singtx

Thanks for the link...When I found that site...i had no idea if this was a reputable paper/online site...

Looking forward to our stay!

Gaucho100K

John.... the Clarin article is using the potential form of the verb so unless there is an update of the article, it does not say it has been charged... only that it is going to be charged....

I guess we will have to read the papers tomorrow....

britenbsas

As HIDDY mentioned, according to reports on the TV news, the fee did come into effect today but we need a fee-paying FTer to confirm it 100%

RxCapt

I hope NOT to be the first paying FTer when I visit next month. I would rather spend the money on several steak dinners at El Mirasol!

GUWonder

It's a reciprocity fee like you thought.

For about 8 years now, my government has been charging most Argentine visitors to the US a fee. Previously Argentines could enter the US under the visa waiver program -- just like UK nationals visiting the US.

I have several one-day or overnight trips to EZE starting up in a little over a week for the first quarter, and because of this charge, these trips and yet another overstuffed passport, I am actually considering getting a new passport on an expedited basis. Not ideal but it is what it is.

HIDDY

Thanks. ^

8 years?
Can't be any complaints for a like for like then. I doubt very much if it'll have any adverse effect on the number of tourists coming down here from the States.

brimalloy

I agree with many of the posts on this thread that the arrival of this new fee is discouraging and reflects poor economic/tourism policy by the Argentine government.

I certainly understand the sentiment of Argentina wanting to "get back" at the U.S. for its stringent policy regarding Argentine nationals. One of my best friends in Argentina went through the outrageous and somewhat humiliating process of getting a tourist visa from the embassy in BA, where she had to pay her fee, wait in absurd lines, provide bank documents and face questioning about pet ownership (pet ownership!! apparently having your own dog is a sign that you will not overstay a visa!) I cannot imagine any of us traveling to a place like Brazil, Chile, or anywhere if we had to show up at said embassy with a copy of a bank statement. I wouldn't.

In the end, she was approved and I hosted her in NYC last Spring.

But all this said, do two wrongs make a right? Does "getting even" help Argentina in any way? My same friend is a teacher of english to foreigners in BA and maybe this could have an impact on her work? I have another friend running a B and B in the city. Will there be less bookings?

Anyhow, that's my "two cents." This won't prevent me from visiting Argentina again, but that's because I love it there and will keep returning despite costs and currency. But I don't expect others to behave the same way.

SoFlyOn

There's been a report on another BB from an expat flying into EZE:

Yes they are charging the fee. It was actually pretty painless. There is now a separate booth (before you go through immigration but in the same hall). You line up, pay the fee, get the sticker in your passport that says valid for 10 years (they take credit card or cash) and then you go through immigration. Pretty painless although the line wasn't clearly marked so there was some confusion.

My flight was the only flight in at that time so it wasn't a long wait, maybe added 10 minutes to the process.

http://baexpats.org/47460-post158.html

maracle

I've been doing a bit more research, and this wikipedia article on the USA Visa Waiver Program is great:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_Waiver_Program

Argentina used to be in the program, but they were removed during the financial crises in 2002. There were concerns about the potential for a big increase in visa overstays due to the instability in Argentina at the time.

Originally the program was only for countries with a visa refusal rate of <3%. (There are a variety of other requirements including information sharing, use of biometric passports, etc) However the EU began lobbying to get all their member states in, and the law was changed to allow for political considerations to be a factor.

Then, in 2007 Congress passed the Secure Travel and Counterterrorism Partnership Act, which increased the rate to 10%. This increased limit would allow the following countries to potentially be in the program:
Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, Cyprus, Croatia, Greece, Hong Kong (HKSAR passport and British National (Overseas) passport), Israel, Kuwait, Macau, Malaysia, Namibia, Nauru, Oman, Qatar, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Taiwan, Timor Leste, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, and Vatican City.

This act allowed for 5 new countries to join the program from within that list. Now I actually am having trouble finding that this actually passed - I see that it was introduced and referred to committee, but I can't find that it was enacted. I think it might have been part of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, which rolled up a bunch of this type of legislation.

But I think if I'm going to write congress, it would be more effective to recommend that all eligible countries be allowed to participate in the program. Right now there's a set of criteria, and even if you meet those criteria (as Argentina seems to) the program still may be "full." The program requires participant countries to offer reciprocal benefits to US citizens, so this is a win/win for everyone IMO.

SoFlyOn

H.R. 561 never became law:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-561

maracle

Indeed it didn't, but if you look at H.R. 1:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-1

It shows as an "other title" the title of H.R 561 as well as a variety of other names. I think H.R. 1 was one of those sausage bills that combined a bunch of pending legislation into one big package. I'd like to look into it a bit more to confirm, but it seems likely.

travfar

I heard from someone who landed in EZE yesterday. He said that the fee is in effect. You pay right before you go through immigration. Oh well, I guess I won't be going to Argentina for 1.5 years. My passport dies in 2011. I don't want to get a new one early since I just got a Chinese Visa that's good for 1 year. Brazil dropped off the list this year since my 5 year expired and I didn't want to get a new passport just for that visa. Now.... I wish I had just gotten a new passport and loaded up on new visas ah... reciprocity fees. I just got a Chilean one though. These fees should be across passports.

heramato

135$ for a 10 years Argentinian visa? That's a real bargain!

GUWonder

A lot of visas in cancelled/expired passports are still valid for travel if used in conjunction with a new passport as long as the unexpired visa in the old passport is not physically damaged or removed as part of the passport cancellation process and you remember to take along the old passport for your trip. The US government ordinarily returns cancelled passports back to the renewal passport applicant. In other words, a still-valid Brazilian visa in a cancelled passport can be used for travel in conjunction with a renewal passport. No need to get a new visa and pay a new fee to the Brazilian government.

starlanet

Fee is valid for 10 years! (as US visas).