Chilean entry fee question
 

I am a U.S. citizen, who will be flying into Santiago in January 2009. I know I will be charged a $131 entry fee and issued a 90-day visa (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p.../cis_1088.html). All that is fine. The issue is that I will be returning to Santiago about 9 months later (i.e., because my round-the-world ticket begins in Chile, it also ends in Chile). The question is, Do I need to pay the entry fee twice? Not sure if this is relevant, but I will be staying in Chile less than 24 hours when I enter this second time, in order to catch a flight to Peru. Does that obviate the problem (i.e., since I'm just transiting SCL)? Thanks very much.

The fee is good for the life of your passport. You'll get a stamp on one of your passport pages and a small receipt will be stapled to that page. As long as you enter with the same passport, you're good to go on any visit to Chile.

Really? That's a great policy! However, because the karmic balances must be maintained, I'm sure this is why Argentina will likely soon impose a reciprocity fee on U.S. citizens (http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/el...008-10-06.html). But yay for Chile.

Thats a stupid move on Argentina
's part if they decide to impose the visa fee. I always thought Argentina was above this tit for tat and actually benefited from not imposing such a fee. The US shouldn't do it either however so many tourists are coming to Argentina and spending muchos pesos in the country that the government recognized. I love Argentina and miss it like crazy but if given the exhorbitant price of airfare to get there if they impose this reprocity fee, it will seem a lot less appealing of a destination. Furthermore, Europe is becoming more affordable again with a stronger dollar. So I say don't do it Argentina.

A little editing is in order. Sorry.
"...but if given the exhorbitant price of airfare to get there if they impose this reprocity fee, it will seem a lot less appealing of a destination."
Should read: "but given the exhorbitant airfare to get there and if they impose this reciprocity fee, it will seem a lot less appealing of a destination."

I can't say I blame a country for doing this, even if it would effect me directly.

With Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay requiring visas and Chile and Argentina imposing the reciprocity fee, about half of South America has become expensive to visit for U.S. citizens.