american applying for special objective visa, then residence visa

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american applying for special objective visa, then residence visa

hi!
i'm planning to go to santa cruz to be with my boyfriend who will soon have a 1-year work contract/visa there. it looks like i will need to first do a "special objective visa" (30 days) and then during the 30 days there apply for a 1-year residence visa.

can anyone give me more information on what kinds of "special purposes" are generally approved for the visa? and then, what kind of requirements are there for applying for a resident visa? we do have a bolivian friend who could probably do the letter of introduction.

i am a marketing consultant and can work "virtually" via phone/internet with my american clients. i speak pretty good spanish, but not sure if i could get work there as well... (in marketing or other areas).

thanks for the help!! of course, i'd also appreciate any other tips, suggestions, etc. you might have.
GRACIAS!!
- tiny

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american applying for special objective visa, then residence visa

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Nov 18, 2010

21 days and 30 days
by: BoliviaBella

What you need to be aware of is that once your visa de objeto determinado has been issued (as in glued into your passport), you must travel within 21 days. AND as of the moment you arrive in Bolivia, the visa gives you 30 days in the country during which time you will begin your residency application procedure.

Nov 18, 2010

Are you sure?
by: Anonymous

Are you sure that if you get the specific purpose visa too soon it will run out before you get there? According to boliviawdc.com, your 30-day period BEGINS when you arrive in Bolivia, not once the stamp is on the passport."La visa de objeto determinado para todos los extranjeros será de 30 dias desde(from) la fecha(date) de ingreso(entrance) a Bolivia." Thanks! And also wanted to ask: I have our marriage certificates, they are translated, notarized, and im about to get them authenticated. Is that all that they need? To they need to be certified by anyone else? Do the translated copies have to have the same authentication? Thank you!

Mar 11, 2010

always check with a Bolivian consulate or immigration first
by: BoliviaBella

I want to remind everyone that it's always a good idea to check with the Bolivian consulate nearest you before you arrive, and if you are already here to double check information provided in this forum with your local immigration office.

There have been many changes in immigration policy recently and changes are likely to continue so, although we are doing our best to remain informed by contacting immigration and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ourselves whenever we feel it's necessary, and we do our best to keep the information on this site updated, it should not be understood as legal advice.

Use if as a general guideline, and check with Bolivian authorities prior to beginning your visa requests or residency applications.

Mar 11, 2010

the purpose of the specific purpose visa is...
by: BoliviaBella

The visa de objeto determinado, or specific purpose visa, is only designed to give you time to fulfill a purpose - that being to begin your request for residency. It isn't designed to be extended for long periods of time.

If, once you get to Bolivia, you begin your residency application and it becomes obvious you won't complete the process within the assigned 30 days, immigration may (at its sole discretion) extend your specific purpose visa for another 30 days to give you time to complete your residency application.

But they usually only extend it for 30 days at a time and there is no guarantee they would extend it more than once. There is also no guarantee they would extend it at all, if they see you are doing nothing to apply for residency. If you plan to be here that long, you should consider applying for residency.

Mar 11, 2010

Interested in Residency
by: David

Hi, I'm in Bolivia for at least a year and just got my visa de objeto determinado. May I contact someone at Bolivia Bella for more information on either a.) extending the OD visa or b.) applying for residency? I've heard the OD extension can also take several months. Specifically, I'd like to know if I'm better of extending the OD visa several times or going through the arduous residency process. Thanks for your help.

Feb 25, 2010

updated visa information page
by: BoliviaBella

I've updated our Visa Information page as of 25 February 2010.

Feb 15, 2010

good question tiny
by: BoliviaBella

Hi again Tiny.

Q1. Is "I'm accompanying my boyfriend" enough. I'm not a lawyer myself so I'd like to put you in touch with the lawyer we work with so you can ask her this question. She's fully bilingual. Send me a message so I can email you her email address offline. Use the secure form on this page. Since the response for a married couple would be different, let's ask her.

Q2. Yes, you can also mention that you already own a business and plan to continue working at it while in Bolivia because you work online. They are looking at whether or not you will have an income and won't depend on the government.

Q3. Yes, you can renew the residency visa once you're here if you plan to stay. The renewal process is very similar to the initial application. In fact, if you do plan to stay, you'll want to start the renewal process about 1 month before it runs out.

Our price includes all the payments you would make if you were to pursue the process on your own: to Immigration and all other institutions such as Interpol, Police, doctor, bank, photos, Cenetrop, lawyer or notary, a power of attorney so our lawyer can do it all for you, and our fee all in one. Just let us know. Happy to help out.

Feb 15, 2010

gracias!
by: tiny

thanks so much for all the detailed info. that's very helpful. it's especially good to know about calling regarding timing it since there is only a 21-day window.
so... just a couple more things to be sure i'm clear...

- it sounds like it could be reason enough that i am going to meet up with my boyfriend and live with him there, true? and would that work for both the "special objective" and residency applications?

- as far as activities, i have my own "virtual" business and i want to get involved with some dance classes there as well. is that the kind of information they want to know?

- can you renew the residency visa after the 1st year?

that's great that boliviabella offers visa services. i'll have to take a closer look and look at my budget to see if i can take advantage of that. (sure would be easier...).
thanks again!! by the way, i live in california too. :)
-tiny

Feb 15, 2010

in response to your question
by: BoliviaBella

The specific purpose visa is a 30-day visa you need to get from the Bolivian consulate in the US just for entry into Bolivia.

Go to www.bolivia-usa.org
Click on Tourist Visa

When that page opens up, scroll down to the list of requirements to get the Specific Purpose Visa (it's UNDER the list for the tourist visa).

Basically, you will have to write a letter to the consul of Bolivia telling him why you plan to travel to Bolivia and why you intend to request residency. Just let him know what activities you plan to do here. You could mention that you will be accompanying your boyfriend who does have a work contract. Your boyfriend will also need the specific purpose visa to enter Bolivia.

You'll need to send them your passport, photos, letter of intent, copy of your flight ticket or itinerary, yellow fever shot certificate, and where you will be staying when you first arrive, etc. They tell you to send a self-addressed stamped envelope so they can return your passport to you, but I usually call the consulate and ask when it's ready and then I send Fedex to pick it up and ship it to me - it's safer.

Also, you should contact them by phone first to time it with them - the specific purpose visa, once attached to your passport is only valid for 21 days - you don't want to get it too early, or it will run out before you even fly down here. On the other hand, you don't want to request it too late. So call them. The number is on the website above. I use the DC consulate every time, even though I lived in California but there are several around the country.

Once you are both on the ground, the residency application procedure is quite long. It's not complicated, just long and tedious with much running around to different institutions. There's a lot to get done in the 30 initial days. Once you have completed all the pre-requisites and gather all the required documentation together, you present it to Immigration along with your residency application, and they give you a document stating your request for residency in "en trámite" which means it is under consideration. When you have that document you pretty much just have to wait for them to return your passport with the residency stamped into it.

BoliviaBella just launched a new set of Expat Services. If you want, we can process your entire visa application for you. Read this section and use the form on the page to contact me so I can give you more details by email. We connect you with a bilingual lawyer who works with us to process residencies for foreigners. She does almost all the work and you only have to accompany her when there is something to sign, or when you take your AIDS blood test, for example. Other than that, she does it all for you.

BoliviaBella Expat Services Home Page

Expat Services - The Residency Application

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american applying for special objective visa, then residence visa

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american applying for special objective visa, then residence visa