Why is Chile the only Latin American country whose citizens can enter the U.S. without a visa? What makes Chile special?
November 1, 2025
Why is Chile the only Latin American country whose citizens can enter the U.S. without a visa? What makes Chile special?
25 comments
Chile is much warmer toward us than most Latin American countries (although Argentina may soon join it). They are one of our strongest allies in the entire Southern Hemisphere.
I’m not qualified to give a thorough explanation for this, but I would surmise that we’ve just fucked with Chile a lot less than many of its neighbors. Chile didn’t spend the Cold War trapped in an endless cycle of misery with coup after coup. Pinochet’s government was brutal, but it was *stable*, and offered Chileans a good quality of life (as long as you weren’t on the hit list, of course).
Part of a free trade agreement we signed
Chile meets the criteria for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), including having a stable government, a low visa refusal rate, and a low rate of citizens overstaying their visas.
We like them. They like us. Deals were made and lived up to.
1. Low overstay rate (Chileans get 90 days visa free)
2. Strong Passport Standards
3. Long history of being an economically & politically stable democracy in Latin America
4. Close NATO ties
Chile also is relatively wealthy and therefore doesn’t have problems with gangs and drugs to the degree that countries like Ecuador, Columbia, Venezuela and Brazil do.
This created the H1B1 visa. Additionally, Chileans met other requirements like a low rate of visa overstays/violations. Another agreement was made with Singapore at the same time.
They meet the VWP requirements.
Trump doesn’t know they exist.
I think I’ve read that at least one or two other South American countries do technically meet ESTA requirements at this point, but its being held up due to politics.
Basically, they have really good relations and when a Chilean national gets deported, they take them back.
Things are more or less fine over there and they go home when they’re supposed to, so our governments were able to work something out. There’s more to it but these are the highlights for the laymen.
Close economic and political ties. Low enough rates of denials and overstays to meet the program’s requirements. Argentina used to be in it as well until the 2002 Argentine economic crisis led to too many overstays.
Each Chilean visitor is required to bring in a seabass.
Chileans are highly unlikely to overstay.
Related fact: there’s a special category of work visas (H1B1s) that only apply to Chileans and Singaporeans.
Mexicans can also enter by land or sea with just a border crossing card. instead of a visa, While the border crossing card has essentially the same requirements as a visa, I believe the process for obtaining one is simpler, with less fees and a shorter processing time. I could be wrong on that front though.
I can’t say anything about Chile, but can confirm Brasil is pretty tough to get a technical business visa with. I had professionals work me thru the system, and it still took 6 months.
Tit for Tat as I understand it, meaning we treat them the same or worse when coming here. I loved working there and with Brasilian folk. Best team I was ever on. 100% I would go again.
I should check out Chile for a leisure trip. I’d love to go thru all of America 🙂
Everyone said the procedural reasons why but if you visit you’d be surprised. Santiago is like the only major LATAM city where it really reminds you of the US. Even in affluent areas in most of big LATAM cities, you are reminded of the class divide because theres homeless every where but Santiago legit reminds me of Seattle. It’s like the only city I’ve been to down there where you can’t tell the social classes of people just based off their appearance. Obviously theres poorer areas just like a US city but you have to seek it out in centro Santiago or other southern areas.
Because they’re awesome
United in banning Kinder Egg plastic toys for having no nutritional value. 🇨🇱
Visa-free countries are the ones where visitors from there are less likely to illegally immigrate (overstay). Chile is a stable and well-off enough country that visitors from there are happy to go back home, at least often enough that the US government trusts them with passport travel.
They have a government style that the US likes. The “Chicago Boys” became very influential in their economic policies and also had an influence in “Reaganomics”. Think of how Milei had an influence on Elon Musk and DOGE’s approach to reducing the government footprint/role.
Oh, and of course, all of the other things already mentioned (visa waiver program requirements met, low visa overstay rate, etc).
Probably the data shows a low risk of Chileans overstaying, working illegally, etc.
Chilean passport holders can enter the USA without a visa for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less
Chileans have a solid passport record & behavior while in USA. and so are registered under US Visa Waver Program
To use this program, travelers must get an authorized Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before their trip
Chile is a solid Democracy in South America, peaceful and a strong member of NATO
Pedro Pascal seemed like a solid guy, so we just ran with that.
25 comments
Chile is much warmer toward us than most Latin American countries (although Argentina may soon join it). They are one of our strongest allies in the entire Southern Hemisphere.
I’m not qualified to give a thorough explanation for this, but I would surmise that we’ve just fucked with Chile a lot less than many of its neighbors. Chile didn’t spend the Cold War trapped in an endless cycle of misery with coup after coup. Pinochet’s government was brutal, but it was *stable*, and offered Chileans a good quality of life (as long as you weren’t on the hit list, of course).
Part of a free trade agreement we signed
Chile meets the criteria for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), including having a stable government, a low visa refusal rate, and a low rate of citizens overstaying their visas.
We like them. They like us. Deals were made and lived up to.
1. Low overstay rate (Chileans get 90 days visa free)
2. Strong Passport Standards
3. Long history of being an economically & politically stable democracy in Latin America
4. Close NATO ties
Chile also is relatively wealthy and therefore doesn’t have problems with gangs and drugs to the degree that countries like Ecuador, Columbia, Venezuela and Brazil do.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile%E2%80%93United_States_Free_Trade_Agreement
This created the H1B1 visa. Additionally, Chileans met other requirements like a low rate of visa overstays/violations. Another agreement was made with Singapore at the same time.
They meet the VWP requirements.
Trump doesn’t know they exist.
I think I’ve read that at least one or two other South American countries do technically meet ESTA requirements at this point, but its being held up due to politics.
Basically, they have really good relations and when a Chilean national gets deported, they take them back.
Things are more or less fine over there and they go home when they’re supposed to, so our governments were able to work something out. There’s more to it but these are the highlights for the laymen.
Close economic and political ties. Low enough rates of denials and overstays to meet the program’s requirements. Argentina used to be in it as well until the 2002 Argentine economic crisis led to too many overstays.
Each Chilean visitor is required to bring in a seabass.
Chileans are highly unlikely to overstay.
Related fact: there’s a special category of work visas (H1B1s) that only apply to Chileans and Singaporeans.
Mexicans can also enter by land or sea with just a border crossing card. instead of a visa, While the border crossing card has essentially the same requirements as a visa, I believe the process for obtaining one is simpler, with less fees and a shorter processing time. I could be wrong on that front though.
I can’t say anything about Chile, but can confirm Brasil is pretty tough to get a technical business visa with. I had professionals work me thru the system, and it still took 6 months.
Tit for Tat as I understand it, meaning we treat them the same or worse when coming here. I loved working there and with Brasilian folk. Best team I was ever on. 100% I would go again.
I should check out Chile for a leisure trip. I’d love to go thru all of America 🙂
Everyone said the procedural reasons why but if you visit you’d be surprised. Santiago is like the only major LATAM city where it really reminds you of the US. Even in affluent areas in most of big LATAM cities, you are reminded of the class divide because theres homeless every where but Santiago legit reminds me of Seattle. It’s like the only city I’ve been to down there where you can’t tell the social classes of people just based off their appearance. Obviously theres poorer areas just like a US city but you have to seek it out in centro Santiago or other southern areas.
Because they’re awesome
United in banning Kinder Egg plastic toys for having no nutritional value. 🇨🇱
Visa-free countries are the ones where visitors from there are less likely to illegally immigrate (overstay). Chile is a stable and well-off enough country that visitors from there are happy to go back home, at least often enough that the US government trusts them with passport travel.
They have a government style that the US likes. The “Chicago Boys” became very influential in their economic policies and also had an influence in “Reaganomics”. Think of how Milei had an influence on Elon Musk and DOGE’s approach to reducing the government footprint/role.
Oh, and of course, all of the other things already mentioned (visa waiver program requirements met, low visa overstay rate, etc).
Probably the data shows a low risk of Chileans overstaying, working illegally, etc.
Chilean passport holders can enter the USA without a visa for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less
Chileans have a solid passport record & behavior while in USA. and so are registered under US Visa Waver Program
To use this program, travelers must get an authorized Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before their trip
Chile is a solid Democracy in South America, peaceful and a strong member of NATO
Pedro Pascal seemed like a solid guy, so we just ran with that.
Chicago boys