Bolivia Travel Guide

Entry Requirements

A valid passport is required to enter and depart Bolivia. Visas are not required for stays of up to 30 days if you're a citizen of one of 45 designated countries, which include the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Germany, and Switzerland. (Visit www.bolivia-usa.org or check with your local embassy to determine whether you'll need a visa.) It's very easy to extend the tourist card for an additional 60 days by requesting one at an Oficina de Migración (immigration office). In La Paz, the office is located at Camacho 1433. It's open Monday through Friday from 9am to 12:30pm and 3 to 6pm; it's best to go late in the afternoon. For more information, call tel. 0800/10-3007.

Bolivian Embassy Locations -- In the U.S.: 3014 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/483-4410; www.bolivia-usa.org)

In Canada: 130 Albert St., Suite 416, Ottawa, ON K1P 5G4 (tel. 613/236-5730; fax 613/236-8237)

In the U.K.: 106 Eaton Square, London SW1W 9AD (tel. 020/7235-4248 or 020/7235-2257; fax 020/7235-1286; embolivia-londres@rree.gov.bo)

In Australia: The Consulate of the Republic of Bolivia is located at 4 Bridge St., Suite 305, Sydney NSW 2000 (tel. 02/9247-4235; fax 02/9251-7741).

Customs

Visitors to Bolivia are legally permitted to bring in up to $2,000 worth of items for personal use, including cameras, portable typewriters, tape recorders, sports equipment, 5 liters of alcoholic beverages, and 400 cigarettes (two cartons), 50 cigars, or 500 grams of tobacco. If you bring in any new consumer goods with a value of more than $1,000, you must declare it at Customs.

There are very strict laws regarding removing national treasures (for example, pre-Columbian artifacts, historical paintings, items of Spanish colonial architecture and history, fossils, and some native textiles). Beware: The Customs officials at the airports do search every person (for both drugs and national treasures) leaving the country.