Message for U.S. Citizens and the general public
Due to Pope Francis’ visit to Chile from January 15-18, the Chilean Government has declared Tuesday, January 16 a public holiday for the Metropolitan Region of Santiago. Consequently, the U.S. Embassy in Santiago will be closed for all Visa interviews and U.S. Citizens services. Visa aplicants who had a scheduled appointment on that day must reschedule their appointments through their personal accounts on the following link. https://ais.usvisa-info.com/es-cl/niv. U.S. Citizens in need of assistance may call the emergency number at +56 22 330 3000.
Please be reminded that the Pope’s visit will include stops in Santiago, Temuco and Iquique. The public masses at Parque O’Higgins in Santiago on January 16, at Manquehue Airport in Temuco on January 17, and Campus Lobito in Iquique on January 18 are expected to draw substantial crowds. U.S. citizens should expect extensive delays at border crossings, road closures and restrictions on vehicle traffic, limited public transportation, a heavy police presence, and airport delays. Monitor local media for the latest information about the visit and road closures.
The U.S. Embassy reminds U.S. citizens to maintain situational awareness; large groups and gatherings, in general, present targets for increased criminal or terrorist activity.
For further information:
- See the State Department’s travel websitefor the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information for Chile.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Contact the U.S. Embassy in Chile, located at Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago, at +56 22 330 3716, Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. The after-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +56 22 330 3000.
- Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
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