Reciprocity Fees - South America???

For our cruise January 17, 2010 around the horn, we are flying into Santiago from the US on January 13, 2010 and deaprting Buenos Aires back to the US on February 5, 2010.

What are the required fees at the Santiago airport when one lands there from the US?

What are the required fees at the Buenos Aires airport when one departs from that airport to go back to the US?

Are these paid by cash or will credit cards work?

My travel agent and the airlines didn't say anything about these fees so I want to be prepared and not get caught short.

Thanks for any information you can share.

I was told you pay about 131$ IN US$$$ in crisp new bills pp in another line before going through customs in Santiago .The fee lasts for the duration of your passport .Mine expires in Nov 2010 Credit cards ARe not accepted and ATM do not always work so bring CASH Make sure bills are fairly new

In BA I believe it is 30$ pp to leave but I am not sure Could someone verify??/

You will come on board when we leave

:D

I was told you pay about 131$ IN US$$$ in crisp new bills pp in another line before going through customs in Santiago .The fee lasts for the duration of your passport .Mine expires in Nov 2010 Credit cards ARe not accepted and ATM do not always work so bring CASH Make sure bills are fairly new

In BA I believe it is 30$ pp to leave but I am not sure Could someone verify??/

You will come on board when we leave

Thanks for the info. It's good to know what to expect and be ready.

:D

I was told you pay about 131$ IN US$$$ in crisp new bills pp in another line before going through customs in Santiago .The fee lasts for the duration of your passport .Mine expires in Nov 2010 Credit cards ARe not accepted and ATM do not always work so bring CASH Make sure bills are fairly new

In BA I believe it is 30$ pp to leave but I am not sure Could someone verify??/

You will come on board when we leave

US citizens pay $131 in Santiago. We were able to use our VISA card to pay the fee and this was in late November. Best have bills in good condition available just in case.

US citizens pay $131 in Santiago. We were able to use our VISA card to pay the fee and this was in late November. Best have bills in good condition available just in case.

You are correct. While they take credit cards it's just best to be prepared just in case their system is down. Bring more cash than you need just in case they reject some of it. The do want clean crisp bills.

Keith

Is the Chilean entry fee a reciprocal only applied to US citizens? I travel on either a Canadian or EU (Irish) passport. Many places (Brazil, Egypt, etc.) do not treat me as they do a US citizen (my wife!), but we have not been to Chile before.

Is the Chilean entry fee a reciprocal only applied to US citizens? I travel on either a Canadian or EU (Irish) passport. Many places (Brazil, Egypt, etc.) do not treat me as they do a US citizen (my wife!), but we have not been to Chile before.

I can't remember who has to pay the fee.There are 5 or 6 that do. I believe Canadian's do, Irish do not. Not sure what the Canadians fee is. Check out the Chile Embassy web site.

Is the Chilean entry fee a reciprocal only applied to US citizens? I travel on either a Canadian or EU (Irish) passport. Many places (Brazil, Egypt, etc.) do not treat me as they do a US citizen (my wife!), but we have not been to Chile before.

Citizens of four countries must pay this a reciprocity fee" of varying amounts.

The fees adjusted to USA Dollars are;

$132.00 for American citizens,

$132.00 for Canadian citizens,

$90.00 for Australian citizens,

$15.00 for Mexican citizens.

This fee is equivalent to the amount that country requires for entry visas from Chilean citizens and the fee is only for tourists entering by plane. The fee covers multiple entries into Chili for the life of the passport.

Keith

We are UK passport holders and will not need to pay anything.

We are UK passport holders and will not need to pay anything.

That's correct.

Keith

Keith1010. Thanks for the advice on this issue with entry fees. I will use my Irish passport for this trip, and guess my wife will have to fork over!

Another question about exiting the country and fees: I am arriving Valparaiso and after a couple of days, going on the bus to Mendoza, Argentina. Will I have to pay the exit fee? Would it be collected at the border crossing or at the bus station? Thanks for any insight.

Another question about exiting the country and fees: I am arriving Valparaiso and after a couple of days, going on the bus to Mendoza, Argentina. Will I have to pay the exit fee? Would it be collected at the border crossing or at the bus station? Thanks for any insight.

I don't think there is an exit fee. Are you arriving in Valparaiso by air or ship? If by ship I don't think you have to pay the entry fee, if by air, for sure. Maybe someone can clarify the ship question and also is there is an entry fee to Argentina?

I know we arrived by ship in Valparaiso and flew from Santiago to Cusco Peru and didn't have to pay anything when we left Santiago. Only when we flew back into Santiago did we have to pay the $131.

Thanks, Bubba. I will be arriving by cruise ship, 2 days in Valparaiso, bus to Mendoza, flight to Buenos Aires and flight home. Sounds like I won't have to pay unless it's something when I fly out of Buenos Aires.

Thanks for everyone's input on this matter...

We have just booked a Cruise from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso and were not aware......

If I understand correctly.... When we arrive in Buenos Aires we will have to pay an "Entry" Fee of approximately $30.00 US each but when we eventually fly home from Santiago at the end of the Cruise we will not have to pay an "Exit" Fee when we leave the country.

Is that correct?

Cheers

Ken

Thanks for everyone's input on this matter...

 

We have just booked a Cruise from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso and were not aware......

 

If I understand correctly.... When we arrive in Buenos Aires we will have to pay an "Entry" Fee of approximately $30.00 US each but when we eventually fly home from Santiago at the end of the Cruise we will not have to pay an "Exit" Fee when we leave the country.

 

Is that correct?

 

Cheers

Ken

Unless there is a recent change, there is no entry fee for Argentina. The government planned to implement a "reciprocity" fee last year but dropped the idea when the economy went in the toilet. There was an exit fee of 18 dollars but this fee is now included in the price of your airline ticket for most carriers.

Thanks, Bubba. I will be arriving by cruise ship, 2 days in Valparaiso, bus to Mendoza, flight to Buenos Aires and flight home. Sounds like I won't have to pay unless it's something when I fly out of Buenos Aires.

You will have to pay domestic departure tax when you leave Mendoza. It should be $8.00 US BUT you most likely will have to pay in Argentinian Pesos in Mendoza, so be prepared.

You MAY or MAY NOT have to pay $18.00 international departure tax in BA DEPENDING on how the ticket was booked. IF it is on a US airline, the tax most likely is INCLUDED in the airline ticket price. IF it is on a foreign airline (LAN, TAM, LASCA/TACA, etc) it MAY or MAY not be included. You need to check the RECEIPT, not the e ticket confirmation to see if the tax has been paid in the ticket price.

What is with all of this crisp bill business for the reciprocity fee? I think it is just a self-perpetuating myth on these boards. What could the reason be? Are they really not going to take "used" currency????

What is with all of this crisp bill business for the reciprocity fee? I think it is just a self-perpetuating myth on these boards. What could the reason be? Are they really not going to take "used" currency????

We had local vendors not wanting to take old/torn bills. If they are that picky, guess what the government officials are like.

What is with all of this crisp bill business for the reciprocity fee? I think it is just a self-perpetuating myth on these boards. What could the reason be? Are they really not going to take "used" currency????

This is fact. When when we were there they would not take one of the bills I gave them because it had what I would tell you is a minor creaee. They want crisp bills.

Keith

This is fact. When when we were there they would not take one of the bills I gave them because it had what I would tell you is a minor creaee. They want crisp bills.

 

Keith

Thanks!

I'll iron the US bills before we go! :D:D

Thanks!

 

I'll iron the US bills before we go! :D:D

I wish it was a joke, but it's not.

So, let me say one more time for the benefit of those who may be traveling here for the first time.

While credit card is accepted there is always the risk that the credit card connections will be down.

So, be sure to bring sufficient cash just in case and I advise bringing more than is required and do make sure that you get relatively new bills from the bank.

Why folks want to make a joke of this is beyond me. Because it is not a joke.

Keith

There are many counterfeit US bills out there and the older, more worn bills are more suspect.

What is with all of this crisp bill business for the reciprocity fee? I think it is just a self-perpetuating myth on these boards. What could the reason be? Are they really not going to take "used" currency????

We had clean crisp almost new bills and they rejected a few of them!

No tears or ink marks are accepted.

They were accepting Visa/Mastercard.

We paid $131 p/p when arriving at the Santiago airport last April.

We had clean crisp almost new bills and they rejected a few of them!

 

No tears or ink marks are accepted.

 

They were accepting Visa/Mastercard.

 

We paid $131 p/p when arriving at the Santiago airport last April.

I am glad you provided your example. This is why I always tell people to take crisp bills but to also take several as backup so if any are rejected one had others to provide.

While they take the Credit Card you just never know if their system will be down and cash might be the only option.

Keith