Protests May Cause Immigration Processing Disruptions

At a Glance

• Amid violent protests in Santiago, Chilean president Sebastián Piñera has declared a state of emergency, resulting in road closures and partial shutdown of the public transportation system to ensure public safety.

• Chile's Immigration Department in Santiago has closed at least one of its branches through October 25; other branches, as well as other governmental agencies, will likely operate with reduced staff and office hours during this time.

• Closures or limited accessibility to immigration or other government offices may prevent foreign nationals from attending their registration, visa stamping, or identification card issuance appointments. Additionally, although foreign nationals can continue to file visa or residence applications by mail or online (as applicable), foreign nationals and employers can expect processing delays for all immigration related applications until the situation normalizes.