Senior citizens living abroad will be able to spend their vacations in Chile

Deputy Foreign Minister Fernando Schmidt and the Director of the National Service for Tourism (Sernatur) Jacqueline Plass, signed today an agreement that will allow to subsidize elderly Chilean citizens, who live abroad, so they can spend their vacations in Chile.

The agreement was proposed to Sernatur by the Foreign Ministry through its Directorate for the Chilean Community Abroad (Dicoex), after detecting the large number of elderly citizens who left Chile in search of better living conditions and who, for different reasons, had not been able to return to their country to visit their families and friends.

ImagenThis initiative seeks to join efforts so every day more elderly Chileans living abroad can visit their country of origin. Thus, those who meet the established requirements will be eligible for Sernatur’s program Vacations for over 60′s, which offers financial aid covering up to 40 percent of the total tour package. The remaining 60 percent is contributed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the initiative “Revisiting Chile: Identity and History”, of Dicoex.

Undersecretary Schmidt said that “during their stay in the country, senior citizens receive information and are given talks on topics related to social security, identity documents, regional development and various tourist aspects.”

Schmidt explained that the corresponding Consulate is in charge of choosing the beneficiaries through associations and organizations of Chilean citizens abroad. There are basic requirements for those who want to participate in this program such as being Chilean, holding a valid identity card, being 60 years old or older and being autonomous. Additionally, a medical certificate attesting that they are medically fit to travel must be submitted.

So far, more than 450 fellow nationals have been benefitted by the program “Revisiting Chile: Identity and History” of Dicoex, especially those who live in bordering countries like Argentina, Peru and Bolivia.

Undersecretary Schmidt indicated that “now, thanks to the cooperation agreement the arrangements for its development will become much more expeditious, since as of today, the Sernatur’s program “Vacations for over 60′s” will include an exclusive quota for Chileans senior citizens living abroad.”