Bolivia Visa for Indians (From India & SA) + Extension Process

Bolivia gives a visa on arrival to most western countries, to other South-American countries such as Chile and Peru, and India. But this on-arrival visa is only available at Santa Cruz and La Paz airports (and perhaps at a few land borders). The Bolivia visa on arrival for Indian citizens (and others) costs USD 55 (and sometimes even $120 or $160). You also need crisp currency notes else your money won’t be accepted.

As I was crossing into Bolivia via land, I decided to get a visa for Bolivia beforehand. I went to the Bolivian consulate in Cusco. The visa application process was fast; Bolivia visa for Indians is free; and I had the visa in an hour.

I have received mixed reviews about the visa on arrival in Bolivia from Indian travelers. It’s not surprising as getting visas for Indians is always a mixed experience. But posts and forums such as these shows that even citizens of other countries (and when I say other country I mean the US) are also struggling.

If you are planning to get a Bolivia visa on arrival, please confirm by calling the Bolivian consulate in your home country. Ask them about the requirements, prepare your documents, and in the above forum it is also suggested to fill an online application form and get it stamped by the nearest consulate.

Well, I just found it easier to get a Bolivia tourist visa for Indian citizens through the Bolivian consulate.

Must Read: My One-Stop Guide to Plan a Trip to South America

What does this Bolivia Visa for Indians guide contain?

1. Bolivia Visa for Indians – The Application process from Peru
2. Bolivia Visa for Indians – The Application process from India
3. What is the validity of Bolivia travel visa?
4. How can you extend your Bolivia visa?
5. What will happen if you overstay in Bolivia?

Bolivia Visa for Indian Passport Holders – Application Process from Peru

The officer at the Bolivian consulate in Cusco directed me to a nearby cyber cafe to fill the visa application. The cyber cafe owner, who was overloaded with travelers, asked me to fill a form, upload the necessary documents, and submit the application. And I followed his instructions methodically.

Bolivia Visa Requirements for Indian Citizens and the Application Process

1. Fill the application form

Complete the official online Bolivia visa application form provided by the government of Bolivia. The form is available in both English and Spanish.

2. Attach the documents required for the Bolivia visa for Indian citizens

• Hotel reservations – I made a few fully-refundable and cancellable bookings on Booking.com. If you have made temporary reservations, remember to cancel the bookings after you receive the visa.
• Travel tickets – I didn’t have to show any tickets as I told the consul I was going to Bolivia on a bus from Cusco. If you are flying into Bolivia, make sure you attach a copy of your confirmed air tickets. If you haven’t booked the flight tickets, attach on-hold flight tickets, or an itinerary from an airline’s website would suffice, too.
• Bank account statements – I applied for the visa in March and attached the February’s bank statement. The bank records were in English.
• Rough itinerary – A simple itinerary with your approximate travel dates, destinations you intend to visit, and the duration of your stay.
• Passport size photo – The consulate or the form didn’t mention a specific format of the picture, so I attached a five-years-old soft copy. Always carry a few prints and jpegs of your passport size photos while traveling.
• Passport – Attach the scan of the front and the back page of the passport.
• Yellow fever vaccination card – I have written about the requirements of a yellow fever vaccination card here in my comprehensive Bolivia travel guide. If you are going to the Amazon in Bolivia and have included it in your itinerary, you have to attach the yellow fever vaccination proof with the visa application. Otherwise, you don’t need to worry about yellow fever proof.

3. Submit the Application Form

Preview the application and save it. If all the details are correct, submit the application.

4. Print the complete application form and the attached documents.

5. Visit the Bolivian Consulate in Cusco (or the one in your home country)

Bring the documents, the printed application form, a photo, and your original passport.

6. Show the documents, pay nothing, and get the Bolivia visa stamped on your passport.

That is all to getting a Bolivia visa for Indians from Peru.

Suggested read: My experiential guide to Chile Visa for Indians.

Visa for Bolivia for Indian Citizens – The Application process from India (or any other country).

Steps 1 to 4 are the same for applying for a Bolivia travel visa from India (or any other country).

But as the consulate of Bolivia is only located in New Delhi, you either have to go to Delhi to get the visa or you can hire a visa agent who will submit your passport and other documents at the consulate. Then the agent will collect your passport and mail it back to you. I am guessing you can follow the same process in other countries, too.

The Bolivian consulate has been known to be helpful regarding visa queries. So call them if you don’t receive an update.

Contact of the Bolivia Embassy in India 

Bolivian Consulate in New Delhi, India
A-2/7 Ground Floor, Vasant Vihar
New Delhi, 110057, India
Phone: 91-11-46060934
Fax: 91-11-46060935
Email: almaba10@hotmail.com

Relevant Read: How to Get a Peru Visa – Thoroughly explained visa process from India and Chile.

What is the validity of Bolivia Travel Visa?

Bolivia visa is valid for 30 days. It allows a single entry and exit into Bolivia. And remember that the entry and exit days are included in the 30 days (this is true for most visas).

How can you extend your Bolivia visa? 

Bolivia is a gorgeous country, and that is why I have written a 8,500 words long comprehensive travel guide to Bolivia.

If you want to stay for more than 30 days in Bolivia, get your Bolivia tourist visa extended for another 30 days. What if even after 60 days you find yourself lost in the Bolivian Andes? Get the visa extended for another 30 days.

You can stay in Bolivia for a total of 90 days including the original visa duration (30 days) and two extensions (30 days each).

What are the documents needed to extend the visa for Bolivia?

1. Original Passport and a printout of the first and the last page of your passport.
2. A copy of the passport page with the Bolivia visa.
3. A copy of the passport page which has the Bolivia entry stamp.
4. Your Bolivian tourist card and a copy of the tourist card – You get a stamped card when you enter the country. Keep that card safe as you need it for extending the visa, and you have to return it when you leave Bolivia. But sometimes the border officers don’t give you this card. Don’t panic if that happens, and explain to the consulate you didn’t receive one.

Where to get the Bolivia visa extended?

You will have to go the Bolivian consulate in one of the big cities of Bolivia – Cochabamba, La Paz, Sucre, and Santa Cruz – to get the visa extended.

1. Hiking the Andes in La Paz? Go here – Directions to the immigration office in La Paz.
2. If you are learning Spanish in Sucre, visit here  – Directions to the immigration office in Sucre.
3. Waiting to see the Jaguars in Santa Cruz? Head this way – Directions to the Immigration office in Santa Cruz.
4. Have ended up in Cochabamba for no fault of your own? Get to this location – Directions to the Immigration office in Cochabamba.

When should you get your Bolivia visa extended?

During the last three days of the visa validity period.

How to get the travel visa for Bolivia extended?

• Carry the documents I mentioned above and visit the immigration office of the city you are in. Go early to avoid queues.
• Get a token number from the information desk, or there might be a separate desk to attend people. Watch out for your token number on the screen.
• When your number displays, go to the counter and request the officer for a 30-day visa extension.  The Spanish translation for this phrase is “Quiero trenta días más, por favor.”
• Voila!

Must Read: My ultimate guide to visas for Indian citizens

What will happen if you overstay in Bolivia?

For each day you overstay in Bolivia you need to pay a fine of 20 Bolivianos (or $3) at the border while leaving Bolivia.

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Are the Bolivia visa requirements clear to you now? Please ask your questions in comments.

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