If you want to prolong your visit to Sucre, you have basically have three choices: extend your tourist visa, become a student, or apply for an Special Purpose visa (called the Objecto Determinado visa).
Please note that visa requirements and processes change over time. The process detailed here may differ from that in place at the time of your application. Be sure to check the Migracion website for the latest official information.
The Objecto Determinado visa allows temporary entry into Bolivia for several purposes, including:
- Business travel or a work contract
- Marriage
- Filming for commercial purposes
- To apply for temporary or permanent resident visa
For people looking to extend their stay in Boliva, the last of these is likely to be the most important. It is not possible to apply for residency (temporary or permanent) while in Bolivia on a tourist visa. Instead it is necessary to obtain an Objecto Determinado visa and, while on this visa, apply for a temporary residency visa. Only after holding temporary visa for a period of time is it possible to apply for permanent residency.
It is possible for citizens of some, but not all countries to apply for an Objecto Determinado while in Bolivia. The cost of doing so is around 2,500 Bolivianos (US$362). For citizens of other countries (the US looks to be included in this list), it is necessary to leave the country and apply for an Objecto Determinado visa. You can then re-enter Bolivia once the visa has been granted. The cost of applying outside Bolivia is significantly cheaper, but varies by location. In places such as Puno and Arica you’ll pay around $87, while in the likes of Australia you’ll pay about $150. While it’s technically possible to make the application at a Bolivian consulate in a country other than your home, note that it may be very difficult to do so. In Puno, for example, they require a police background check from your home country, verified by the Bolivian consulate of your home country. Organizing this while traveling may not be a feasible option.
The Objecto Determinado visa grants you a 30-day stay in Bolivia, which can be extended to 90 days if necessary (e.g. if more time is required to complete the residency application). The application to extend the Objecto Determinado can be made at the Immigration Office in Sucre (or other cities) at a cost of about 600 Bolivianos (US$87). You should take a photocopy of your passport and Objecto Determinado visa along with you.
While the requirements for the visa change frequently and vary by consulate, you will typically need to produce:
- A completed visa application form
- A passport valid for at least 6 months
- A photocopy of your passport and last entry stamp (if applying within Bolivia)
- Documents certifying the purpose of travel, such as a contract of employment
- A notarized letter of accreditation of the activity to be undertaken and its economic solvency
- For children under 18 years: a letter of parental consent to travel
- A medical certificate including official HIV testing
- If filming for commercial purposes: a permit issued by the National Board of Bolivian Cinema (CONACINE)
- If entering by marriage: an international birth certificate and marriage certificate issued by the civil registration service of the country of origin. Both documents must be legalized by the consular section of the Embassy or Consulate of Bolivia
While the application process for on Objecto Determinado visa is quite complex, it is a necessary step in the application for residency in Bolivia.
If you remain in Bolivia after the expiry of an Objecto Determinado visa, you are liable to pay a fine of 20bs per day. While we do not advocate it, some choose to pay the fine rather than the higher cost of extending the Objecto Determinado.
We are very grateful to Harry of Gringo in Bolivia for his input and corrections to the information in this post, and for his information on the 1 year temporary visa requirments.
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