Chile reopens to international travelers in October
Fully vaccinated travelers from all over the world will be welcome to visit Chile from October 1, 2021. The first thing to bear in mind is that unvaccinated travelers, including children, will not be able to visit at this time.
Even for those who are fully vaccinated, testing and quarantine rules are still in place in Chile. International visitors must present a sworn affidavit, undergo a COVID-19 test no more than three days prior to their flight and head into a mandatory five-day self-isolation once they arrive at the address of their choice. Regarding tourists, this could be their hotel or resort, or Airbnb accommodation.
Vaccination certificates
International travelers will also need to get their vaccination certificate validated by the Chilean Health Ministry via the mobility pass app prior to heading to Chile – a process that can take around a month. Paula Daza, Chile’s Public Health Secretary warns travelers not to book their trip until this step is complete to avoid the potential problems of rescheduling flights.
As for the approved vaccines, the Chilean Health Department currently accepts AstraZeneca, CanSino, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer, Sinopharm, Sinovac and Sputnik V.
Health Insurance
Travelers will need to take out mandatory health insurance with a minimum coverage of US$30,000 to cover medical expenses should they contract COVID-19 while on their trip. Once in the country, every person must comply with the traveler’s follow-up process, which is done over a period of 14 days and consists of daily self-reporting of health status, current location and testing through the mobility pass.
Chile’s vaccination program
According to the Ministry of Health, Chile has reported a successful immunization campaign with almost 87 percent of the eligible population fully vaccinated. However, despite the decrease in infection rate, the country doesn’t want to cut back on precautions too quickly. Right now, Chile remains in a State of Emergency through September 2021 with nightly curfews in place throughout the country.
Arrival points in Chile
When the borders reopen in October, international travelers will be able to enter through dedicated airports in the capital Santiago, Antofagasta, the gateway to the Atacama Desert and the beach resort of Iquique. For convenience, American Airlines is planning to run direct flights between New York and Santiago later this year and will be releasing a launch date soon.
New attraction in Chile
While all the necessary precautions might seem tiresome and time-consuming, the effort will be worth it, as Chile has many exciting attractions to enjoy. This includes a new addition in the form of the country’s seventh UNESCO site of Arica and the mummies of Chinchorro.
The people of Chinchorro are believed to be the world’s oldest ancestral civilization and, in fact, the mummies date back some 7,000 years. This means that the mummies of Chinchorro predate the Egyptian mummies by two millennia. The mummies are on display at a smaller version of the anthropological Museum of San Miguel de Azapa, just outside Arica, until the new and larger version of the museum opens in 2024.
Readers can learn more about Chile and its many amazing attractions from the official VisitChile.com website.
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