Believe me, Viajero, I'm ashamed that my country has such procedures in place... I've written a letter to my congressmen about how unfair it is. As an expatriated citizen, I can't really imagine what else, as an individual, I can do to help alleviate the situation. Frankly, I'm all for abolishing all visa requirements, for all nations-- but this isn't really the right forum for that debate.

My question, however, was meant to be more practical than political. I can't figure out how a plane load of people could clear immigration and then re-board during the 45 minute stopover in PUQ; nor could I figure out how a plane carrying both domestic and international arriving passengers could arrive in the domestic terminal. If the flight arrives in the international terminal, then I suppose I could make the international-international connection without clearing immigration, and the domestic passengers would walk through immigration, much as SYD-MEL passengers do on flights numbered 399 and below.

One day, I will properly visit Chile, and I'll pay whatever visa fees they require. It's only fair. However, on this journey, as I won't actually be visiting the country, I was hoping to find out if I'd nonetheless be required clear their immigration. (I realize, of course, that US transit visas are just as much trouble as the other sorts. Again, Viajero I'm embarrassed by this-- but there's nothing more that I can do.)