ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS:  A U.S. passport valid for at least six months from the date of proposed entry into Bolivia is required to enter and depart Bolivia.  U.S. citizen tourists do not need a visa for a stay of one month or less (that period can be extended up to 90 days upon application to the Bolivian immigration authorities).  Visitors for other purposes must obtain a visa in advance.  U.S. citizens whose passports are lost or stolen in Bolivia must obtain a replacement passport and present it, together with a police report of the loss or theft, to a Bolivian government immigration office in order to obtain permission to depart.  For more information on replacement passport procedures, please consult the U.S. Embassy’s Web site at http://lapaz.usembassy.gov/english/engindex.htm.  An exit tax is charged when departing Bolivia by air.  Travelers with Bolivian citizenship or residency pay an additional fee upon departure.  While the Bolivian Government does not require travelers to purchase round-trip air tickets in order to enter the country, some airlines have required travelers to purchase round-trip tickets prior to boarding aircraft bound for Bolivia.  Some tourists arriving by land report that immigration officials did not place entry stamps in their passports, causing problems at checkpoints and upon departure.

MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION:  Medical care in large cities is adequate for most purposes but of varying quality.  Ambulance services are limited-to-non-existent.  Medical facilities are generally not adequate to handle serious medical conditions.  Pharmacies are located throughout Bolivia, and prescription and over the counter medications are widely available.  Western Bolivia, dominated by the Andes and high plains (Altiplano), is largely insect-free.  However, altitude sickness (see below) is a major problem.  Eastern Bolivia is tropical, and visitors to that area are subject to related illnesses.  In March 2005, several cases of yellow fever were reported in the Chapare region.  News media periodically report outbreaks of rabies, particularly in the larger cities.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747)

MEDICAL INSURANCE:  The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.

REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION: 

Americans living or traveling in Bolivia are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consular Agency through the State Department’s travel registration website, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Bolivia.  Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consular Agencies in Cochabamba and Santa Cruz.  By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consular Agency to contact them in case of emergency.

The U.S. Embassy is located at 2780 Avenida Arce in La Paz, between calles Cordero and Campos; telephone (591-2) 216-8297 during business hours 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., or (591-2) 216-8000 for after-hours emergencies; fax (591-2) 216-8808; Internet http://bolivia.usembassy.gov/.  The U.S. Embassy in La Paz is open for American Citizen Services Monday through Thursday from 1:30PM to 5:00PM and Fridays from 08:30 to12:30 and from 2:00PM to 4:00PM, except U.S. and Bolivian holidays.  Questions should be directed to the email address USCit.Services.Bolivia@gmail.com or consularlapaz@state.gov. 

There are two consular agencies in Bolivia, which provide limited services to American citizens, but are not authorized to issue passports.  Anyone requesting service at one of the consular agencies should call ahead to verify that the service requested would be available on the day you expect to visit the agency.

Santa Cruz: The Consular Agency in Santa Cruz is located at 146 Avenida Roque Aguilera (Tercer Anillo); telephone (591-3) 351-3477, 351-3479, or 351-3480; fax (591-3) 351-3478.  The U.S. Consular Agency in Santa Cruz is open to the public Mondays from 09:00 to 12:30 and from 2:00PM to 5:00PM and on Tuesday through Friday from 09:00 to 12:30, except U.S. and Bolivian holidays. 

Cochabamba:  The Consular Agency in Cochabamba is located at Avenida Oquendo 654, Torres Sofer, room 601; telephone (591-4) 411-6313; fax (591-4) 425 -6714.  The U.S. Consular Agency in Cochabamba is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, excluding U.S. and Bolivian holidays.