Chile – COVID-19: Travel Restrictions Imposed
CL – COVID-19: Travel Restrictions Imposed
Chile’s government has decreed that, starting from April 5, 2021, Chile has closed its borders to foreign nationals without regular residence status and has restricted departures from Chile for all its population, including Chilean nationals and foreign nationals with regular residence status. This measure is due to last through the month of April. Chilean nationals and foreign nationals with regular residence status will be allowed to return to Chile if they are currently abroad, however they will not be allowed to depart except under certain circumstances.
Chile’s government has decreed that, starting from April 5, 2021, Chile has closed its borders to foreign nationals without regular residence status and has restricted departures from Chile for all its population, including Chilean nationals and foreign nationals with regular residence status. This measure is due to last through the month of April.1
These measures are a continuation of the Paso a Paso Plan2 implemented by Chile’s government that aims to protect the Chilean population by controlling and preventing the further spread of COVID-19.
(For prior coverage, see the following issues of GMS Flash Alert: 2021-102 (April 2, 2021) and 2020-468 (November 24, 2020).)
WHY THIS MATTERS
Limiting cross-border travel into/from the country may carry significant impact for the mobility of a company’s international workforce. The closing of Chile’s borders and other travel and entry-exit measures previously announced will impact companies with expatriate populations in terms of future assignments inbound to Chile or outbound from Chile.
Employees and their families who may have received offers for an international assignment to Chile may need to postpone the commencement of the assignment, at least through April. This could cause some anxiety, stress, and inconvenience, especially where plans for relocation are already underway.
Companies with global presence and individuals operating across borders need to be increasingly aware of the relevant risks associated with travel, large-crowd events and conferences, and new work arrangements consequent to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Details
Chilean nationals and foreign nationals with regular residence status will be allowed to return to Chile if they are currently abroad, however they will not be allowed to depart unless they can prove an exceptional circumstance, which includes:
- managing operations abroad that are deemed as fundamental for the country’s benefit;
- humanitarian and essential health reasons; or
- departing the country with the intention of not residing any longer in Chile.
Nonresident foreign nationals will be allowed to depart but not to enter Chile as previously stated. To depart the country, the traveler will need to request a special travel permit at the following webpage: https://comisariavirtual.cl/ .
KPMG NOTE
As an exception to this measure, in-transit travelers to a different country will be allowed entry for that purpose, to allow them to continue their travel; minors with a tourist status whose parents are either Chilean nationals or foreign nationals with regular residence status will be allowed entry; and nonresident foreign nationals originating within the last 14 days from a country not listed with a “Community Transmission” certified status and/or by a country without reported variants of concern cases by the World Health Organization (WHO) will be allowed entry as well. The WHO updates its country epidemiology status every week. You can find the weekly report in the following link: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports .
FOOTNOTES
* 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.
VIEW ALL
SUBSCRIBE
To subscribe to GMS Flash Alert, fill out the subscription form.
© 2024 KPMG Auditores Consultores Limitada, una sociedad chilena de responsabilidad limitada y una firma miembro de la organización global de firmas miembro de KPMG afiliadas a KPMG International Limited, una compañía privada inglesa limitada por garantía (company limited by guaranty). Todos los derechos reservados.
GMS Flash Alert is a Global Mobility Services publication of the KPMG LLP Washington National Tax practice. The KPMG name and logo are trademarks used under license by the independent member firms of the KPMG global organization. KPMG International Limited is a private English company limited by guarantee and does not provide services to clients. No member firm has any authority to obligate or bind KPMG International or any other member firm vis-à-vis third parties, nor does KPMG International have any such authority to obligate or bind any member firm. The information contained herein is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.