could someone clarify Chile reciprocity fee

[robtulipe]

If someone holds 2 different passports, for example one a Canadian passport and then other a UK passport could they not just offer up the UK passport to be exempt from the reciprocity fee? I'll have to pay as I'm Canadian but my husband holds both passports and I was wondering if we could get around his having to pay the fee that way even though his country of residence is Canada. Any thoughts as to whether this would work or cause more hastle then the fee is worth.

Pat

I would try this as UK passport holders do not pay this fee.

See http://www.wordtravels.com/Travelguide/Countries/Chile/Visa

[greatam]

I'll post this again, didn't get any answers before. Anyone got information on how this would work? Is there a departure tax on any of the flights and if so, how much?

 

You will pay the reciprocity fee in Santiago when you arrive via air from Cusco. You will also pay departure taxes (international) when you leave Chile and Peru. Depending on the way your ticket to Cusco is booked, you MAY have to pay departure taxes on the flights between Lima and Cusco and return. Please look into the option of flying home out of Lima (by home I mean the USA). If the change fee on your international airline ticket is $150 or less, you MAY save money by booking your flight home out of Lima. If you need help changing your plane ticket or need any info about Cusco/MP, please post.

[bubbachief]

greatam-- Thanks for the info. I think we will stick to original plan as we got a really cheap fare from Santiago back to SF. This whole thing involves seeing Machu Piccu so we will just have to pay the various fees and smile.

[vivatexas]

Thanks greatam, that is a great explanation. My travel agent says no I don't have to pay any fees but I better bring some extra cash with me just in case.

 

I flew to Chile in 2007 for a cruise and paid $100 for my visa. They stapled a receipt in my passport and it is good for the length of the passport. My Mexican traveling partner paid $15. I'm pretty certain you have to pay in dollars so have some handy. I'm headed back to Chile this March and won't have to pay again.

[owl61]

GreatAm, you may be able to field this one. You mentioned that the cruise lines lobbied Chile for a discounted one time visa entry fee for cruise ship passengers who are from countries that would have to pay the visa fee.

1. If the fee is charged to only citizens of certain countries, why do all passengers pay the same port taxes? I assume they do.

2. What about those passengers who have previously paid the full entry visa fee and have the receipt in their passport? Do they get exempted, but if they do , why isn't there a differential in the port taxes charged for these passengers. There is no port tax differential that I am aware of.

[Malmö]

:confused:

If someone holds 2 different passports, for example one a Canadian passport and then other a UK passport could they not just offer up the UK passport to be exempt from the reciprocity fee? my husband holds both passports and I was wondering if we could get around his having to pay the fee that way even though his country of residence is Canada.

Pat

 

We are looking into the same thing for our Royal Caribbean cruise around South America at the end of this year. We are both dual citizens, but may have to book the cruise through a usa travel agent (hence u.s. passport). We suspect that the default was to charge us the fee, even though one of us is already listed as non-u.s. passport holder. Best to check the break-down of the fees. :eek:

 

We were on a cruise entering Brazil, and we sailed through :D with no problems, not being on u.s. passports. Same on flying into Argentina, and out of Chile on that cruise. ;)

 

If anyone thinks this is unfair, then contact your congressperson & senator and ask him/her to drop these punitive fees on foreign tourists to the usa, as it results in pay-back on his/her consituents. :mad:

 

We will come back with the info. when we find it. :confused:

[MMDown Under]

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

 

Embassy of Chile, Washington's website, with lots of useful information for travellers to Chile.

[dancingmolly]

We crossed the border between Argentina and Chile (bus from Mendoza to Santiago) and no reciprocity fee was collected from us. We were not aware of the reciprocity fee and were planning to fly to Santiago and out of Buenos Aires at the end of our cruise, however the airlines would not allow an open jaw ticket on the points we had. So we ended up saving $260.00 and enjoyed our stay in Mendoza and the incredible trip across the Andes. The border area was very, very busy and we waited for hours to go through customs and immigration. But the ride down the mountain into Santiago and the incredible scenery were worth the long wait.

 

This is correct. You do NOT pay a reciprocity fee if entering Chile at any land border. You do not pay if flying into any airport other than the international airport at Santiago. On departure everyone pays an airport tax which is usually included in your airline ticket.

Interesting about the reduced reciprocity fee for one time entry for cruise passengers built into port charges. It makes sense as some may only be going ashore for a few hours. I assume it is only tagged onto the fare of those who need to pay a reciprocity fee. It is a shame transit passengers can't do the same at the airport. They have to stay airside or pay the fee.

[Northbay]

If you are flying to Buenos Aires and the routing is New York, Santiago, Buenos Aires, would you have to pay the reciprocity fee when you change planes in Santiago? Approximately a three hour lay over in Santiago.

 

Would really appreciate knowing the answer to this question.

Thanks in advance.

[dancingmolly]

If you are flying to Buenos Aires and the routing is New York, Santiago, Buenos Aires, would you have to pay the reciprocity fee when you change planes in Santiago? Approximately a three hour lay over in Santiago.

 

Would really appreciate knowing the answer to this question.

Thanks in advance.

 

You do not pay the reciprocity fee if you stay in the transit area of the airport. Once you try to cross passport control, you will be asked to pay the fee. Both your flights are international so you would simply stay in the same area of the airport (there are comfy chairs and places to eat) and find your gate for your departing flight. It is important to have your luggage tagged to your final destination, EZE. If the airline for some reason will not do this, you need to find an employee of the airline you are taking from SCL to EZE to go and re-tag it for you. But usually they can put a through tag on your bags.

[Northbay]

Thanks for your response.

[Desertbelle]

GreatAm, you may be able to field this one. You mentioned that the cruise lines lobbied Chile for a discounted one time visa entry fee for cruise ship passengers who are from countries that would have to pay the visa fee.

1. If the fee is charged to only citizens of certain countries, why do all passengers pay the same port taxes? I assume they do.

2. What about those passengers who have previously paid the full entry visa fee and have the receipt in their passport? Do they get exempted, but if they do , why isn't there a differential in the port taxes charged for these passengers. There is no port tax differential that I am aware of.

 

The reciprocity fee and ports taxes/fees are not the same thing.

 

The reciprocity fee is a substitute for a formal visa, charging citizens of certain countries a fee because those countries charge people from Chile to enter their countries. For instance, the US charges people from Chile a visa fee to come to the US....therefore Chile reciprocates (reciprocate means to give and take mutually, to give in kind or degree) and charges people from the US a fee to come into their country.

 

Port taxes and fees are charged by the individual ports to cover the costs for having a ship docked or tendered into that port. These fees pay the pilot who comes to your ship and guides it into the port, the men on the docks that tie up the ship to the dock, the buildings with bathrooms, the security people that keeps you safe, etc?

 

These two fees are completely different, so one fee wouldn't have an effect on the other.

[greatam]

This is correct. You do NOT pay a reciprocity fee if entering Chile at any land border. You do not pay if flying into any airport other than the international airport at Santiago. On departure everyone pays an airport tax which is usually included in your airline ticket.

Interesting about the reduced reciprocity fee for one time entry for cruise passengers built into port charges. It makes sense as some may only be going ashore for a few hours. I assume it is only tagged onto the fare of those who need to pay a reciprocity fee. It is a shame transit passengers can't do the same at the airport. They have to stay airside or pay the fee.

 

The Santa Rosa border crossing from Peru to Chile requires payment of the reciprocity fee (2007). In 2002 (the last time I renewed my passport), the Argentine border crossing was also requiring payment of the "reciprocity fee". I have not made a land border Argentine crossing since then.

 

The "rules" changed very frequently for about 2 years after 9/11. The USA instituted the fee For Chileans to enter the US and Chile reciprocated. Initially, the fee was required at ALL border crossings, no matter how you entered-land, sea, air, same as the USA visa fee. Then the cruise lines started battling with the government, knowing that extra money (it was $60 in 2002) was going to cause problems with cruise passengers.

 

The Chilean government realized the value to their country of all the extra cruise passengers and essentially decided on ONE FEE for everyone. And yes, it is included in the "port charges and fees" section of your cruise fare. That solved the cruise passenger dilemma, but the hidden entry fee is only for one time entry via ship.

 

The land border crossings, especially the outpost from Peru to Chile, is not heavily used by tourists (backpackers, somewhat). So that border crossing could be extracting "mordida" (a bribe). I have no specific knowledge whether this is true, but due to the lack of worldly tourists who cross that border, getting caught charging tourists the "reciprocity fee" would NOT be high on anyone's list. And mordida is just part of South American/Latin American culture once you get away from tourist areas.

 

For the AVERAGE cruise ship passenger on a South American cruise, you would not worry about paying the reciprocity fee if you arrive via ship into Chile. If you fly into the Santiago airport to begin your cruise, you will pay the reciprocity fee.

 

PS-other Chilean airports designated "international" also collect the "reciprocity fee". These include Easter Island, Puenta Arenas, Iquique, Arica and a couple of others that few cruise ship passengers would go to. The very expensive cruise ship excursion to MP INCLUDES the reciprocity fee, as the plane is a charter to/from Arica. And one of my business associates from the USA (works for Del Monte in Argentina) got caught paying when he flew from JFK/SCL/IPC (Easter Island), as he specifically stayed airside in SCL to avoid the fee, then got tagged when he arrived Easter Island. He can now enter Chile free of charge for the next 9 years.

[greatam]

GreatAm, you may be able to field this one. You mentioned that the cruise lines lobbied Chile for a discounted one time visa entry fee for cruise ship passengers who are from countries that would have to pay the visa fee.

1. If the fee is charged to only citizens of certain countries, why do all passengers pay the same port taxes? I assume they do.

2. What about those passengers who have previously paid the full entry visa fee and have the receipt in their passport? Do they get exempted, but if they do , why isn't there a differential in the port taxes charged for these passengers. There is no port tax differential that I am aware of.

 

Sorry I didn't get around to your question when you posted it. I have been in the Mid East/Asia for the last 11 weeks and just returned from South America Tuesday. Last business trip to South America for this year's fruit season.

 

Per the post I just made, it is my understanding that EVERYONE pays an "accommodation" fee (my wording) when you enter by ship. It is a heavily reduced fee (about $28.00 currently) and was wrapped into port charges in Chile. It was done that way after the cruise lines battled mightily when the "reciprocity fee" was instituted after 9/11. The Chilean government did not want to discourage US and other country's cruise ship passengers from visiting Chile, so they discounted the fee for a one time entry and wrapped it into the port charges. As posted previously, you get no proof of payment as it is really not considered the "reciprocity fee" by the Chilean government. So you pay the port charges (which include the "reciprocity fee"), no matter what country you are from. You can thank the terrorists for another cost of living increase!!!!