Santa Cruz de la Sierra is Bolivia's main business hub and the first stop for many foreigners moving to the country. A smooth start comes down to what you prepare before you board the plane.
Before you travel
Do these while you still have easy access to the offices in your home country:
- Check whether your nationality needs a visa to enter Bolivia
- Make sure your passport has plenty of validity left
- Get your police certificate and civil documents
- Apostille or legalize everything you may need
- Bring proof of income, employment or study
When you arrive
Check your entry stamp before you leave the airport and note how many days you were given. That date is your real deadline, and your plans should be built around it.
Keep your passport, entry record and any boarding documents together. You will be asked for them later.
Your first weeks in Santa Cruz
- Secure an address you can document
- Get a local phone number
- Confirm your residency route with a lawyer
- Start your application well before your stay runs out
If you bring family
Each family member usually needs a file of their own. Marriage and birth certificates are the key documents, so legalize them before you leave rather than sending for them afterward. Children moving with one parent may need extra authorizations.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Immigration requirements change and depend on your case, so confirm them before you act.
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