🏔️ Chile

Official government travel advice

Advice changes quickly. Check it before you travel and again before you leave.

Costs

Prices here are about 48% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.

Practical information

Entry

Which visa rules apply is set by your passport, and the official site below has the details. Before booking, get confirmation from the Chilean foreign ministry or an embassy. Travellers should carry a return ticket, hotel details, proof of funds and a passport with 6 months of validity. Easter Island (Rapa Nui) adds its own entry rules and restricts how long you can stay, so ask your operator.

Culture and practical - take note

At first, Chileans come across as polite and reserved. A handshake or one kiss on the cheek is the usual greeting. The country is long and prone to earthquakes, so check the evacuation sign at your hotel, and after a strong quake close to the coast head straight for high ground. Customs checks are strict, so declare plants, seeds, dairy, meat and fresh fruit or leave them at home, because fines are heavy. Weather in Patagonia changes fast. The Atacama desert lies high and dry, so drink water and rest before any activity. Leave a tip of about 10%. Summer can bring wildfires. In big cities, watch your valuables and take official taxis or apps. Outside Santiago, halal food is limited.

Emergency

Police 133. Ambulance 131. Fire 132.

Good to know

Plugs and voltage

Chile's official tourism site gives the electricity supply as 220 volts at 50 hertz. It lists two plug types: Type C, with two round holes, described as for low-power devices, and Type L, with three round pins, used for higher-power devices.

Cards, dollars and cash machines

The Chilean peso is the currency. Canadian advice says some small restaurants and stores outside Santiago may not accept credit cards. US dollars are easily exchanged at banks and official exchange bureaus nationwide, but accepted for purchases only at certain stores in Santiago. Cash machines in public areas or inside a bank or business are advised, since ATM fraud is a risk.

Local laws and customs

Public drinking, protests and fires

Drinking alcohol in public places, including streets and squares, is illegal, UK advice says, and drug use or possession can lead to prison. Canadian advice says foreigners are barred from political activity, and joining demonstrations or promoting dissent, social media included, may bring detention or deportation. Open fires are forbidden in national parks outside permitted camping areas. Agricultural items, packaged products too, must be declared at customs.

Taxis and scams

Taxis and arranging ahead

Unlicensed taxi drivers, including some at the airport, have scammed many foreign visitors out of large amounts, UK advice says; it suggests booking a taxi ahead rather than hailing one, especially late at night. Well-known taxi companies can be ordered through ridesharing apps. Canadian advice says to avoid taxis that have no meter.

Santiago airport taxi fares

At Santiago airport, unlicensed drivers have added extra digits to fares or asked passengers to type a PIN into a card reader that cannot be read, according to UK advice. Pay for an official taxi inside the airport before you leave the building, and do not take airport transport that you cannot pay for before getting in.

Phone and text scams

Phone scams are frequent in Chile, Canadian advice says. Never pass personal or financial information over the phone, and never answer text messages from unfamiliar numbers or click the links in them.

Who can help

local government

Carabineros de Chile emergency line 133

Helps with: Chile's national police emergency line, for crimes, robberies, assaults, traffic accidents and other incidents that need immediate police action. The page says it is open every hour of every day.

Who qualifies: Anyone in Chile reporting an emergency that threatens people's safety. The page calls the service free and confidential.

Phone: 133

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

TurismoAtiende (Sernatur, National Tourism Service)

Helps with: Help line of Chile's national tourism service for travellers. It gives advice by phone, WhatsApp or email. The tourism site says to also tell your embassy if you lose your passport.

Who qualifies: Visitors travelling in Chile, including foreign tourists.

Phone: +56 2 2731 8337

Email: turismoatiende@sernatur.cl

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

ngo

Cruz Roja Chilena (Chilean Red Cross)

Helps with: Chile's national Red Cross society. Its website lists local branches, volunteering, blood donation and a training centre. The page shows only head office contact details.

Who qualifies: People in Chile who need the Red Cross; contact the head office or a local branch listed on its site.

Phone: +56(2) 2783 4100

Email: contacto@cruzroja.cl

Address: Avda. Santa María 0150, Providencia

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

un agency

International Organization for Migration (IOM) Chile

Helps with: The UN migration agency, working in Chile since 1954. It supports migration management and crisis response, including help for people displaced by wildfires.

Who qualifies: Migrants and displaced people in Chile, and government partners. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.

Phone: +56 2 296 33 710

Address: Matilde Salamanca 736, Providencia, Santiago de Chile

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

embassy

Foreign consulates in Chile (official list)

Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy or consulate. The Chilean foreign ministry's online consulate site links to a list of foreign consulates in Chile by country flag.

Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy or consulate.

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response (SENAPRED)

Helps with: Chile's national disaster agency, responsible for earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires and volcanic eruptions. The number listed is its citizen service office, not an emergency line.

Who qualifies: Anyone in Chile wanting information about disaster risks or alerts. For urgent danger call the police on 133.

Phone: 600 586 7700

Address: Av. Beauchef 1671, Santiago

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

Cities and places

Santiago SantiagoAt the foot of the Andes, the capital and main gateway has wineries within easy reach as well as museums and hilltop viewpoints.Photo: Miguel hernandez, CC BY-SA 2.0 San Pedro de Atacama San Pedro de AtacamaClose to the Valley of the Moon, geysers and salt flats, this desert oasis town has night skies that rank among the clearest.Photo: Pierre cb, Public domain Valparaiso ValparaisoUNESCO lists this hilly port city, which has old funicular lifts, street art and colourful houses.Photo: Julia Sumangil, CC BY-SA 4.0 Torres del Paine Torres del PaineMulti-day treks have made this national park in Patagonia famous, with its lakes, glaciers and granite towers.Photo: Karen Chan 16, CC BY 2.0 Easter Island (Rapa Nui) Easter Island (Rapa Nui)Worldwide, this remote Pacific island is known for Polynesian culture and its giant moai stone statues.Photo: kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0 Puerto Varas and the Lake District Puerto Varas and the Lake DistrictSnow-capped volcanoes rise opposite this lakeside town, which serves as a base for outdoor activities, waterfalls and hot springs.Photo: Alexmrz, CC BY-SA 4.0

City selection based on: Sernatur / Marca Chile destination information; Wikipedia Tourism in Chile; travel press

Festivals and events

festival

New Year's Eve fireworks (Valparaiso)

31 Dec 2026 - 1 Jan 2027 · Valparaiso

The fireworks above the bay are South America's biggest.

culture

Tapati Rapa Nui

around Feb 2027 · Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

Competitions and the culture of the island take up two weeks.

culture

Fiestas Patrias (18-19 September)

18-19 Sep 2027 · Santiago

National holidays in Chile include fondas, which are fair tents.

festival

New Year's Eve fireworks (Valparaiso)

31 Dec 2027 - 1 Jan 2028 · Valparaiso

The fireworks above the bay are South America's biggest.

culture

Tapati Rapa Nui

around Feb 2028 · Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

Competitions and the culture of the island take up two weeks.