stan1162

Respectfully, doing all I can to keep from getting a positive case is the least I can do to go on a trip of a lifetime, that costs the same as a small car, and that I may never get to do again. And how is my desire of not getting an asymptotic, breakthrough case "hysterical" and being denied boarding???

John Portland

Just completed the Affidavit for Travellers to Chile that can be completed online starting 48 hours before entry. Since it requires uploading copies of the negative covid test results and certificate of insurance, it is helpful to have copies saved in something like GoodReader on your computer.

When the affidavit is submitted, Chile sends an email with the subject “Affidavit receipt for travellers” listing your name together and passport number, stating that you are a non-resident foreigner with validated vaccines, and providing a time by which you may enter Chile, that is 48 hours after the time of the email. In case your flight is delayed, it is probably better to not submit the affidavit at 47 hours before arrival. This emailed document is presented to the airline and upon entry to Chile. The airline requires a confirmation email using the words “Validated Vaccines” and an official looking blue “Republic of Chile” title. If the title does not appear in your email, just click on the download additional images note.

The first affidavit that we tried to fill out, that was provided through a link by the airline, had glitches where names were spelled backwards and the military time entry portals would only show 1 number after entering 4. When we pushed the send function on the form provided through the airline’s link, nothing happened. After going directly to the Chilean government site to fill out the same form, the glitches were gone. Everything worked smoothly.

stan1162

Thanks for the very detailed procedure. Our flight out the 11th is 8:43, arriving 9:00 am on the 12th. Good advice with the 48/47/46 hour before arrival tip. It's been a little challenging and a little stressful to get all of this right, but we are so fortunate to be making our Antarctica cruise this year.

iahphx

Oh, yeah, a back up plan is a good thing. When I was headed to Canada, I made an easier CVS testing appointment and stayed up until midnight 2 days in advance to get a harder Walgreens appointment. Good thing I did because the CVS technician was a no-show and I needed the Walgreens appointment. Since then, I've learned that the Walgreens testing is faster and I would try to go there first.

Personally, and unfortunately, I think I'm going to simply scrub my Chile trip because it's just a vacation and it seems like the process is too uncertain and too much trouble. If they're hysterical and don't really want me to visit, I won't.

behuman

I salute your attitude and think we all should move towards a more relaxed travel behaviour.

Let's spend our money domestically, be it US or Europe, both fantastic places many envy us.

International tourism is not very important for Chile and even countries heavily relying on it like Thailand have an even more hostile attitude which has nothing at all anymore to do with Covid.

I trust we will never forget the paranoic hostility of many places (Asia, or worse Australia / NZ) when it comes to decide where to spend our funds in the future.

Greetings from sunny Sicily.

Eastbay1K

Sounds like a lovely topic drift to /PR land, where I can read plenty of drivel about this. Here, I really just want to know the issues / complications, etc., regarding the current state of the logistics of travel.

YKS

Does anyone know how long it takes to get the test result of the PCR test at the airport upon arrival?
Is it possible to rent a car before the test result…?

John Portland

On leaving the plane, they herded us to a long line of tables where a large number of people checked our affidavit receipts, departure covid tests results, and travelers insurance policies. They handed us plastic cards, the size of a credit card, to carry. Then they herded us to a place where we entered our passport numbers into a kiosk to get a printed receipt with a unique number. This receipt is taken to the booths where the government contractor, named BiNet Labs, takes the covid tests. They have a lot of booths to take tests. There is no charge for travelers. Keep the receipt because the hotel will want to see it and the unique number permits travelers to check test results online. We returned the plastic cards on your way to immigration. Immigration handed us receipts that the hotel wanted to see. We could fill out paper or electronic declarations at customs. Then we were released into the general airport area where we were free to walk around to use restrooms, get cash from an ATM machine, and take a metered taxi that cost about 20,000 Chilean pesos. Ignore the hawkers just outside customs who charge 50,000.

Do not know if you can rent a car to drive to your place of isolation where you wait for test results. You could easily walk up to the rental counter. The car rental companies probably know whether they can rent the car before the results of the test are known.

BioNet says that the test results will be ready in 24 hours. The hotel said that some customers get results in 4, 6, 12, and 24 hours. BioNet said it will send and email when the results are known. We can also check their website to determine if the results are posted.

behuman

Thank you for this precious insight. So no own testing has to be organized / paid for. Sounds reasonable, but will not be sustainable with a large number of people. But given the development in Europe / the US, I don't think that they will allow us in in two month or so anyway.

I understand that should you be positive you won't be put in prison, sorry hospital, like in Thailand, but could isolate yourself at a place of your choice. What would happen should you have been seated near a positive person on a plane?

_fx

Thank you very much for this post -- incredibly helpful!

The first-hand account specifically said they had a large number of testing stations, and most people are getting results in under 24 hours. And it's only day 10. If anything, I'd expect the process to get better, not worse ... but I guess we'll see.

Also, can we please drop the constant off-topic Covid side commentary? We get it, you don't agree with the approach certain countries have taken. I don't either, but the Chilean government isn't reading this thread and complaining and/or snide remarks aren't going to help the rest of us figure out the processes and how to best navigate them.

Viajero Perpetuo

Knowing what happens in-country, they will contact you because of that prolonged contact scenario for a test (avoid using public transport and avoid unnecessary contact with others not part of your traveling party) and be quarantined for at least 5 days and this can be at a hotel or residence which is not shared with others not part of your traveling party.

behuman

Thank you dear Viajero Perpetuo ! Are you sure that a positive person can actually choose where he/she wants to isolate (an Airbnb for example).
The wording: "Los viajeros que resulten positivos en alguno de los test realizados en el periodo de seguimiento de viajeros de 10 días, y sus contactos estrechos, deberán realizar el aislamiento obligatoriamente en el lugar y por el periodo de tiempo que la Autoridad Sanitaria determine." on https://www.gob.cl/pasoapaso#fronteras/ implements that the authorities may forcefully lock you up in a place they choose.
At least this does not appear to be a hospital like in some places (I can not name as it is not appreciated)

John Portland

Our covid test results from SCL airport were posting in less than 4 hours. The company running the operation said to expect results within one day, but our experience was faster. When the results were available, the company sent an email inviting us to go to the website and use the number on the receipt printed by kiosk at the airport to get our results. We opened the attachments to our testing record on the site by clicking on the small green or red dots to the side giving three options for opening the official looking medical report. We were negative.

Since we plan to stay more than 72 hours in Santiago, the Latam website makes it clear that we need new tests to travel to Puerto Natales, which is ranked as a 5, or completely open. The hotel recommends using GenoSur that has three locations, including one near the airport and one near the tallest building. According to their website today, they charge $29,000 pesos or $25,000 depending on location and whether you want 4 hour or 1 day return. For $45,000 pesos (about $50 US dollars), they will visit your home, airbnb, or house to take the test with a 1 day return. No Sundays for the home visit but the others are 7 days a week with web scheduling for appointments. There is no additional testing requirement to enter Torres del Paine Park, although the US requires a test 72 hours before boarding flight to the US.

The people of Chile are friendly. They were out on the streets in large numbers last evening, eating in outdoor cafes, and enjoying the sunny 70 degree weather. It feels a little like Asia because they are wearing masks, even on the street. Local airlines require surgical or A95 types of masks, not just cloth masks. It feels safer than home. The entire process turned out to be easier than we thought it might be. Since this is new, I am trying to provide some details that I would have found helpful to have in advance.

Viajero Perpetuo

Yeah, if you show symptoms and test positive, there are sanitary residences (usually 3-4 star hotels) under direction of the health authorities where they can put you up in.

If you test negative and show no symptoms, you can quarantine for 5 days where you want as long as you follow the rules. This just happened to all the presidential candidates that were present at a debate more than a week ago where one later tested positive for COVID.

Viajero Perpetuo

Do monitor the situation as the authorities are concerned about the surge in cases in the past month where prior to that they dropped to the lowest numbers seen since this began.