Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality
(
www.sath.org
)
ARGENTINA'S RECIPROCITY FEE
Citizens from some countries have to pay a reciprocity fee ( tasa de reciprocidad)
before arriving in Argentina; ideally you'll be reminded of this when you buy your
airplane ticket. This fee is equal to what Argentines are charged for visas to visit
those countries. You'll need to pay this fee online via credit card; see
www.migraciones.gov.ar/accesibleingles
and click on 'Pay your Reciprocity Rate'
on the left column.
These fees are US$100 for Australians (good for one year), US$160 for Americ-
ans (good for 10 years) and US$75 for Canadians (per entry - sucks, eh? Or go for
the US$150, good-for-five-years option). You'll need to prepay this fee before en-
tering Argentina via other airports, borders or ports (that means you, cruise ship
passengers) too, or you might be turned around.
Visas
Nationals of the USA, Canada, most Western European countries, Australia and New
Zealand do not need a visa to visit Argentina. Upon arrival, most visitors get a 90-day
stamp in their passport. Those from the USA, Canada and Australia, however, must pay a
significant 'reciprocity fee' before arriving (see boxed text,
Click here
).
Dependent children traveling without
both
parents theoretically need a notarized docu-
ment certifying that both parents agree to the child's travel. Parents may also wish to
bring a copy of the custody form, however, there's a good chance they won't be asked for
either document.
Depending on your nationality, very short visits to neighboring countries sometimes do
not require visas. For instance, you might not need a Brazilian visa to cross from the Ar-
gentine town of Puerto Iguazú to Foz do Iguaçu and/or Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, as
long as you return the same day.
The same situation is true at the Bolivian border town of Villazón, near La Quiaca. Offi-
cials at Paraguayan crossings can fine crossers who don't have a Paraguayan visa.
Visa Extensions
For a 90-day extension on your tourist visa, get ready for bureaucracy and visit Buenos
Aires' immigration office
Dirección Nacional de Migraciones
( 4317-0234;
www.migraciones.gov.ar/accesibleingles/?categorias
; Antártida Argentina 1355;
8am-2pm Mon-Fri) . The fee is AR$300 - interestingly enough, the same charge as for
overstaying your visa (be aware that the rules can change quickly).
