Moving to Bolivia from the US: which visa or residence route fits

Bolivia changed its rules for Americans recently, so older guides are now wrong on the first step. For years US citizens sat in the strictest visa group and needed a consular visa approved in advance just to visit. A supreme decree published in the Gaceta Oficial moved the United States from Group III to Group I, the group that does not need a tourist visa. That makes the first trip simple. Living there long term still runs through the Dirección General de Migración (DIGEMIG) and its system of "permanencias".

This guide covers the routes that matter to a US citizen: entering as a visitor, the visa for a set purpose issued by Bolivian consulates, temporary stay (permanencia temporal) and permanent stay (permanencia definitiva).

Step one: entering as a visitor

Under the decree that moved the United States into Group I, people from Group I countries do not need a tourist or visit visa and enter with a valid passport. The Bolivian Foreign Ministry's embassy news service announced the change as part of a group of eight countries moved into Group I, including the United States and Israel.

On how long a visitor can stay, the DIGEMIG entry on the official government portal gob.bo says the tourist stay is 90 calendar days at most per year. The same entry describes an initial 30-day period that can be extended twice at DIGEMIG. Plan your first visit around that 90-day yearly cap.

A visitor stay is for rest and leisure. The gob.bo description states it does not cover paid or profit-making work for yourself or others. If you plan to work, study or settle, you need one of the routes below.

The visa for a set purpose (Visa de Objeto Determinado)

Bolivia's consular network describes a Visa de Objeto Determinado for foreigners who enter to stay for reasons other than tourism: work, temporary work, volunteering, academic exchange, religious activity, health and family. The consulates page states its validity depends on the reason for the stay.

The requirements listed on that page include:

• A sworn visa application form
• A passport valid for at least six months
• A document proving the activity you will carry out in Bolivia
• An invitation letter from the inviting entity or company, except for temporary work, health and family
• A police, criminal or court record certificate from your country of origin or residence, for applicants over 16
• Proof of funds through a bank statement or credit card, except for religious and family reasons
• A yellow fever vaccination certificate if you will visit high-risk endemic areas

This is the route that starts at a Bolivian consulate before you travel. The tourist exemption for Group I covers tourism and visits, so if your plan from the start is to work or join family, ask the consulate that covers your US state whether you should arrive with this visa. The Foreign Ministry runs an online visa portal at visas.cancilleria.gob.bo and lists its consulates at consulados.cancilleria.gob.bo.

Temporary stay (permanencia temporal)

Supreme Decree 1923, which regulates Bolivia's migration law, defines permanencia temporal as an authorization from DIGEMIG for one, two or three years, with renewals, depending on how long the activity in Bolivia lasts. The decree lists these purposes:

• Study: for students at primary, secondary or higher education level. Up to three years, extendable until studies finish. It cannot lead to permanent stay.
• Work: for paid or profit-making activity, employed or self-employed, or under state or private agreements. The length depends on the activity.
• Health: for specialized medical treatment. One year, extendable until treatment ends. It cannot lead to permanent stay.
• Family: for ties of blood, adoption, economic dependence, affinity or marriage.
• Humanitarian: an exceptional category for up to one year.

The general requirements in the decree are:

1. The sworn application form from DIGEMIG's website or offices
2. A valid passport
3. A visa or transitory stay, as applicable
4. A yellow fever or other health certificate, if applicable
5. Documents proving the purpose of your stay
6. A current certificate showing no criminal or police record
7. A medical certificate from the competent institution
8. A current photograph
9. Proof of funds through a sworn statement backed by documents, except for humanitarian stays
10. Proof of payment of the procedure fee

Point 3 is where the consular visa matters. The decree asks for a visa or transitory stay "según corresponda", so which one you need depends on your category.

For a US applicant the criminal record certificate means a national-level document. Plan to get it apostilled in the US before you leave, since obtaining it from abroad takes longer.

There is also a two-year temporary residence under the MERCOSUR Residence Agreement, listed on gob.bo. It applies only to nationals of MERCOSUR member and associated states, so it is not open to someone holding only a US passport.

Permanent stay (permanencia definitiva)

DIGEMIG's procedure for permanencia definitiva is listed on gob.bo as the authorization for foreigners to reside in Bolivia. Supreme Decree 1923 sets the main condition: three years of stay in Bolivia. A spouse, dependent children and dependent parents of a person who already holds permanent stay are handled under Article 31 of Law 370.

The decree's requirements include the sworn application form and a valid passport, foreigner's identity card or national identity document. The detailed DIGEMIG checklist adds police and criminal record certificates, proof of the activity you carry out in Bolivia, proof of funds and payment of the fee.

Two of the temporary categories, study and health, cannot lead to permanent stay. If you want permanent residence, choose work or family as your temporary category from the start.

The foreigner's identity card

Once DIGEMIG grants a temporary or permanent stay, you get a Cédula de Identidad de Extranjero (CIE) from the Servicio General de Identificación Personal (SEGIP). A regularization decree published in the Gaceta Oficial treats failing to obtain the CIE within the set deadline as a breach of the stay rules, so do not skip this step after your residence is approved.

Which route fits

• Scouting trip or long holiday: enter visa-free as a Group I national and stay within 90 days per year.
• Job offer or contract in Bolivia: ask the consulate about the Visa de Objeto Determinado for work, then apply for temporary stay for work at DIGEMIG. This category can lead to permanent stay after three years.
• Married to a Bolivian or joining close family: temporary stay for family, then permanent stay.
• Coming to study: temporary stay for study. Note that study years do not lead to permanent stay.
• Medical treatment: temporary stay for health, which also does not lead to permanent stay.
• Retiree or remote worker with no Bolivian employer: the decree has no category with that name. Self-employed activity falls under the work purpose, and the permanent stay checklist accepts a sworn statement describing the activity for profit-making work without an employer. Confirm with DIGEMIG how your income will be treated before you commit.

Before you leave the US

• Check that your passport is valid and has room for stamps.
• Get an FBI Identity History Summary or other national-level record and apostille it.
• Apostille your birth certificate and, if relevant, your marriage certificate, since family and dependant applications rely on them.
• Keep copies of bank statements to support proof of funds.
• Bookmark migracion.gob.bo and gob.bo, where DIGEMIG lists its procedures and its online systems (SIGEMIG, the virtual window and status tracking).

US obligations do not stop

Moving to Bolivia does not end your US filing duties. US citizens must keep filing federal tax returns while abroad, and foreign accounts above the reporting threshold trigger FBAR filing. See the IRS pages listed in the sources below.

Common questions

Do US citizens need a visa to visit Bolivia? No. A supreme decree published in the Gaceta Oficial moved the United States to Group I, whose nationals enter for tourism or visits with a valid passport and no visa. DIGEMIG lists a maximum tourist stay of 90 calendar days per year.

Can I apply for residence in Bolivia after arriving as a tourist? Supreme Decree 1923 asks temporary stay applicants for a visa or transitory stay, as applicable. Whether your category needs a consular visa first depends on the purpose, so confirm with the Bolivian consulate or DIGEMIG before you travel.

How long until I can get permanent residence in Bolivia? Supreme Decree 1923 requires three years of stay in Bolivia for permanencia definitiva. Temporary stays for study or health do not count toward it.

Can US citizens use the MERCOSUR residence in Bolivia? No. The two-year MERCOSUR temporary residence listed by DIGEMIG applies to nationals of MERCOSUR member and associated states.

Which agency handles residence in Bolivia? The Dirección General de Migración (DIGEMIG) grants stays. SEGIP then issues the Cédula de Identidad de Extranjero.