To protect the health of the population from the new variant of Covid-19 – known as the Omicron variant – starting December 1st the entry of non-resident foreigners who have been in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini and Mozambique in the last 14 days has been prohibited.
SANTIAGO, CHILE (December 1, 2021) – The new measures outlined in the Protected Borders Plan announced by the Chilean government have been placed in anticipation of the possible effects of Omicron, the new variant of Covid-19 detected in South Africa.
Following international recommendations and those of the Covid-19 Advisory Council, the Minister of Health, Alberto Dougnac, has decided to establish a series of measures aimed at safeguarding the health of the national population.
Thus, as of December 1st, non-resident aliens who have been in any of the following African countries: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini and Mozambique, during the last 14 days will be prohibited from entering Chile.
The Minister of Health explains, “Chilean and foreign residents who have been in these countries must undergo an entry PCR and comply with a quarantine of at least seven days, regardless of the negative result of their PCR and vaccination status.”
Along the same lines, it was decided to postpone the opening of the Chacalluta (Arica and Parinacota Region), Pino Hachado (Araucanía Region) and Colchane (Tarapacá Region) land crossings, which will remain closed until the situation is re-evaluated within two weeks. The air border crossing points at Santiago, Iquique, Antofagasta and Punta Arenas will remain operational.
Entry to Chile
According to Minister Dougnac, all Chileans and resident foreigners, all non-resident foreigners with their vaccinations validated by the Ministry of Health, and all non-resident foreigners who meet the exceptional requirements of Decree 102 of the Ministry of the Interior and all children under 6 years of age, regardless of their nationality or vaccination status, may enter Chile through the authorized border crossings.
For Chileans and foreign residents, the entry requirements are: a negative PCR test taken in the country of origin no later than 72 hours before boarding the plane and an affidavit obtained from the website c19.cl.
To enter Chile, non-resident foreigners need to be fully vaccinated, and have the vaccination validated by the Chilean Ministry of Health, a negative PCR taken in the country of origin performed no more than 72 hours prior to departure, the affidavit obtained at c19.cl, a US$30,000 medical insurance covering any disease associated with the coronavirus and a new PCR test performed upon arrival in the country, a process that implies a period of isolation that will be extended until the negative result of the test is available.
As a safeguard measure, the health authority decided to postpone the decision to exempt non-resident foreigners with a third dose of vaccination from a test upon arrival in the country, so that “everyone will have to take a PCR at the point of entry and quarantine until the result is negative, regardless of their vaccination status,” explained Dougnac.
In addition, Dougnac reiterated, all persons over 6 years of age who may enter the country and who do not have their vaccines validated must undergo a PCR at the airport and be quarantined for seven days, even if the PCR result is negative.
Minister Dougnac pointed out that, to reassure the public, “we will be strengthening genomic surveillance of all persons coming from abroad to detect the appearance of the new variant in a timely manner. Those travelers with positive PCR and suspicion of the omicron variant will have to carry out their mandatory quarantine in a sanitary residence or wherever the sanitary authority determines”.
When leaving the country, as of December 1, the restrictions for traveling abroad from the authorized air border crossings will be eliminated, which means that neither a Mobility Pass nor a virtual police station permit will be required.
About Chile
Chile is a country rich in diversity and contrast. It possesses a special geography that distinguishes it from other world destinations. One of its most unique features is having territory in three world regions: South America, Oceania, and Antarctica. Its continental length from north to south reaches over 4,300 kilometers in a narrow strip of land between the rugged Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Such a great expanse gives way to an array of privileged landscapes, beginning with the planet’s most arid desert, transitioning through a fertile central valley, down through a land of lakes and volcanoes and ending in the glaciers, fjords, and granite mountains of wild Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego – the farthest reaches of the continent. Reasons to discover Chile include: surprising natural wonders such as the Atacama, the driest desert in the world with more than 200 native flowers; culture and heritage with six UNESCO world heritage sites and firsthand experience with the Mapuche Culture; world-class sports and adventures – ski the Andes, surf in Pichilemu or go scuba diving in Easter Island; flavors and wine from the end of the world; astronomical tourism with the clearest skies in the Southern Hemisphere; vibrant city life in Santiago; health and wellness with 270+ thermal springs, wine therapy and treatments using local products such as olives or avocado; among many others. Visit www.chile.travel for more information.