Source: Government of Chile
The Undersecretary of the Interior, Juan Francisco Galli, together with the Undersecretary of Public Health, Paula Daza, unveiled the Step-by-Step Border Opening Plan, which includes three fundamental pillars: gradualism, security and traceability.
As of November 23 at 00.00 hours, foreigners may enter the country only through (Santiago’s) Arturo Merino Benitez international airport, complying with all health requirements.
“On March 18th we closed the borders to any Chilean or non-resident foreigner in our country. Our country took measures that were consistent with protecting the right of Chileans and residents who could return to our country. As progress has been made, the President has arranged to make the borders more flexible only and exclusively through the Arturo Merino Benítez airport, subject to restrictive and sanitary measures”, explained Undersecretary Galli.
Undersecretary Daza, meanwhile, explained that foreigners to be able to board a plane and arrive in Chile must meet three requirements: a PCR taken 72 hours before boarding the plane, a mandatory health insurance that covers the benefits associated with Covid -19 and their health passport that they must complete at www.c19.cl
However, during the first two weeks of opening this border, between November 23 and December 7, foreigners who come from high-risk countries, according to the WHO classification, will have to keep a fourteen-day quarantine in the country. This list is published weekly on its website by the World Health Organization.
This, explained the undersecretary, will allow us to analyze the situation of the country with the opening of the borders and protect the citizens.
In addition and during their stay, foreigners must inform their state of health and where they are on a platform that will be announced next week for 14 days. “This has to do with the pillar of the traceability plan. We need to know how and where the people who enter are”, said the undersecretary.
In this sense, the health authority explained that, “failure to comply with the mandatory monitoring for 14 days may risk serious penalties for the foreigner who does not do so. Not only does he/she risks fines according to the Sanitary Code, he/she can also be taken to a sanitary residence whose costs will have to be self-financed and even expulsion to his country of origin might apply.”
All foreigners who enter the country must comply with the country’s sanitary measures such as use of a mask, prohibition of circulating in quarantined communes and respect curfews.
Chilean Travelers
As of 23 November 2020, Chileans and foreigners residing in Chile who travel and return to the country, must also meet a series of requirements.
They can enter without a negative PCR test, but they will have to quarantine for 14 days. They can be exempted from this quarantine if a negative PCR result is carried out during this time.
They can also present their negative PCR from the country they come from with a maximum age of 72 hours before boarding the plane that returns them to Chile. They must also complete the Affidavit of the Sanitary Passport.
Like foreigners, they must fill out their data for 14 days on the platform that will be released next week.
“We are opening the borders with prudence, taking the necessary safeguards. We hope that this will facilitate reunions, especially of those binational families that have been separated with all the necessary self-care measures to avoid infection. Chileans and foreigners, I ask that we take care of each other” said Daza.