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James Hetfield · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 99 Location: Los Angeles

Previous posts suggest Argentina will impose visa fee of US$130 when Americans make a border run every 90 days, starting January 2009.

Do you know of border run visa fees in other Latin American nations? Brazil also has a big visa fee that discourages Americans?

If we do have a steady teaching job, do you think we could ask the school to reimburse us for this fee? US$130 is just about all we might save every 90 days, so it might be a deal-breaker and force EFL teachers to flee?

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Fees in Brazil, Argentina, and I think Chile are at that high price becasue that's what the US charges citizens of those countries for a US visa. Mexico is still 21 dollars. Not sure about other SA countries.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Peru just changed the 90 day visa to 183, supposedly only one in a year, but people just border hop and get another 183 days

James Hetfield · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 99 Location: Los Angeles

CHILE confusing: Do Chile teachers pay $131 every 90 days?
It says NO, that is ONE TIME fee, but it ALSO SAYS YOU MUST PAY EXTENSION FEE EVERY 90 DAYS????

How about those who teach in Mendoza AR or Peru who use Chile for visa runs??? What fees would we pay with each visit? What you think:

CHILE http://www.chile-usa.org/
ENTRY FEE: There is a reciprocity fee of US$131 dollars to be paid in cash (U.S. dollars) or credit card. The ONE TIME charge is good for the life of your passport.

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: U.S. citizens entering Chile must have a valid passport. U.S. visitors will be charged a reciprocity fee at the port of entry, and a small receipt for the fee will be stapled in the last page of the passport. This visa is valid for multiple entries and remains valid until the expiration of the passport. In addition, visitors will be issued a tourist visa consisting of a single sheet of paper placed in the passport. This visa is valid for a stay of up to 90 days. An extension of stay for an additional 90 days is possible, but requires payment of an extension fee. The visa document must be surrendered to immigration authorities upon departure. Visit the Embassy of Chile web site www.chile-usa.org for the most current visa information and entry/exit requirements.

No visa is necessary when you travel to Chile, only a valid passport. When entering Chile (By cruise, vehicle or plane), at customs, you'll need to fill out a Tourist Card that allows visitors to stay for up to 90 days and will allow multiple entries.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

WHat I heard about Chile was that there's a one time fee, as long as you have that one time fee in your passport then you don't have to pay it again. CHange passports and you pay again.

There's a loophole though, if you enter by land, there's no fee. Or so I've been told repeatedly by Americans who enter by land.

If you're visa running, than you're just there for a day or two, renewing the visa is for those who stay more than the 90 days.

ghostdog · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 6:10 pm Post subject:

I can confirm Nature Girl�s info re Chile, at least regarding a land entry with a US passport. As I understand it, if you bus in and fly out, immigration will still nail you for the fee at the airport, though, so you have to enter and exit by land to avoid the fee, which apparently is good for the life of the passport. It was also suggested to me that the authorities would charge you the fee if you attempted to change your tourist visa to a work or residency visa, but that turned out not to be true, either.

Charlie Wahlie · Joined: 02 Dec 2008 Posts: 6

ECUADOR:
I got a 3 month visa when I went to Ecuador earlier this year, which was free, but was told that to extend my stay for another 3 months I would have to pay $230. Plus, the application process for an extension seems lengthy and complicated, so if your visa runs out while your application is still being processed, they might just kick you out and fine you - who knows.

Apparently, you can't stay any longer than 6 months in a 12 month period. Also, doing border runs every 3 months is becoming increasingly dodgy. Immigration are now supposed to charge you $230 to re-enter, although I'm sure some get away with it.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Yeah, it's gotten tough in Ecuador. See the other thread on Ecuador Visa changes for full info.

kingkristopher · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 62

You think that's tough, Immigration in Panama is now charging into the thousands (!) of dollars for overstaying your visa. Okay so that's not exactly the same as a border run, but border runs and extensions are near impossible here, most people working illegally just overstay. Well, not anymore if they're smart...

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:11 pm Post subject:

Do NOT. repeat NOT try visa runs from Ecuador. If your visa is up, or almost up, and you cross the border, they simply won't let you back in. This has happened to a lot of people.

As far as I know, this has been the case for years. There have been a lot of other (unfortunate) visa law changes, but this one has been the same since i've been here.

Best,
Justin

Evanzinho · Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 28 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Maybe it would be a good idea to post the countries in Latin America with the most liberal entry rules. For example, I have read that for Guatemala, you can stay in country up to six months and then if you want to stay longer you just need to leave the country for a couple days and then you can enter and stay for another six months, at no cost. At some point I think you can apply for a permanent residency visa, but I'm not sure exactly.

So, does anyone know what other countries have rules like this?

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Mexico has fairly lax rules. You can stay for up to 180 days in most situations (work visas aside). It used to be a crapshoot at the border or airport as to how many days you would get, with 90 being fairly common, but policy changed last year so that everyone pretty much gets the full 180 when arriving, saving you about 22 dollars in renewing.

Now, when your 180 is up, you're expected to leave. I haven't seen that you need to wait any amount of time before re-entering.

Fines for overstaying a visa are a different matter here. There are rules as to how much is applied on a per-day basis, but people I've talked to who experienced an overstay have either been able to talk their way out of a fine or have negotiated fines directly with agents. Standing in the airport immigration office line, I once saw a Uruguayan negotiate his 2 year overstay from 800 usd down to about 40 dollars.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:41 pm Post subject:

At a dollar a day, who needs to negotiate?

Ecuador is medium strict. 30-90 days (unpredictable) given upon entry. No longer extendable past ninety. (for a tourist visa) So at this point, you really need to organise a job before arrival.

Best,
Justin

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

�You'd be surprised. I've heard stories of people arriving at the border to try to fix their visa, and getting slapped with 200 plus USD fines.