US visa fees increase. Can SA fees be far behind?
 

U.S. non-immigrant visa-application fees went up to $160 today. Brazil and Bolivia base their visa fees and Chile and Argentina base their airport reciprocity fees on the U.S. figure. I'd look for all those fees to increase for U.S. citizens traveling to those four countries. I heard Brazil already increased its visa fees this morning.

Paraguay has been charging $100 to U.S. citizens for a visa, so who knows what they plan to do?

As long as Peru doesn't have a reciprocity fee, I'm good.

Shhhhh. Let's not give anybody any ideas. ;)

You know, I don't see Peru ever doing this. U.S. there tourism is so high that I can't believe they'd ever throw down that roadblock.

The Brazilian Consulates have already raised their reciprocity fees to match, even though the websites have yet to be updated.

As a non American, can somebody explain to me why the US government charges so much for people to visit the country. It seems a ridiculous amount of money for a pure admin fee.

They charge it for granting (or denying) the visa. Once you have it, you don't have to pay again until it expires.

That's a George Bush post 9/11 legacy born of xenophobia IMHO. Some think it took the US out of the running for 2016 Olympics.

It was in place long before George Bush unfortunately. Chile has been charging a reciprocity fee for years, Argentina for a couple of years. Last time Argentina was very quick to put the new price in place but it took much longer in Chile.

Interesting about the Olympics. It makes sense. No one is going to buy tickets for something they may not be able to attend. At least those needing a visa for Brazil 2016 can be more sure they will get it.

The US tourist visas (and reciprocity fees for some countries?) were $45 until post 9-11 when the new procedures resulted in a series of price hikes, first to $65 and then to $100. And now $160! So you can't really blame countries that have adopted these fees recently (isn't the Argentina fee a newish one, I remember all of the talk on the forums).

So far I have the Chile and Bolivia stamps, so I can go back without paying until my passport expires. If I go to Argentina it will be only so long as there is an exemption for land crossings.

It would be nice if these places could be added to visa waiver programs and we could do away with all of this foolishness!!

Mlgb and Crellston: Argentina was formerly on the Visa Waiver Program list. That changed after 9/11. One of the stated reasons for dropping Argentina was the security risk of terrorists entering the United States via Argentina.

There have been numerous reports of terrorist training camps in the tri-border area (Brazil-Paraguay-Argentina) near Iguazu Falls. The fear was without a Visa screening process in place it would be all too simple for the bad guys to jump on a plane bound for the US.

The relatively high cost of a Visa for the United States is to offset the expense of the enhanced screening that takes place post 9/11. I sometimes shake my head at the logic of enhanced screening for those who apply for a Visa while the lack of border security with Mexico or Canada make illegal entry relatively simple for dedicated terrorists...but that is a subject for another day.

Huentetu. I cannot speak for Chile, but the reciprocity fee for Argentina was definitely put into place during the George Bush era. I believe this is so with Brazil as well, but I am not certain.

The collapse of Argentina's economy in late 2001 was also a factor in the U.S. decision to remove it from the Visa Waiver Program.

Thanks for the clarification drdawgy. I hadn't realised that the Iguazu area was considered such a hotbed of terrorist activity! It does rather seem these fees are just taxes by another name and can do little to help the tourism induscries ain any of the countries involved. As a British Citizen I rarely have to pay any of these "reciprocity" fees.

Our big problem in the UK is the ever increasing airport/flight/carbon taxes applied to each and every flight throught the UK. I recently checked out flights to the USA from LHR and of the £450 total cost only £170 was the fare. The rest was tax of one description or another.

You are correct Jeff. There was a fear that the US would be flooded with pesky Argentinos seeking employment in the US of A if we just let em in without screening. Thankfully, Manu Gnobili qualified for a visa. :)

Doc: Never heard that last name before. LOL!!!

I won't use the term "flooded," but Costa Rica saw an influx of Argentine immgrants after the collapse in 2001. They brought capital and business savvy, and I think they've enriched the country. Their accent is nothing like the way a Costa Rican speaks Spanish, so you can always pick them out. :)

Dear Dr, although the Argentine fee is fairly recent, Chile´s has been in place for years, although thinking about it 9/11 was also a long time ago. It was US$100 in 2004 and I remember two price hikes before that, so it may have come in under Bush. Last time Argentina was very quick to implement the new price but Chile had the old price in place for a few months. It has never been charged anywhere except SCL but I wonder if Argentina will decide to charge at other entry points. Some strange things seem to be happening over the Andes.

Looking at an old, expired U.S. passport: I have an entry stamp for Chile dated Jan. 8, 2001 with the accompanying reciprocity receipt. It was $45 at the time.

AV, You don't follow basketball much, I take it? I am surprised you did not take offense to my reference to "pesky Argentinos.":)

Huentu, I am surprised the U.S. has not placed Chile on the Visa Waiver Program list. Chile is one of our closest allies in the region. RE: Argentina's next move. Christina is a surprise a minute. At a minimum, I expect Argentina to up it entry/reciprocity fee very quickly to match the new fee set by the USA.

Jeff, We could use an influx of business acumen and capital in the USA about now. Maybe we should drop the Visa requirement once again.

Doc: I don't follow basketball at all, but I DO know Manu´s last name is Ginóbili, not Gnobili, as you spelled it. LOL!!!

Your "pesky Argentinos" are all over my country. I trust my forum friends consider me an exception. More LOL!!!

Huentu, In light of today's news it looks like Christina is too busy nationalizing Spanish companies doing business in Argentina to mess with collecting reciprocity fees at new locations. You are right, strange things indeed on the other side of the Andes.