Related Resources: More Resources

Destinations: Travel Destinations 

Tips for Travelers to Central and South America Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela FOREWORD Travelers to Central and South America are usually welcomed with courtesy and warmth. There is great diversity in the region. You can visit major cosmopolitan cities, ruins of great ancient civilizations, primeval tropical rainforests and breathtaking locales. However, there are important things that you should know before you travel. That is why we have prepared this publication. We wish you an enjoyable and memorable journey. Please note that travel to Mexico and the Caribbean are covered in their own publications. Please refer to the last page of this pamphlet for further details. DEPARTMENT OF STATE PUBLICATION 10407 Bureau of Consular Affairs Revised October 1996 The information in this publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced without permission. When this material is reproduced, the Department of State would appreciate receiving a copy at: CA/P/PA, Room 6831, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520. CURRENT TRAVEL INFORMATION The Department of State's Consular Information Sheets are available for every country of the world. They describe topics such as unusual entry regulations, the crime and security situation, political disturbances, areas of instability and drug penalties. They also provide addresses and emergency telephone numbers for U.S. embassies and consulates in the subject country. In general, the sheets do not give advice. Instead, they describe conditions so travelers can make informed decisions about their trips. In some dangerous situations, however, the Department of State recommends that Americans defer travel to a country. In such a case, a Travel Warning is issued for the country in addition to its Consular Information Sheet. Public Announcements are a means to disseminate information about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term and/or trans-national conditions posing significant risks to the security of American travelers. They are issued when there is a perceived threat, usually involving Americans as a particular target group. In the past, Public Announcements have been issued to deal with short-term coups, pre-election disturbances, violence by terrorists and anniversary dates of specific terrorist events. Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements are available at U.S. regional passport agencies; at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad; or by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Overseas Citizens Services, Room 4811, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520-4818. They are also available through airline computer reservation systems when you or your travel agent make your international air reservations. Before you travel, check to see if a Travel Warning is in effect for the country or countries that you plan to visit. You can access Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements 24 hours-a-day in several ways. Telephone To listen to them, call (202) 647-5225 from a touchtone phone. Fax From your fax machine, dial (202) 647-3000, using the handset as you would a regular telephone. The system prompts you on how to proceed. Internet Information about travel and consular services is available on the Bureau of Consular Affairs' World Wide Web home page. The address is http://travel.state.gov. It includes Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements, passport and visa information, travel publications, background on international adoption and international child abduction services and international legal assistance. The site also links to the State Department's main home page at http://www.state.gov, which contains current foreign affairs information. Consular Affairs Bulletin Board If you have a personal computer, modem and communication software, you can access the Consular Affairs Bulletin Board (CABB). To view or download the documents from a computer and modem, dial the CABB on (301) 946-4400. The login is travel; the password is info. There is no charge to use the telephone, fax and bulletin board systems other than normal long distance charges. As you travel, keep abreast of local news coverage. If you are in an area experiencing civil unrest or natural disaster, or if you are going to a place where communications are poor, you are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate through the State Department's travel registration website. Registration takes only a few moments, and it may be invaluable in case of an emergency. In accordance with the Privacy Act, information on your welfare or whereabouts may not be released without your expressed authorization. Remember to leave a detailed itinerary and your passport number with a friend or relative in the United States. ENTERING AND LEAVING - PASSPORTS AND VISAS U.S. citizens must have a valid U.S. passport to travel to all Central and South American countries with the exception of Panama and short stays in French Guiana. (Panama and French Guiana require proof of U.S. citizenship such as a birth certificate or passport. However, the U.S. Embassy in Panama encourages U.S. citizens to travel to Panama using their U.S. passports.) Visa requirements for U.S. citizens vary from country to country. Certain countries do not require a visa for a short tourist stay. For some, you need to obtain a tourist card from the airline office or at the destination airport. Other countries require you to obtain a visa in advance from that country's embassy or consulate. Some places have additional entry requirements such as proof of sufficient funds and/or onward or return tickets. If you do NOT meet the entry requirements upon arrival in a country, you will not be admitted and will have to leave on the next plane. In addition, most Central and South American countries require a departure tax. If you are departing to a neighboring country, the tax may be small, but if you are returning to the U.S., the tax could be fairly substantial per person, regardless of age. Be sure to have enough money at the end of your trip to be able to pay the departure tax so you can get on the plane! For authoritative information on a country's entry and exit requirements, contact its embassy or consulate (see the list of foreign embassies at the end of this pamphlet). When you make your inquiries, ask about: -- where to obtain a tourist card or visa; -- visa price, length of validity, and number of entries; -- financial requirements: proof of sufficient funds, proof of onward or return ticket; -- special requirements for children traveling alone or with only one parent (see below); -- health requirements; -- currency regulations: how much local or dollar currency can be brought in or out; -- export/import restrictions; and -- departure tax: how much and who must pay. RESTRICTIONS ON MINORS Many countries impose restrictions on minor children who travel alone, with only one parent, with someone who is not their parent or who are nationals of the country, including dual nationals. A child must present written authorization for travel from the absent parent, parents, or legal guardian. If the parent or guardian traveling with the child is the sole custodian, the court order granting custody may, in some cases, serve as the authorization document. For certain countries, the documentation must be translated into Spanish or Portuguese and/or authenticated at the embassy of the country in question before departure from the U.S. If any of this applies to you, inquire about the following at the embassy or consulate of the country your child plans to visit: -- the age of majority at which the restriction no longer applies (i.e., age 15 in Argentina, age 18 in Brazil); -- the type of document that can overcome the restriction (i.e., court order, statement of absent parent or parents); -- whether notarizing the document is sufficient or if it must also be authenticated by the country's embassy or consulate; -- whether the document must be translated. -- whether the permission of the mother, father or both parents is required. BRINGING YOUR OWN CAR, PLANE OR BOAT If you plan to drive to Central or South America or arrive in a private plane or boat, contact the embassy or consulate of each country you plan to visit to learn what is required for entry and exit. You may not be able to enter certain countries unless you have had your vehicle documented by that country's embassy or consulate before you leave the United States. Besides title and ownership, at most borders you will need to show insurance coverage effective for the country you are entering. If your U.S. insurance does not cover you abroad, you can usually purchase insurance when you enter a country. In some countries, if you are involved in an accident that causes injury, you will automatically be taken into police custody until it can be determined who is liable and whether you have the insurance or financial ability to pay any judgment. There may also be criminal liability assigned if the injuries or damages are serious. If you are a visitor, you will not ordinarily have to pay import duty on your car, but you may have to post a bond or otherwise satisfy customs officials that you will not sell or dispose of the vehicle in the country. Before you get behind the wheel, be sure you are in compliance with the automobile import regulations of your destination country or countries. If driving, check the Consular Information Sheet for information regarding security threats that might be encountered on the highway. You should also keep in mind that in many countries road conditions and local drivers' concern for safety fall far short of what is customary in the U.S.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100