Traveling With Pets To The U.S.
Temporary Suspension on the Import of Dogs
On June 14, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a Notice of Temporary Suspension of Dogs Entering the United States from High-Risk Rabies Countries ,
Beginning July 14, 2021, there is a temporary suspension for dogs imported from countries that CDC considers high risk for dog rabies, including Bolivia. This includes dogs arriving from countries NOT at high risk if the dogs have been in any high-risk country during the previous 6 months. Eligible individuals can apply for a CDC Dog Import Permit . For more information, please contact CDC or U.S. Customs and Border Protection .
Traveling With Minors To The U.S.
Bolivian law requires that all minor children who are Bolivian citizens obtain authorization from the nontraveling parent(s) to depart the country. Non Bolivian citizen minors must obtain such permission only if they remain in Bolivia for more than 90 days.
All persons born in Bolivia acquire citizenship at birth and Bolivian law requires that all births in Bolivia be recorded with Bolivian civil registry officials.
Under Bolivian law, a person under the age 18 is a minor. In cases in which one parent wishes to travel with a minor alone, or if the minor wishes to travel alone, the accompanying parent or solo traveler minor must obtain a notarized authorization from the non-traveling parent or from both parents consenting to the child’s departure from Bolivia. U.S. citizen parents of Bolivian citizen children may wish to prepare this authorization should emergency travel be necessary.
Getting Married In Bolivia
In order to get married in Bolivia the following documents must be presented:
- Certified copy of the U.S. birth certificate apostilled by the U.S. Department of State Authentications Office.
- Spanish translation of the U.S. birth certificate apostilled in the United States.
- Valid United States passport.
- Certification of eligibility to marry, such as death or divorce certificates for prior marriages, or certificate of no record of marriage from prior U.S. state of residence apostilled by the U.S. Department of State Authentications Office. These documents need to be translated to Spanish and apostilled in the United States.
- Proof of three months continuous residence in Bolivia. This can be waived at the discretion of the local official.
Note: U.S. Consular Officers are authorized by law to perform limited notarial services abroad in connection with certain documents to be presented in the United States. U.S. Consular officers may not perform notarial services in connection with documents for presentation in the host country.
Bolivian Marriage Laws
Only civil marriages are recognized as legal in Bolivia. Civil marriages are performed by a civil registry official, either before or after a religious ceremony. Although the age of majority in Bolivia is 21, men can marry at 16 and women at 14 with permission from parents or guardians. Exceptions can be made for pregnant minors whose parents refuse permission and for orphans (orphans must have permission to marry from the Tribunal Tutelar del Menor and from the Juez de Familia). As in the United States, marriage is not permitted between close blood relatives, and bigamy is against the law. Marriage is forbidden in some circumstances, including the mentally ill. Widows, divorcees and women who have had marriages annulled cannot remarry sooner than 300 days after the death of a husband, the date of the final decree of divorce or the notice of annulment.
Marriages performed outside the United States are generally recognized in the United States. In order for a Bolivian Marriage Certificate to have legal validity in the United States, it should be apostilled by the Bolivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Driving In Bolivia
Tourists can rent a car with their valid state’s driver’s license. U.S. citizens living, studying or working in Bolivia can get a Bolivian driver’s license at the Servicio General de Identificación Personal (SEGIP).
Please contact SEGIP for any questions in connection to the Bolivian driver’s license or how to validate your U.S. driver’s license.
Tourists who wish to enter Bolivia on their own private vehicles must register the vehicle in the SIVETUR system (Affidavit of Entry and Exit of Private Vehicles for Tourism) at the following address www.aduana.gob.bo -> SERVICIOS -> APLICACIONES SIVETUR or at www.aduana.gob.bo -> Viajero -> Registro de Vehículos Turísticos.
Tourists must take into account the period established for the permanence of their tourism vehicles in Bolivian territory. According to Bolivian legal regulations, if the term of authorized stay expires and the vehicle is still in Bolivian territory, the vehicle will be confiscated by Bolivian authorities.
Fingerprints – Where To Go
The Consular Section at U.S. Embassy La Paz only collects fingerprints in relation to active visa applications and upon request by USCIS. The Consular Section is unable to provide fingerprint services for any other Bolivian or U.S. process. The local offices of INTERPOL are available to provide fingerprint services in relation to applications with the Bolivian government.
- INTERPOL La Paz – Ave. Costanera – Phone: +591 (2) 291-6012
- INTERPOL Santa Cruz – Entre 2ndo y 3er Anillo de la Ave. Mutualista, Calle 5 – Phone: +591 800-140099