Chile / Peru border crossing - what's the latest?
 

Hi

I know there have been some posts on this before, but they're a little out of date so I thought I'd ask anew. Does anyone know the latest on how easy it is for a foreigner to cross from Chile to Peru with a Chilean bike? (All the paperwork is ok.)

Cheers

Matt

To answer my own question on this one - they won't let you through. At the Arica / Tacna border they turn back foreigners with Chilean bikes if they don't have residency in Chile. No apparent room for manoeuvre.

Dammit, time to try Plan B...

Did you buy it first hand or second hand? and were you sent back on the Chilean side or Peruvian side? What's your plan B?

I bought 2nd hand through a dealer and was sent back by the Chilean side.

Plan B is the Bolivian Border!

I have made the crossing at Ollague with a Chilean bike though I had power of attorney. When I arrived they said to me 'ohhh you're not Chilean' like they were about to tell me it wasn't possible. If I were you I would try to get some type of document from the dealer perhaps?

Ah - great, will see what I can do - thanks for the advice!

As a postscript to this one, I did get through the Bolivian border. It did seem a little touch and go when they discovered that I wasn't resident in Chile, but they seemed to more or less shrug it off and let it go.

The next day I crossed into Peru from Bolivia without incident, though did have to wait 3 hrs for the Bolivian customs to return from lunch (note - don't try and cross the border on a Sunday lunchtime!).

In Sept 2024, at Ollague, we only just got through the Chile/Bolivia border. UK residents on our own Chilea plated bike with all the paperwork. Officer was going to refuse but in the end, relented and made an exception for us. He told us we were very fortunate.