Easter Island Unique Entry Form
One of the remotest inhabited islands on earth, Easter Island, is a diminutive 63 square miles located over 2,000 miles off the coast of Chile, in the South Pacific. The island was “discovered” by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen on Easter day in 1722, but it was already populated by the Rapa Nui tribe at that time. The Rapa Nui have their own language, traditions, and customs, maintained by the Rapa Nui descendants populating the island to this day.
Easter Island was claimed by the government of Chile in 1888, who then declared it a national park 47 years later in an attempt to preserve the island’s thousands of archaeological sites. Easter Island is most famous for its massive moai, stone statues of island ancestors, some of which reach up to 30 feet tall and attract visitors from across the globe. Rapa Nui activists have been fighting for their right to self-determine the island, which was declared a natural reserve and marine park in 2010.
The PDI (Investigation Police of Chile) has enacted the Rapa Nui Residency and Temporary Visitation Law in order to protect the local community of Rapa Nui, and the fragile environment of this isolated island. This law, which was fully enforced on February 28, 2019, includes the following regulations for nonresident visitors:
- A maximum stay of 30 days
- Valid passport
- Hotel or lodge reservations in an authorized tourist location*
- Return flight from Easter Island*
- A completed Unique Entry Form
*You can present your Vaya itinerary, which provides proof of these items.
All flights to Easter Island depart from the Santiago International Airport. Once you have checked in and passed security, there is another checkpoint run by the PDI that is specific to travelers to Easter Island. At this checkpoint, you will present your passport, accommodation and flight reservations, and your completed Unique Entry Form.
The Unique Entry Form can either be filled out online here (hyperlinked) or completed upon your arrival to the airport. Please note, if you choose to fill out the form online, the window to do so opens 48 hours prior to your departure for the island. Once you have completed the form, you will receive a confirmation email that you must print and present to the PDI at the airport.
If you choose to fill out the Unique Entry Form upon your arrival to the airport, you will be provided with a form at the check-in desk when you are checking in for your flight. This form must be completed with personal information, such as your passport information and your personal address, and information about your stay on Easter Island, including entry and exit dates and the address of your booked accommodation on the island. You can find the address of your hotel or lodge at the end of your Vaya Itinerary, just past the section titled “Trip Details.”
Once you have crossed the PDI checkpoint, you are all set to board your flight and enjoy your trip to Easter Island!
If you are interested in visiting Easter Island to learn more about the unique traditions and culture of the Rapa Nui, contact us about one of our Easter Island Itineraries.