Reciprocity Fee

[MrsWaldo]

Based on the Chile USA website they also have a $160 Reciprocity Fee:

 

"ENTRY FEE:

There is a reciprocity fee of US$160 dollars to be paid in cash (U.S. dollars) or credit card. The one-time charge is good for the life of your passport. Go to the CONSULAR SECTION for more information".

 

http://www.chile-usa.org/fastfacts.htm

 

We're required to have the ARG reciprocity fee to fly to Buenos Aires to begin our cruise which ends 14 days later in Valparaiso. Most of us continue cruising to LA & we don't have to pay the Chile reciprocity fee although it may be included in our taxes & port fees.

 

Only paid if entry is via the airport and on arrival.

 

No fee if arriving by cruise ship….

[Astro Flyer]

Only paid if entry is via the airport and on arrival.

 

No fee if arriving by cruise ship….

Thanks for confirming the procedure...we're not disembarking in Valparaiso so didn't research the Chile reciprocity fee.

Edited February 16, 2014 by Astro Flyer

[Madtalker]

Thanks for confirming the procedure...we're not disembarking in Valparaiso so didn't research the Chile reciprocity fee.

I understand that if you stop for the day by ship there is not fee. but are you also saying that if you arrive by ship and leave by plane there is no Fee?

[Astro Flyer]

Only paid if entry is via the airport and on arrival.

 

No fee if arriving by cruise ship….

 

I understand that if you stop for the day by ship there is not fee. but are you also saying that if you arrive by ship and leave by plane there is no Fee?

Since we're in-transit through Valparaiso it wasn't something that I researched but according to "MrsWaldo" there is no fee to go from the port to Santiago airport.

[2ashevillesailors]

You must pay online before going to the airport. When you check in at the gate you must HAVE a printed copy of having paid the fee to Argentina. A couple on our flight was denied entry onto the airplane, they for got their forms at home and did not have time to go online and reprint it. I called Argentina Consulate in Washington, DC and got all of the info that I needed.

Now we are booked for Panama Canal cruise to Valparasio, have to find out how to pay it. Was thinking you pay when getting off of the ship?

On our cruise in January 2014 on Infinity from BA to Valparasio, did not have to pay a fee to Chile as were were cruising into port. Just an FYI Chile fee is only when you fly into the airport in Santiago. No fee, if on a cruise ship coming into Chile.

[2ashevillesailors]

I understand that if you stop for the day by ship there is not fee. but are you also saying that if you arrive by ship and leave by plane there is no Fee?

That is what we did last month on Infinity, NO FEES.

[2ashevillesailors]

Valparasio is not in Argentina. I don't think there is a fee for Chile, but would not surprise me if there is.

Just did it last month, January 2014, there is NO FEE if you sail into Chile on a cruise ship. You only pay a FEE in Chile if you fly into the airport.

[2ashevillesailors]

Valparasio is not in Argentina. I don't think there is a fee for Chile, but would not surprise me if there is.

No fee if cruising into Chile,there is a fee only when you FLY into Chile

[Astro Flyer]

We just flew LAX/MIA & overnight at the airport's hotel before continuing to Buenos Aires. At check in in LA, the Admirals Club & check in at Miami they asked about having the fee. If not, they would assist going online to pay for it. I wouldn't do it that way but if someone neglected to get it they may be able to do it at the airport before flying to Argentina.

Edited February 28, 2014 by Astro Flyer

[Shipboard Babe]

Hello, we will be flying in to Santiago for our South American cruise, but fly home from Buenos Aires. Will we need to pay the repricocity fee in each country and if so, is that something we need to do before departing the United States? I'm so confused!

 

Ally

[mcmarya]

I believe that Chile no longer has a reciprocity fee.

[dr__dawggy]

Hello, we will be flying in to Santiago for our South American cruise, but fly home from Buenos Aires. Will we need to pay the repricocity fee in each country and if so, is that something we need to do before departing the United States? I'm so confused!

 

Ally

Chile no longer charges citizens of the US a reciprocity fee.

 

The US has added Chile to the Visa Waiver list. Since Residents of Chile are no longer required to pay For a visa to enter the US, Chile has dropped its $160 reciprocity fee.

 

Argentina still charges a fee for entry at any sea, and or air port of entry. There is no longer a waiver for cruise line passengers. The fee is payable online before departing the US.

[Shipboard Babe]

Chile no longer charges citizens of the US a reciprocity fee.

 

The US has added Chile to the Visa Waiver list. Since Residents of Chile are no longer required to pay For a visa to enter the US, Chile has dropped its $160 reciprocity fee.

 

Argentina still charges a fee for entry at any sea, and or air port of entry. There is no longer a waiver for cruise line passengers. The fee is payable online before departing the US.

 

Thanks for the info. If we are getting off the ship in Argentina, and traveling to the airport, will we have to pay the repricocity fee before departing the country?

 

Ally

[VidaNaPraia]

Thanks for the info. If we are getting off the ship in Argentina, and traveling to the airport, will we have to pay the repricocity fee before departing the country?

 

Ally

 

Unless you can figure out a way to get from the ship to the airport without setting foot on Argentine soil, you have to pay the reciprocity fee--ahead of time, online. In fact, I'd be surprised if the cruise line let you board without having paid it.

[Shipboard Babe]

Unless you can figure out a way to get from the ship to the airport without setting foot on Argentine soil, you have to pay the reciprocity fee--ahead of time, online. In fact, I'd be surprised if the cruise line let you board without having paid it.

 

 

Thanks. I purchased mine online a bit ago and it was very easy. Do the cruise lines normally notify customers of this ahead of time or do they just leave us on our own to figure out?

[2ashevillesailors]

Thanks. I purchased mine online a bit ago and it was very easy. Do the cruise lines normally notify customers of this ahead of time or do they just leave us on our own to figure out?

 

They do not always notify you. There is NO fee for Chile. For Argentina you can look up on Google the phone number for the Argentina Embassy in DC and they are very nice they will tell you. Also when we flew out of the US since our ticket showed Argentina, you could not board the plane without the receipt of the fee showing it is paid (it is good for 10 years). From what it was for us if you flew into Argentina you had to pay. I can not remember about sailing into Argentina. Just call and let us know.

[2ashevillesailors]

We're applying for our reciprocity fees & wonder if others have had similar experiences as us and any insights would be appreciated.

 

On my SA roll call others said to establish seperate accounts for each of us because they had experienced problems doing 2 for 1 account. My wife did her's 1st & received an email confirmation of her account. We submitted her application & can see that a payment is pending on our credit card (notified cc company about these transactions).

 

Unfortunately it's been over an hour now & the window that opened after submitting our application & payment is still "Waiting" for a reply from them. No email confirmation yet & we're hesitant to do anything while the page is "waiting" to not mess up anything. Does it take hours to get the "entry code" email or is mine most likely hung up?

 

How great...have to pay $160/pp to go from the airport to the ship & it's a PITA getting it completed! :eek:

 

It took awhile for mine. I called the credit card company and asked why it was on hold. She said since I called in they would process it. Argentina has lots of issues with banks, their economy is really suffering and some banks are closing.

[dr__dawggy]

Argentina collects the fee for all types of entry, air ports, land crossings and sea ports. This policy has been in effect for several years.

 

In transit air passengers who transfer from an international to a regional carrier in BA can receive a fee waiver, but I don't think the waiver works if you transfer from ship to air on the same day.....wouldn't hurt to ask the embassy.

[Shipboard Babe]

They do not always notify you. There is NO fee for Chile. For Argentina you can look up on Google the phone number for the Argentina Embassy in DC and they are very nice they will tell you. Also when we flew out of the US since our ticket showed Argentina, you could not board the plane without the receipt of the fee showing it is paid (it is good for 10 years). From what it was for us if you flew into Argentina you had to pay. I can not remember about sailing into Argentina. Just call and let us know.

 

I called the consulate but couldn't get hold of a live person. When I tried to transfer to the extension they had on the recording I just went in a recording circle. When I tried a different extension there was a message in Spanish which I didn't understand. I just went ahead and paid for it just in case. I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. I'm not sure when they would look at it between getting off the ship in Buenos Aires and us arriving at the airport, though. The Chilean consulate did confirm that there is no longer a fee.

[VidaNaPraia]

I'm not sure when they would look at it between getting off the ship in Buenos Aires and us arriving at the airport,

 

Well, the airline is responsible for returning you to your point of origin if you are not allowed into a country, so an airline will not let you even board the plane without seeing the proper visa/fee.

Do the cruise lines do the same?

 

Also, exiting Brazil (haven't been to Argentina since the fee was introduced), the airport border officials check all passports. If you owe anything (for example, a fine for overstaying a limited length stay), it is stamped on your passport, and you can pay then (complicated by a time consuming trip to the bank) or pay if you ever return (more complicated still by having to have sufficient local cash in hand on arrival). Haven't seen any reports for Argentina since the fee began, but maybe similar?

[Shipboard Babe]

I found this information and it looks like US citizens arriving by cruise ship now have to pay the fee online prior to arrival in Argentina.

 

Passengers arriving by Cruise Ship at Buenos Aires Port until June 30th, 2013, were exempted of the payment. All passengers arriving by Cruise Ship after July 1st, 2013, must pay the Reciprocity Fee in advance before traveling to Argentina.

[VidaNaPraia]

I found this information and it looks like US citizens arriving by cruise ship now have to pay the fee online prior to arrival in Argentina.

 

Passengers arriving by Cruise Ship at Buenos Aires Port until June 30th, 2013, were exempted of the payment. All passengers arriving by Cruise Ship after July 1st, 2013, must pay the Reciprocity Fee in advance before traveling to Argentina.

 

That's been so for awhile.

The question seems to be : Can you now board the ship without proof of having paid?

When is this checked, and by whom?

[2ashevillesailors]

i spent close to 3 hours on the phone speaking to celebrity...my travel agent...lan-chile....and the israeli consulate in miami about not having to pay the recprocity fee because i am a dual citizen.....

 

i got NOWHERE....

 

no one gave me a definitive answer....

 

everyone sent me to someone else....

 

it was a total exercize in frustration....and i still don't know what to do !!!!!!

 

if anyone flew out of miami on an american passport and entered argentina on an israeli passport without paying the fee....i'd love to hear from them.....

When we flew out of the US to Argentina, we had to show the printed receipt with the passport. The passport number is on the receipt and the receipt is good for 10 years, although we got our Fee paid receipt for Argentina in Dec 2013, took the trip in January and just got our passports renewed in April. If we should go back to Argentina we would have to pay all over again, as the fee pertains to the passport that you use to get the fee.

We called the Argentina Consulate in Washington, DC and they gave us all of the information we needed. We had been told that if our passports expired in less than 6 months from when we visited that we needed to renew our passports before we went. Argentina Consulate said NO that was not true. If we were only going to be there a few days, we were fine as long as our passports were valid for those dates.

There was an American couple wanting to board the airplane with us to Argentina and they realized they left their receipt at home accidentally. They left running to the business center in the airport to print new receipts. They did not make it back to the gate to board the flight. They did not get to fly out until the next day to go to Argentina. Luckily they planned to leave a day early, although the ship stayed overnight in port in Buenos Aires for the first day of the cruise. When we showed our fee paid receipt to the airport worker at the gate they maked that we had paid our fees.

[dr__dawggy]

Unless there has been a recent change in policy, there is no need to repay the fee. It is valid for 10 years. Bring both your old passport with proof of payment and your new passport.

When we flew out of the US to Argentina, we had to show the printed receipt with the passport. The passport number is on the receipt and the receipt is good for 10 years, although we got our Fee paid receipt for Argentina in Dec 2013, took the trip in January and just got our passports renewed in April. If we should go back to Argentina we would have to pay all over again, as the fee pertains to the passport that you use to get the fee.

We called the Argentina Consulate in Washington, DC and they gave us all of the information we needed. We had been told that if our passports expired in less than 6 months from when we visited that we needed to renew our passports before we went. Argentina Consulate said NO that was not true. If we were only going to be there a few days, we were fine as long as our passports were valid for those dates.

There was an American couple wanting to board the airplane with us to Argentina and they realized they left their receipt at home accidentally. They left running to the business center in the airport to print new receipts. They did not make it back to the gate to board the flight. They did not get to fly out until the next day to go to Argentina. Luckily they planned to leave a day early, although the ship stayed overnight in port in Buenos Aires for the first day of the cruise. When we showed our fee paid receipt to the airport worker at the gate they maked that we had paid our fees.

[VidaNaPraia]

Hello, we will be flying in to Santiago for our South American cruise, but fly home from Buenos Aires. Will we need to pay the repricocity fee in each country and if so, is that something we need to do before departing the United States? I'm so confused!

 

Ally

 

This is the question I would like to see addressed:

Scenario:

 

Flying from US to Valparaiso.

Boarding ship in Valparaiso.

Departing ship in Buenos Aires directly to the airport for flight to US.

 

Who would check to see if Argentine fee had been paid, and at what point in the trip?