625.11241/25
The Secretary of State to the Chilean Ambassador ( Dávila )
Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of November 18, 1929, informing me that under Chilean Law No. 4640 of August 19, 1929, professional consular officers assigned to Chile may be granted free entry on a basis of reciprocity for goods to an amount which would ordinarily bear duties of 30,000 Chilean pesos for the first year of their stay in Chile and goods ordinarily bearing duties of 6,000 Chilean pesos each succeeding year.
[Page 122]I have the honor to inform you in reply that this Government does not limit the amount represented in duty which may be imported by foreign diplomatic or consular officers for their personal or family use during any one year, but as it is believed that the value of articles imported by Chilean consular officers would not exceed the value of importations allowed American consular officers in Chile, the Treasury Department has consented to extend the privilege of free importation to Chilean consular officers in the United States. I have pleasure in advising you, therefore, that in addition to the free entry of baggage and effects upon arrival and return to their posts in this country after visits abroad, which Chilean consular officers assigned to the United States already enjoy, effective at once upon the request of the Chilean Embassy in each instance this Department will arrange for the extension of the free importation privilege to Chilean consular officers assigned to the United States who are Chilean nationals and not engaged in any other business with the understanding that no article, the importation of which is prohibited by the laws of the United States shall be imported by such officers.
Accept [etc.]