Beginning December 1, 2007, U.S. tourists to Bolivia will be required to purchase a visa to enter the country. As with most visa requirements for U.S. citizens, this move is in reciprocity for visa requirements Bolivian citizens are obligated to pay to enter the United States. I really wish the government would quit screwing with my travel plans. Visa payments can get costly when you travel often.
Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca said U.S. citizens would fall under Bolivia’s most highly regulated migratory category. A 30-day tourist visa will cost $134, an amount similar to fees paid by Bolivians applying to enter the United States. That is quite a chunk of change just to get in to the country. It seems to me that the governments who charge these excessive fees don’t really value the tourist dollars like the people do.
Currently, U.S. tourists only have to fill out a small form upon entering Bolivia, which grants them 30 days’ stay with the chance to apply for up to 90 days. Pretty reasonable. The new category requires proof of “economic solvency,” proof of hotel reservations for the entire planned visit or a notarized invitation from a Bolivian citizen as well as a small passport photo taken against a “red background,” though Choquehuanca hinted the process might be simplified. I’ve never heard of a passport picture with a “red background,” but its a good color for me so I’m okay with that part. I’ve actually been to several countries in which funds and hotel reservations are supposedly required for entry, but I’ve never had any trouble.
The good news is that you will be able to get the visa at the border or airport, rather than being required to spend 8 weeks dealing with some embassy in the states.
The Bolivian Tourism Chamber says one in five tourists visiting Bolivia is from the United States, and more than 70,000 Americans visited in 2005, the last year for which figures were available. Americans spend an estimated $40 million a year in South America’s poorest country. I wonder how many of those tourists will opt for another country that won’t require additional fees.
President Evo Morales has called Bolivia’s new policy “a matter of reciprocity.” The U.S. government requires Bolivians to obtain visas to enter the United States, charging $100 for each visa, plus a $14 fee per family to begin the application process. We’re really not nice about that stuff. “That’s expensive for us, but it’s cheap for them,” Choquehuanca said, which is a load of crap.
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tom says (November 27th, 2007 at 3:39 pm)
bolivian visa not so bad lasts 5 years from date of purchase holder can enter and leave bolivia 3x a year and can spend a total of 90 days /yr in country. other requimnts as listed except price which is 100 u.s. for more info check out bolivia-usa.org
Carrie says (November 27th, 2007 at 4:43 pm)
That doesn’t sound so bad, Tom. I just paid $100 for a one time trip to China, which is a HUGE rip off. Thanks so much for the 4-1-1.
Gene McCullough says (December 5th, 2007 at 10:22 pm)
This is a most interesting interpretation of this new Bolivian regulation. I am this week struggling with trying to understand he photo requirement in particular. Where did you find the requirement for a red background!? The spec on the Bolivian Consulate in Washington calls for the face occupying 80% of the area of the photo. This is geometric nonsense! A circle fitted exactly into a square occupies 79% of the area of the square. Humans by and large have oval faces, not circular, so by necessity, the area occupied will be less than the required 80%. Unless you have a square face! In US passports the face occupies about 20% of the area. And then the website says to paste the photo onto the application but it doesn’t say where although there IS a 2.5 cm X 2.5 cm square. Is the Bolivian passport photo this small? Jeez! Any ideas about all this? Thanks…
Carrie says (December 6th, 2007 at 8:01 am)
Unfortunately that’s all the information I have at this time. I can do some more research, but it looks like you’ve covered your bases pretty well. I wrote the above based on a press release I received.
craig of travelvice.com says (December 8th, 2007 at 7:24 pm)
I find this outrageous to no end. I’ve currently just returned to Peru, and the thought of a return visit to Bolivia had crossed my mind, until I saw confirmation of this, a rumor I head around this time last year.
Everyone seems to love this President, but he’s on my long list of governmental douche bags.
Kiss my American Ass, Morales.
Carrie says (December 9th, 2007 at 1:27 pm)
Very patriotic, Craig.
Len Goff says (September 5th, 2008 at 7:05 am)
Gene, I just got a visa from the Bolivian Consulate in Washington DC I gave them a home-made passport picture in which my head was no where near 80% of the photo. There was no problem, and he didn’t say anything about it. So fortunately they aren’t asking us to produce an actual geometric impossibility.
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