Bolivia is a landlocked country notoriously known for extremes and diversity. From high snowy mountains to hot lowlands, many climate types exist in the country. The diversity is not exclusive to climate and land. That is, Bolivia is home to 36 distinct ethnic groups that live together peacefully. It is the reason the country is called the Plurinational State of Bolivia officially. Till the arrival of the Spanish Empire, it was part of the native American Inca Empire. After Spaniards taking control of the country, it faced a flux of new incomers from Latin countries. Now, all differences are set aside. Every year tourist hordes visit the country for tourist purposes. Reasons to travel to Bolivia are many. The first thing that hits my mind when thinking of Bolivia is the mixture of indigenous and Latin culture. Having such a range of ethnicity has its advantages, even though in many countries it heats some conflicts. While the majority (62%) of the population descended from indigenous people, third of the population has mixture roots. Bolivia is an exceptional place for nature lovers. You can face most exotic animals with little price. Bolivia is also a budget-friendly country for visitors. Ordering a fancy meal at a prominent restaurant will not trouble your wallet. However, to enjoy such things in Bolivia, you might need to go through visa procedures. How to get a Bolivia visa for tourist? We will walk you step by step to find an answer to the question. In this article, we will cover many aspects of tourist visas. First, we are going to look at Bolivia tourist visa requirements, Bolivia tourist visa online, Bolivia tourist visa application form, etc. Most essentially, we will give you instructions on how to get a Bolivia visa for tourist. But to understand the procedures, we have to first look at the visa policy of the country.
Visa Policy of Bolivia
The visa policy of Bolivia is defined according to the relations Bolivia has with other countries. Therefore, nationals of some countries can enter and remain in Bolivia for a while without undergoing visa procedures, while others have to meet the visa conditions and requirements. Therefore, countries are divided into three groups. Nationals of first group countries are exempt from visa procedures. These countries are: European Union member states, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Palestine, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela. On the other hand, group 2 countries are obliged to have a visa from an embassy or visa on arrival. We will elaborate on that later. Then there are group 3 countries that can only apply for a visa through embassies, consulates, or visa application centres. These countries are Afghanistan, Angola, Bhutan, Cambodia, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Laos, Libya, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Timor-Leste, Yemen. I know it sounds complicated. I can already imagine you asking is it difficult to apply for a tourist visa for Bolivia? It is not as complicated as it sounds for sure. Now we can seek an answer to the question of how to get Bolivia visa. In the next paragraph, we will answer the questions like how long to get Bolivia tourist visa, how much does Bolivia tourist visa cost, etc.
Bolivia Tourist Visa
Bolivia tourist visa is given to travellers who intend to visit the country for travel and tourism purposes and stay in the country for a short time. However, to get a tourist visa, applicants should meet certain requirements such as starting an online tourist visa application for Bolivia, presenting required documents, etc. In the following list, you will find Bolivia tourist visa requirements: • A passport that is valid for up to six (6) months after arrival. The passport should be newer than 10 years and has a minimum of 2 blank pages. Photos should be attached correctly. • One or two recent photos. A frontal view of the face should take 70 or 80 (32x26 mm) per cent of the photo. A uniform and white background is preferred. Photo should not depict any facial expression, and the applicant should close his or her mouth, and eyes should remain open. The size of the photos should be equal to 3cm x 3cm. • Duplicate of the applicant’s national ID card. • If the country applicant resides in and their citizenship differs, then a residence permit copy that is valid for 3 months after the applicant's departure is needed. • Duplicate of passport’s main page. If you have any previous visas, then copies of them are needed too. • Travel itinerary. Flight bookings and accommodation bookings with detailed information. • Local employer’s letter proving the applicant’s employment status is required. This letter should include the name, postal address, and phone number of the sponsor/company. Information on the workplace, work position, work starting date, and salary of the applicant are required. The estimated time for work leave and the purpose of the travel should also be indicated. In the case of a person owning the company, then a valid trade license copy and documents proving ownership of the company is needed. • Documents that show the applicant can financially sustain themselves to complete their travel. A personal bank statement indicating your financial activities for the last 3 months, cash, credit card, payslips, evidence of employment, proof of sponsor’s readiness to cover the expenses, etc., are acceptable. • If you are from (or have transited through) the countries that are high yellow fever risk countries, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is needed. • Travelling minors need to present a copy and English translation of the birth certificate or other related document. If the minor is not accompanied, then a letter of consent written by a parent or guardian is required. After finishing collecting the required documents, you can start an online tourist visa application for Bolivia. You will need a Sworn statement to complete the Bolivia tourist visa application form. To finish Bolivia tourist visa online procedures, you will print and sign the application form, and you will submit it to the local consulate, embassy, or visa application centre of Bolivia. I bet you are not asking, "is it difficult to apply for a tourist visa for Bolivia?" anymore. However, these are not all. There are other things to cover. If you are still not sure how to get Bolivia visa, follow the guide below: The first thing to do should be to find the local embassy or consulate of Bolivia. If your country does not possess one, find the nearest embassy in another country. After finding an embassy, make an appointment. Attend the embassy at the decided time, present the needed documents, and pay the required fee.
How long is processing time to get Bolivia tourist visa?
Generally, a Bolivia tourist visa is valid for 30 days starting from the day of issuance. As for Bolivia tourist visa cost, visa fees can vary depending on your visa application country. For example, it is 160 USD for nationals of the US. However, for most countries, the fee is around 30 USD (other fees like courier service, etc., are excluded). Visa applications are processed normally around 7 working days. Nonetheless, it can vary from 1 to 10 days, depending on the visa application country. We briefly mentioned the visa on arrival. It is a much easier way to apply for a visa, but a visa on arrival has some significant disadvantages. Forgetting to bring an essential document after your landing will cause you trouble. You will have to go back to your country. Check all your documents and make sure everything is handled before sitting your seat in an airplane. To conclude, acquiring a visa for Bolivia is a relatively easy task; that is why millions of visitors travel to Bolivia easily. It is most likely that your visa application will be accepted if there is no problem with documents or the application process. It is always good to contact the local embassy to get the latest information and updates about the requirements.
