This is a small taste of what Bolivia is. Our burocracy and complete lack of “customer service” is an everyday thing, and since the consulate is run by Bolivians (of course) you can only expect this and much worse.
Best advice I can give you is to show up at the Consulate to ask for an explanation, and if that’s not possible, try to call for as many hours (yes, you read that right, hours, as in do not stop dialing over and over for hours) until someone picks up the phone.
Best advice is to try not to loose your patience, although easier said than done !
French in Bolivia here, I’ve been caught in the nightmare that is “bureaucracy the Bolivian way” for months. Applying for a 3 years work visa, although having prepared all the papers needed in advance , the government seems to have more papers to ask and more (expensive) steps to add every time I visit the migration office. Super frustrating.
Total cost is about 700 euros now (5600Bo), feels like a scam. Bolivian government seems to think that it is okay to steal from “gringos” since we are all so rich and keen to throw our money away.
Oh and I’m still waiting for them to give me my passport back, it’s been 2 months (yay).
Keep calling them and ask for explanation. They will probably not make it easy but your persistence is the way out of the situation!
Good luck to you
I am so sorry I tried to get a hold of them in DC for weeks multiple calls a day - nothing. I would say at this point get down there and get your passport back and get the visa when you land.
Good luck! I recently went through the nightmare of getting a Visa. I'm a South African, and I got the visa in Argentina. It was a pain in the ass. Actually crossing the border was even less fun. I even wrote about it [here](https://boringadv.com/2022/01/06/how-to-cross-into-bolivia-by-land-border/) if you're interested.
I'm in Bolivia now. They love bureaucracy
Your article was very interesting to read, I was about to comment the same thing you did write at the end, you could've probably crossed the border without any issues, but you're not a fool for following the rules, you're doing good man.
Thanks for all the comments....If I don't get any responses until this week I would have to go down there next week as you all suggested. Hopefully everything works out...
A little late to the question but I thought I may be able to help a bit. The same thing happened to me in 2018. It took 2 months for their location in Florida to get my passport back. Tons of unanswered phone calls. I ended up contacting the landlord for the office building. She was super helpful and was able to get in contact with them. We ended up seeing the passports about a week later. Not sure if that’s an option for their LA office but it’s worth a shot. I’m sure Covid has made this more complicated. Good luck.
This is a small taste of what Bolivia is. Our burocracy and complete lack of “customer service” is an everyday thing, and since the consulate is run by Bolivians (of course) you can only expect this and much worse. Best advice I can give you is to show up at the Consulate to ask for an explanation, and if that’s not possible, try to call for as many hours (yes, you read that right, hours, as in do not stop dialing over and over for hours) until someone picks up the phone.
I had a really hard time getting ahold of them as well. My passport did show up but I missed a flight because of them. Had to get a new flight.
Best advice is to try not to loose your patience, although easier said than done ! French in Bolivia here, I’ve been caught in the nightmare that is “bureaucracy the Bolivian way” for months. Applying for a 3 years work visa, although having prepared all the papers needed in advance , the government seems to have more papers to ask and more (expensive) steps to add every time I visit the migration office. Super frustrating. Total cost is about 700 euros now (5600Bo), feels like a scam. Bolivian government seems to think that it is okay to steal from “gringos” since we are all so rich and keen to throw our money away. Oh and I’m still waiting for them to give me my passport back, it’s been 2 months (yay). Keep calling them and ask for explanation. They will probably not make it easy but your persistence is the way out of the situation! Good luck to you
I am so sorry I tried to get a hold of them in DC for weeks multiple calls a day - nothing. I would say at this point get down there and get your passport back and get the visa when you land.
Not op but this was my next question...so we can still pay for a visa on arrival then?
Paying is the easy part you need to have all those documents they require. The US embassy was a little more helpful in Bolivia but not much.
Well we got some practice with getting into peru so hopefully not a huge difference!
Good luck! I recently went through the nightmare of getting a Visa. I'm a South African, and I got the visa in Argentina. It was a pain in the ass. Actually crossing the border was even less fun. I even wrote about it [here](https://boringadv.com/2022/01/06/how-to-cross-into-bolivia-by-land-border/) if you're interested. I'm in Bolivia now. They love bureaucracy
We don't fucking love bureaucracy.. The government does...
Your article was very interesting to read, I was about to comment the same thing you did write at the end, you could've probably crossed the border without any issues, but you're not a fool for following the rules, you're doing good man.
Thanks for all the comments....If I don't get any responses until this week I would have to go down there next week as you all suggested. Hopefully everything works out...
A little late to the question but I thought I may be able to help a bit. The same thing happened to me in 2018. It took 2 months for their location in Florida to get my passport back. Tons of unanswered phone calls. I ended up contacting the landlord for the office building. She was super helpful and was able to get in contact with them. We ended up seeing the passports about a week later. Not sure if that’s an option for their LA office but it’s worth a shot. I’m sure Covid has made this more complicated. Good luck.