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| You are in: Home > Bolivia > Useful information for your trip |
Useful information for your trip
Visa, customs, taxes
A valid passport is required to enter Bolivia. A visa is required of citizens of Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Bangladesh, North Korea, Popular China, Haiti, India, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Rumania, Singapore, Syrian, Tunisia, Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam, Northern and Southern Yemen.
Recently the government of Bolivia announced a requirement for United States citizens to obtain a VISA prior to entering Bolivia, but this policy has not yet been implemented.
Bolivia’s Immigration Department allows foreign citizens a 30-day continuous stay, but this period can be extended by an additional 60 days by a simple administrative procedure.
As with all travel by air, travelers should reconfirm their flights in advance of their departure date with their airline or travel agency.
Plan to be at the airport for international fights at least two hours before scheduled departure, or longer, depending on the recommendation of your airline. Summer and other high demand travel periods may require longer than the usual two hours advance arrival at the airport. We recommend that larger groups or families traveling with children check with the airline for additional information and recommendation.
Visa Requirements:
http://bolivia.usembassy.gov/wm11302007.html
http://bolivia.usembassy.gov/wm11152007.html
Travel Taxes: An exit tax of U$D 25 is required to exit the country. Airport taxes of 15 Bolivianos, approximately U$D 2 is required for all domestic flights.
Persons entering Bolivia are allowed the following items free of customs duties: One photographic camera, one portable computer, one video camera with its accessories, one audio recorder, one radio, sports equipment, five liters of alcoholic beverages, four hundred cigarettes, fifty cigars or half kilo of chopped tobacco.
Currency, Money Exchange
The official monetary unit is the Boliviano (Bs). However, most establishments will accept U.S. dollars. The safest way to change foreign currency into Bolivianos is through a bank. We do not recommend changing money on the street corners, however this is a frequent practice of residents and non-residents alike. Do not accept U.S. currency that is in the excessively worn or torn because it will not be accepted by most money exchanges or vendors. Most banking facilities have ATMs where money can be withdrawn (Bolivianos or U.S. dollars) any time of the day. To see the daily exchange rate of U$D to Boliviano visit:
http://www.bcb.gov.bo/sitio/indicadores.php?n2=1&n3=&n4=
Credit cards: Major credit cards are accepted in the most important hotels, restaurants and commercial centers; however, do not plan to rely on credit cards in the smaller establishments or in rural or remote communities were virtually all transactions are in cash. In general, VISA, MasterCard, Diners, and American Express are well accepted.
Traveler checks: In the principal cities of Bolivia, money exchanges and some other financial establishments accept travelers checks. Converting them to cash or for payment should not be difficult except in the smallest towns. Travelers checks should be issued in American dollars. When traveling beyond the larger cities carry enough cash to take care of any anticipated and emergency needs.
Time & weather
The official time in Bolivia is -4:00 in relation to the Greenwich Meridian (GMT)
The weather in the Altiplano, or Andean highland located at aprox. 11,500 ft (3.505 m), is quite dry and, in winter, chilly to cold. Snow is rare except in the mountains above the Altiplano because of Bolivia’s proximity to the Equator. The temperatures in the day fluctuate between 59 and 64.4 F (15 to 18 C); while in the nights they descend considerably and in the winter (June-August) they can be cold (subfreezing) and travelers should carry proper clothing. The rainy season begins in November and ends in March. The valleys north and east of La Paz, also called Yungas region, are warmer and posses a subtropical, humid climate. The annual average temperature is 73.4 F (23 C). In the tropical jungle and plains area of Eastern Bolivia, the average temperature is 86 F (30 C). There the rainy season begins in December and ends in March.
Communications
Communications in the principal cities of Bolivia are very good and many rural locations now have adequate communications facilities. Telephone booths for long distance calls are prevalent throughout the cities and internet kiosks are available at reasonable prices that average $us 0.60 for an hour. In small towns throughout the more rural areas telephone and internet access are becoming increasingly more prevalent. In such places telephone booths or other facilities are typically found in shops and internet connections and computers, if available, can be annoyingly slow.
Language
Spanish is the official language of the Republic of Bolivia. However, there are more than 2 dozen languages and dialects spoken by various ethnic groups. Among principal ethnic languages are Aymara (spoken principally in the Altiplano) and Quechua (spoken predominantly in the Altiplano and interior regions). Guarani is spoken in southeastern Bolivia, especially on the border with Paraguay, where it is a major ethnic language.
Electricity
Electricity throughout the country is 220 volt. Most five star hotels offer 110 volt as well. Adapters are readily available in Bolivia to convert 220 volt current to 110 volt. Most camera and other electronic device adapters will accept current up to 250 volts without need of an additional adapter. Check your cameras and other electronic equipment before coming.
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