Chili entry fee question

[sgh20037]

Questions for those of you who have arrived in Santiago via air in 2008 . . . I know the entry fee when you arrive at the Santiago airport has been increased to $131.00 US. Can we bring a $100 dollar bill plus a $20 and a $10 or does it have to be smaller bills? And . . . can we put the entry fee on a credit card?

Sherry

[nancycoop1]

My understanding is that the fee can be paid by credit card or U.S. dollars. They didn't specify a particular denomination, but I do know people in other countries prefer not to take $100 bills. We have always used $50 as they are much easier.

[ChattTenn]

Questions for those of you who have arrived in Santiago via air in 2008 . . . I know the entry fee when you arrive at the Santiago airport has been increased to $131.00 US. Can we bring a $100 dollar bill plus a $20 and a $10 or does it have to be smaller bills? And . . . can we put the entry fee on a credit card?

Sherry

 

Yes, you can use a $100 dollar bill because we gave it to them in 2006. Try to get a new/clean one because they are very picky about it and on particular serial number they will not accept because they thought it is a fake money. We witnessed they rejected a $100 bill from one couple in front of us. These people was so distressed.

 

Chile is very nice country but putting up with this issue before entering their country put a source taste in our mouth. The fee will be good for the duration of your passport.

[greatam]

Questions for those of you who have arrived in Santiago via air in 2008 . . . I know the entry fee when you arrive at the Santiago airport has been increased to $131.00 US. Can we bring a $100 dollar bill plus a $20 and a $10 or does it have to be smaller bills? And . . . can we put the entry fee on a credit card?

Sherry

 

Don't count on the credit card machine working. It wasn't the first week in January and I see it out of order frequently (I travel through SCL at least 4 times per year). And due to all the counterfeit 100's in SA, you will be far better off with NEW 20's. Before you leave, go to the bank, get enough new 20's, 10's and a 1 for the entry fee. Put it away in an envelope. You should be good to go.

[greatam]

dup post

[greatam]

Yes, you can use a $100 dollar bill because we gave it to them in 2006. Try to get a new/clean one because they are very picky about it and on particular serial number they will not accept because they thought it is a fake money. We witnessed they rejected a $100 bill from one couple in front of us. These people was so distressed.

 

Chile is very nice country but putting up with this issue before entering their country put a source taste in our mouth. The fee will be good for the duration of your passport.

 

Most SA countries are getting VERY leery of $100 bills. There are SOOOOO many counterfeits floating around SA, lots of places will just not take them. Plan on NEW 20's, 10's and 1's. Get them direct from your bank. That is the easiest way.

 

"putting up with this issue"????

 

So you are stating it would have been easier to get a visa, good for a short period of time, and if you ever want to go back to Chile, you have to get another visa and pay again????

 

MUCH easier to pay when you enter the country ONCE for the lifetime of your passport, rather than having to deal with visa paperwork and paying every time you enter Chile.

[Travelight]

If you last visited Chile in 2001 and have renewed your passport since then, will you still be charged the reciprocity fee? Does anyone know where to go or who to call to get the answer to this question? Thank you for your help!

[greatam]

If you last visited Chile in 2001 and have renewed your passport since then, will you still be charged the reciprocity fee? Does anyone know where to go or who to call to get the answer to this question? Thank you for your help!

 

Yes

 

Optimum words-"life of passport". New passport-new reciprocity fee. Sorry

[Travelight]

Thank you for your answer. That is what I thought -- but I was just hoping otherwise:o .

[sgh20037]

Thank you everyone for the info. The only problem I'll have with taking $20's is to keep from spending them in the US airports before I get to Chile! :rolleyes:

 

One more question: WHERE is the place we pay the entry fee? Right as you enter the terminal - or in the customs area? Seems I read somewhere it was easy to miss, so would like to know where to look for it.

Thanks again

Sherry

[greatam]

You can't miss it. You are kind of "funneled" that way when you get off the plane.

 

Put the entry fee money in a separate envelope-like the one you get from the bank when you get the money. Should solve the problem. What in the heck would you purchase in US airports-everything is WAAAAAY overpriced, except maybe duty free. Other than liquor and cigarettes, duty free is USUALLY cheaper on the plane than in the airport stores.

[greatam]

dup post

[SoBaycruiser]

We arrived in Santiago on Jan 8 of this year and brought crisp 20s. However, all the booths were accepting credit cards and that's what we used for our entry fee.

[DuffyDuck]

Hi,

does everybody have to pay this fee? I mean we come from Europe does it apply for us as well? Things are different in terms of visa for people from US and Europe. Was just wondering there is a difference.

Thanks Katja

[cruisenfever]

Hi,

does everybody have to pay this fee? I mean we come from Europe does it apply for us as well? Things are different in terms of visa for people from US and Europe. Was just wondering there is a difference.

Thanks Katja

If you are traveling with a UK passport you are exempt from paying the fee when you fly into Chile.

[Coastaljen]

Thank God for cruise critic.

 

I booked a cruise leaving from Santiago for Christmas. I never heard of paying a fee when you enter a country. This kind of surprised me. You all are talking about visas. If I am understanding things correctly, I just need a valid passport and a chunk of money to pay when I arrive in Chile.

 

Do other countries charge this? What a way to make a lot of money! OK I just read where I have to pay a small amount to leave Buenos Aires.

 

I wonder what they do with all the money?

[greatam]

Thank God for cruise critic.

 

I booked a cruise leaving from Santiago for Christmas. I never heard of paying a fee when you enter a country. This kind of surprised me. You all are talking about visas. If I am understanding things correctly, I just need a valid passport and a chunk of money to pay when I arrive in Chile.

 

Do other countries charge this? What a way to make a lot of money! OK I just read where I have to pay a small amount to leave Buenos Aires.

 

I wonder what they do with all the money?

 

The fee is NOT a visa. You provide NO paperwork, as would normally be required for a visa. It is a tit for tat fee-the US charges the Chileans to come into our country, so the Chileans charge US citizens an equal fee. Just like the Braziians and maybe now Europe with fingerprinting-we do it to their citizens, they do it to ours.

 

MOST South American countries have airport departure taxes, which is what you will pay when you leave BA. HOWEVER, check your tickets. Very often, RT tickets from/to the US, booked in the US, have the departure fee already included. This fee is NOT the same as the Chilean entry fee.

 

The money from the Chilean entry fees go into infrastructure improvements. They spent a lot of money in the last two years improving the airports and highways.

[Coastaljen]

I vaguely remember paying a small fee when I left Rio about twenty five years ago. I was only there ten weeks.

 

Honestly, I had no idea we charged Chileans. Then it is totally fair. This is interesting.

[Bahama Kid]

When we arrived, all the windows accepted credit cards. The windows can be easy to miss. After leaving the airplane and walking a short distance, you will go down an esculator. At the bottom, turn to your left and you will see the windows where you pay your "tourist fee." If you miss it and go to immigration, immigration will send you back to pay the fee.

 

By the way, the VAT tax or whatever it was called tax on our hotel bill was removed because we were tourists. All we had to do was show the hotel our passport with the $$$ paid stamp.

 

Santiago was a great city and we would go back any time.

[Bahama Kid]

When we arrived, all the windows accepted credit cards. The windows can be easy to miss. After leaving the airplane and walking a short distance, you will go down an esculator. At the bottom, turn to your left and you will see the windows where you pay your "tourist fee." If you miss it and go to immigration, immigration will send you back to pay the fee.

 

By the way, the VAT tax or whatever it was called tax on our hotel bill was removed because we were tourists. All we had to do was show the hotel our passport with the $$$ paid stamp.

 

Santiago was a great city and we would go back any time.