Student Visa for Chile

If you are a U.S. citizen...

If you are going on one of our semester or academic year study abroad programs, you will need to apply for a student visa for Chile.

You will not need a visa for our Multi-Location Emerging Economies program, summer study abroad programs, or internships. However, you may need one if you plan on extending your stay beyond 90 days after the program.

If you are a non-U.S. citizen...

You may be required to obtain a visa prior to your arrival in Chile. Contact your Chilean Embassy and Consulate directly to determine your specific visa requirements or contact your IES Abroad Advisor for further information.

HOW

Once you determine your consulate, contact them and visit their website to verify the required visa application documents. You may need to reach out to the consulate several times using telephone, email, fax, and Facebook to get a response.

Some Chilean consulates will require you to make a personal appearance in order to submit your visa application and, in some cases, to also pick up the completed visa. When communicating with the consulate, determine immediately if you will be required to make a personal appearance and if you need to make an appointment.

Check to make sure if your consulate requires you to submit an initial online application.

If your consulate will allow you to apply for your student visa through the mail, make sure you submit all required materials, including your valid passport. We suggest you use a private courier service (FedEx, UPS, etc.) to send your visa application, supporting materials, and application fee. Keep a record of your tracking number to confirm that your materials have been received by the consulate. You must also include a self-addressed envelope with sufficient pre-paid postage for return of your passport and visa. If your consulate will allow it, we suggest also using a private courier service with a tracking number (FedEx, UPS, etc.) for the return of your documents.

WHEN

Please contact your consulate to determine when you can start applying for your Chilean visa. Students typically cannot start applying until 90-120 days before the start of their program, depending on the consulate.

When requesting an appointment, account for your program start date, the application window, and the processing time required for the consulate to issue your visa. Processing times vary and usually take 6-8 weeks.

We recommend you set your appointment no later than six weeks before your program start date.

WHERE

There are seven Chilean consulates in the United States. Each consulate serves a specific geographic region, called a “jurisdiction”. The consulate that serves your jurisdiction (based on your home and/or school addresses) is where you will apply for your Chilean visa. Review our Chilean Consulate Contact & Jurisdiction List to determine your consulate. There are Chilean consulates in:

• Chicago
• Houston
• Los Angeles
• Miami
• New York
• San Francisco
• Washington DC

Please contact your IES Abroad Program Advisor if you have questions about which consulate you are eligible to use to apply for your Chilean visa.

COST

The Chilean visa fee is subject to change, but is approximately $160 USD plus possible varying fees. This is a price determined by the consulate and paid directly to the consulate that serves your jurisdiction.

If your consulate requires you to apply for your visa in-person, you will need to travel to your appointment and may also be required to return on a separate occasion to pick up your passport and visa. This may mean you will have to pay for flights, train tickets, hotel accommodations, or other travel-related expenses.