Current travel situation to Chile
Nov 11, 2021, 9:52 am
#91
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: my heart is on the shores of the north Italian lakes
Programs: LX Senator Lifetime, Relais&Chateaux Club5C, ex ! "Amanjunkie", ex LHW LC, hate chain hotels
Posts: 2,515
It is indeed only for Magallanes that you need a PCR test even with the Paso de Movilidad. Otherwise donestic travel is unrestricted including Aysen.
Nov 11, 2021, 11:40 am
#92
Join Date: Nov 2021
Posts: 1
I am planning on traveling to Chile at the end of the month and recently recovered from a breakthrough COVID case (I am fully vaccinated). It is possible, however, to recover from COVID and continue to test positive for months, even when you are not contagious or symptomatic. The "Paso a Paso" regulations posted online specify that a person in this situation can still enter the Chile by showing two positive PCR tests taken at least 2 weeks apart, but I can't find anything in the regulations about what happens in this case with the PCR test taken at the airport. I know that tourists can end quarantine once they get a negative result back from the airport PCR test, but does anybody know what happens if the result is positive but you have already shown proof that you recently recovered from COVID?
Nov 12, 2021, 1:31 am
#93
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: Nectar Card
Posts: 1,092
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.
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.
(In fact I'm not entirely sure whether a same day domestic connection is allowed given the arrival-testing scheme, which might assume a Santiago-based hotel-quarantine.)
Would the arrival test at Santiago satisfy the PCR test requirement for the Magallanes region?
Nov 12, 2021, 9:35 am
#94
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
Yes, but do count the hours correctly for validity.
Nov 12, 2021, 2:12 pm
#95
Join Date: May 2010
Location: TPA
Programs: All The Programs
Posts: 2,204
I really hate to post something off-topic here, but I hoped to take advantage of the lively discussion here. I posted another question in the Chile destination forums that hasn't gotten any responses. Does anyone on this thread know of a Chile-specialist travel or virtuoso agent? Trying to find a good 'base' for 2.5 days of wine tours. Thank you!
Nov 12, 2021, 4:04 pm
#96
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: Nectar Card
Posts: 1,092
Though people are reporting quick to semi-quick turnarounds, this may not hold as we approach the end of the school year (mid-December or so), Argentina vacation month (January) and Chilean vacation month (February). And since you cannot isolate in a public area, a day/night in a hotel or similar with early check-in is a given.
Is there a separate form to fill out for the Magallanes region? Or is it sufficient to just show a negative PCR test (e.g. from the CL government arrival test) at check-in?
Yes, but do count the hours correctly for validity.
Nov 17, 2021, 11:22 am
#97
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: my heart is on the shores of the north Italian lakes
Programs: LX Senator Lifetime, Relais&Chateaux Club5C, ex ! "Amanjunkie", ex LHW LC, hate chain hotels
Posts: 2,515
improving but still a gamble
On https://www.setours.com/coronavirus-...south-america/ I read "from December 1st, travelers who have received their booster dose within the last 6 months (registered in their mobility pass), will be exempted from testing and quarantine upon entering Chile".
Not bad, BUT applying for the paso de movilidad can still take up to 4 weeks and it is only valid for 45 days - means that traveling depends on good luck. I will apply by 10 December again for traveling on 25 January 2022, unfortunately there appears to be no fuction to update the paso de movilidad with the booster shot which I will get early January - too late for applying for the paso de movilidad just two weeks before departure......
Would be nice if they could just accept the EU Covid pass. In the EU Chileans can enter without formalities - some reciprocity would be appropriate.
Consolation: Thailand is worse for traveling and till end January we may well be in the middle of a new Corona disaster in Europe (and the US).
Not bad, BUT applying for the paso de movilidad can still take up to 4 weeks and it is only valid for 45 days - means that traveling depends on good luck. I will apply by 10 December again for traveling on 25 January 2022, unfortunately there appears to be no fuction to update the paso de movilidad with the booster shot which I will get early January - too late for applying for the paso de movilidad just two weeks before departure......
Would be nice if they could just accept the EU Covid pass. In the EU Chileans can enter without formalities - some reciprocity would be appropriate.
Consolation: Thailand is worse for traveling and till end January we may well be in the middle of a new Corona disaster in Europe (and the US).
Nov 17, 2021, 12:01 pm
#98
Join Date: May 2010
Location: TPA
Programs: All The Programs
Posts: 2,204
I can't find the above announcement anywhere on Chilean websites.
But, oddly, I do see the same notice from Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs. From Dec 1, booster w/in 6 mos (registered with your mobility pass) exempts you from testing and quarantine.
But, oddly, I do see the same notice from Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs. From Dec 1, booster w/in 6 mos (registered with your mobility pass) exempts you from testing and quarantine.
Nov 17, 2021, 12:11 pm
#99
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 17, 2021, 12:18 pm
#101
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
So far it seems that an already approved pass for tourists cannot be updated with booster info on mevacuno.cl whereas a not yet approved one can be updated. We will see if there are improvements done on the site in the coming days.
Last edited by Viajero Perpetuo; Nov 17, 2021 at 1:33 pm Reason: For clarity and additional info
Nov 19, 2021, 12:41 am
#102
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: SF, CA, US
Programs: AA Plat Pro, UA MM Gold, HHonors Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Plat, IHG Ambassador
Posts: 1,236
How does the mevacuno website work for foreign tourists? I've tried to register using an email address but then am asked to verify my email using a verification link which does nothing other than bring me back to the mevacuno site where I can login but do nothing else because my email is still unverified. Is the verification supposed to process immediately?
Nov 19, 2021, 8:56 pm
#104
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Arlington, VA USA
Posts: 670
This is not correct. This only applies to aircrew, diplomats, special permission cases to enter from the consulate and citizens and residents without a mobility pass. So it is worse, one cannot enter (board the plane) at all until your vaccines are approved at mevacuno.cl.
I just submitted my and my better half's vaccination information for validation today (11/19). We fly 12/3 with our flight leaving 8:45 EST.
Can anyone who submitted recently, please let me report how long it took from your submission to approval please?
Given what you say, I will have to postpone our ticket a few days if validation doesn't come through!
Nov 19, 2021, 9:00 pm
#105
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Arlington, VA USA
Posts: 670
How does the mevacuno website work for foreign tourists? I've tried to register using an email address but then am asked to verify my email using a verification link which does nothing other than bring me back to the mevacuno site where I can login but do nothing else because my email is still unverified. Is the verification supposed to process immediately?
1) you need to make sure when you register you change your nationality from Chilean (default) to the foreign country you live in. I made that mistake and had to correct it.
2) do not use Chrome when filling out the vaccination validation form. I did, and the button to submit never showed up even after completing the form. I switched to Edge and it worked the first time I filled out the form.