condu

Beginning December 20, 2009, Canadian tourists (which happens to be our wedding anniversary) will have to pay a reciprocity fee of USD 70 (valid for one entry) on arrival at the Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires. This fee will be payable in cash, by credit card or by traveller’s cheques prior to clearing immigration at the airport. Those entering Argentina on a Canadian passport with a valid visa will not have to pay the reciprocity fee. This fee will not apply at any other port of entry by air, land or sea.

But, is still nearly half of what the American tourists have to pay.

SusanInToronto

There have been a few posts about this. I guess the difference is that the US one is valid for 10 years, I think, whereas ours is for 1 entry only. My husband is a US citizen (even though he's lived in Cda forever, but that's another discussion).

Originally we had planned to spend a week in Chile, but for various reasons (one of them being their visa / reciprocity fees), we decided to go to Uruguay instead.

We're also going to Iguazu, but only to the Argentine side because Brazil has their own reciprocity and visa fees.

Add all those fees, and the cost of the trip keeps going up. But what else is new?

condu

We didn't book Brazil or Chile for the same reasons. We too, are only going to the Argentine side of the falls. We looked into staying in Brazil for two weeks in addition to our month long Argentine stay. The two weeks in Brazil would cost the same as our month long stay in Argentina. So, we dropped that idea.

kodi

Good to know. Thanks Condu.

Does anyone know what the fee is in Chile? I'm landing there, and staying for a few days, before crossing over to Argentina by bus.

condu

Upon arrival by air, Canadian visitors to Chile are required to pay a reciprocity fee of US$132.

It really starts to add up!

Huentetu

Check with your hotel to see if they offer the tax free options to tourists. They may have already quoted you the room price without the 19% sales tax. Not everywhere offers it because it involves a bit of paperwork for the hotel or lodging and smaller places don't have enough rooms to justify it. You only need to pay your bill with a foreign credit card and show your passport, they do the rest.

kodi

Condu....wow..that hurts.

Huentetu,thank you.. I'm staying in a B&B, so don't know what they will do.

pattysuericia

If you're canadian,you don't need a visa for argentina

condu

This is not a visa fee. This is a reciprocity fee.

MsLizzy

I guess I'm confused too. The original post above says 'Those entering Argentina on a Canadian passport with a valid visa will not have to pay the reciprocity fee.' If we have a valid C passport and we don't need a visa do we still pay the reciprocity fee or not?

laverendrye

<<If we have a valid C passport and we don't need a visa do we still pay the reciprocity fee or not?>>

Yes, you will be required to pay the reciprocity fee of USD 70, unless you have a visa.

If you are a tourist, staying for less than 90 days, you do not require a visa.

If you are travelling for business, or as a student, or as a tourist for more than 90 days, you will require a visa. Then you will not need to pay the reciprocity fee as you will have already paid for the visa.

For more information, check the DFAIT site:

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pa...g.asp?id=11000

Does that make it clearer?

Huentetu

According to Argentine newspapers, the whole thing has been put off until January 1, 2010.

condu

That won't make any difference to us. We arrive Jan 16th, 2010.

avrooster

That's right. El Clarin says it will start on Jan. 1, but this probably means that tourism-related businesses have been raising hell and maybe, just maybe, it will never be actually implemented, as happened last year. http://www.clarin.com/suplementos/vi...v-02104311.htm

laverendrye

We arrive on 30 December so that's $140 back in our pockets!