Bolivia digital nomad visa: requirements (2026)

EY's March 2026 Global Immigration Index on Remote Work and Digital Nomads lists Bolivia among a handful of countries actively preparing to launch a dedicated digital nomad or remote-worker visa, signalling that the government is designing a legal framework for the first time, no program has launched yet.

The U.S. Embassy in Bolivia issued a formal notice confirming that U.S. citizens no longer require a visitor visa to enter Bolivia, and may stay up to 90 days per calendar year for tourism or business, ending the $185 reciprocal visa regime in place since 2007.

The Bolivian government announced that citizens of Bulgaria, Israel, Malta, Romania, South Africa, South Korea, the UAE, and the United States would progressively move to visa-free status for stays up to 90 days. Foreign Minister Fernando Aramayo stated the prior restrictions had been imposed 'for strictly political reasons' under the previous administration; the government projected the change would generate roughly $80 million in tourism and investment revenue by 2030.

DS 4574 amended the 2014 implementing regulations of Law 370 to require airlines, hotels, and travel agencies to electronically report foreign nationals' arrival data to DIGEMIG in real time. It established a centralised digital platform to track migration flows and residency status, strengthening Bolivia's administrative capacity to manage long-stay foreign nationals.

As COVID-19 variants spread, DS 4481 required all travelers entering Bolivia to present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure and to isolate for at least 10 days on arrival, with a follow-up test on day 7 at the traveler's expense. The decree also temporarily closed the border with Brazil, effectively freezing new residency applications for most of 2021.

Interim President Jeanine Áñez ordered Bolivia's borders closed to all foreign nationals effective 19 March 2020; all international flights and inter-departmental travel were suspended by 20 March. The measure halted tourist entries, pending residency applications, and in-country renewals for several months, the most severe interruption to Bolivia's immigration system since Law 370 was enacted.

DS 1923 operationalised Ley 370 by defining application procedures, documentation requirements, and timelines for all residence tiers, including temporary residence (1-3 years), permanent residence (after 3 years of continuous stay), and the investor and independent-income tracks. These remain the pathways used by long-staying foreigners and prospective digital nomads today.

President Evo Morales signed the Migration Law, establishing the three-tier residency system (transitory up to 180 days, temporary up to 3 years, permanent/indefinite), creating DIGEMIG as the principal migration authority, and enshrining rights protections for foreign migrants. Law 370 remains the governing statute for all visa and residency matters, including any future digital nomad scheme.