South America - Bolivia Visa

I'm going to Bolivia next month and am staying at a friends house.

Has anyone recently tried to get a visa upon arrival at the airport in La Paz?
I don't feel like spending the extra money to get it earlier via a visa website nor do I have the time to do it in person.

I should have all my necessary info for the visa, but I'm wondering if there have been any issues with anyone trying to do this.

Thanks.

I'm a UK citizen and generally enter Bolivia on a business visa (that's what I'm going for!) and I don't think that I can get a visa on arrival...for business or tourism. Can you definitely get one on arrival as a US citizen? Personally I'd spend the cash and get it in advance.

Good luck!

You can get it on arrival. Just have all the papers they ask for when applying for a visa.

I'm going to give it a shot at LBP. I have all my papers in order. Should be fun.

Thanks.
Rich

Has something changed recently?

I have never had any problems at all in Bolivia. Can't say anything about La Paz but from landing to out the door no more than 20 minutes at Santa Cruz. Seem to be very easy friendly immigration people :)

In theory, you can get it on arrival. American Airlines, or at least some of their workers in the south, don't know that. I had to show the visa in MSY or I was not even going to be allowed to board MSY-MIA much less go any further. That surprised me as a Northwest/Delta flyer, because those clerks don't check such matters in New Orleans but hey, Delta don't fly to Bolivia. I didn't get off at La Paz but when I deplaned in Santa Cruz, I saw that other gringos were getting their visa right there at the airport -- but, trust me, none of them started in New Orleans! This is one I might not leave up to chance if I were you, and I'm not normally a person who sends my passport anyplace to get a visa stamp. Not sure what money you think you are going to save by doing it at the airport. It will cost you $135 if you're an American whether or not. I guess you can save a few pennies on the FedEx...?


I'm going to Bolivia next month and am staying at a friends house.

Has anyone recently tried to get a visa upon arrival at the airport in La Paz?
I don't feel like spending the extra money to get it earlier via a visa website nor do I have the time to do it in person.

I should have all my necessary info for the visa, but I'm wondering if there have been any issues with anyone trying to do this.

Thanks.

I returned from a great trip to Bolivia with 4 friends a few months ago. We took all the necessary documentation and $135 each and had no problems getting our visas at the LaPaz airport. The fact of the matter was that the official didn't even look at the documentation we had with us. He only looked at our visa applications and then took our money. Very easy.

I returned from a great trip to Bolivia with 4 friends a few months ago. We took all the necessary documentation and $135 each and had no problems getting our visas at the LaPaz airport. The fact of the matter was that the official didn't even look at the documentation we had with us. He only looked at our visa applications and then took our money. Very easy.

Makes me feel a lot better!
Thanks.

Not sure what money you think you are going to save by doing it at the airport. It will cost you $135 if you're an American whether or not. I guess you can save a few pennies on the FedEx...?

I usually use a visa service when I get visas (Russia/China). They cost around $50 a visa.

Ah. I'm scratching my head. Why? Is there some special reason you would want to have a middleman?


I usually use a visa service when I get visas (Russia/China). They cost around $50 a visa.

Ah. I'm scratching my head. Why? Is there some special reason you would want to have a middleman?

Depending on the country, it may involve two trips to the consulate - one to drop off the docs/payment, and one to pick the passport up. Even for me, two trips to SF (which is very close) is going to be a 2 hour project, twice, plus parking/toll, lost work time, etc. If you aren't near a consulate, it is near impossible.

I'm afraid that for Bolivia I just used the postal service. Took me all of five minutes to buy the postage and put the self-addressed stamped envelope in my package. Who visits the consulate in real life? I have to admit that if there's actually a country that requires consulate visits, they probably won't be getting my tourist dollar. But Bolivia isn't one of those...

Depending on the country, it may involve two trips to the consulate - one to drop off the docs/payment, and one to pick the passport up. Even for me, two trips to SF (which is very close) is going to be a 2 hour project, twice, plus parking/toll, lost work time, etc. If you aren't near a consulate, it is near impossible.

Anyone have experience getting a Bolivian Visa at the land borders (curious about those near L. Titicaca, but any works)?

Ah. I'm scratching my head. Why? Is there some special reason you would want to have a middleman?

In the case of Russia the middleman will provide you the required tourist confirmation and voucher as part of their fee.