Learn about the new Regulations and Residence in Rapa Nui Law

Tourism in Chile has grown exponentially in the last decade, duplicating figures of foreign people visiting the country and increasing travels of our own people linked to leisure throughout national land. Because of this, and to avoid damages on an ecological level and annoyances for the inhabitants of iconic Chilean destinations is that on February 1st the new Regulations and Residence In Rapa Nui Law came into effect.

This norm looks to solve the downsides coming from regulating the access to certain high-demand touristic areas like Rapa Nui and determines, for example, a maximum of population allowed in the home of the Moai.

30 DAYS IN PARADISE

This way, Law Nº 21.070 forbids stays longer than 30 days to all people that are not a Rapa Nui and that don’t have family or work links to the island.

Chilean Government authorities determined that to reverse the damages caused by the increasing transient population in the island that have created issues with waste, basic services and have damaged the environment state it was needed to stop long stays and determine saturation and latency periods in which the law is demanded to be strictly followed.

Thus, the new Regulations and Residence in Rapa Nui law establishes a stay period of 30 days maximum, norm that doesn’t apply to the ones entering due to an economic activity practice, family or work links.

Obviously, there are force majeure exceptions in which the stay can be extended as long as needed. The extension request is to be qualified and resolved by the province presidential committee in the island that, if approved, must be extended to children and teenagers that arrived in charge of a responsible adult and also, the other way around, this means, the extension will be granted to parents or legal representative of the minor needing said extension.

IDENTIFICATION

Other norm established by the new Regulation and Residence Rapa Nui Law is that all people that want to get into the island must have an identity card, passport or accepted travel document individualizing them.

To this, we can add the requirement to show a round trip ticket and hotel or accommodations reservation, or the invitation from an Island resident, if the tourist says he/she is staying on a private residence. Air and Sea transport companies must hand out their passengers and crew name lists to the Chilean Investigative Police and to the province presidential committee.

One important point regarding hotel or accommodations reservation is that this facility must be registered and current at the Tourism National Services (SERNATUR – Servicio Nacional de Turismo), mandatory list for the Chilean tourism industry providing accommodations services, encouraging to meet quality and safety norms established by Chile.

FINES

Not meeting the regulations of the new Regulation and Residence Rapa Nui Law is serious breaching and also misdemeanor, going from a simple warning, fines to eviction and access prohibition if the saturation on latency periods decrees are breached.

It is necessary to understand that Rapa Nui is critically vulnerable to the effects of climate change and the effects on the ecosystem provoked by men. This is why public opinion has a positive opinion about these measures because it is understood that, to preserve the island in good shape, transient population of the island must be regulated.

The law is clear and the information is available for everyone thinking about a visit to the wonders of Rapa Nui, its Moais, its beaches, its people and its ancient culture. Now that you’ve learnt about the new Regulation and Residence Rapa Nui Law, when are you coming to visit?