-19 has changed the world as we knew it. At the beginning of 2020, few people could have predicted that the pandemic would turn into what it has. Now, as things have progressed countries are beginning to reopen their borders.
Unfortunately, that is not Chile’s case, a country that is currently struggling with a pandemic the authorities consider still out of control. As of today, just a handful of foreign nationals have access to the country and only under special circumstances.
Keep reading to learn about the steps you need to follow to be granted access and the possible reopening dates.
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– Argentina Reopening Borders – All You Need to Know
– BRAZIL already fully OPEN for tourists – All You Need to Know
– Bolivia started reopening for international flights
Chile Reopening Borders – NEWEST UPDATE (Oct 17)
October 17.
- Chile continues under national curfew from 11:00 pm to 5:00 am, nationwide. Beginning on October 2, some territories have extended the curfew schedule from 8:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
- Borders reopening has been postponed and the government hasn’t announced any news or updates for the opening plan.
- Wearing a face mask is mandatory in all public spaces nation-wide.
- The government extended the existing state of emergency until December 11.
September 20.
- Chile is still under national curfew and struggling to stop the spread of the COVID virus.
- Back in September, the country had 446,274 positive coronavirus cases and 12,286 recorded deaths. (source)
August 20.
- Chile continues to keep its borders closed for tourism. There are also guidelines in place for those who choose to travel there for other reasons.
Guidelines for traveling in Chile during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Traveling for tourism or other recreational purposes is forbidden at the moment. Only Chilean citizen and residents are allowed entry to the country.
- However, there can be exceptions to who is permitted to enter in case of emergencies. Contact your embassy to see if you qualify to travel in case of an emergency. If you are granted entrance, you will undergo health screenings at your port of entry and will need to observe a 14-day quarantine.
- Anyone who arrives in Santiago, Chile must quarantine in Santiago for two weeks before being permitted to travel elsewhere. There are no exceptions to the quarantine rule.
- In order to gain an exception for this rule, you must visit the Comisaria Virtual, or whichever police station is nearest to you. In addition, it’s mandatory to use a face covering, such as a mask, in all urban areas throughout the entire nation.
- There are also restrictions on group gatherings and movement between cities, which have the possibility of becoming even stricter depending on the continuity of severity for the pandemic.
How is the pandemic situation in Chile now?
The main reason travel restrictions are so strict in Chile is because of the large number of positive COVID-19 cases. As of October 16, the country has reported 486,496 positive cases and 13434 deaths.
According to the Center for Disease Control, Chile is still at a phase 4 outbreak, which means that the disease is continuing to spread rapidly throughout the community and is currently uncontrolled.
Are Americans allowed entry to Chile now?
Currently, American citizens are not permitted to enter Chile unless in cases of emergency. However, should you enter the country as an American, you must strictly follow all guidelines put in place by the Chilean government.
Chile Reopening Plan
“Paso a Paso’ (Step by Step) is the reopening plan for Chile. Each neighborhood within Chile is on its own step by step phase of reopening depending on how cases are advancing within each location.
The four steps are (with Paso 1 being the most severe and Paso 4 being the least):
- Paso 1 (Step 1) – Quarantine,
- Paso 2 (Step 2) – Transition,
- Paso 3 (Step 3) – Preparation,
- Paso 4 (Step 4) – Initial Opening
COVID-19 Testing in Chile
While taking a COVID-19 test is not a requirement to enter Chile, there are options to take one once there.
These tests are available at all hospitals and clinics, both public and private, and they are available to anyone whether or not you have symptoms.
However, unless you have a Chilean healthcare plan, you will have to pay out of pocket for a test.
Tourism in Chile
While the COVID-19 situation may look dire, there is no reason to not begin gathering ideas for when you can visit this amazing country. Chile is a beautiful country with amazing scenery and culture.
Between hiking and wine-tasting, there are an endless variety of local attractions. Some must-dos include taking a trip to Easter Island, visiting the Atacama Desert, enjoying the local cuisine, viewing street art in Valparaiso and spending some time in Chile’s capital, Santiago.
There are endless opportunities for things to do and explore, and while they may not be accessible to the public at the current moment, it is important to remember that they will be at some point in time. For now, you can still spend your time planning your ideal vacation to Chile so that you can be prepared for when things open again.
Conclusion
Although times have changed, it is important to remain optimistic. COVID-19 will eventually be under control, but while we wait, why not be productive and plan our upcoming trips? After all, Chile is worth it.