Easter Island — Visas and Vaccinations
There are no special permits required for Easter Island outside of the requirements for entry to Chile. This means that citizens of the UK, the US, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand may stay for up to 90 days without a visa. However, Chile charges citizens of the US, Australia and Canada what it terms a “reciprocity fee,” or the exact amount these countries charge Chileans to enter.
Citizens of EU countries do not need to apply for a visa and can stay up to 90 days, except those from Greece, who are entitled to stay 60 days. Other nationals that can stay visa-free for 90 days include those from Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turkey.
Passport holders from countries in the South Pacific along with those in Central and South America can also enter without a visa for a stay of up to 90 days, except for a handful of exceptions. Citizens of Grenada, Indonesia and Peru can stay for 60 days, while those from Belize, Bolivia, Jamaica, Malaysia and Singapore can stay for up to 30 days. For those from Dominica, the maximum stay is 21 days.
For all other countries, mostly those in Africa and Asia including Nigeria, Egypt, China and Vietnam, a visa is required in advance. This is also the case for citizens of many Middle Eastern countries.
Health and Safety
The main threat on Easter Island is a medical emergency that requires air evacuation, given the limited facilities here and the extreme distances involved. Hospital Hanga Roa is the main medical facility, offering a 24-hour emergency service, but its scope for dealing with emergencies is limited.
Visitors should therefore buy medical insurance that covers Easter Island, find out names and addresses of suitable hospitals in South America or the South Pacific prior to departure, and make sure to arrive well stocked with any necessary prescriptions.
Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease, was reported on Easter Island for the time in 2002, with more than 600 cases reported since this time. Make sure to bring plenty of mosquito repellent and cover exposed skin wherever possible.