About Chile
Location
Chile is located in the extreme south west of South America, between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, in one of the southernmost areas of the world. It is a long (2,700 miles long) and narrow country, bordered to the north by Peru and to the east by Bolivia and Argentina.
Chile exercises sovereignty over three continents: America, Oceania through Easter Island and Antarctica.
It is divided into 16 regions. Its capital, Santiago, is located in the central zone (Metropolitan Region).
Weather
Chile has a great variety of climates. In the north, there is generally a dry weather with high temperatures where there is practically no rain. In the central zone, we find a more temperate weather with the four seasons well marked. In the south, the weather starts out mild and rainy but becomes more humid, cold and windy as we approach the southernmost area.
The seasons are: Autumn: March-June; Winter: June-September; Spring: September-December; Summer: December-March.
Visas and Taxes
To enter the country you must have a valid passport and a Visa granted by the Chilean Consulate. Citizens of Mercosur countries can do so only with their national identity document (Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay). The stay as a tourist, in general, lasts for 90 days.
However, Chile has agreements with many countries that do not require a Visa to enter.
For some countries, a reciprocity administrative fee must be paid in cash directly at the airport, which is valid as long as the passport is not expired.
Security
Chile is a safe country in general but as in all of South America it is necessary to be cautious. We advise taking care of your belongings in public places (restaurants, bars, hotel reception, public transport). It is advisable not to carry on the street travel documents, jewelry or high-value objects in sight, or a lot of money. Hotels generally have safe deposit boxes for these purposes.
Airport and Customs
The airports have a shuttle service to the city and hotels. In the case of the Santiago airport, it has several private companies that provide this service. The value will depend on whether the service is exclusive or shared and the destination.
Regarding luggage, you can bring in without paying customs duties or taxes all items that, due to their quantity or value, do not show that they will be sold later. Per person you can bring in up to 400 units of cigarettes, 500 grams of pipe tobacco, 50 units of cigars and 2.5 liters of alcohol. Additionally, the items you purchased at the Duty Free Shop up to US$500.
On the other hand, the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) prohibits the entry into the country of products and by-products of plant and animal origin. That is why you must declare all these products that you carry when entering Chile so as not to be exposed to fines. A declaration is required for each passenger over 18 years of age. The SAG inspector will verify your declaration to authorize or not the entry of the products. Additionally, your luggage will be checked by SAG using dogs and x-rays.
Voltage
The electrical voltage is 220 volts (220V), so appliances designed for 110V must use a 110V to 240V transformer. The plugs are mostly type C and L.
​
