Publications

The National Directorate of State Borders and Boundaries (DIFROL) authorizes the entry into Chile of maps, geographical charts and other works relating to Chile’s international boundaries and border areas. It also reviews these materials before authorizing their publication and circulation within the country.

If printed material or a document includes maps or geographical charts concerning the national territory, the review will be limited to those maps or charts and their accompanying texts. Publications or works include, among others, maps, dictionaries, encyclopedias, globes, texts and brochures published in conventional, optical, magnetic and digital media, as well as geoportals.

To comply with these legal provisions, all such publications, regardless of their origin, edition or format, must follow one of the procedures below:

  • Procedure for obtaining authorization to circulate works or publications published in Chile.
  • Procedure for obtaining authorization to circulate works or publications published abroad.
  • Procedure for importing works or publications considered individual copies.

Authorization to Circulate Works Published in Chile or Abroad

Works or publications published in Chile

Application for Circulation Authorization

The applicant must submit an application for circulation authorization to the National Directorate of State Borders and Boundaries (DIFROL), under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with a copy of the work or publication intended for distribution within Chile.

Applicants are advised to submit their application while the work is being prepared or when a printer’s proof is available.

Review

If no issues are identified during the review, DIFROL will issue a Circulation Resolution authorizing distribution within Chile.

Memorandum of Observations

If issues are identified during the review, DIFROL will provide a Memorandum specifying the corrections required in the draft layout of the work before publication.

Circulation Resolution

Once the corrections have been made and verified, DIFROL will issue the corresponding Circulation Resolution authorizing distribution within Chile.

Works or publications published abroad

Import Application

The applicant must submit an import application containing the following information:

Title of the work or map; number of volumes; author, publisher, year of printing and place of origin; number of copies to be imported; Import Registration number and date (preferably with a copy of the Import Report).

Import Order

Once the application containing the information indicated above has been received, DIFROL will issue an Import Order allowing the applicant to collect the material from the postal or customs office solely for the purpose of submitting it to DIFROL for review.

Review

To initiate the review process, the applicant must submit a copy of the imported work to DIFROL.

Memorandum of Observations

If issues are identified during the review, DIFROL will provide a Memorandum specifying the corrections required in all imported copies. Once the corrections have been made, DIFROL will conduct a verification check. It will then issue a Circulation Resolution authorizing distribution within Chile.

Circulation Resolution

If no issues are identified after the work or publication has been reviewed, DIFROL will issue a Circulation Resolution authorizing its circulation within Chile.

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Authorization to Import Works Referring to Chile’s International Boundaries and Borders

Importing works or publications considered individual copies

Importation

When an individual or legal entity imports individual copies of a work (up to three copies for personal use) whose content is subject to the applicable regulations, the relevant customs or postal office will retain them and forward them to DIFROL for review. In such cases, the customs or postal office must attach the following information:

Identification of the Work

  • Applicant’s name, Chilean Tax Identification Number (RUT) and address.
  • Number and date of the Customs Assessment Record (Acta de Aforo) for the postal shipment.

Memorandum of Observations

If issues are identified during the review of an individual copy, DIFROL will record them in a Memorandum provided to the applicant. Each imported copy will also be stamped with the following wording: “Circulation and dissemination within the national territory are prohibited, Article 4 of Supreme Decree No. 566 of 12 August 1970.”

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