Last checked: November 2026
Safety notice for travellers
This guide is informational only. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to the Chapare region of Cochabamba Department, including Villa Tunari and highway routes 4 and 24, because of gang-related violent crime. The US State Department rates Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution and lists Chapare Province as Level 4: Do Not Travel.
Protests, road blockades and fuel shortages have disrupted travel in 2026. A state of exception declared in June has been extended to the second week of December, according to news reports. Read both advisories in full and check them again before you travel.
Do you need a visa for Bolivia?
It depends on your passport. Citizens of the United Kingdom and many other countries can visit Bolivia for tourism without a visa for up to 90 days in a one-year period. Other nationalities may still need one, so confirm with Bolivia’s foreign ministry or an embassy before you book.
Who can enter without a visa?
Bolivia sorts nationalities into three groups. Group 1 enters without a visa. Group 2 needs a visa that can be issued without prior authorisation. Group 3 needs a visa with prior consular authorisation. Travel reports describe citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most EU countries as Group 1 for tourism, and travel reporting says US citizens have been visa-free since 1 December 2025.
The UK government confirms 90 days for British citizens. It adds that border officials may stamp only 30 days, but you can stay for 90 days without a new stamp. Visa policy has changed by decree in recent years, so check your own nationality shortly before you travel. The FCDO entry requirements page is a useful reference for UK passport holders.
What is the online pre-registration (SIGEMIG)?
Travel sites report that Bolivia asks foreign visitors to complete a free online pre-registration called SIGEMIG before arrival and to keep the QR code it generates. Reports say arriving without it can slow you down at the airport. These details come from travel publishers rather than a government page we could open, so confirm the current process with the national immigration service at migracion.gob.bo or with an embassy.
- Have your first night’s accommodation address ready.
- Save the confirmation offline as well as by email.
- Each traveller, including children, needs their own registration.
What are the passport and entry rules?
- Passport: Travel guides commonly report that your passport should be valid for six months from your arrival date. Confirm with your airline.
- Onward travel and accommodation: Officials may ask for proof of onward travel and where you will stay.
- Children: The US State Department says Bolivia has strict rules for children under 18 who travel. The UK government says that if only one parent or guardian travels with a child, the visit cannot exceed 90 days, and a longer stay needs a judicial permit for the child to leave.
- Identity checks: Police and immigration officials sometimes check ID. The FCDO advises carrying copies of your passport photo page and entry stamp and leaving the original somewhere safe.
- Land borders: The FCDO says foreign visitors are particularly vulnerable to express kidnapping when entering at overland points with Peru, Chile and Argentina. If you travel from Copacabana to La Paz, it suggests a direct bus.
Do you need a yellow fever certificate?
The US State Department lists an International Certificate of Yellow Fever Vaccination among documents to carry, especially for tropical areas. Travel health sources say Bolivia requires the certificate from travellers arriving from countries with yellow fever transmission risk, while a highlands-only trip carries less risk. Official pages differ in emphasis, so ask your doctor or a travel clinic, and carry the certificate if you have one. The vaccine takes about ten days to become valid.
How long can you stay and can you extend?
The visa-free allowance for Group 1 is up to 90 days in a one-year period, according to the UK government. If you want to stay longer, it says to check with the Bolivian Embassy or the Department of Immigration. Read the entry stamp and its date carefully before you leave the counter, because stamps are sometimes written for a shorter period than the allowance.
Which health and safety points affect planning?
- The FCDO says altitude sickness is a risk in parts of Bolivia, including La Paz and the Salar de Uyuni.
- The FCDO says public healthcare can be inconsistent and some medicines are in short supply, so carry enough prescription medicine for your stay.
- The ambulance number is 118, according to the FCDO.
- Insurance may be affected if you travel against FCDO advice, so read the warnings before choosing routes.
Common visa mistakes
- Assuming a rule you read last year still applies.
- Relying on a third-party visa site instead of the foreign ministry or an embassy.
- Arriving without proof of accommodation or onward travel.
- Not checking the date written in your entry stamp.
Before You Fly: visa checklist
- Check your nationality’s group on the official foreign ministry site.
- Confirm the current pre-registration steps and save the confirmation.
- Check passport validity with your airline.
- Ask a travel clinic about yellow fever and altitude advice.
- Save copies of your passport, insurance and bookings.
- Plan your arrival airport with our guide to flights to Bolivia, and check seasons in the best time to visit Bolivia.
Bolivia visa FAQs
Do US citizens need a visa for Bolivia?
Not for tourism, according to travel reporting on the policy change that took effect on 1 December 2025. Pre-registration and passport rules still apply, so check the foreign ministry or the nearest Bolivian embassy before you travel.
Do UK citizens need a visa for Bolivia?
No. The UK government says British citizens can visit Bolivia for up to 90 days in a one-year period without a visa. If you want to stay longer, check with the Bolivian Embassy in the UK or the Department of Immigration.
Is a yellow fever certificate compulsory?
It depends on your route and where you arrive from. Bolivia requires it from travellers arriving from countries with transmission risk, and the US lists it among documents to carry. Highland-only trips carry less risk, so ask a travel clinic.
Can I extend my stay in Bolivia?
Possibly. The UK government says to check with the Bolivian Embassy or the Department of Immigration if you want to stay longer. Allow extra time and do not wait until the last week of your allowance.