Route for remunerated or lucrative activity in Bolivia, with or without an employment relationship.
South America · Immigration
Bolivia
Bolivia sits in South America. Its immigration system runs 14 distinct routes — led by humanitarian protection, free movement and work, each set out in official law. 13 of them cite an official government source, shown on the route with the date we last read it. Who actually qualifies depends on your full profile.
- Immigration routes
- 14across 11 route categories, each set out in official law
- Source-cited routes
- 13 of 14cite an official government source, with the date we last read it
- Largest category
- Humanitarian protection3 of the 14 routes — see them under Humanitarian protection below
- Region
- South America
- Capital
- Sucre
- Population
- 12,581,843
- Official language
- Aymara, Guaraní · +2
- Currency
- BOB
- Time zone
- UTC-04:00
Source-cited pathways
Immigration routes
All 14 routes, grouped by purpose — 13 of 14 cite an official government source directly. Any route below without one says so on the route.
Work
1 route
Business & self-employment
1 route
Multiple-entry authorization for a foreign national carrying out business or investment activities that require periodic travel to Bolivia.
Study
1 route
Study route for primary, secondary, higher-education or professional training in Bolivia.
Family
1 route
Family route for a foreign national with a qualifying relationship, economic dependency or intended marriage in Bolivia.
Residence-based status
1 route
Definitive residence for a foreign national who has maintained a qualifying temporary stay in Bolivia for at least three years, subject to statutory exceptions.
Free movement
2 routes
Simplified movement and residence route for a national of another Andean Community member state.
Agreement-based residence for a national covered by the MERCOSUR Residence Agreement.
Cultural, religious & volunteer
1 route
Specific-purpose route for documented volunteering, academic exchange or religious activity in Bolivia.
Short stay & visit
1 route
Temporary entry for rest or leisure without remunerated or lucrative activity, subject to the traveler's nationality group.
Humanitarian protection
3 routes
Free short humanitarian visa for international-protection needs, trafficking or exploitation victims, or a person accompanying a patient.
Refugee Status in BoliviaUnknown
National refugee-status procedure for a person seeking protection from persecution, generalized violence, conflict or other serious threats recognized by Bolivian law.
Exceptional temporary stay for a qualifying humanitarian situation recognized by the migration regulation.
Official government source: migracion.gob.bo · checked 2026-07-26
Medical treatment
1 route
Route for a foreign national who requires specialized medical treatment in Bolivia.
Transit
1 route
Temporary entry for a foreign national passing through Bolivia to a third country.
Official sources
- Direccion General Migracion DIGEMIGGovernment
- Bolivia General Directorate of MigrationGovernment
- Portal Jurídico Libre de BoliviaGovernment
- [NSO] Instituto Nacional de EstadísticaGovernment
See which Bolivia routes you actually qualify for.
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