Mar 2, 2014, 8:47 am
Last edit by: JDiver
Signed in members with 90 days / 90 posts can edit this Wikipost; wiki contents may be printed by using the 
(lower right wiki corner)
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows nationals of designated member participants to travel to the United States for tourism or business (B visa category) purposes for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.
On February 28, 2014, Chile was designated as a member of the Visa Waiver Program, bringing the total to 38 countries. Beginning May 1, 2014, Chilean nationals may travel to the United States under the VWP.
Chilean travellers to the US no longer need a visa but must pay the US $14 ESTA fee; passport holders from certain countries may travel without visas, so long as their passports meet certain requirements. Link to USCBP ESTA application web page.
Chilean passport holders should note: only an electronic passport or e-passport (one with a chip that holds biographical data) will be accepted for the VWP. These have been issued in Chile since Sept. 2, 2013. Link to US Embassy in Santiago web pages with further information
US Passport holders visiting Chile are exempt (as of 26 Feb 2014) from the visa reciprocity fee of US $160 paid previously (for a multiple entry visa valid for the life of the passport in which it is entered); Link to SCL Airport site stating reciprocity fee no longer collected from US passport holders (reciprocity still applies to Albanians, Australians, Canadians and Mexicans - link).
Canadian passport holders are now exempted from recipripocity fees 11 Jan 2015)
Link to TIMATIC Web offered by Star Alliance to check visa requirements.
Earlier, speculative posts (prior to announcement and implementation) may be found in End Of Chilean Reciprocity Fee? [Archival].
(lower right wiki corner)The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows nationals of designated member participants to travel to the United States for tourism or business (B visa category) purposes for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.
On February 28, 2014, Chile was designated as a member of the Visa Waiver Program, bringing the total to 38 countries. Beginning May 1, 2014, Chilean nationals may travel to the United States under the VWP.
Chilean travellers to the US no longer need a visa but must pay the US $14 ESTA fee; passport holders from certain countries may travel without visas, so long as their passports meet certain requirements. Link to USCBP ESTA application web page.
Chilean passport holders should note: only an electronic passport or e-passport (one with a chip that holds biographical data) will be accepted for the VWP. These have been issued in Chile since Sept. 2, 2013. Link to US Embassy in Santiago web pages with further information
US Passport holders visiting Chile are exempt (as of 26 Feb 2014) from the visa reciprocity fee of US $160 paid previously (for a multiple entry visa valid for the life of the passport in which it is entered); Link to SCL Airport site stating reciprocity fee no longer collected from US passport holders (reciprocity still applies to Albanians, Australians, Canadians and Mexicans - link).
Canadian passport holders are now exempted from recipripocity fees 11 Jan 2015)
Link to TIMATIC Web offered by Star Alliance to check visa requirements.
Earlier, speculative posts (prior to announcement and implementation) may be found in End Of Chilean Reciprocity Fee? [Archival].
End Of Chilean Reciprocity Fee! [Entry into US Visa Waiver Program Feb 2014]
Nov 26, 2014, 7:00 am
#46
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: US expat somewhere south of Valpo, Chilezuela
Programs: On the way to lowly LATAM Gold, AA, MiClub Lider
Posts: 853
Nov 28, 2014, 10:22 am
#48
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,849
UPDATE: As of the morning 11/28 5:30 am local time. The Canadian Flags were all posted on the Reciprocity Signs (however all the booths were closed to ask). Seems to me its still active for the Canadians..
Nov 29, 2014, 2:15 pm
#49
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: YYZ
Programs: AAdvantage, Aeroplan, Flying Blue
Posts: 662
The reason is political. In February, the (right of center) Piñera government eliminated the fee for Americans as soon as they were certain that the US government would admit Chileans to the US under the Visa Waiver Program. They were motivated by the fact that the political party of Piñera had already been voted out of power and (left of center) Michelle Bachelet was within two weeks of taking office as President. Piñera's haste to eliminate the fee was simply part of his effort to take as much credit as possible for the new visa-free freedom of Chileans to travel to the US, and to deny same to Bachelet.
There is no similar election-cycle pressure on Bachelet, so they're not moving as rapidly. Nevertheless, Canadians planning to travel to Chile can rest assured that the fee will be promptly eliminated. For the Chilean government it was never a revenue enhancing scheme, as many FlyerTalk posters have suggested over the years.
Dec 8, 2014, 12:21 pm
#50
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 972
Has anyone been through SCL in the past couple of days and seen if the Canadian reciprocity fee has been dropped? Its more than 15 days since Canada dropped the visa requirement for Chileans so I'm hoping the reciprocity fee is gone.
If anyone has been in SCL, I'd be grateful for an update.
If anyone has been in SCL, I'd be grateful for an update.
Dec 8, 2014, 12:26 pm
#51
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,849
Has anyone been through SCL in the past couple of days and seen if the Canadian reciprocity fee has been dropped? Its more than 15 days since Canada dropped the visa requirement for Chileans so I'm hoping the reciprocity fee is gone.
If anyone has been in SCL, I'd be grateful for an update.
If anyone has been in SCL, I'd be grateful for an update.
Dec 9, 2014, 8:23 am
#52
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: YYZ
Programs: AAdvantage, Aeroplan, Flying Blue
Posts: 662
Has anyone been through SCL in the past couple of days and seen if the Canadian reciprocity fee has been dropped? Its more than 15 days since Canada dropped the visa requirement for Chileans so I'm hoping the reciprocity fee is gone.
If anyone has been in SCL, I'd be grateful for an update.
If anyone has been in SCL, I'd be grateful for an update.
I will be flying into SCL on Saturday and will provide an update then.
Jan 12, 2015, 8:47 am
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,418
I wonder if the elimination of the $160 fee will boost tourism to Chile. I just booked my family of 4 for a trip later this year. We've been to Chile several times and, honestly, I probably would have looked at another vacation destination if I had to fork over $640 for us to enter the country. So they've got at least 4 more tourists this year. 
Jan 12, 2015, 10:18 am
#56
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold, NEXUS, GE, ABTC/APEC, South Korea SES, eIACS, PP, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 16,046
I wonder if the elimination of the $160 fee will boost tourism to Chile. I just booked my family of 4 for a trip later this year. We've been to Chile several times and, honestly, I probably would have looked at another vacation destination if I had to fork over $640 for us to enter the country. So they've got at least 4 more tourists this year.
Jan 12, 2015, 12:32 pm
#57
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: Double OWE (AA EXP, QF Plat), FI Gold
Posts: 1,887
Since moving here in 2009 I know of quite a few people who were excited to come but then had an additional $500 or more to add to their budget when they learned of the reciprocity fee and decided to go elsewhere. I don't think that there's going to be a significant gain to Chile's tourism just because of the elimination of the fee, but it certainly can't hurt.
Jan 12, 2015, 3:59 pm
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,418
Since moving here in 2009 I know of quite a few people who were excited to come but then had an additional $500 or more to add to their budget when they learned of the reciprocity fee and decided to go elsewhere. I don't think that there's going to be a significant gain to Chile's tourism just because of the elimination of the fee, but it certainly can't hurt.
That said, FREQUENT South American travelers -- and these people undoubtedly make up a larger percentage of total S.A. travelers -- know about these fees, and a significant percentage of this group would at least consider the fee cost when deciding whether a visit was "worth it." For families, the Chilean fee was particularly nasty because -- in addition to having to pay for each traveler (when you have a family, $160 a pop adds up), the entry sticker was only good for the life of the passport. USA childrens' passports are only good for 5 years. You can see the disincentive.
Jan 13, 2015, 7:06 am
#59
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: Double OWE (AA EXP, QF Plat), FI Gold
Posts: 1,887
The INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas) publishes a very complete report each year. The 2014 report isn't available yet, but here's the link to 2013's:
http://www.ine.cl/canales/chile_esta...rismo_2013.pdf
http://www.ine.cl/canales/chile_esta...rismo_2013.pdf
Jan 13, 2015, 11:16 am
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,418
The INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas) publishes a very complete report each year. The 2014 report isn't available yet, but here's the link to 2013's:
http://www.ine.cl/canales/chile_esta...rismo_2013.pdf
http://www.ine.cl/canales/chile_esta...rismo_2013.pdf