Chile’s government has extended through July 25 the decree that closed its borders on April 5, 2021, to foreign nationals without regular residence status and restricted departures from Chile for all its population, including Chilean nationals and foreign nationals with regular residence status.1  For prior coverage, see GMS Flash Alert 2021-189 (June 30, 2021).

WHY THIS MATTERS

Extending limitations on cross-border travel into/from the country will continue to affect the mobility of a company’s international workforce. The extended closing of Chile’s borders and other travel and entry-exit measures previously announced will continue to 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 further postpone beginning the assignment, at least through the middle of July. 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 continue to be aware of the relevant risks associated with travel, large-crowd events and conferences, and changed 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.

As an exception, nonresident foreign nationals originating from a country not listed2 with a “Community Transmission” certified status by the World Health Organization (WHO) and/or countries without “variants of concern” cases (currently practically no one), will be allowed entry. The WHO updates their country epidemiology status every week. 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 from the Virtual Police Station’s (Comisaría Virtual) website, “General Information on Permits, Safe Conduct and Mobility Pass.”3

FOOTNOTES

1       See the official government decree  (in Spanish) published in Chile’s Diario Oficial; and Plan de Accion 2021, COVID-19, Gestion en pandemia, (in Spanish) for the updated border situation.

2       See the following link: https://www.who.int/publications/m .

3       See the Comisaría Virtual, Información General Sobre Permisos, Salvoconductos y Pase de Movilidad.

* 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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