See Also
- How to Extend Bolivia Tourist Visa
- How to Get Peru Tourist Visa
- How to Get Colombia Tourist Visa
- Brazil Visitor Visa Application
- Bolivia Visa Requirements
Precisely after two weeks after deciding to go to South America, I submitted my visa application for Bolivia. As a result of a series of events, I had made plans to travel to South America and decided to start from Bolivia.
It was pretty easy to obtain a Bolivia visa for Indians or any other nationalities. It still is. So having Bolivia as a starting point was a good idea.
That being said, at that time, I knew absolutely nothing about the country.
Visiting Salar de Uyuni, the biggest salt desert in the world? The Amazon rainforest in Bolivia? Cheap cost of living? Its uniquely indigenous culture? I knew none of it. Yet I had to travel to Bolivia, and I needed a Bolivia tourist visa for that.

Now the catch with Bolivia is that I could get a Bolivia visa on arrival. But at that time, I was dipping my toe into this whole backpacking-and-traveling adventure, and I simply didn’t know whether I wanted to take a risk with a visa on arrival.
Having a stamp on my passport meant was like this security blanket.
And it proved to be a really good decision when I arrived at the Santa Cruz airport where everything was in Spanish and I didn’t speak any of it.
I ended up traveling in Bolivia for a long time and visited many of its attractions such as the Salar de Uyuni, Lake Titicaca, the mines, and a lot more places. I also studied Spanish in Bolivia.
In case you want to study Spanish, do business, become a digital nomad, or teach English in Bolivia, check out my detailed guide on visas to Bolivia.
So now, as per my vows of making the visa application process smoother for anyone, irrespective of their citizenship, I am going to spell out my experience with tips and steps.
Table of Contents
Do I Need a Visa to Go to Bolivia?
Ok when you think about the tourist visa for Bolivia, there are 3 groups.
Group 1: Countries in Green
Group 2 : Countries in Yellow
Group 3 : Countries in Brown
** Countries in orange are part of Mercosur countries **
- If your country is in Group 1, you are visa-exempt for Bolivia. You can enter without a visa with an entry stamp for 30 days. So you don’t need a visa on arrival. Examples- Australia, Philippines, EU, USA etc.
- If you are from a Group 2 country, then you can get a visa on arrival for 30 days. Examples: India, South Korea, China, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Bangladesh.
- For those from Group 3 countries, the only option is to apply for a tourist visa for Bolivia at a consulate prior to your travel. The application process might take around 1-5 weeks. The Bolivia visa fee is normally 30$. Examples- Indonesia, Pakistan.
So if you are wondering about how to get a visa for Bolivia, here is the actual application process.
1. Submit Visa Application for Bolivia 30 days before Travelling
Ok, is the trip all planned? Apply for the visa when you are sure that you will travel within 30 days.
Why? Coz’ the visa will be issued for 30 days and is valid from the day it’s issued. For example, if your visa was issued on 15 January 2019, you must enter Bolivia by 13 February 2019. Try not to arrive on the last day though.
And once you are sure that your Bolivian adventure is on the cards, find out the nearest consulate of Bolivia. I strongly recommend you apply for a visa at the consulate before you travel even if you qualify for a visa on arrival for Bolivia.
A good reason for that is depending on where you are from, you might not need to pay any visa fees.
For example, citizens of India, South Africa, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka etc can get the visa for free at a Bolivian consulate. Another good reason is that Bolivia is known to be notorious with the visa on arrival.So don’t take chances.
The visa application portal for Bolivia is centralized which means no matter which part of the world you are in, you need to fill up the application on the website of Bolivia’s foreign ministry.
The website is in Spanish, but a little google translate will help you out with that. Once you find the visa section, you will be redirected to another website where you could apply for the visa.

Tips:-
- Choose the type of visa as ” Visa de Turismo, conforme a normativa vigente y reciprocada/ Tourist visas in accordance with current regulations and reciprocity”, and fill in the personal details, and upload your pic.
- When you go forward, the website will ask you the number of days you want to stay in Bolivia.
The maximum number of days allowed when applying for the visa is 30. If you are planning to travel for more than 30 days, the only option is to extend it when you are there.
The Visa Project tips:
1. You need to make sure that you submit the application form and the required documents within 15 days of the application. The application form is valid for 15 days only.
2. Citizens from countries in Group 1 might have to pay an exit fee when they leave. It normally is around 25$ if you are leaving Bolivia and 2$ if you are flying domestic, but this depends on your country again.
2. Bolivia Visit Visa Requirements- Document Checklist
Bolivia visa requirements are pretty straightforward. Once completed with the Bolivia visa application form, you can download it as a PDF. Now you need to get all your documents ready. Here are the requirements for tourist visa for Bolivia.
Visit the website of Bolivia’s consulate in your country beforehand to check if there are any additional requirements.
1. Sworn statement for visa application,
obtained from http://www.rree.gob.bo/formvisas/.
2. A valid passport with at least 6 months of validity.
3. A certificate of vaccination against Yellow fever.
4. A recent 2″ x 2″ passport-size photograph.
5. Travel itinerary and booking accommodation. Letter of invitation if someone is sponsoring you.
6. Proof of financial solvency: Account statements for the last 3 months.
7. A residence permit or a resident visa for the country you are in if you are not in your home country.
I got my Yellow fever vaccination done at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar in India. For Indians, it can be done in any of the vaccine centers authorized by the government of India. If you are from a different country, find out where you can get the vaccine.
As for the travel itinerary for a visa to Bolivia, I bought two refundable tickets on Orbitz.com.
One from Delhi to Santa Cruz de la Sierra two months after the present day, and the other from La Paz to Delhi with a date of 80 days after the date of arrival in Bolivia.
For the proof regarding booking accommodations, I made a refundable booking for a hostel in Santa Cruz de la Sierra for a week only.
To show them that I indeed had money, I submitted original account statements for the last 3 months, attested by the bank.
Although Bolivia does not specifically ask for travel insurance, I would strongly recommend you buy one for the period of your visit. You never know when it can come in handy.
And from my personal experience, I do believe that Safety Wing Travel insurance is one of the best travel insurance out there.
3. Submit the Documents to Bolivian Embassy
Now is the time to get printouts of all these documents and go to the consulate. Like most of the consulates, the consulate of Bolivia in Delhi receives visa applications in the first half of the day.
I went there the day after I completed my application and submitted my application form along with the flight itinerary, hostel reservation, the original yellow fever vaccination proof, a recent pic, and my passport.
There was no one else in the lobby when I got there. The receptionist in the embassy was really friendly and she asked me to wait while she took the documents inside to be verified.
4. Bolivia Visa Interview
In my case, the interview happened the same day of submission. The consular officer asked me a few questions.
Q : Why do you want to visit Bolivia?
A : I have heard a lot about Bolivia and about its unique culture. I want to visit the salt desert and other cities like Sucre and La Paz. I am also planning to learn Spanish out there.
Q : How long do you plan to stay there?
A : Almost 3 months as 30 days are not enough for me to travel in Bolivia. I am hoping to extend my visa when I get there.
Q : Do you know anyone in Bolivia? Where will you stay?
A : I don’t know anyone in Bolivia. I will be staying hotels or hostels. I have made a reservation for a hostel for a week for now.
He gave this a little thought and sifted through the pages of my passport. “Ok, you can get the visa this week”, he uttered.
5. Getting the Bolivia Tourist Visa Stamp
I visited the embassy after three days and received my passport with the visa stamp, and traveled there after 3 weeks.

6. Planning the Perfect Salar de Uyuni Trip
If there is one thing and one thing only that you have to see in Bolivia, that’s the salt desert. At almost 11000 sq km, the salt desert of Uyuni is bigger than Singapore, Mauritius, Cyprus, Malta and a bunch of other countries.
So, find out the perfect way to visit this amazing place. There is nothing like it. (There is a tiny little salt flat in Utah though).
Bolivia Visa duration : 30 days
Bolivia Visa validity : Valid from the day it’s issued. The count for 30 days start from the day you arrive in Bolivia. For example, if your visa was issued on 15 January 2019, you must enter Bolivia by 13 February 2019. Try not to arrive on the last day though.
How long can you stay in Bolivia? 90 days regardless of citizenship.
Bolivia Visa fees : 0-30$ depending on your country.
Immigration in Bolivia: Entry/Exit Requirements
If you are flying to Bolivia, it’s much better to fly to La Paz. The immigration there is much more organized than the other airports. Make sure that you receive the Bolivian tourist card with the entry stamp and keep it secure until you leave Bolivia.
Bolivia Tourist Visa: FAQs
When should I apply for the Bolivia Visa?
You should apply for it a week or a couple of weeks before you plan to travel, at max a month.
Can I Extend a Bolivia Tourist Visa?
Yes, you can extend it for 30 or 60 days easily although the process and fees would be different for everyone.
If you are from a country belonging to Group 1, you can extend your stay in Bolivia for 30 days easily.
Do US Citizens Need a Visa for Bolivia
Although in the past US citizens needed to get a visitor visa for Bolivia before traveling there, now they can enter visa-free to Bolivia like many other nationalities.
Can I Get a Visa on Arrival for Bolivia?
Yes. But don't go for it.
In practice, if you apply for a visa on arrival at a Bolivian border, they might not be so picky about all the documents needed for a tourist visa.
Most likely you will only need to show your passport, and yellow fever certificate and pay the fee. But you should have everything handy.
There have been cases where citizens of different countries who have tried the visa-on-arrival option have been turned back even though they fulfilled all the requirements.
Depending on your citizenship, you might be subjected to treatments that others are not subjected to.
At land borders or airports, they only accept cash. And that too, freshly minted US dollars. And stories from the airport are no better especially if you are not from a first-world country.
I highly recommend you not go for the visa-on-arrival option. Based on your citizenship, you need to pay Bolivia visa fees at the border which normally is about 95$, while you could get it for free in a consulate.
Have you tried obtaining a tourist visa for Bolivia?
If you have tried obtaining a visa for Bolivia, let us know in the comments. The visa process is constantly changing and it will help me update the article if there is any change. Please feel free to ask any questions you might have.
Hello, as an Indian, how much money minimum my account should have while applying for a Bolivian Visa?
Anything beyond $2000- $5000 USDs is good. The more, the better.
For a 2-week stay in Bolivia an amount between $2000 to $5000 USD’s say ($3500 USD’s) is sufficient?
Thanks
Yes it is more than sufficient.
How much fund i need to show in my bank statement for getting bolivia visa
Hi Sushant,
Anything more than $2000 should be fine.
can you send me Process : Travel itinerary Template and booking accommodation
It is as mentioned in the article.
i already traveled 9 country now i want to go bolivia visa on arrival i m from india what docomment is needed for visa on arrival i have a invitation letter hotel booking return ticket
That’s all you need Preet.
Thank you soo much for such an useful information. I’m an Indian living in Germany & planning to visit Bolivia. As I will be staying with my Girlfriend and her family’s place during my stay and they will be sponsoring for me. I wanted to know whether I should submit my proof of financial solvency or theirs.
Thank you in advance
Hi Adil,
Thanks for stopping by.
It is always better to show proof of your financial solvency.
Bolivia visa is not hard to get. You can surely get the proof from your girlfriend’s family and show it, but it might just drag the whole thing.
Which flight route is best for bolivia, How to make a flight tickets from delhi it’s too expensive and I don’t have any Europe or big country visa . Pls clear it with your shine.
You can take the route from Delhi-Dubai-Brazil/Argentina-Bolivia. Ethiopian Airlines also has a route that doesn’t involve Europe/the USA.
Can I enter peru from bolovia by land border crossing with entry and exit stamp… should I need visa to bolovia to peru by driving
Hi Dilpreet,
Yes, you can. But if you don’t have a visa for Bolivia, you would need to get one at the border. For that you would need the documents I have mentioned in the requirements section.
My indian boyfriend is in qatar working he can apply from there to embassy of Bolivia to get tourist visa ? For 2 month ,and what he need to show as a esponsouring if he stay in my home
Hi Yelita,
Yes, he can. I think it would probably be a better idea to show the accommodation proofs for a month in a hotel, rather than your home. It’s always easier and doesn’t raise a lot of questions. Getting a visa for Bolivia is not that hard.
But if you go the sponsorship route, then you have to send an invitation letter mentioning how you know him and other details. He still has to show proof of financial solvency though.
hello am from group 2 country hoe can i get visa at Bolivia embassy befor departure
You need to visit the embassy, submit some papers and get a visa. And you can also get it on arrival.
Hello, as i am from Bangladesh can i mail all the documents to the embassy or i have to submit it by myself ? Thank you.
Hi Shihab,
I don’t the Bolivian embassy accepts applications over mail. But feel free to call them and see if they are doing that now because of the pandemic. You can also try using an agent for the same if you know one.
Hello sir,
As a Bangladeshi citizen, residence in dubai, can i apply for Bolivian tourist visa from bolivian embessy in egypt ?
You can definitely apply for Dubai. I think you can apply in Egypt. Would recommend you to call the embassy.
I was ready all the document for visa also get the yollow fever veccine, i read your post properly bt the embessy website link are not working so at this moment how can i get the tourist visa form?
If you give me the link its very helpfull for me
Thank you so much for your response.
Hello Sir/Ma,
I am TIA valentine from Cameroon, I wish to visit bolivia for my annual leave with will commence from 4th of October 2021. And there is no embassy around me ,Please where can I submit my application form and fee. For my e visa processing.
Thanks
Tia
Hi Tia,
You can apply in the embassy of Bolivia in a country that’s closest to you. I believe Egypt would be the closest.
Hello, I have a question regarding the visa requirements.
“7. A residence permit or a resident visa for the country you are in, if you are not in your home country.”
I’m currently in Mexico, just visiting(with US visa B1/B2) so I don’t have a residence permit nor a resident visa in Mexico. Does it mean I can’t apply for a visa in Mexico? Or can I show my US visa?
Thank you.
Tong
Hi Tong,
You can try applying for a visa in Mexico even if you are not a resident. Different embassies of the same country often have their own ways of dealing with things.
Bolivia is the 3rd country on our itinerary and we wont enter it till the 24th/25th day after we leave from India. What do you suggest we do?
Our plan as of now is to enter Bolivia from the land border near San Pedro de Atacama in Chile.
Hi Aditya,
Yes, you will be fine. In case, you want to stay afterwards, you can extend the visa.
Good Evening sir. I am Vikas from India . I am thinking of planning to visit Bolivia from India. I have a small doubt that we need to visit Bolivia from India same airline . But direct flight is not there from India . We got from India to Brazil and Brazil to Bolivia through Qatar airline. That means some body told me that if my stay at airport in Brazil take more then 7 hours I need to take visit visa of Brazil. Please try to guide me which is the best way to go from India to Bolivia with out taking visa of other countries except Bolivia.
Sir., I got a small request please can u send me your mail I’d and contact number so that I can clarify my doubt with you.
Hi Vikas,
I have edited out your email Id. You can take a flight with a stop in Argentina. You wouldn’t need a transit visa there.
As long as your flight is booked with the same airline, you should be able to transit without a visa in Brazil as well. I have not heard anything about the 7-hour requirement.