Post by El Profe on Nov 29, 2009 10:11:49 GMT -4
The vast majority of TEFL teachers who come to Chile do so on a tourist visa and then look for work. This is actually illegal but for some reason it is not cracked down on.
Please check with your local consulate but tourist visas are pretty much given to everybody at the point of entry to Chile. Some nationalities have to pay. This is because when Chileans go to those countries, they have to pay.
Tourist Visa Charges
[/b]
[td]Cost (US$)[/td][/b]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Australia[/td]
[td]34[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Canada[/td]
[td]55[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Ireland[/td]
[td]0[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]New Zealand[/td]
[td]0[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]UK[/td]
[td]0[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]USA[/td]
[td]100[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]
Tourist visas are valid for 90 days. You must leave the country on or before day 90.
The law stipulates that you must not look for or accept work while on a tourist visa. Despite this, getting a visa to work while you are in Chile is not that difficult if you work for a language institute.
Generally the first working visa teachers get is a Subject to Contract Visa. As is implied, this visa is given to you when a company has offered you a Contract of Employment. Quite often schools sort out all the bureacracy for you. You are usually just required to sign a couple of pieces of paper.
The visa will last as long as your contract lasts (about 6 to 12 months). It is possible to change employers during this visa but make sure that the whole situation is completely amicable.
This visa also costs money and again those charges are based on nationality.
Subject to Contract Visa Charges
[/b]
[td]Cost (US$)[/td][/b]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Australia[/td]
[td]225[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Canada[/td]
[td]125[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Ireland[/td]
[td]85[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]New Zealand[/td]
[td]200[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]UK[/td]
[td]648[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]USA[/td]
[td]0[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]
Yes, they are quite expensive. Sometimes schools pay this cost for you depending on whether you have a full-time or part-time contract. Other schools may allow you to pay it off in installments.
Despite being highly illegal, many schools will allow you work for them without a visa. This leaves the onus on the teacher to make sure that he is within the law. If you decide to take this option, make sure you 'renew' your visa with a visit to Mendoza (An Argentinan town just across the border). Many teachers visit this beautiful little town every three months to get a new tourist visa.
By the way, you will only ever pay once for a tourist visa. Subsequent tourist visas come at no extra cost.......except of course what you need to pay for your little holiday to Mendoza!
And if you want the official line on all this, the Chilean government usefully provides an English version of their website.
Please check with your local consulate but tourist visas are pretty much given to everybody at the point of entry to Chile. Some nationalities have to pay. This is because when Chileans go to those countries, they have to pay.
Tourist Visa Charges
Country |
[td]Cost (US$)[/td][/b]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Australia[/td]
[td]34[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Canada[/td]
[td]55[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Ireland[/td]
[td]0[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]New Zealand[/td]
[td]0[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]UK[/td]
[td]0[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]USA[/td]
[td]100[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]
Tourist visas are valid for 90 days. You must leave the country on or before day 90.
The law stipulates that you must not look for or accept work while on a tourist visa. Despite this, getting a visa to work while you are in Chile is not that difficult if you work for a language institute.
Generally the first working visa teachers get is a Subject to Contract Visa. As is implied, this visa is given to you when a company has offered you a Contract of Employment. Quite often schools sort out all the bureacracy for you. You are usually just required to sign a couple of pieces of paper.
The visa will last as long as your contract lasts (about 6 to 12 months). It is possible to change employers during this visa but make sure that the whole situation is completely amicable.
This visa also costs money and again those charges are based on nationality.
Subject to Contract Visa Charges
Country |
[td]Cost (US$)[/td][/b]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Australia[/td]
[td]225[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Canada[/td]
[td]125[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Ireland[/td]
[td]85[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]New Zealand[/td]
[td]200[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]UK[/td]
[td]648[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]USA[/td]
[td]0[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]
Yes, they are quite expensive. Sometimes schools pay this cost for you depending on whether you have a full-time or part-time contract. Other schools may allow you to pay it off in installments.
Despite being highly illegal, many schools will allow you work for them without a visa. This leaves the onus on the teacher to make sure that he is within the law. If you decide to take this option, make sure you 'renew' your visa with a visit to Mendoza (An Argentinan town just across the border). Many teachers visit this beautiful little town every three months to get a new tourist visa.
By the way, you will only ever pay once for a tourist visa. Subsequent tourist visas come at no extra cost.......except of course what you need to pay for your little holiday to Mendoza!
And if you want the official line on all this, the Chilean government usefully provides an English version of their website.