Documents for Brazilians travelling to Chile: what to bring and what nobody warns you about

Brazilians enter Chile with just an ID card, no visa and no passport, under the Mercosur agreement. But three details catch people out at the airport every year, and none of them is the document itself.

The ID card works, with conditions

It works, as long as it:

• Is the original physical document. The digital version is not accepted at immigration.
• Was issued less than 10 years ago. That is not a legal expiry in Brazil, but airlines and border officers can turn away an ID that is very old or whose photo no longer matches the face.
• Is in good condition, with a photo that allows identification beyond doubt.

A driving licence does not replace the ID card for this purpose. A passport also works, and some people prefer to carry one, especially if the flight connects through a country that requires it. The ID card rule applies to tourism only: for work, study or residence a passport is still mandatory.

The SAG sworn declaration, which almost nobody knows about

This is the item that surprises people most. SAG is Chile's Agricultural and Livestock Service, and every passenger must declare what they are carrying: food, seeds, and products of animal or plant origin.

• It is filled in online up to 48 hours before the trip, or on arrival.
• Failing to declare something and being caught means a fine, and not a symbolic one.

In practice: that cheese, the fruit left over from the in-flight snack or the cured sausage you brought as a gift must be declared or thrown away before the checkpoint. When in doubt, declare it: declaring costs nothing, not declaring is expensive.

Proof of funds

Chile may ask you to show you can support yourself during your stay, in the order of US$ 46 per day. A recent bank statement, a credit card limit, cash or proof of income all work. They may also ask for a return ticket and your accommodation address.

Not everyone is asked, but it is better to have it to hand than to find out in the queue.

Minors

• Travelling with both parents: the minor's ID document is enough. A birth certificate is not accepted as an entry document.
• Travelling with one parent only, another relative or alone: an authorisation signed by both parents, notarised, is required. Carry two originals.

Checklist before flying

• Original physical ID card, issued less than 10 years ago and in good condition.
• SAG declaration completed (or fill it in on arrival).
• Proof of funds and accommodation address to hand.
• Notarised authorisation, if a minor is travelling.
• Travel insurance: not required to enter Chile, but private medical care there is not cheap.

If you are still planning the trip, the complete guide to travelling in Chile covers seasons, costs and itineraries, and the money-changing guide for Santiago sorts out cash on arrival.