Earlier this year I was in Chile and met up with a number of foreigners who had purchased bikes in Chile and taken them to Argentina, Bolivia and Peru. In some cases a number of times. As far as I can see if the bike has Chile plates in your name (or you have a poder- official permission from the owner) then you can come and go as you please. As for a length of time outside Chile I don't know but it makes no sense as what will the authorities do if you don't come back? Ask the staff at Colvin and Colvin Honda dealers in Santiago. They sell bikes to foreigners and they say it is fiction. Not sure how this idea originated and spread. One of the reasons I spent big money taking my bike to Chile and it turns out to be FICTION

Maybe DanielMoloys experiences from last year is fiction too....

« Jun 2017
daniel.molloy72 daniel.molloy72 is offline
Registered Users
New on the HUBB

Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 3
Update on taking bikes out of Chile
I have spent the last two months trying to deal with this problem, I will give full details of what i have done below but the short version is that it is no longer possible for foreigners to take any vehicle out of Chile by any means.

What i have done:

Firstly i purchased my bike new in Santiago with a local friend helping me get my RUT. Once i had all the paperwork back i attempted to cross the boarder but was turned back because of the "foreigners cant take bikes out" rule. That was the end of that!

Following this i went back to Santiago a little confused so i called the Aduana (boarder patrol guards) They told me that it was possible to take the bike out of the country if it was registered in a Chileans name. He can then make me out a poder (Which allows me to use the bike and take it out of the country). So another week passed while i transferred the bike to my Chielan friend and got all the paperwork back. Eventually headed back to the boarder, turns out (according the the Aduana at the boarder) That what i was told by the other Aduana inst true and that only Chilean residents can cross the boarder with a vehicle and they refused to let me out, i tried three different times at two different boarder crossings and was turned back each time.

This is the end of the trip for me, i am now heading back to Santiago to sell the bike and get out of dodge.

From my experience it is game over for Chile, there is no way to do it. I have spent more than two months in total trying to no avail.

Note for Rrichardfrost: From my personal experience unfortunately neither of your ideas will work. The issue is not with ownership, it is with you being foreign. So it doesn't matter if you rent or buy (i have effectively done both) the issue of being foreign will still stop you crossing.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news for anyone reading this, just trying to avoid someone else wasting all the time & money that i have!»

__________________
In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

I met a German in Argentina yesterday, he bought one 4 days ago in Santiago. It took him 2 weeks.

I didn't ask him what to do, but there is a way.

I had not read this. In the absence of any new posts I have asked the Chile Customs via their on line service. Will post the reply when I get one. So far I got the receipt

Solicitud ingresada correctamente. Su número de Solicitud es: V476514

Here is the link to the regulations in Chile on taking a vehicle out of the country as supplied by the Oficina de Informaciones, Reclamos y Sugerencias OIRS Servicio Nacional de Aduanas in Chile. in Dec 2018

https://www.aduana.cl/capitulo-4-sal...txt_cuerpo_T16
In 17.1 it says that according to the law chapter IV (17) you can't take a Chilean registered vehicle out of the country unless you have either a Chilean Identity card, a certificate of residency or domicile for foreigners or permanent residency all issued by the immigration authority. This applies to countries except Argentina and Bolivia. Section 17.2 covers the exit of vehicles to Argentina under the agreement between Chile and Argentina.

Section 17.2.3 Con todo, en caso que el conductor del vehículo fuere su propietario y tuviere nacionalidad extranjera deberá presentar declaración jurada simple ante Notario, en la cual se compromete a retornar el vehículo al país dentro del plazo autorizado. (Usually 180 days)

This says "In every case where the driver of the vehicle is the owner and has foreign nationality they must present a sworn declaration in front of a Notary in which they promise to return the vehicle to the country (Chile) within the authorised time frame.

Section 17.3 refers to the Temporary Exit and Entry Agreement for vehicles between Chile and Bolivia. It says this is the same as written in 17.1 above

So my understanding now is that unless you meet the residential requirements of 17.1 you can only take a Chilean registered vehicle you own out of Chile to Argentina and then only if you have the appropriate sworn statement (called a Poder). You definitely can't take the bike directly to Peru and I am almost certain you can't take it directly to Bolivia either

The requirements are detailed in a very helpful and accurate post here by Katalyst on 3/1/2019. He also mentions the local people at Suzi and the service they provide which looks to be well worthwhile and value for money
https://www.suzisantiago.com/ I would strongly recommend using this service as they are in constant touch with the day to day reality. I would avoid taking too much notice of travellers who have not been in the area recently http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...santiago-96943

The Question then arises as to if you can take the bike to a third country from Argentina. I think you can provided you have the all the papers in your name. It would be good to hear from other travellers

Why all the confusion? I think the rules are not enforced or followed exactly the same at each border post. This I have seen from entering Chile on my foreign registered bike.

It may be that buying a foreign registered bike in Chile is the easiest way but then you are limited by the 90 days that the bike can stay in Chile but at least you can cross any border with the appropriate poder etc

Poders are easy to get - it's the declaration jurada that I referred to in my original post. It is, as the Chilean government site states, simply a notarised / sworn declaration that you'll return the bike to Chile.


Absolutely obtain one as one of the process of buying the bike, but note that I crossed about 6 borders (Chile -> Argentina; Argentina -> Bolivia; Bolivia -> Chile; Chile -> Argentina; Argentina -> Chile) in two months and never needed the declaration jurada.


The documents that the aduanas/migraciones officers care about are the proof of ownership document and the authorisation (if the proof of ownership isn't in your name).


As for taking the vehicle into countries other than Argentina and Bolivia, I'd guess that the Chilean identity card that the site refers to is the RUT and its associated certificate, which is necessary for buying the bike anyway, so no problems there.

They are not the same thing. The temporary RUT is readily available to foreigners who want to make purchases in Chile like vehicles. A Chilean resident is needed to guarantee that if the foreigner incurs any tax liabilities and is not around to pay them then the guarantor will pay.

A Chilean ID card is a more complicated process involving immigration etc. Normally you need a job etc etc. The permanent RUT and the ID card seem to be one and the same thing or at least have the number. I had one a few years ago and it took a lot of lawyer time to get it.

But anyway I don't think you need a Chilean ID card to move from one country to another outside Chile with your Chilean registered bike. Just your passport and Patron or poder (ownership papers in your name or authority from the bikes owner)

Then, which do you think is the safest option to proceed to buy a bike in Chile?
1. Otaining a RUT, buying a new bike and resitering under your name? or
2. Buying a used bike and getting an notary autorization?
thanks

In this case he's refencing buying a used "FOREIGN" bike, IE not a Chilean registered bike. For example people sell American registered bikes in Chile, they usually get a "poder" then either ride the whole of south America on the Poder (whilst never being the actual owner of the bike) and then face a more complicated sale. Or they get someone like Alex Smith of overland title services to transfer the ownership to the new owner and make them new plates.

The service costs $600 usd roughly. And you'll need to still have a poder to cross the first border, at the border crossing you switch the plates to your new ones that Alex would have posted to you with DHL.

To leave Chile with a chilean bike you get a "declaración jurada" station that you'll return within one year. With this they'll give you a permito para circular to leave the country for a year with the bike. But far as I'm aware it's not a big deal if you go over the year.

With the declaration you can only cross to Argentina. This is not to say you will not be able to cross to Peru or Bolivia but you are not legally permitted to do so. In the north of Chile people I spoke to had problems crossing even to Argentina but in the south like at Chile Chico it was much easier. Possibly because the only way south in Chile at that point is via Argentina. Once you are in Argentina it seems you can go where you like. As for the consequences I have never heard of any but keep in mind when you got your RUT to purchase the bike you needed a guarantor who was resident in Chile. It is that person who the Chilean customs will be looking for as the guarantee they gave was to cover any tax liabilities you might have in Chile. Since sales staff in some bike dealerships are willing to act as guarantor then you could assume the risk is very small. In my case having my own bike from my home country in my name was the best option, second was buying a foreign bike in Chile and using a poder (plus changing ownership as outlined above if you can) and third option was a Chile registered bike. All options are possible and the preference might change depending on where you are planning to ride. If mostly Chile and the south of Argentina the Chile bike is good as you are not limited to the 90 days in Chile at one time. Anyway this was the situation in March 2019

Hi All,

I'm fairly new to all this but have been following the forum for a while. I have not seen anyone posting the prices they have paid for purchasing bikes including all fees and accessories to get started traveling and such, so I just want to share mine. I'm sure it can be done for less, but hopefully this will give other people ideas of what expenses are involved when purchasing a motorcycle in Santiago. FYI I ended up with a small Honda XR190.
For the record, my motorcycle knowledge, time of traveling and Spanish language skills are limited which made me opt for some help from a local company Suzi Santiago. They help sorting all the things described in the first post of the thread. They are not necessary, but for me very helpful.

Motorcycle budget:
Suzi Santiago: 160.000 CLP
3 month insurance: 52.000 CLP
Motor Oil and chain oil (of course there'll be cost to general maintenance throughout the journey but this was my upfront cost) : 45.000 CLP
Phone holder: 13.000 CLP
Rack (this took a while to sort out how to add a rack for side cases on the XR. Only place that could help custom build it was JJR) : 75.000 CLP
Side cases: 45.000 CLP
Transfer fee (civil register and fee for Notaria) :102.000 CLP
Rut: 4700 CLP
Local atm fee: 33.000 CLP
Fee debit card: 33.000 CLP
Fee credit card: 48.000 CLP
Total cost without the cost of the MC: 610.700 CLP

The bike cost me 1.600.000 CLP. I expect to have about 15 % loss on it which will then have cost me: 240.000 CLP

Total cost of having purchased the MC: 850.700 CLP

I know these amounts will be different to other people and will depend on if they can buy the bikes themselves, have better ways of obtaining money for the purchase. But hopefully it provides a realistic view of the different expenses that are/can be involved in obtaining a bike in Santiago.
Still cheaper for me to buy it here than ship my own bike, but more expensive than I originally had imagined.

Happy riding!

I also went through Suzi Santiago and my cost were similar and honestly I don't know if I could do it without them. I bought a dr650 slightly used so saved some money from buying it brand new. Also, They have a meetings where they go over border crossings, the best borders to cross and a bunch of other useful info. Highly recommend.

Do you know if its best to buy an American Titled and Plated moto in Chile or Argentina by an AMERICAN? I am looking for a moto that I can buy, transfer title and plates while I am in the States,

Just buy a Chilean bike. More choice available. Get the paperwork done and ride with less hassle. Or ship your own.

Sent from my Moto G (5S) using Tapatalk

__________________
--

http://www.ytc1.co.uk