Chile's $100 Visa for Americans

Boy - some of the folks around here need to lighten up abit!! The OP
asked a legitimate question. In some countries you are exempt from the
taxes or fees if you are just connecting or stay less than 24 hours.

Actually - if you want to stay in the departures area of the airport -
"in transit" you don't have to pay. You pay it when you go through
customs/immigration to leave the airport. If you are just connecting,
you can often get your boarding passes for both legs when you check in
originally. Check with your airline. But if your plans are to go out
and visit the city - you have to pay. If there is any consolation - the
$100.00 is good for the life of your passport in case you plan to go again.

raquel

ksternberg1@yahoo.com wrote:
> I will be travelling to Argentina on business, flying into Santiago
> only for the day before flying out that evening. Is there any way I can
> (legally) avoid paying the ridiculous $100 entry fee to Chile?
>
> Thank you.
>

....Um ... I don;t think the OP wanted to go to Chile: he wanted to go to
Argentina, and only had a short stopover in Chile due to his plane
connection....

I didn't see any mention of Argentina in the question about the $100 fee
that I replied to. If he is, indeed, only stopping over en route to
Argentina I don't think the fee applies; he's not entering Chile.

Wow, un gringo hablando de democracia...

WAS

<ksternberg1@yahoo.com> a écrit dans le message de news:
1157811870.843169.309770@p79g2000cwp.************. com...
> No way, Jose. I'll simply hold up a big wad a greenbacks and they'll
> bow down and let me in. Or perhaps I'll threaten to bring democracy to
> their country.
>
>
> One wrote:
>>
>> Also, I hope that with that attitude you will be refused entry to the
>> country (which is absolutely possible).
>

Hello, I have read all the posts to this question (seems confusing) and
let me inform you of what I believe to be the most recent. I was to
Chile by bus this year, and Ecuador and Bolivia... then Brazil without
paying any passport Visa fees, ever. When any foreigner enters the
international airport of Chile (Santiago), they pay $100 airport usage
fee (arrival and departure, so traveling to Chile by air will cost an
extra $200); there is no Visa fee to enter Chile by land or boat and no
Visa fee for the airport. However since you are traveling onto
Argentina, you probably won't be charged; I am not sure, though; check
with the airline to avoid this! Chile does not charge American citizens
a $100 Visa fee-Brazil does; you have to apply 6 months in advance of
your arrival to Brazil and you must must purchase the airline tickets
early (which may be the most expensive price buying in advance to show
the travel dates) and send a copy along with the application to the
Embassy in Washington D.C.; but I heard it can be done at the border
for $100, but the country from which you enter can be very corrupt and
you may "lose money" when the national police from the Peruvian or
Bolivian side search you-I recommend you travel in a large group for
safety). In Ecuador there is also no fee for the Visa to Americans.
There is probably an airport departure tax in Ecuador and Colombia like
there is in Venezuela, about $30. Each Visa is granted upon entry to
Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Boliva, up to 90 days. Peru (Lima
international) has an airport departure tax at $30.25, but it goes up a
fraction of a dollar each year. Once in 2004, I tried to enter
Argentina by land through Bolivia and I was denied a Visa because I was
with a Peruvian friend (I already had 5 Peruvian Visas in my passport
and they made some comments like they were racist). This was an unusual
experience, which you may never suffer if you travel by air to
Argentina. Good luck.


ksternberg1@yahoo.com wrote:
> I will be travelling to Argentina on business, flying into Santiago
> only for the day before flying out that evening. Is there any way I can
> (legally) avoid paying the ridiculous $100 entry fee to Chile?
>
> Thank you.

With respects, this is not true for all foreigners
The fee you pay on departure is not $100 but is a departure tax included in your air ticket cost and is the same for everyone.
I cannot remember the figure but a LOT less than $100.
It is nothing to do with the Reciprocal fee so you do not pay $200.

Chile does charge US people $100 entry
For British passports it costs zero to enter Chile by air, for Australians it costs $30. The payment is, I believe is a one time
payment for the life of your current passport.
We entered by air (Stgo) in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006 and have only paid once. In 2000, hubby had a British passport and did not pay
anything.

If you arrive by ground transport you do not pay.

Road borders between Peru and Chile, also Argentina and Chile are merely a border stamp and a little slip of paper that you
return
when leaving, as say, tourist 90 days, we have plenty experience of this.

What visa rules for business apply I have no idea but instead of speculation thro' a ng, people should check with the relevant
embassy.
A common sense thing to do.

There are strict agricultural laws for fresh produce brought into Chile - abide by them !

cheers, H, Land of Oz.

"angela l" <angelalagitana@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:1158190115.510539.47190@e63g2000cwd.********* ********...
> Hello, I have read all the posts to this question (seems confusing) and
> let me inform you of what I believe to be the most recent. I was to
> Chile by bus this year, and Ecuador and Bolivia... then Brazil without
> paying any passport Visa fees, ever. When any foreigner enters the
> international airport of Chile (Santiago), they pay $100 airport usage
> fee (arrival and departure, so traveling to Chile by air will cost an
> extra $200); there is no Visa fee to enter Chile by land or boat and no
> Visa fee for the airport. However since you are traveling onto
> Argentina, you probably won't be charged; I am not sure, though; check
> with the airline to avoid this! Chile does not charge American citizens
> a $100 Visa fee-Brazil does; you have to apply 6 months in advance of .......

snip, snip,