Chile – Extensions of ID Cards and Venezuelan Passports
CL – Extending ID Cards and Venezuelan Passports
The Chilean Government has extended the validity of Chilean ID Cards for foreign nationals with a lawful immigration status until February 28, 2022, and also extended the validity date of expired passports from Venezuela, issued from 2013 onwards, until April 22, 2023.
The Chilean government decreed that, effective from February 3, 2021, the validity of Chilean ID Cards for foreign nationals (cédula de identidad para extranjeros) with a lawful immigration status is extended until February 28, 2022.1
Furthermore, the Chilean government has also proclaimed that, effective from February 3, 2021, expired passports from Venezuela, issued from 2013 onwards, are to be considered valid until April 22, 2023.2 As some background, this measure was adopted as a result of the difficulties, if not impossibility, encountered by the large Venezuelan community residing in Chile to renew their passports through their Venezuelan consulate.
These measures are a continuance of the Paso a Paso Plan3 implemented by the Chilean government that aims to protect the Chilean population by controlling and preventing the further spread of COVID-19.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The Chilean ID Card validity extension will benefit foreign nationals with ID Cards expiring in 2019, 2020 and 2021. For foreign nationals with ID Cards that will expire in 2021, the extension will apply as long as they have a valid resident permit. Note that either a valid proof of visa in progress or a proof of permanent residency in progress is considered a resident permit that proves regular immigration status in Chile and, therefore, is effective to prove the validity of an ID card until February 28, 2022.
The Venezuelan passport validity extension will benefit Venezuela’s nationals with expired passports. This policy is aimed to allow the entry into, transit within and departure from Chile of Venezuelan nationals and to allow them to stamp their Chilean visas. It is important to mention that this measure will not limit the legal and regulatory faculties of the Chilean Immigration Authorities in terms of their approval and issuance of visas, extensions and permanent residency permits within the national territory.
KPMG NOTE
The ID Card validity extension will not exempt foreign nationals from filing visa renewals or permanent residency requests with the Immigration Department within the legal period, before their visa expiration date.
Venezuelan nationals will still be required to request a visa to enter Chile. The passport validity extension is aimed at fostering their compliance with immigration regulations and requirements.
FOOTNOTES
1 See the official government decree (Núm. 116) published 3 February 2021 (in Spanish) in Chile’s Diario Oficial.
2 See the official government decree (Núm. 395 exenta) published 3 February 2021 (in Spanish) published in Chile’s Diario Oficial.
3 See the government’s Paso a Paso Plan’s website (in Spanish).
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* Please note the KPMG International member firm in the United States does not provide immigration or labour law services. However, KPMG Law LLP in Canada can assist clients with U.S. immigration matters.
The information contained in this newsletter was submitted by the KPMG International member firm in Chile.
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