Dear Warden:

Below please find a Warden Message from the U.S. Embassy in La Paz, Bolivia.  Please share this warden message with any U.S. citizens in Bolivia with whom you have contact.  We hope this information is useful to you.  If we may provide further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at (591-2)216-8297 or email USCit.Services.Bolivia@gmail.com.
Sincerely,

American Citizen Services Unit
U.S. Embassy La Paz, Bolivia

WARDEN MESSAGE
U.S. EMBASSY LA PAZ, BOLIVIA
November 15, 2007

This Warden Message is being issued to notify American citizens traveling to and residing in Bolivia of the new visa requirement for American citizens entering Bolivia as tourists. 

The Bolivian government has announced that effective December 1, 2007, U.S. citizens seeking to enter Bolivia as tourists must first obtain an entry visa.  Below is an unofficial translation of a diplomatic note received by the U.S. Embassy on November 9, 2007 from the Bolivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.   This note describes the procedures for U.S. citizens applying for Bolivian tourist visas at Bolivian Consulates in the U.S., commencing December 1, 2007. 

The National Immigration of Service of Bolivia is expected in the near future to issue a similar note describing procedures for U.S. citizens applying for Bolivian tourist visas at Bolivian ports of entry, such as at Bolivia’s international airports and at land border crossings.  Once the Embassy receives this information, we plan to disseminate an unofficial translation. 

The U.S. Embassy in La Paz, Bolivia will continue to seek clarification of this policy from the Government of Bolivia and will continue to post new information on our website at:  http://bolivia.usembassy.gov

Please note that the unofficial translation of the Bolivian note below details the requirements and procedures for tourist visas only.  The requirements and procedures for other types of visas under Bolivian law may be different.   

Please continue to direct specific inquiries to the Bolivian Embassy in Washington or your nearest Bolivian Consulate (see http://www.bolivia-usa.org/ for contact information).  The phone number for the Bolivian Consulate in Washington, D.C. is (202) 232-4827 or (202) 232-4828.  If you are in Bolivia, please contact Bolivian Immigration Services at 211-0960.

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Unofficial translation of November 7, 2007 Bolivian Diplomatic Note:
PROCEDURES FOR TOURIST VISAS FOR US CITIZENS

“Pursuant to Bolivian Supreme Decree N. 28997 dated January 1 of 2007, the Bi-ministerial Resolution 01/2007 dated August 31 2007 issued jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Relations and the Ministry of Government, and Directive 01/2007 dated September 17 of 2007, modifying the regulations pertaining to the entry of U.S. citizens into Bolivia for tourism, the following procedures shall apply effective December 1, 2007:

GENERAL MATTERS

1.  Tourist visas for U.S. citizens shall be valid for 5 years from the date of issuance.  After the expiration date, the tourist must reapply for a visa and pay the corresponding fee once again.

2.  Tourist visas shall allow the bearer to stay in Bolivia for 90 days in a year, except that under exceptional circumstances and with sufficient justification such stay may be extended in accordance with Article 29.2 of the Supreme Decree N. 24423 of November 29, 1996.  In this case, the tourist shall apply for an extension prior to the expiration of their authorized stay in the District Offices of the National Immigration Service of Bolivia.

3.  The non-refundable cost of the visa shall be US$100 (one hundred U.S. dollars).   

4.  The visa shall permit up to three entries, including the first entry, and the cumulative stay shall not exceed 90 days in a year. 

PROCEDURES FOR APPLYING IN PERSON AT A BOLIVIAN CONSULATE

5.  Reception of sworn application and required documents.

5.1  The (Bilingual) Sworn Statement for Visa Application Form may be obtained at Bolivian Consulates or downloaded from the webpage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the following address:  http://www.rree.gov.bo/docsistema/FORMULARIO%20VISA%20TURISTA%20CON%20FOTO.doc

5.2  The application shall be accompanied by the following documents:

• Recent 4x4 [cm] color photograph without glasses.
• Passport with a validity of not less than 6 months (as established by Article 4.2 of the Bi-ministerial Resolution 01-2007).
• Hotel Reservation or letter of invitation.
• Round trip ticket or trip itinerary.
• Economic solvency (credit card or cash or a current bank statement).
• Photocopy of International Certificate of Vaccination against Yellow Fever. 

5.3  The following requirements are obligatory and cannot be waived:  obligation to present the letter of invitation or the provision of a hotel reservation, the round trip ticket or itinerary, deposit slip or money order for US$100, credit card or bank statement and yellow fever vaccination.

5.4  In the event that the tourist does not have a hotel reservation, he/she may request information about hotels in Bolivia from a Bolivian Consulate.  Such information is also available on the web page of the Ministry of Foreign Relations (www.rree.gov.bo), on the Consular Services link.  For more information, the tourist may visit the webpage of the Vice-Ministry of Tourism of Bolivia at:  http://turismo.produccion.gob.bo/index_es.php

5.5  In the case of minors, the requirement for economic solvency shall be provided by their parents or legal guardians.

5.6  In the event of an unaccompanied minor, he/she must present an official  Parental Authorization and Consent Certificate duly provided by the appropriate authorities. 

6.  Payment of Fees

6.1  The tourist shall pay US$100 (one hundred U.S. dollars).  The payment may be made in cash, by deposit to the Consulate’s bank account or by money order, as indicated by the respective Consulate.

7.  Visa Issuance

7.1  The visa affixed in the passport of the applicant with the signature and seal of the consular official, shall be in the form of a sticker, which sticker has safety features designed to avoid tampering or forgery.

7.2  In the case of a lost passport, the visa shall be considered void and the tourist shall proceed to reapply for a new visa.

PROCEDURES FOR APPLYING BY MAIL WITHIIN U.S. TERRITORY

8.  In order to facilitate visa applications for those individuals who reside in areas in which Bolivia does not have a Consulate or a Consular Agent -- within U.S. territory only (i.e., not in other countries) -- the following procedures shall apply when service is requested by mail: 

8.1  The Sworn Statement for Visa Application Form shall be downloaded from the web page of the Ministry of foreign affairs at the following address:   http://www.rree.gov.bo/docsistema/FORMULARIO%20VISA%20TURISTA%20CON%20FOTO.doc, or may be requested from the nearest Bolivian consulate.

8.2.  The applicant shall send all of the documents listed in Section 5.2 above, including the passport, to the Consulate.  The applicant shall include a prepaid envelope in the postal medium of his or her choice for the return of the applicant’s documentation.

8.3.  In the event that a requirement is lacking, the consular official shall communicate with the applicant via e-mail or by telephone, in order to complete the missing documentation.  Similarly, the applicant may communicate with the Consulate to verify the status of his/her request.

8.4  Any additional cost incurred within these proceedings shall be borne by the applicant.

8.5 The Consul shall return the passport with the affixed visa by the means elected by the applicant or utilizing the postal stamps provided by the applicant. 

PROCEDURES FOR U.S. CITIZENS BOLIVIANS OF ORIGIN

9.  Bolivians of origin who have subsequently acquired U.S. nationality shall not be required to obtain a visa to enter Bolivia, provided that they accredit their Bolivian origin with any of the following documents, whether still valid or expired:  Bolivian identification card (“cedula de identidad”), birth certificate, family history book (“libreta de familia”), Military Service book, Bolivian passport, Unique National Registry (“Registro Unico Nacional” or “RUN”), consular registration identification or even the applicant’s U.S. passport that shows the applicant’s place of birth as Bolivia.

10.  Children born in the United States of Bolivian parents, pursuant to article 36 of the Bolivian Political Constitution, are Bolivians by the mere act of settling in the national territory or registering in Bolivian Consulates.  For such purpose, the parents of minors up to 12 years old shall appear in person at any Bolivian Consular Office to proceed with the registration of the birth of the minor, attaching a legalized photocopy of the U.S. birth certificate.

11.  Adolescents older than 12 years or adults regardless of age, who are children of Bolivian parents, and who have not registered their birth in a Consulate, may not avail themselves of the above benefit.  Law N. 2616 of December 18 2003 establishes that the registry of birth only may be realized through an administrative procedure at the Bolivian National Electoral Court – Bolivian National Civil Registry in Bolivia, after having realized the process of naturalization in Article 36 of the CPE before the National Immigration Service. 

12.  The International Vaccination Certificate for yellow fever shall also be required.  Bolivian citizenship does not guarantee immunity against Bolivian endemic diseases. 

La Paz, 7 of November, 2007”