Residency Through Work
Work is the main way into Bolivia. The temporary stay for work is granted for one, two or three years, and the length follows the length of the activity you are coming to do rather than a category you pick. It covers employment, self-employment and work under a state or private agreement, and the four variants are priced very differently: a year on a state agreement costs 110 UFV and a year of ordinary employment costs 960. After three years the same ground converts into permanent residence.
At a glance
- Length of permit
- 1, 2 or 3 years, following the length of the activity
- Employment, one year
- 960 UFVas of 2026-09-27
- Employment, two years
- 1260 UFVas of 2026-09-27
- Employment, three years
- 1560 UFVas of 2026-09-27
- Under a state agreement, any length
- 110 UFVas of 2026-09-27
The same price for one, two or three years - the only category the directorate prices flat.
- Under a private agreement, one year
- 510 UFVas of 2026-09-27
- Permanent residence after
- 3 years
- Permanent residence fee
- 2510 UFVas of 2026-09-27
- Decision time
- 24 hours from filing a complete application
The migration directorate's own statement, repeated on every residence procedure it publishes.
Requirements
- A sworn declaration form applying for the temporary stay
- A valid passport - or a national identity document if you are a national of a Mercosur or Andean Community country and are not here under a state or private agreement
- An entry or admission stamp, a consular visa, or a transitory stay, depending on how you arrived; or your current permit if you are renewing
- Documents proving the activity: an employment contract endorsed by the Ministry of Labour, or a notarised civil contract, or a notarised invitation letter from the employer, with the company's constitution, tax number or commercial registration attached
- If you work for yourself: a sworn declaration setting out the activity, where you are based and how long you intend to stay
- Police and criminal record certificates from your country of origin or from Interpol, and Bolivian ones if you have been in the country more than 180 days or are renewing
- Yellow fever vaccination if you will be in a high-risk area
- Proof of economic solvency by sworn declaration with documents behind it
How the process runs
- Step 1
Get in on something the regulation lets you convert from
Border or consulate
Tourism, courtesy, study, work, transitory work, health, family or humanitarian entry can all be changed into a temporary stay. Entry under a state or private agreement cannot be converted.
- Step 2
Line up the employer's paperwork
Employer, Ministry of Labour, notary
An employment contract endorsed by the Ministry of Labour, or a notarised civil contract, or a notarised invitation letter - in each case with the company's constitution, tax number or commercial registration attached.
- Step 3
File the application
Migration directorate
Online through the migration management system, by digital state, or in person at a departmental administration. The directorate states a 24-hour turnaround once the file is complete.
- Step 4
Get the identity card
SEGIP
A temporary or permanent stay obliges you to obtain a foreigner's identity card from the identification service, for the same length as the permit.
- Step 5
Convert to permanent residence
Migration directorate
After three years, with the same evidence of activity plus national and international record certificates and proof of solvency. 2510 UFV.
In detail
Nine times the price for the same permit
The migration directorate charges 110 UFV for a work permit of any length under a state agreement and 960 UFV for one year of ordinary employment. The permit is the same instrument; what changes is the paper that justifies it. If your work is under an intergovernmental agreement, say so, because the regulation treats it as a different sub-category and the directorate prices it accordingly.
Three years, and the shape of them matters
The statute says permanent residence needs a minimum stay of three years. The directorate's own requirement list asks for a current three-year temporary permit. Someone who strings together three one-year permits satisfies the statute and may not satisfy the counter. If the plan is permanent residence, ask for three years at the outset.
Country-level policy
Bolivia does not set migration fees in money. It sets them in Unidades de Fomento a la Vivienda, an inflation-indexed unit whose value in bolivianos is published daily, and you pay the boliviano equivalent on the day you pay. Every figure on this country's pages is therefore a number of UFV: quoting it in bolivianos without saying so would be publishing a number that goes quietly stale.
Bolivia cancels a residence permit for absence, and the test is different at each level. A temporary permit allows 90 days a year out of the country, counted whether the days are consecutive or scattered. A permanent permit allows two continuous years. The two are not the same kind of rule: the temporary one is an annual quota, so four separate trips of a month each breach it, while the permanent one only bites on an unbroken absence.
Whatever route you take, the migration directorate attaches the same condition to it: you have to file a sworn statement of your current address on its online platform. The notice appears word for word on every residence procedure Bolivia publishes, from a 30-day tourist extension to naturalisation, and it names the decree that introduced it.
On 30 March 2026 Bolivia created a government-wide deregulation programme called Tranca Cero. It builds a single national catalogue of procedures and provides that, once that catalogue is fully in place, no requirement outside it may be demanded. The migration directorate has put a notice at the top of its own procedures page saying its published requirements are the ones currently in force and that the changes coming out of the programme will be added when the implementing rules appear. Everything on Bolivia's pages should be read against that.
Exceptions by origin
No exceptions recorded
Nothing we have read treats any nationality differently for this topic. The rule above applies to everyone.
What the law says
«Es la autorización otorgada por la Dirección General de Migración a la persona extranjera para acceder a la permanencia temporal de uno (1), dos (2) o tres (3) años y sus respectivas renovaciones, dependiendo del tiempo de la actividad que realizará en territorio boliviano.»Our translation - not official
It is the authorisation granted by the Directorate General of Migration to the foreign person to obtain the temporary stay of one (1), two (2) or three (3) years and its renewals, depending on the length of the activity to be carried out in Bolivian territory.
About this source
A labour-law database that holds national gazettes' own PDFs. Used here only where a country's gazette and consolidator were both unreachable, so that the artefact quoted is still the gazette's own file even though the host is not the gazette.
Standing: Reports, establishes nothing
Cannot be cited for: Cannot be cited for the law as currently in force. A record is created once and holds the text as enacted; later amending instruments are not reflected in the file, so anything taken from it must be checked against a consolidator before being treated as current. Its own page rendering also splits words inside sentences, so quotations must come from the attached PDF rather than from the page.
We re-read it every 365 days. More about this source
«Permanencia temporal por trabajo, dirigida a personas que cumplan una tarea remunerada o lucrativa con o sin relación de dependencia o realicen actividades en virtud de acuerdos o convenios estatales o privados, en el territorio boliviano, cuya vigencia depende del tiempo de la actividad que realicen en territorio boliviano;»Our translation - not official
Temporary stay for work, directed at persons carrying out a remunerated or profit-making task with or without an employment relationship, or carrying out activities under state or private agreements, in Bolivian territory, whose validity depends on the length of the activity they carry out in Bolivian territory;
"Con o sin relación de dependencia" is what makes this route usable by the self-employed, which is the gap a rentista visa would otherwise fill.
Read it at the sourceAbout this source
A labour-law database that holds national gazettes' own PDFs. Used here only where a country's gazette and consolidator were both unreachable, so that the artefact quoted is still the gazette's own file even though the host is not the gazette.
Standing: Reports, establishes nothing
Cannot be cited for: Cannot be cited for the law as currently in force. A record is created once and holds the text as enacted; later amending instruments are not reflected in the file, so anything taken from it must be checked against a consolidator before being treated as current. Its own page rendering also splits words inside sentences, so quotations must come from the attached PDF rather than from the page.
We re-read it every 365 days. More about this source
«Es la autorización para residir o permanecer en el país de manera definitiva, otorgada a las personas migrantes extranjeras que cuenten con una permanencia mínima de tres (3) años y así lo soliciten expresamente.»Our translation - not official
It is the authorisation to reside or remain in the country permanently, granted to foreign migrant persons who hold a minimum stay of three (3) years and expressly apply for it.
About this source
A labour-law database that holds national gazettes' own PDFs. Used here only where a country's gazette and consolidator were both unreachable, so that the artefact quoted is still the gazette's own file even though the host is not the gazette.
Standing: Reports, establishes nothing
Cannot be cited for: Cannot be cited for the law as currently in force. A record is created once and holds the text as enacted; later amending instruments are not reflected in the file, so anything taken from it must be checked against a consolidator before being treated as current. Its own page rendering also splits words inside sentences, so quotations must come from the attached PDF rather than from the page.
We re-read it every 365 days. More about this source
«Permanencia de tres (3) años en territorio boliviano; cuando corresponda, de conformidad a lo establecido en el Parágrafo II del Artículo 31 de la Ley Nº 370;»Our translation - not official
A stay of three (3) years in Bolivian territory; where applicable, in accordance with what is established in Paragraph II of Article 31 of Law No. 370;
About this source
A labour-law database that holds national gazettes' own PDFs. Used here only where a country's gazette and consolidator were both unreachable, so that the artefact quoted is still the gazette's own file even though the host is not the gazette.
Standing: Reports, establishes nothing
Cannot be cited for: Cannot be cited for the law as currently in force. A record is created once and holds the text as enacted; later amending instruments are not reflected in the file, so anything taken from it must be checked against a consolidator before being treated as current. Its own page rendering also splits words inside sentences, so quotations must come from the attached PDF rather than from the page.
We re-read it every 365 days. More about this source
«Pasaporte vigente o documento nacional de identidad vigente solo en caso de países del MERCOSUR o CAN que no realicen actividades en virtud de Acuerdos o Convenios Estatales o Privados.»Our translation - not official
Valid passport, or valid national identity document only in the case of Mercosur or Andean Community countries not carrying out activities under State or Private Agreements.
Bloc membership reaches beyond the treaty routes: it changes which identity document the ordinary work route will accept.
Read it at the sourceAbout this source
The migration directorate. Runs the migration system and publishes the requirement and fee catalogue for every procedure, differentiated by the applicant's nationality - which is how the difference between an Andean, a Mercosur and an ordinary applicant becomes visible at all.
Standing: Applies the rule
Cannot be cited for: Cannot be cited for the text of any instrument: it paraphrases and mis-titles them, calling SEGIP's counterpart the "Dirección Nacional de Migración". Cannot be cited for the visa-group lists, which it never publishes, nor for how tourist requirements differ by nationality - its tourist rows are identical for every country and demand a consular visa even of visa-exempt ones, which contradicts Decision 878. Two of its requirement fields ship with developer placeholder text still in them. The citable text is a JSON feed on a non-standard port, so a publisher-origin match will not find it.
We re-read it every 30 days. More about this source
«costo: 1 año: 960 UFVs
2 años: 1260 UFVs
3 años: 1560 UFVs»Our translation - not official
cost: 1 year: 960 UFV, 2 years: 1260 UFV, 3 years: 1560 UFV
About this source
The migration directorate. Runs the migration system and publishes the requirement and fee catalogue for every procedure, differentiated by the applicant's nationality - which is how the difference between an Andean, a Mercosur and an ordinary applicant becomes visible at all.
Standing: Applies the rule
Cannot be cited for: Cannot be cited for the text of any instrument: it paraphrases and mis-titles them, calling SEGIP's counterpart the "Dirección Nacional de Migración". Cannot be cited for the visa-group lists, which it never publishes, nor for how tourist requirements differ by nationality - its tourist rows are identical for every country and demand a consular visa even of visa-exempt ones, which contradicts Decision 878. Two of its requirement fields ship with developer placeholder text still in them. The citable text is a JSON feed on a non-standard port, so a publisher-origin match will not find it.
We re-read it every 30 days. More about this source
«Permanencia temporal de tres (3) años vigente en territorio boliviano;»Our translation - not official
A current three (3) year temporary stay in Bolivian territory;
The agency asks for a current three-year permit rather than three years accumulated across shorter ones, which is a narrower reading than the statute's "permanencia mínima de tres (3) años".
Read it at the sourceAbout this source
The migration directorate. Runs the migration system and publishes the requirement and fee catalogue for every procedure, differentiated by the applicant's nationality - which is how the difference between an Andean, a Mercosur and an ordinary applicant becomes visible at all.
Standing: Applies the rule
Cannot be cited for: Cannot be cited for the text of any instrument: it paraphrases and mis-titles them, calling SEGIP's counterpart the "Dirección Nacional de Migración". Cannot be cited for the visa-group lists, which it never publishes, nor for how tourist requirements differ by nationality - its tourist rows are identical for every country and demand a consular visa even of visa-exempt ones, which contradicts Decision 878. Two of its requirement fields ship with developer placeholder text still in them. The citable text is a JSON feed on a non-standard port, so a publisher-origin match will not find it.
We re-read it every 30 days. More about this source
«costo: 1 año: 510 UFVs
2 años: 1210 UFVs
3 años: 1910 UFVs»Our translation - not official
cost: 1 year: 510 UFV, 2 years: 1210 UFV, 3 years: 1910 UFV
About this source
The migration directorate. Runs the migration system and publishes the requirement and fee catalogue for every procedure, differentiated by the applicant's nationality - which is how the difference between an Andean, a Mercosur and an ordinary applicant becomes visible at all.
Standing: Applies the rule
Cannot be cited for: Cannot be cited for the text of any instrument: it paraphrases and mis-titles them, calling SEGIP's counterpart the "Dirección Nacional de Migración". Cannot be cited for the visa-group lists, which it never publishes, nor for how tourist requirements differ by nationality - its tourist rows are identical for every country and demand a consular visa even of visa-exempt ones, which contradicts Decision 878. Two of its requirement fields ship with developer placeholder text still in them. The citable text is a JSON feed on a non-standard port, so a publisher-origin match will not find it.
We re-read it every 30 days. More about this source
«costo: 2510 UFVS»Our translation - not official
cost: 2510 UFV
About this source
The migration directorate. Runs the migration system and publishes the requirement and fee catalogue for every procedure, differentiated by the applicant's nationality - which is how the difference between an Andean, a Mercosur and an ordinary applicant becomes visible at all.
Standing: Applies the rule
Cannot be cited for: Cannot be cited for the text of any instrument: it paraphrases and mis-titles them, calling SEGIP's counterpart the "Dirección Nacional de Migración". Cannot be cited for the visa-group lists, which it never publishes, nor for how tourist requirements differ by nationality - its tourist rows are identical for every country and demand a consular visa even of visa-exempt ones, which contradicts Decision 878. Two of its requirement fields ship with developer placeholder text still in them. The citable text is a JSON feed on a non-standard port, so a publisher-origin match will not find it.
We re-read it every 30 days. More about this source
«costo: 1 año: 110 UFVs
2 años: 110 UFVs
3 años: 110 UFVs»Our translation - not official
cost: 1 year: 110 UFV, 2 years: 110 UFV, 3 years: 110 UFV
About this source
The migration directorate. Runs the migration system and publishes the requirement and fee catalogue for every procedure, differentiated by the applicant's nationality - which is how the difference between an Andean, a Mercosur and an ordinary applicant becomes visible at all.
Standing: Applies the rule
Cannot be cited for: Cannot be cited for the text of any instrument: it paraphrases and mis-titles them, calling SEGIP's counterpart the "Dirección Nacional de Migración". Cannot be cited for the visa-group lists, which it never publishes, nor for how tourist requirements differ by nationality - its tourist rows are identical for every country and demand a consular visa even of visa-exempt ones, which contradicts Decision 878. Two of its requirement fields ship with developer placeholder text still in them. The citable text is a JSON feed on a non-standard port, so a publisher-origin match will not find it.
We re-read it every 30 days. More about this source
«tiempo_procesamiento: 24 horas desde la presentación de todos los requisitos, tanto por la Plataforma Web, Estado Digital ED-9 o de manera presencial en nuestras oficinas.»Our translation - not official
processing time: 24 hours from the submission of all the requirements, whether through the Web Platform, Digital State ED-9 or in person at our offices.
The directorate prints this identically on every residence procedure it publishes.
Read it at the sourceAbout this source
The migration directorate. Runs the migration system and publishes the requirement and fee catalogue for every procedure, differentiated by the applicant's nationality - which is how the difference between an Andean, a Mercosur and an ordinary applicant becomes visible at all.
Standing: Applies the rule
Cannot be cited for: Cannot be cited for the text of any instrument: it paraphrases and mis-titles them, calling SEGIP's counterpart the "Dirección Nacional de Migración". Cannot be cited for the visa-group lists, which it never publishes, nor for how tourist requirements differ by nationality - its tourist rows are identical for every country and demand a consular visa even of visa-exempt ones, which contradicts Decision 878. Two of its requirement fields ship with developer placeholder text still in them. The citable text is a JSON feed on a non-standard port, so a publisher-origin match will not find it.
We re-read it every 30 days. More about this source
Practical notes
The requirement that a contract be endorsed by the Ministry of Labour comes from the migration directorate's own list. The migration regulation devotes a separate article to the endorsement of employment contracts, which we did not read in full.
Spouses, dependent children and dependent parents of someone who already has permanent residence are added without the three-year wait.
The directorate's stated 24-hour decision time is printed identically on every residence procedure it publishes, including ones that plainly involve consular and interinstitutional checks. Treat it as the target rather than the experience.
- reportsDecreto Supremo N° 1923 - Reglamento de la Ley N° 370 de Migración (Gaceta Oficial, via ILO NATLEX)
Gaceta Oficial del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia (copy held by ILO NATLEX)
About this source
A labour-law database that holds national gazettes' own PDFs. Used here only where a country's gazette and consolidator were both unreachable, so that the artefact quoted is still the gazette's own file even though the host is not the gazette.
Standing: Reports, establishes nothing
Cannot be cited for: Cannot be cited for the law as currently in force. A record is created once and holds the text as enacted; later amending instruments are not reflected in the file, so anything taken from it must be checked against a consolidator before being treated as current. Its own page rendering also splits words inside sentences, so quotations must come from the attached PDF rather than from the page.
We re-read it every 365 days. More about this source
- reportsLey N° 370 de Migración de 8 de mayo de 2013 (Gaceta Oficial, via ILO NATLEX)
Gaceta Oficial del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia (copy held by ILO NATLEX)
About this source
A labour-law database that holds national gazettes' own PDFs. Used here only where a country's gazette and consolidator were both unreachable, so that the artefact quoted is still the gazette's own file even though the host is not the gazette.
Standing: Reports, establishes nothing
Cannot be cited for: Cannot be cited for the law as currently in force. A record is created once and holds the text as enacted; later amending instruments are not reflected in the file, so anything taken from it must be checked against a consolidator before being treated as current. Its own page rendering also splits words inside sentences, so quotations must come from the attached PDF rather than from the page.
We re-read it every 365 days. More about this source
- administersTrámites Migratorios Internacionales - catálogo general para personas extranjeras
Dirección General de Migración (Bolivia)
About this source
The migration directorate. Runs the migration system and publishes the requirement and fee catalogue for every procedure, differentiated by the applicant's nationality - which is how the difference between an Andean, a Mercosur and an ordinary applicant becomes visible at all.
Standing: Applies the rule
Cannot be cited for: Cannot be cited for the text of any instrument: it paraphrases and mis-titles them, calling SEGIP's counterpart the "Dirección Nacional de Migración". Cannot be cited for the visa-group lists, which it never publishes, nor for how tourist requirements differ by nationality - its tourist rows are identical for every country and demand a consular visa even of visa-exempt ones, which contradicts Decision 878. Two of its requirement fields ship with developer placeholder text still in them. The citable text is a JSON feed on a non-standard port, so a publisher-origin match will not find it.
We re-read it every 30 days. More about this source