How to Apply for a Bolivia Visa in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is America’s second most populous city after New York.  Greater Los Angeles—which includes Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, Ventura County, and Orange County—has a population of nearly 19 million people.  Known for its endless sprawl, Greater Los Angeles is the largest metropolitan region in the United States by land area and includes over 200 cities such as Santa Monica, Pasadena, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Burbank, Glendale, Pomona, Torrance, Long Beach, Irvine, Anaheim, and Inglewood.  Los Angeles has the largest population of Hispanic people in the United States and has over 3.7 million residents with Mexican heritage.  There are also nearly a million people with ethnic origins from Central America, but only about 125,000 people whose origins come from South America.  There are an estimated 10,000 immigrants and U.S. citizens with Bolivian heritage in Los Angeles, making this city the third largest community of Bolivian immigrants and Bolivian-Americans in the United States.  The city of Anaheim (28 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles) has a Bolivian restaurant serving salteñas, pique macho, silpancho, sopa de maní, chairo, humintas, monconchinchi and several other favorites dishes and traditional drinks of Bolivia.

Bolivia is a landlocked country in South America that is 2.7 times the size of California by land area and has a population of 11.6 million people, which is about two-thirds the population of Greater Los Angeles.  The population is composed of several indigenous groups (including the Aymara, Quechua, and Guaraní people) and mestizo people with indigenous and European ancestry.  One-third of the country lies in the Andes Mountains; land that was once under the control of the Incan Empire.  The Spanish would conquer the Incan Empire in the 16th century and use the riches of this territory to advance their global ambitions.  The Bolivian town of Potosí, one of the highest cities in the world, was the source of the Spanish Empire’s supply of silver and was home to the first silver mint in the Americas.  Present-day Bolivia still has huge deposits of silver and other natural resources such as natural gas, tin, zinc, lead, and lithium (a metal used to make electric vehicles).  Although Bolivia is one of the least visited countries in South America, it is perhaps the most interesting when considering its diverse landscape, which includes the Amazon rainforest, snow-capped mountains, lowland wetlands, Lake Titicaca (the highest navigable lake in the world), and Salar de Uyuni (the world’s largest salt flat).   

Obtaining a Bolivian Visa from Los Angeles

Visas for Bolivia are issued by the Bolivian government in the United States.  (Tourist visas can also be obtained on arrival at any land or air border, however, we recommend securing the visa several weeks before leaving the United States.)  The government of Bolivia is represented by their five consulates located in Houston, New York City, Washington D.C., Miami, and Los Angeles.  To apply for a visa from Los Angeles you will fill out the visa application and ship your original passport and supporting documents to their consulate located in LA’s Koreatown neighborhood off Wilshire Boulevard by US Mail or courier service (FedEx or UPS).  Here is the address:

Consulate General of Bolivia
3701 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1065
Los Angeles, CA 90010

It is important to review the requirements for visas on the Bolivian consulate website and ensure your application and all supporting documents are accurate.  Here is the link to the consulate website with detailed information: CONSULADO GENERAL DE BOLIVIA EN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (boliviala.org)

You should include a self-addressed USPS (US Postal Service Express Mail or Priority Mail), FedEx, or UPS prepaid envelope (please make note of the tracking number) so the consulate can return your passport and visa to your home or office.   

The government’s visa fee is $160 for U.S. citizens and the processing time can take up to 4 weeks.  If you need the visa faster, please contact our company to inquire about expedited services.

Other things to consider:

  • U.S. citizens must obtain a visa to enter Bolivia and must have a valid passport that does not expire within six months of your date of entry into Bolivia.
  • Visitors to Bolivia are required to have a valid World Health Organization (WHO) card with yellow fever vaccination. Please use the following link from the Center for Disease Control website to find the nearest clinic offering the yellow fever vaccine: Search for Stamaril yellow fever vaccination clinics | Travelers' Health | CDC
  • If applying for the visa on arrival in Bolivia, bring $160 cash and ensure the bills are in good condition and have no tears or marks. Visitors to Bolivia must also show return flight tickets (or proof they intend to leave the country) and proof of accommodations. 
  • All visitors to Bolivia must obtain a negative COVID-19 test (PCR) result before entry into the country (the test should be taken 72 hours prior to departure).  Visitors who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 are required have another RT-PCR test taken 72 hours after arrival and must quarantine until they receive a negative COVID-19 test result. The cost of this test must be covered by the visitor.  Visitors must also have health insurance with coverage for COVID-19 upon entry to Bolivia.
  • It is recommended to purchase travel insurance before any international trip in case of medical emergencies.  We advise getting the Geo Blue Voyager Single Trip Plan.

Emergency Assistance for Bolivian Citizens in Los Angeles 

If you are a citizen of Bolivia living in the Los Angeles area with an emergency or require urgent assistance, you can reach the consulate by calling 213-716-3980.  The consulate’s non-emergency numbers are 213-388-0475 and 213-388-0957.

If you need to renew your Bolivian passport or apply for a Bolivian passport for your child, you should schedule an appointment on the consulate’s website and appear in-person at their office.  Here is a link to the consulate website where you can schedule an appointment: CONSULADO GENERAL DE BOLIVIA EN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (boliviala.org)

We Can Help if You Need Assistance

If you live in Los Angeles or anywhere in Southern California and have difficulty applying for a Bolivia visa or require assistance with any part of the visa process, please give our office a call at 404-682-5445 or schedule an appointment with our company.  We are a private agency in Atlanta providing Bolivia visa services for Americans and other U.S.-based residents.  Our number one goal is to ensure your application documents for a visa are submitted accurately to the Bolivian government.  Our services eliminate delays and give you the peace of mind to focus on your travel plans. 

We provide the following Bolivia visa services for our customers:

  • Bolivia Tourist Visa
  • Bolivia Business Visa
  • Bolivia Student Visa
  • Bolivia Official / Diplomatic Visa
  • Bolivia Courtesy Visa
  • Bolivia Humanitarian Visa
  • Bolivia Object Determined Visa (For marriage, paid work, education, volunteer, etc)
  • Bolivia Hotel Accommodations