Banks

Banks are open from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday to Friday. Bank customers have preferential treatment with separate lines and more bank tellers, while non-customers have to wait patiently. Go before lunchtime or you will have to wait in a long line for more than an hour.

In general, bank tellers only speak Spanish. If you don’t have a Chilean RUT card (national identity card) you will need your passport as a form of ID for most transactions. If you are cashing a check, don’t be surprised if the staff asks to make a photocopy of your passport and take a fingerprint.

In order to open a bank account in Chile you must have a residency visa and a salary of at least $1600 paid into your account monthly.

ATMs in Chile are called Redbancs or cajero automático. Most cajeros accept Maestro, Cirrus, Visa and Mastercards. The maximum withdrawal is $200,000 Chilean pesos per day (about $345 USD). Foreigners are charged around $7 USD per withdrawal depending on the exchange rates. Credit cards are accepted in many restaurants, shops and supermarkets but you will need your passport as proof of identity.

Here are some related tips to help plan your trip to Chile: Chile Facts, Chile Internet access, WiFi and Internet cafes, Social and environmental issues, Chile Mail, Shipping and Customs, Traveler’s Checks, Chilean wine, Credit Cards , Chile Phones, Chile by numbers and Shopping in Santiago.