ALL applicants, unless specifically noted below, must appear in person for a visa interview. All visa interviews take place at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in La Paz. Due to federally mandated fingerprinting and personal interview requirements, we are no longer able to offer visa interviews at our Consular Agencies in Santa Cruz or Cochabamba.

• APPLICANTS OVER 80 YEARS OF AGE WHO WISH TO RENEW A VALID OR RECENTLY EXPIRED B1/B2 VISA MAY BE REPRESENTED BY A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND AT THE VISA INTERVIEW. The applicant must be at least 80 (eighty) years old and present the passport containing the valid or recently expired visa that the applicant wishes to have re-issued (photocopies of the prior passport/visa are not acceptable). The previous visa must have expired less than twelve months ago, and the applicant have no record of prior visa refusals. Fingerprinting is not required of applicants over 80 years old. Bolivian applicants (or legal residents of Bolivia) over 80 years of age who meet the above criteria must still make an appointment for a visa interview by following the standard procedures; however, they may be represented at the visa interview by a family member or friend. APPLICANTS WHO ARE OVER 80 YEARS OF AGE WHO DO NOT MEET ALL OF THE ABOVE CRITERIA MUST APPEAR IN PERSON FOR THEIR VISA INTERVIEWS.
• CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 14 applying for a non-immigrant visa may be represented at the visa interview by one or both parents or a duly appointed legal guardian. ANY APPLICANT WHOSE 14TH BIRTHDAY HAS OCCURRED ON OR PRIOR TO THE DATE OF HIS/HER VISA INTERVIEW MUST ATTEND THE VISA INTERVIEW.
• CERTAIN APPLICANTS APPLYING FOR VISAS RELATING TO OFFICIAL AND/OR DIPLOMATIC TRAVEL. Such applicants should consult with the administrator responsible for visa issues at their respective embassy, government ministry or international organization, and may direct specific inquiries to the Consular Section at consularlapaz@state.gov.
• CERTAIN APPLICANTS TRAVELING TO THE U.S. FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT, WHERE TRAVEL TO LA PAZ FOR THE VISA INTERVIEW WOULD POSE A SERIOUS HEALTH HAZARD TO THE APPLICANT. Decisions regarding waivers of the personal appearance requirement in such cases are made on a case by case basis, and are rarely granted. Any applicant who wishes to apply for a waiver of personal appearance and fingerprinting should contact the Consular Section at consularlapaz@state.gov. Such applicants must still make an appointment for a visa interview by following the standard procedures. If a waiver is granted, they may be represented at the visa interview by a family member or friend.

NOTWITHSTANDING THE ABOVE, THE CONSULAR SECTION RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE ANY APPLICANT TO PERSONALLY APPEAR FOR HIS/HER VISA INTERVIEW AND/OR TO RE-APPEAR FOR FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEWS AS NECESSARY

APPLICANTS WHO DO NOT FALL INTO ANY OF THE ABOVE CATEGORIES, BUT WHO ARE UNABLE TO TRAVEL TO LA PAZ FOR THEIR VISA INTERVIEWS DUE TO HEALTH OR OTHER CONCERNS may apply for non-immigrant visas through the Consular Section of a U.S. Embassy located in one of Bolivia’s neighboring countries, such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru or Uruguay. Please note, however, that it is often difficult for applicants who are applying for visas outside of their country of residence to demonstrate that they maintain strong ties to their home countries.