Bolivia's new government lifts visa requirements for US, Israeli citizens

Bolivia's new center-right government, led by President Rodrigo Paz who won the recent elections, has announced the removal of visa requirements for citizens of the US and Israel.

The Bolivian Foreign Ministry lifted the visa obligation for visitors from several countries, primarily the US and Israel, as well as South Korea, South Africa, Latvia, Estonia, and Romania.

Foreign Minister Fernando Aramayo stated Monday that they expect to generate at least $320 million in revenue from tourism between 2026 and 2029.

Aramayo noted the visa requirement, which had been in place since 2008 for tourists from various countries, was based on both "economic" and "ideological" grounds, while President Rodrigo Paz announced Bolivia had lost more than $80 million in potential revenue due to the visa policy.

During the presidency of former Bolivian President Evo Morales, visa requirements for US citizens were introduced in 2007 and were extended to Israeli citizens in 2014.