Temporary residency program
Bolivia Residency
Residency in the heart of South America with nothing to invest, foreign income outside Bolivian tax, and citizenship open after 3 years. If you want a second passport on a short timeline, this is the program for you.
- Minimum income
- No fixed minimum
- Processing time
- 2-4 months
- Citizenship path
- 3 years
- Presence required
- Most of the year
As featured in
Why Bolivia Residency?
Bolivia is one of the few countries in South America that doesn't tax the income you earn abroad. Most people never put it on their list, and that's the opportunity.
It's also one of the fastest routes to a second passport on the continent. You can apply to naturalize after 3 years of residence, and Bolivia doesn't require you to give up your current citizenship.
There's nothing to invest. You show that you can support yourself, and our team handles the filings with the migration authority.
If you want a low-cost base in the heart of South America, one the rest of the world hasn't discovered yet, Bolivia deserves a close look.
James NuveenFounder of the Freedom Files
Benefits of Bolivia Residency
No investment required
You qualify by showing you can support yourself, from a pension, investments, or other income. Nothing has to be bought or funded in Bolivia.
Citizenship after 3 years
You can apply to naturalize after 3 years of continuous residence. Bolivia doesn't require you to give up your current citizenship.
Foreign income outside Bolivia's tax
Bolivia taxes income from Bolivia, whatever your residence. What you earn elsewhere isn't taxed there.
Permanent residency after 3 years
Temporary residency lasts 1 to 3 years. After 3 years of residence, we file for permanent residency, with no end date.
A base at the center of South America
Bolivia borders 5 countries and is a full member of Mercosur, the South American bloc.
Is Bolivia Residency Right for You?
Right for you if
- Retirees with a pension or Social Security they can document
- Investors with passive income from abroad
- Founders who want to build a business in Bolivia
- Planners who want a second citizenship in 3 years
- Anyone drawn to a territorial tax system and a low cost of living
Look elsewhere if
- You can't travel to Bolivia: You file in person, once you've entered the country.
- You can't document your means: Bolivia requires bank statements and proof of where your income comes from.
- You want citizenship without living there: Naturalization counts 3 years of continuous residence.
- You need English in daily life: Spanish is the working language, and English is uncommon.
Who Your Bolivia Residency Application Covers
Anyone applying with you files with proof of the family relationship. Bolivia publishes no added amount per person, so our Bolivia team sizes your means to everyone on the file.
| Family member | Condition |
|---|---|
| Spouse or partner | Marriage or a registered union |
| Children under 18 | Yours or your spouse's, with both parents' consent |
| Parents | Supported by you, case by case |
Are You Eligible for Bolivia Residency?
Answer 3 quick questions. In 2 minutes, you'll know whether you're likely to qualify, and what fits better if you don't.
Bolivia Residency Financial Requirements
There's no fixed income minimum. Your residency rests on the purpose of your time in Bolivia and proof that you can support yourself. These 2 fit most of our clients.
- Popular
Passive income or a pension
No fixed minimum
How this route works
This requires proof of these funds, not an investment.
Income from abroad, such as a pension, Social Security, dividends, interest, or rent, shown on bank statements with proof of where it comes from.
Your own business in Bolivia
No fixed minimum
How this route works
This requires proof of these funds, not an investment.
A business you set up and manage in Bolivia, registered with the tax authority. We set up the company and file your residency on it.
Bolivia Residency Cost
Estimated fees for 4 people
$228
- Residency filingPaid directly to the General Directorate of Migration
- $68
- Criminal record checkPaid directly to your country's police authority
- $40
- Apostilles on your documentsPaid directly to the issuing authority
- $120
Later
- Foreigner ID card, per person$17
- Permanent residency filing at year 3, per person$17
Government and official fees only, set in bolivianos and shown in dollars at today's rate. There's no income or savings figure to add: You document your means instead. Freedom Files fees aren't included. All amounts are subject to change.
Get your numbers on the call. We price your route for everyone applying before you commit.
Bolivia Residency Costs at a Glance
| Income to show, never paid | No fixed minimum. You show bank statements and the source of your income |
|---|---|
| Residency filing | About $17 per person, set by the migration authority |
| Foreigner ID card | Issued after approval by the civil identification service |
| Police certificates and apostilles | From your home country, plus an INTERPOL certificate |
| Translations | Into Spanish, depending on the number of documents |
| The Freedom Files | A fixed quote in writing before you commit |
Bolivia Residency and Taxes
The basics below are for planning only, and each one is pending licensed review. Your own position depends on your income, your assets, and where you spend your time. Our team provides US and Bolivia tax planning, so you can have your plan reviewed before you commit.
Tax residency in Bolivia
Bolivia taxes individuals on income from Bolivia, whatever their residence. A separate residence test applies only to its wealth tax.
US income tax treaty
No US income tax treaty. If you're a US citizen, you use the foreign tax credit or the foreign earned income exclusion instead.
Residency presence vs tax residency
Permanent residency and citizenship count 3 years of residence in Bolivia. Bolivia taxes only income from Bolivia, whatever your residence.
Special tax regimes
Bolivia's territorial system taxes income from Bolivia, so foreign income isn't taxed there, and capital gains aren't taxed. A wealth tax applies only above $2.5M in net wealth.
Bolivia Residency Document Checklist
Here's the typical file for Bolivia Residency. Your country and your case can change the list, and we confirm yours on the call.
Main applicant
- Valid passport
- Proof of legal entry: The entry stamp in your passport
- Birth certificate
- Criminal record check from your country of origin or residence, for everyone 16 or over
- Passport photo with a red background
Proof of means
- Bank statements showing your income
- Pension letter or investment statements showing the source of your income (passive income route)
- Company registration and tax number (business route)
Spouse and children
- Marriage certificate
- Birth certificate for each child, and both parents' consent
Prepared in Bolivia
- INTERPOL certificate
- Proof of your address in Bolivia: A lease or a host's declaration
Bolivia Residency Process and Timeline
Total: 2-4 months from filing to temporary residency. You file in person in Bolivia, and permanent residency and citizenship open at year 3.
- 1
Freedom Consult
A call with our founder. We confirm Bolivia Residency fits your goals, your income, and anyone applying with you, or we point you to a better route. You leave with a clear plan and a quote in writing.
- 2
Engagement and document file
You sign the engagement and we send your checklist. You gather your records and your proof of means, and we arrange the apostilles and the Spanish translations.
- 3
Arrival and filing
You enter Bolivia, and we file your temporary residency in person with the General Directorate of Migration, with your INTERPOL certificate and proof of address.
- 4
Review and temporary residency
Our team follows your file with the directorate and answers any requests for more documents. Once it's approved, you receive temporary residency for 1 to 3 years.
- 5
Foreigner ID card
Within 25 business days of approval, you register for your foreigner ID card with the civil identification service. Each person applying with you attends.
- 6
Permanent residency
After 3 years of residence, we file for permanent residency, with updated records. Contact us to renew your card along the way.
- 7
Citizenship
After 3 years of continuous residence, you can apply to naturalize, with a written test on Bolivia's history and civics. We prepare your application with you.
Milestones to residency and citizenship
Temporary residency
2-4 months
Permanent residency
Year 3
Citizenship application
Year 3
“I love the way the Freedom Files team present themselves and show up for our family. I much prefer their honest, on-the-ground-experience approach than the suited-up lawyers with bookshelves of textbooks behind them.”
Bolivia Residency vs Alternatives
| Bolivia Residency | Paraguay Temporary Residency | Argentina Rentista Visa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum financial requirement | No fixed minimum | No fixed minimum | $2,000/mo |
| Processing time | 2-4 months | 3-6 months | 6-8 months |
| Presence required | Most of the year | 1 trip every 2 years | Most of the year |
| Time to citizenship | 3 years | 5 years | 2 years |
| Language test for citizenship | Not published | Spanish + civics | Spanish interview |
| Family included | Spouse, children, parents case by case | Spouse, children, parents you support | Spouse, children, dependent parents |
| Capital returned | No investment | No investment | No investment |
Undecided between these programs? We compare them for you on the call.
How the Freedom Files Helps You with Bolivia Residency
You get one team from your first call to your arrival in Bolivia. We prepare, check, and file your application, and we're your single point of contact from start to finish.
- Clients served
- 200+
- years in investment migration
- 10+
- Americans educated
- 2M+
| This program only | Private Client Engagement | |
|---|---|---|
| An eligibility review before you pay a government fee | ||
| Your document file, assembled and optimized | ||
| We prepare and submit your application | ||
| Consular coordination and liaising | ||
| Your case manager | Through arrival | Long term |
| A global Plan B strategy across residency, citizenship, tax, asset protection, and more | ||
| Residency and/or citizenship in more than one country | ||
| US and foreign tax strategy, with introductions | ||
| Banking and asset protection strategy, with introductions | ||
| Healthcare, schools, and relocation, with introductions | ||
| Book a consult | Learn more |
Other Freedom Files Services in Bolivia
We can take on each of these for you, alongside your application or on its own. Our Bolivia team provides legal, tax, financial, immigration, and investment advice and services.
Tax strategy and filing
Bank account opening
Investment vetting
Real estate and accommodations
Healthcare enrollment
Residency renewals
“We came in with a complicated global setup and needed special attention. What we got from the Freedom Files team was direct, honest, and personal responsiveness at every turn. Exactly what we needed! Very impressed.”
Mike · New York“The Private Client Engagement has been perfect for our unique situation. James is the total quarterback of our whole Plan B strategy.”
Kenneth · Illinois
Why Bolivia?
Landscapes found nowhere else
The Uyuni salt flat, the high Andes, and Lake Titicaca are all within one country.
Living Andean culture
Quechua, Aymara, and Guaraní are official languages alongside Spanish, and traditions shape daily life.
Colonial heritage
Whitewashed colonial centers and centuries-old churches define Bolivia's cities.
At the center of the continent
Bolivia borders 5 countries and joined Mercosur, the South American bloc, as a full member in 2024.
Bolivia Residency FAQs
Income and cost
How much income do you need for Bolivian residency?
Bolivia sets no fixed minimum. You show you can support yourself, with bank statements and proof of where your income comes from. Our Bolivia team sizes your means to everyone applying with you.
Does Social Security count for Bolivian residency?
Social Security and other pensions are income you can document, with an award letter and bank statements. We review your income with you before you file.
How much does Bolivian residency cost?
The government fees are small: About $17 to file, per person, plus your foreigner ID card. You'll also pay for police certificates, apostilles, and translations. The fee calculator adds them up.
Timeline and presence
How long does Bolivian residency take?
2-4 months from filing to temporary residency for most complete files. You then register for your foreigner ID card within 25 business days.
Do you need to go to Bolivia to apply?
Yes. You enter Bolivia, and we file your residency in person with the General Directorate of Migration. Our team follows your file from there.
Do US citizens need a visa to enter Bolivia?
Not since December 2025, for visits of up to 90 days a year. You enter as a visitor, and we file your residency once you're there.
When can you get permanent residency in Bolivia?
After 3 years of residence. Temporary residency lasts 1 to 3 years, and we file the change to permanent residency at year 3.
Citizenship
How long until you can get Bolivian citizenship?
You can apply after 3 years of continuous residence in Bolivia. The application includes a written test on Bolivia's history and civics.
Does Bolivia allow dual citizenship?
Yes. Bolivia's constitution doesn't require you to give up your nationality of origin. Whether you can retain it also depends on your home country's law. If you're a US citizen, the US allows it.
Family, tax and living
Who can join your Bolivian residency?
Your spouse or partner and your children under 18, with proof of the family relationship. Parents you support are reviewed case by case.
Does Bolivia tax foreign income?
No. Bolivia taxes income from Bolivia, whatever your residence, and capital gains aren't taxed. If you're a US citizen, you file US taxes too, and the US has no income tax treaty with Bolivia.
Is it right for you?
Bolivia vs Paraguay residency: Which is better?
Both tax only local income and need no investment. Bolivia opens citizenship after 3 years, and Paraguay Temporary Residency converts to permanent residency after 2. We compare both on a Freedom Consult.
Documents and approval
What documents does Bolivian residency require?
Your passport, a birth certificate, an apostilled criminal record check, an INTERPOL certificate, and proof of your means, plus civil records for anyone applying with you. The document checklist on this page lists each one.
Working with the Freedom Files
What does the Freedom Files do on your application?
We review your eligibility, assemble and check your documents, and optimize your application for approval. We have a 100% approval rate so far. We prepare and file your application, liaise with the government, coordinate your consular appointments and communication, and support you through your arrival in Bolivia, when your residency or citizenship is formalized. We're your single point of contact from start to finish.
Who does the legal work?
Our Bolivia team can provide any legal, tax, financial, immigration, or investment advice and services you need. You work with one team from your first call to your arrival.
What does the Freedom Files charge?
Prices differ by program, because each program has its own costs and its own currency. You get a fixed quote in writing before any work begins. Government fees and third-party costs are listed separately, and you pay them directly.
How does the Freedom Files get paid?
We accept card, wire or ACH transfer, Bitcoin, USDC, and most other payment methods. You choose whether to pay for our services up front or monthly through the end of your engagement.
What if you need more than one country, or help with tax and banking?
That's what the Private Client Engagement is for. A long-term case manager with global expertise, always reachable on WhatsApp, manages your whole Plan B: Residency and citizenship in more than one country, tax strategy, banking and asset protection, and introductions for your move.
What if this program is the wrong fit?
Compare it with the alternatives on this page. Then book a Freedom Consult: If you're ready to move forward, we tell you which programs are best for you.
How do I start?
Book a Freedom Consult. There's no charge.
Start Your Bolivia Residency
If Bolivia is the wrong fit, we tell you on the first call.