Chile travel advice

This advice has been reviewed and reissued with amendments to the Summary (Presidential elections on 17 January). The overall level of the advice has not changed.

Travel Summary

• Chileans will vote on Sunday 17 January 2010 in Presidential elections. See the Political section of this Travel Advice.
  
  
• There is an underlying threat from international terrorism. Attacks, although unlikely, could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• Llaima volcano located south of Santiago and the Chaiten volcano in southern Chile both erupted in 2009. Some areas surrounding the volcanoes have been evacuated.. If you are in these areas you should follow media reports and the advice of the local authorities. Please see the Natural Disasters section for more details.
  
  
• Minefields are located in regions XV Arica – Parinacota (formerly part of Region I), I Tarapaca, II Antofagasta in the north and XII Magallanes y Antartica in the south (please see map at www.escolares.net). We recommend checking with the local authorities before travelling to the border areas of the regions.
  
  
• Around 65,000 British tourists visit Chile every year (source: SERNATUR - Chilean National Tourist Authority). Most visits are trouble-free. 16 British nationals required consular assistance in Chile in the period 01 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident: deaths (2 cases); hospitalisations (5 cases); and arrests, for a variety of offences (3 cases). During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (74 cases). Pickpocketing, other thefts and muggings are also common and are on the increase. See the Crime section of this Travel Advice.
  
  
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance.

Safety and security

Terrorism

There is an underlying threat from international terrorism. Attacks, although unlikely, could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

There are occasional acts of low-level domestic terrorism by left wing groups. On 15 July 2007, a bomb exploded outside the British Embassy causing some structural damage but no casualties. There is no evidence of an ongoing threat to British nationals but travellers are advised to remain vigilant.

For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.

Crime

Pickpocketing, other thefts and muggings are common throughout Chile and have been increasing since 2007, particularly around well-known tourist sites, bus stations and areas of Santiago frequented by foreigners such as Las Condes, Vitacura and Providencia. You should pay particular attention to your belongings in popular foreign cafes, restaurants and internet cafes where there has been an increase in bag theft.

You should not leave luggage unattended, and should be particularly attentive at bus terminals, restaurants and whilst travelling through the Lake District (Pucon, Villarrica) as there has been a rise in theft in these areas. You are advised not to put any valuables in the storage compartments of buses and coaches - keep them with you at all times.

There have also been reports of muggings, sometimes by armed groups, in popular walking or scenic areas such as Cerro San Cristobal, Cerro Santa Lucia and Cerro Manquehue. You are therefore advised to take great care with your belongings, keep in groups and not walk alone late at night. When travelling by taxi you are advised to book in advance rather than hailing from the street, especially late at night. There have been increased reports of people being given ‘spiked’ drinks in nightclubs and bars, particularly in the Suecia and Bellavista areas of Santiago. These can have the effect of causing short-term amnesia, leaving the victim open to theft or worse.

You are advised to leave your passport, tourist card (given upon entry into Chile), most bank cards and larger amounts of money in a safe place and to carry a photocopy of the details page of your passport with you at all times.

For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.

Political Situation

Chileans will vote on Sunday 17 January 2010 in Presidential elections. Many shops, including supermarkets, are likely to be shut on Sunday morning and alcohol cannot be sold in public places from Saturday night until the voting stations close late Sunday afternoon. On Sunday night, when the result will be announced, large crowds of people are likely to gather in public squares in and around Santiago centre. These gatherings will probably be good-natured, but tourists might wish to avoid the area during this time and they should be extra vigilant about their possessions and be on the lookout for pickpockets and petty criminals.

Chile Country Profile

Demonstrations

Nationwide protests often take place on 11 September (anniversary of the military coup) and 1 May (Workers’ Day). They frequently become violent. The largest protests usually take place in central Santiago. Demonstrations have in the past resulted in destruction to property and arrests. Police can use tear gas and water cannons against protesters. You should avoid political protests, particularly on these dates.

Other public demonstrations, often led by students or indigenous rights defenders, can occur sporadically around Chile.

Local Travel

Chile has a small but significant landmine problem. Landmine accidents mainly affect livestock and small numbers of local people crossing the borders at unauthorised crossing points. Minefields are located primarily in border areas adjacent to Peru and Bolivia in the extreme north of Chile, Regions XV, I and II, and Argentina in the south in Region XII. Although most minefields are clearly marked, some signs and fences have been subjected to the effects of weather or vandalism and may be hard to recognise, particularly in the north of the country. Minefields are, in some cases, laid right up to the edge of highways. You should also be aware that there are mined areas in six government-protected wilderness areas in Regions XV, I, II in the north and XII in the south. You are advised to check with local authorities before travelling to these areas, stick to clearly marked roads and observe all warning signs.

The main road between Chile (Arica region) and Bolivia is currently being blockaded by protesters at Tambo Quemado in Bolivia. If you intend to travel from Chile into Bolivia on this route you should check the Bolivian Government’s website (in Spanish), which gives up-to-date information on road blockades, and make amendments to your journey if necessary.

If you wish to go exploring or mountaineering, we recommend that you notify the local authorities of your intended expedition before you set off. For further information on mountaineering you should contact the Federación de Andinismo de Chile, at Almirante Simpson 77, Santiago, Chile, Tel: (56 2) 2220888. For any other type of exploring, we advise that you contact the Chilean Embassy in London, to see if any permits are required. There are good rescue facilities in Chile. You may be charged for the service provided.

Road Travel

To drive in Chile, you will require a valid international driving licence or new European format driving licence (with a photograph).

Car hire is possible throughout Chile and the most well known firms are represented. You are advised to take out adequate insurance including for windscreen damage, which can be expensive.

Main roads in Chile are paved. However, you may wish to consider a four-wheel drive vehicle for driving in the countryside. Chile contains a complete range of driving conditions, from snow and ice to hot sandy deserts. Road tolls are increasingly common.

For more general information see Driving Abroad.

Local laws and customs

The consumption and possession of drugs is illegal.

Homosexuality is legal in Chile. It is increasingly widely accepted socially, although much of Chilean society is conservative.

For more general information for different types of travellers see our Your trip page.

Entry requirements

Visas

If you are a British passport holder visiting Chile for less than 90 days, you do not require a visa. If you wish to stay longer, you should consult the nearest Chilean Embassy. On arrival in Chile the Immigration Authorities will issue you with a “Tarjerta de Turismo – Tourist Card”, an A5 sized white form. You need to retain this document and present it to Immigration on leaving the country.

Once in Chile, if you decide to stay for 90 days or more, you should approach the Chilean Immigration Department located in Agustinas 1235, Santiago. Tel: 56 2 550 2400.

Travelling with children

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that Chile requires notarised documentary evidence of parental or judicial authority to enable a child to leave Chile either alone, accompanied by one parent or accompanied by a third party. For further information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the Chilean Embassy in London.

Health

There are good health facilities in Santiago and the major cities, but private clinics and hospitals are expensive. Air pollution in Santiago during winter (June-September) is a major problem. You may therefore suffer from eye irritation and respiratory problems.

There are sporadic cases of cholera outside Santiago and typhoid and Hepatitis B are fairly common, especially during the warm season, which lasts from December to March in central Chile. Cholera and Typhoid are food and water borne diseases.

Dengue fever is common to Latin America and the Caribbean and can occur throughout the year. In 2007 there was a marked increase in the number of reported cases of dengue across the region. In Chile the only area reported to be affected is Easter Island (Isla de Pascua). No fatalities have been reported.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 31,000 adults aged 15 or over in Chile were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.3% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Chile and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health and for food and drink hygiene see Eat and Drink Safely.

Natural disasters

Volcanoes

On 19 February 2009 Volcano Chaiten in southern Chile erupted, following earlier eruptions in May 2008. 150 local residents from the town of Chaiten, 10km south of the volcano, have been evacuated. Further eruptions cannot be ruled out and the Chilean authorities are on full alert in the area, ready to respond to any further developments.

On 3 April 2009, the Llaima volcanoes in the Conguillo National Park erupted. The area surrounding the volcano has been evacuated and a Red Alert is in place for the towns of La Selva, Bellavista, Las Mercedes, El Danubio, Colonia Caupolican, Los Lleuques, Bajo Ileuque and Captren. A Yellow Alert has been issued for the surrounding areas of Cunco, Melipeuco and Lonquima.

Earthquakes

Chile is in a high-risk zone for earthquakes. On 14 November 2007, an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale occurred in northern Chile.

A powerful 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck northern Chile on 14 June 2005, causing 11 deaths and cuts in power and communication for several days. Before then, the last major earthquake in Santiago was in March 1985.

A serious earthquake is always a possibility; however, building regulations require new structures to take account of seismic risks. Safety measures are widely known and put into practice by national organisations and local authorities. You are advised to monitor the local press for government warnings and updates. Please refer to the Chilean National Emergency Office (ONEMI) website (in Spanish) for further information.

General

Insurance

We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. For more general information see Travel Insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas then this is How We Can Help.

Registering with the British Embassy

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

Money

ATMs are widely available. Be aware that your debit or credit card company is likely to charge you for using an ATM overseas.

Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard and, to a lesser extent, American Express) are accepted in most large shops and hotels. Dollar travellers’ cheques are more widely accepted than travellers’ cheques in other currencies. It is possible to transfer money from the UK to Chile through Western Union.

Contact Details

If you are a British national visiting Chile for more than a brief period, you are advised to register on arrival at British Embassy in Santiago, Chile.