British - specific purpose visa confusion

by Gemma
(UK)

I am British and i am a Phd student here to gather data. I spoke with the consulate in London and i gave ALL the appropriate information and forms for the specific purpose visa. They then told me that I will be given a 30 day visa to enter the country and that when I am in Cochabamba I can extend this to 8 months as I requested. She said that all my papers and documents were sent to Cochabamba to the foreign ministry of affairs were she said it will be straight forward to extend it as they have my info. Can somebody confirm if this is correct, because I went to the immigration office in Cochabamba and they had no clue what I was talking about.

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British - specific purpose visa confusion

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Oct 30, 2011
 You have to apply for residency
by: Anonymous

Gemma, in Bolivia you cannot extend a 30-day visa for 8 months, that I know of. Normally the specific purpose visa (visa de objeto determinado) gives you 30 days to be in country upon arrival. You have those 30 days to begin the request for residency. Even if you are not going to be here a whole year, you would have to apply for the 1-year residency, because you are going to be here nearly 1 year. It wouldn't have worked to come on a tourist visa because the tourist visa only lasts 90 days.

Sometimes you can extend the 30-day specific purpose visa for another 30 days. But I've never heard of them allowing you to extend it month to month over a period of 8 months. However, you could go to immigration, explain to them that you are a volunteer, that you don't plan to stay a full year, but that you will be staying 8 months and ask them if there is any possibility that you could extend your visa once a month for 8 months. Not sure what they'll say to that, but you can't lose anything by trying.

The other option would be to apply for residency which would take a little time, but may end up costing you less in the long run. It only takes about 2-3 months.

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