Health Tips
Vaccinations
No vaccinations are required to enter Chile.
Water
In general the city’s water supply is absolutely safe, although it is always advisable for sensitive people to drink bottled water for the first few days. Bottled water is available everywhere.
Raw food
It is generally not advisable to eat uncooked vegetables that grow close to the soil (i.e., lettuce, carrots, strawberries, etc.), unless you get them from an established supermarket chain (Jumbo, Unimarc, Almac, etc.), who monitor the source of their products. There are a large variety of packed products, guaranteed to have been irrigated with potable water from a well. Established restaurants will also guarantee his.
Sicknesses
Hanta virus. The Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a serious and frequently lethal respiratory disease originally discovered in Manchuria before WWII. It was later identified during the Korea's Civil War (1951) and is now present in Asia, especially in China where it is a nationwide health problem. Cases have been reported in Japan and Eastern Europe as well. In the last few years, similar or identical agents have been found in rats and mice in the Western United States, with an epidemic in 1993 in Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Chile.
Presumably, this disease has been present in Chile for several centuries, but only modern methods of diagnosis have only now allowed precise identification.
The disease does not have epidemic status in Chile, and does not represent a significant risk to tourism in the affected zones. The virus has a short life outside the carrier (mostly long tailed mice), which means that in open, well ventilated areas or those exposed to sunlight, it will not survive.
Recommended preventive measures for campers or visitors to rural zones are:
Before staying in an abandoned or inhabited cabin or refuge, open and ventilate the place for at least 1 hour. Check for the presence of rodents and do not stay inside if traces are found.
If you are sleeping outside, check the site for mice droppings or dens.
Do not bother the rodents in their dens or holes.
Avoid sleeping close to woodpiles, garbage or typical rodent habitats.
Avoid sleeping on the floor without protection. Use a sleeping pad or similar.
If you use a tent, keep it closed to prevent rodents getting in.
Keep your food in rodent proof containers. Bury, burn or dispose of carefully the garbage (where allowed). Keep the place clean.
Boil suspicious water or purify it with iodine or chlorine tablets.
For more information refer to :
US Center for Disease Control
Chile Health Ministry
Altitude sickness or Puna. In the Chilean high plains, at the North of the country, and in some border zones, it is possible to be affected by altitude. The lack of oxygen and atmospheric pressure may cause headaches, nausea , shortness of breath, and physical weakness in some people. In two to five days the body should adapt to the oxygen shortage. If the discomfort continues or gets worse ( headache not yielding to aspirin, repeated vomiting, staggering and confusion ) you must descend in altitude to prevent the development of acute mountain sickness which can be fatal. It is best to avoid smoking and alcohol, and to drink lots of water. In the North it is common to chew coca leaves or to drink a tea of coca, which helps the body alleviate the symptoms of the puna.
Health care facilities
Institution Address Emergency Phone
Clinica Las Condes Lo Fontecilla 441, Las Condes 210-5150
Clinica Alemana Av. Vitacura 5951, Vitacura 210-1334
Clinica Cordillera Alejandro Flemming 7885, Las Condes 212-8732
Clinica Las Lilas Eliodoro Yañez 2087, Providencia 205-5710
Clinica Dávila Recoleta 464, Independencia 730-8222
Clinica Santa Maria Av Santa María 0410, Providencia 730-5788
Visa Information
Citizens from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay can travel to Chile with their national identity card, but citizens from other countries need a valid passport. A visa is NOT required to enter Chile for a stay of 30-90 days (depending on the country of citizenship), for the following countries:
Country
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ucrania, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela.
Countries not listed must contact the Chilean consulate for an application to obtain a visa.
Customs
International travelers must clear customs upon entrance. You should not have any problems with personal belongings, but you cannot carry:
Fruits, vegetables, seeds or unprocessed goods of animal origin.
Firearms, ammunition or explosives.
Illegal drugs.
Visa extensions
You must apply for a visa extension before it expires, otherwise a fine will apply. Permanent stay in the country must be dealt with "Dirección de Migraciones" (Moneda 1342, Santiago). Their office hours are from 8:30 h. to 13:00 h. Mentioned below are most of the consulates with their office hours.
Consulates in Santiago
Country Address Phones Office hours
Argentina Av Vicuña Mackenna 41, Santiago 222-6947 222-8977 0900 - 1400
Australia Gertrudis Echeñique 420, Las Condes 228-5666 0900 - 1200
Austria Barros Errázuriz 1968 P 3, Providencia 223-4774 223-4281 1000 - 1200
Belgium Av Providencia 2653 Dpto 1104, Providenc 232-1071 232-1070 0900 - 1200
Bolivia Av Santa María 2796, Providencia 232-4997 232-8180 0900 - 1330
Brazil Mac Iver 225 P 15, Santiago 639-8867 0930 - 1330
Canada Nueva Tajamar 481 P 12, Providencia 362-9660 0830 - 1730
China Av Pedro de Valdivia 550, Providencia 233-9880 233-9898 0930 - 1300
Colombia Av Pdte Errázuriz 3943, Las Condes 206-9326 206-9324 0900 - 1300
Costa Rica Zurich 255 Of 85, Las Condes 334-9486 1000 - 1300
Cote d'Ivoire Del Arzobispo 0739, Providencia 732-1556 0900 - 1300
Croatia Ezequias Alliende 2370, Providencia 269-6141 0900 - 1200
Cuba Los Leones 1346, Providencia 274-5708 274-5021 0930 - 1330
Czech Republic Av. El Golf 254, Las Condes 231-1910 0900 - 1200
Denmark Jacques Cazotte 5531, Vitacura 218-5949 0900 - 1300
Dominican Republic Augusto Leguía Sur 79 Of 1802, Las Conde 245-0667 334-4888 0900 - 1500
Ecuador Av Providencia 1979 P 5, Providencia 231-2015 231-5073 0900 - 1800
El Salvador Coronel 2330 Of 51 y 52, Providencia 233-8324 233-8332 0900 - 1500
Finland Alcantara 200 Of 201, Las Condes 263-4918 0900 - 1230
France Condell 65, Providencia 225-1030 0900 - 1230
Germany Las Hualtatas 5677, Vitacura 463-2500 0900 - 1300
Greece Isidora Goyenechea 3162 Of 902, Las Cond 231-1244 1100 - 1400
Guatemala Mons Sótero Sanz 55 P 8, Providencia 335-1565 1030 - 1400
Honduras Rosario Sur 269, Las Condes 212-3682 1000 - 1400
Hungary Los Leones 2279, Providencia 274-2210 1000 - 1300
Iceland Monseñor Sotero Sanz 55 P 3, Providencia 231-1803 0830 - 1800
India Triana 871, Providencia 235-2005 235-2633 0900 - 1200
Indonesia Nueva Costanera 3318, Vitacura 207-9880 0900 - 1730
Israel San Sebastián 2812 P 5, Las Condes 246-1570 246-1571 1000 - 1300
Italy Clemente Fabres 1050, Providencia 225-9439 0900 - 1200
Japan Ricardo Lyon 520, Providencia 232-1807 0900 - 1730
Jordan San Pascual 446, Las Condes 228-8989 208-4595 0900 - 1500
Lebanon Alianza 1728, Vitacura 218-2835 0900 - 1700
Malaysia Tajamar 183 P 11, Las Condes 233-6698 0900 - 1400
Mexico Félix de Amesti 128, Las Condes 206-6132 0900 - 1400
Morocco Av Luis Pasteur 5850 Of 203, Vitacura 218-0311 0900 - 1400
Netherlands Las Violetas 2368, Providencia 223-6934 223-6825 0930 - 1300
New Zealand Isidora Goyenechea 3516, Las Condes 231-4204 /5 /6 0900 - 1800
Nicaragua Zurich 255 Of 51, Las Condes 234-1808 234-5170 0900 - 1400
Norway San Sebastian2839 Of 509, Las Condes 288-1197 0930 - 1230
Panama La Reconquista 640, Providencia 202-5439 0900 - 1400
Paraguay Huérfanos 886 Of 515, Santiago 639-4640 639-5112 0900 - 1300
Peru Padre Mariano 10 Of 309, Providencia 235-4600 0900 - 1400
Philippines Félix de Amesti 367, Las Condes 208-1313 0900 - 1730
Poland Mar del Plata 2055, Providencia 204-1213 1000 - 1600
Portugal Monseñor Sotero Sanz 55 P 5, Providencia 232-3034 231-8809 0900 - 1800
Romania Calle Benjamín 2955, Las Condes 231-1893 0900 - 1200
Russia Av Cristóbal Colón 4152, Las Condes 208-3413 0900 - 1300
Singapore Amunátegui 277 P 3, Santiago 696-5185 0900 - 1730
South Africa Av 11 de Septiembre 2353 P 16, Providenc 231-2862 0900 - 1230
Spain Av 11 de Septiembre 2353, Providencia 233-4070 0900 - 1400
Sweden Av 11 de Septiembre 2353 P 4, Providenci 231-2733 0900 - 1200
Switzerland Av Américo Vespucio Sur 100, Las Condes 263-4211 1000 - 1400
Syrian Arab Republic Carmencita 111, Las Condes 232-7471 1000 - 1400
Taiwan Apoquindo 3001 P 5, Las Condes 362-9772 0900 - 1300
Thailand Av Américo Vespucio Sur 100 P 15, Las Co 263-0710 0900 - 1700
Turkey Mons Sótero Sanz 56 P 7, Providencia 231-8952 0900 - 1500
Ucrania Los Conquistadores 1700 P 28 Providencia 334-5689 0900 - 1300
United Kingdom El Bosque Norte 0125, Las Condes 370-4100 0900 - 1230
United States Av Andrés Bello 2800, Las Condes 232-2600 0830 - 1300
Uruguay Pedro de Valdivia 711, Providencia 223-8398 1000 - 1600
Venezuela Bustos 2021 P 3, Providencia 225-8681 0900 - 1300