I try to find information that can make border crossings easier on my trip and found Life Remotely. Here was plenty of useful information but I reproduces only the short version in respect for the great job they had done. So those who need more information should visit Life Remotely.
Chile to Argentina at San Sebastian: Border Crossing
Border name: San Sebastian
Closest major cities: San Sebastian, Chile and Rio Grande, Argentina
Cost for visas: $0
Cost for vehicle: $0
Total time: 20 minutes, plus 20 minutes driving
The Steps
- Stop at the Chilean border building just on the other side of San Sebastian.
- Go to the immigration counter and hand in your passports and tourist cards. The official will stamp both and return your passports.
- Go to Aduana and hand in your temporary vehicle permit.
- Buy delicious empanadas from the kiosk (avoid the french fries like the plague).
- Drive 15 kilometers to the Argentinian border building.
- Hand the immigration official your passport, completed tourist card and reciprocity fee receipts (if required, see note below). The official will stamp and return everything. He will also give you a scrap of paper with a stamp and the number of people in your car written on it. Save this, you need it to exit.
- Go to aduana and hand over the vehicle title and driver’s passport.
- (For South Africans Only) Explain impatiently that South Africa is not a region, it is actually the name of a country, and that your car is not from there, just the driver, and yes he is white and sketchy looking.
- Get your vehicle permit, sign it, and get back to your car.
- Drive up to the guard and hand over your stamped scrap of paper.
RECIPROCITY FEE NOTE: Effective January 7, 2013 all US, Canadian and Australian citizen are required to pay a reciprocity fee at all Argentinian border entries, including land crossings. You must pay the fee online and bring the receipt to the border. Pay your fee online at this website.
