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Bolivia decides by passport, not by where you live. Under Supreme Decree 4828 nationalities sit in Group I (no visa), Group II (visa or authorisation) or Group III (visa after prior checks). A tourism entry authorisation lasts 30 calendar days and can be extended by a temporary stay. We could not open the official list of groups, so we confirm yours first.
Three groups, one test
The decree sets out the groups in words and leaves the country names to another list. Here is what the text says:
- Group I: you enter on a valid national ID or passport under Bolivia's international agreements. No visa.
- Group II: a visa or entry authorisation is required.
- Group III: a visa is required after Bolivia checks the requirements and authorises it.
Your UAE residence permit does not move you from one group to another. A Filipino, an Indian and an Egyptian living in Dubai each go by their own passport. Secondary sources, which are not official, place the Philippines in Group I and Nigeria in Group III. We treat that as a hint only and read your passport against the current list before we tell you anything.
Emirati passports
Visa news sites report that from citizens of the UAE, the US, South Korea, South Africa, Israel, Bulgaria, Malta and Romania move to Group I. That means no visa for them. We read this in media reports, not on an official Bolivian page, and it covers UAE citizens only. If you are an Emirati, confirm it before you fly. If you live in the UAE on another passport, it does not apply to you.
Stay and extension
The decree says the authorisation for tourism is valid for 30 calendar days. It can be extended by obtaining a temporary stay for tourism or visit. For foreigners who do no paid work, the temporary stay is valid up to 60 additional calendar days. So a tourist's longest planned stay under these two rules is 90 days. File the temporary stay before day 30 ends. Do not wait for the border officer to raise it.
Documents for a tourism or visit visa
Bolivia's published requirements list this for every visa:
- the sworn visa application form, from the websites of the migration directorate or of consular affairs, or from the consular office where you apply;
- a passport valid at least 6 months;
- a yellow fever vaccination certificate or other health certificate, where it applies;
- a current photograph;
- proof of payment of the fee, except visas granted under state agreements.
For a tourism or visit visa the same document adds:
- a travel itinerary, an invitation letter from a person with legal domicile in Bolivia, or a lodging reservation;
- proof of economic solvency, by a sworn statement backed by documents.
Students and visa-for-a-purpose applicants also need a police or criminal record certificate from the country of origin or last residence. A tourist does not.
What the pages do not tell us
We tried to read the official visa portal and the group list. The Bolivian foreign ministry site blocked our server. So we cannot quote a fee, a processing time or the country list from an official page, and we do not guess. Press reports say Bolivia plans embassies in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Qatar, starting with consuls, but we found no confirmed Bolivian mission in the UAE. We found no Dubai agency that publishes a Bolivia visa price, so we show no agency range.
What we do for you: find your group from the current list, confirm where a UAE resident files, and quote the government fee as its own line before you pay.
Practical points for UAE residents
- Book nothing until your group is confirmed. A visa-required passport without a visa will not board.
- Your sworn statement of funds should match your bank statements. Use your own recent statements.
- Many Bolivian trips cover Uyuni, La Paz and Santa Cruz at altitude, and some areas are yellow fever risk areas. Ask a doctor about the certificate in good time.
- For connecting trips through Latin America, see Chile, Argentina and Colombia.
How it works with us
Send your passport page, dates and planned route on WhatsApp or through the form. An adviser reads your passport against the Bolivian groups and tells you if you need a visa at all. If you do, you get a list of papers and one total price before you agree, with the government fee shown as its own line. We prepare the sworn form, check the itinerary and funds statement, and submit through the route we confirmed. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. Bolivian authorities decide the visa.
A refused visa does not bring the fee back. Before you pay, the adviser writes down what part of our total, if any, would be returned.
Official sources
- Bolivia Supreme Decree 4828: the three groups, the 30-day authorisation and the temporary stay.
- Bolivian visa requirements document: general and tourism requirements.
Bolivian passport holders have a separate page: Dubai visa for Bolivians. More countries are on visas from Dubai, and visa-free countries for UAE residents lists where residence helps.
