Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > South America
Reload this Page >

Argentinan Entry fee for US citizens as of 12/20/09

Argentinan Entry fee for US citizens as of 12/20/09

Old Dec 12th, 2009, 12:41 PM
  #21  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
This was posted on another forum today:
Just had some friends fly through Santiago from Mendoza to New York and they could book the bags right through. They also did not have to go through customs or immigration. They were not from countries that had to pay the reciprocity fees, but the potential problem identified by vnrose should not be a problem.
Huentetu is offline  
Old Dec 12th, 2009, 12:51 PM
  #22  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thank you! I shall keep my fingers crossed!
not_enuf_vaca is offline  
Old Dec 12th, 2009, 01:42 PM
  #23  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 4,074
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I was thinking the same if the fee is applied only in Ezeiza coming from Santiago to Mendoza wouldl avoid the feee.
Not to long ago I bought a ticket in Lan, US-Santiago-Mendoza=Buenos Aires - US, it was more or less the same price and I saved a lot of time and money.
I wish the would reconsider this policy of retalation which seems unwise specially when tourism is down in Argentina as it is all over the world.
Graziella5b is offline  
Old Dec 12th, 2009, 01:46 PM
  #24  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 4,024
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I think it is tit for tat between Argentina and the U.S. Even though it will be painful for me the next time I go to Argentina under the new policy, I say, Argentina is entirely within its rights to do this. Chile has had the same system for many years with a reciprocity fee ($131), and Brazil and Bolivia require visas of U.S. citizens ($131). Paraguay has kept its visa fee at $45 for a one-time entry and $65 for multiple entiries.

I think turnabout is fair play.
Jeff_Costa_Rica is offline  
Old Dec 12th, 2009, 04:22 PM
  #25  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 4,074
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Good for Uruguay then. The Government is to the Left but they are cleverer. I read the other day that Pluna the Uruguayan Airliner is going to fly directly to THE Iguazu Falls.
The ticket to Uruguay from US costs the same than to Buenos Aires.
Graziella5b is offline  
Old Dec 12th, 2009, 06:43 PM
  #26  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,678
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Graziella, I totally agree with you - it's tit for tat. I just wish it wasn't happening when we were going to Argentina But that's life...
SusanInToronto is offline  
Old Dec 12th, 2009, 07:46 PM
  #27  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 4,074
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I am sorry SUsan that you will have to pay. I am no one to judge how countries are doing but it seems to me that today both Brazil and Chile can afford loosing tourists more than Argentina . The question is , is it worth for Argentina to risk loosing tourists that spend a lot of money mainly in the private sector for a fee to be swallow by the Government?

BTW I believe that for some time Argentina was included in the list of countries whose citizens could get into the US without a visa. Most likely after 9-11 things changed.
Allthough it is not friendly to have to request a paid visa to get to the US, at least the US Consulates insume some work in granting or not visas. Pitty they do not refund any of the fees paid by the applicants

The Argentine fee as the Chilean fee
seems to be only a pay back. Brazil has shown more dignity requesting a visa.
All countries have the right to request what they seem fit to permit access, so as you said
that is life. I guess we are only discussing if it was a wise idea of not for Argentina at this
time to make it more difficult for tourists .
Not only tourism is in crisis all over the world but it seems they are not doing so good.
But of course I might be wrong.
Graziella5b is offline  
Old Dec 12th, 2009, 08:35 PM
  #28  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 4,024
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The U.S. started requiring a visa of Argentine citizens in early 2002 after the economic collapse in Argentina. It wasn't because of 9/11.
Jeff_Costa_Rica is offline  
Old Dec 12th, 2009, 08:38 PM
  #29  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I agree Susan - dont hold it against Argentina, just with it started AFTER my trip
not_enuf_vaca is offline  
Old Dec 12th, 2009, 09:15 PM
  #30  
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sad to see they are going to implement this as it will make it harder to justify a return trip.
crzn1 is offline  
Old Dec 13th, 2009, 04:02 AM
  #31  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
As a local, I'm furious because our so-called "government" is doing this, as it is obviously negative for tourism and other related businesses, which are already hurting from a decrease in the number of incoming travelers, caused by the world-wide recession.

However, I must add that, from another point of view, I feel this "tit for tat" is quite fair, as the US makes it extremely time-consuming and costly for Argentines to obtain even just a short-term travel visa to the US.

One of my daughters (who happpens to look like a WASP) was refused a visa sometime ago (losing her $131) and the local American embassy immigration agents are often downright rude and treat all of us as potential terrorists. BTW, my English is far better than theirs, so, if I had their job (which I most certainly don't want), I probably would not allow THEM to enter the US! LOL!!!
avrooster is offline  
Old Dec 13th, 2009, 05:43 AM
  #32  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I share your thoughts on this, avrooster. I can see both sides. I have seen many professionals from here invited to conferences and unable to attend because they didn't meet some sort of criteria. It seems that if you rent rather than own your home you have a harder time getting a visa to the USA. One friend, who got the visa, was only asked if he could recommend good Peruvian restaurants in Santiago! But I do wish the reciprocity fee did not exist, even if it does only affect a small proportion of the visitors to our countries. It does not seem to reflect the traditional hospitality we like to extend to visitors.
Huentetu is offline  
Old Dec 13th, 2009, 02:13 PM
  #33  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Well, Huentetu, their logic reasoning must be that if you own a home here you are less likely to try to remain in the US without a green card than if you only rent.

ROTFLMAO about your "asked if he could recommend good Peruvian restaurants in Santiago"!

Those US immigration officers REALLY know what they are talking about! LOL!!!
avrooster is offline  
Old Dec 14th, 2009, 10:57 AM
  #34  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 818
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I did some reading but didn't see anything about whether the reciprocity fee applies if you enter the country from sea.

Our SA cruise will be visiting Ushuaia and Buenos Aires (neither is an embarkation/debarkation port for us). The way I read it, we don't have to pay the fee, but please correct me if I am wrong.
eenusa is offline  
Old Dec 14th, 2009, 12:54 PM
  #35  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The fee only applies at the international airport in Buenos Aires.
Huentetu is offline  
Old Dec 14th, 2009, 01:36 PM
  #36  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 818
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thx - that is the way I read it as well.
eenusa is offline  
Old Dec 15th, 2009, 07:20 AM
  #37  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 4,074
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
LAST NEWS, a friend in ARGENTINA HAS INFORMED ME THAT HE CONTACTED THE

THE INMIGRATION ARGENTINE AUTHORITIES AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW YET

WHEN WILL THIS ENTRANCE FEE BE EFECTIVE.
POSSIBLY SOME TIME IN JANUARY BUT THEY ARE NOT SURE WHEN.
So may be the US Embassy knows best, but this was the official reply.
Graziella5b is offline  
Old Dec 15th, 2009, 07:45 AM
  #38  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Tourism operators must be furious and raising hell.

Our so-called "government¨ is probably weighing the pros and cons of this fee. They dropped it last year, but now their voracity has increased, so who knows?
avrooster is offline  
Old Dec 15th, 2009, 03:49 PM
  #39  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,907
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
AV,
I'm curious about a couple of things: Do you have any idea why your daughter was denied a visa? (Not that many Americans look like classic WASPs these days, by the way.) Does the embassy give you a reason?

And are the embassy personnel Americans or Argentines?

I think the new fees will discourage some travelers, especially those on a budget and middle-class people who want to make a 3-country trip, which would add about $400 to the cost of the trip per person ($130 or so for each entry into Brazil, Argentina, and Chile).

However, I totally understand the reasons for reciprocity. I wish I had a solution.
islebethere is offline  
Old Dec 15th, 2009, 05:23 PM
  #40  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,738
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
islebethere, All of the Embassy personnel that we have seen and talked to are Americans . But there are many Argentines working there too. I have never seen them behave in any way but polite and helpful.

When we went to the Argentine Embassy in Los Angeles, the employees were a mix of Argentines and Americans also.
And there too, very nice and helpful.

I have not heard of someone being turned down for a Visa without a reason.
There is usually no reason not to tell a person why. Once they tell you why, then you can correct the problem , hopefully, and try again.
I have seen this happen. Generally the person having the meltdown is the one that is being denied the papers they need. In LA, it was the manager of a band who was booked to play here and they hadn't filled out their Visa forms correctly. I was impressed with the cool manner the Embassy person had while the band manager fell apart lol.

I liked the person today who said if you come here and visit every year, ( which a surprising number of people do ) then you can say that over 10 years, it is only costing you $13.10
lol...
Scarlett is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -