US Visa waiver for Argentines? Ergo, no "reciprocity fee" for Americans?
Apr 6th, 2011, 04:21 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
US Visa waiver for Argentines? Ergo, no "reciprocity fee" for Americans?
Leading local daily La Nación reports in http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1362675-s...-visa-con-eeuu that our "government" (if you can call it that) is negotiating with the American embassy in BA the reinstatement of the "visa waiver" program for Argentines who travel to the USA, which existed until a few years ago.
Should this "visa waiver" for Argentines be conceded by the US, obviously the "reciprocity fee" charged to Americans who come here, would be eliminated, which I feel would be great!
However, don´t hold your breath, while waiting for this to happen. For one thing, if I were Mr. Obama (which I'm obviously not), I would instruct Mrs. Clinton to say NO!
Should this "visa waiver" for Argentines be conceded by the US, obviously the "reciprocity fee" charged to Americans who come here, would be eliminated, which I feel would be great!
However, don´t hold your breath, while waiting for this to happen. For one thing, if I were Mr. Obama (which I'm obviously not), I would instruct Mrs. Clinton to say NO!
Apr 6th, 2011, 05:08 AM
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The latest reason why, if I were the US government, my answer would be negative:
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1363294-e...-avion-militar
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1363294-e...-avion-militar
Apr 6th, 2011, 06:36 AM
#6
The Chilean fee is good for the life of the passport which in our case is just a couple more years. The AR. fee, I believe, is good for 10 years. Had I thought about the fees when planning our trip we could have easily entered ARG at EZE, paid the ARG fee and then gone overland into Chile. That would have made sense in terms of the fees. Oh well...
Apr 6th, 2011, 08:43 AM
#7
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Chile is also in talks to become a visa waiver country. I have mixed feelings about it as it means the local government has to share "information" about passengers with USA government agencies and it has not been made clear what that information is. I believe it is the Argentine government which has been reluctant to take the step up until this point for that reason. Of course, it would be nicer if Argentines and/or Chileans would not have to go through the tedious and expensive visa application process and they certainly find out a lot about a person during the process anyway.
Apr 6th, 2011, 09:06 AM
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For an Argentine, getting a US visa most certainly is a "tedious" and money as well as time-consuming endeavour.
Americans simply have to pay the "reciprocity fee" when they get here. They don't have to apply for a visa, which makes it completely different.
Americans simply have to pay the "reciprocity fee" when they get here. They don't have to apply for a visa, which makes it completely different.
Apr 6th, 2011, 09:48 AM
#10
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,799
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I will be shocked if Argentina's visa waiver status is reinstated. There were several reasons why Argentina lost its status: There was concern that with an increase in poverty in the country following the economic crisis of 2001/02, many un or employed visitors would remain in the US rather than return home. Equally or more important, there was concern that terrorists from the tri-border area (with Brazil and Paraguay) would be able to enter Argentina and board a plane for the USA with little difficulty. The border is still loose and poverty still exists, albeit at lower levels than in 2001/02.
These circumstances coupled with Cristina's less-than-cordial relationship with the USA make it very unlikely that Argentina will regain Visa Waiver status.
Chile, in contrast, is doing well economically,does not haven the tri-border problem,the government has remained on good terms with the US, and Santiago and Washington already have a free trade agreement in place.
As a rough indicator of the relative relationship of the two countries with the US, President Obama's recent trip to South America included a stop in Chile but not Argentina.
Just my two cents worth...
These circumstances coupled with Cristina's less-than-cordial relationship with the USA make it very unlikely that Argentina will regain Visa Waiver status.
Chile, in contrast, is doing well economically,does not haven the tri-border problem,the government has remained on good terms with the US, and Santiago and Washington already have a free trade agreement in place.
As a rough indicator of the relative relationship of the two countries with the US, President Obama's recent trip to South America included a stop in Chile but not Argentina.
Just my two cents worth...
Apr 6th, 2011, 11:46 AM
#12
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 4,024
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The $140 for a U.S. visa is a non-refundable application fee with no guarantee that you'll get the visa. The embassy looks at the applicant's finances, their living situation in their home country, their employment, their property, ... If you own a house, have a higher level job, have a decent bank balance (in other words, in the embassy's estimation, a reason to come back home), you'll get the visa. If something is "lacking" on one of those counts, possibly not.
Huentetu, to me that seems a lot more intrusive than information that's gathered about passengers from visa-waiver countries.
Huentetu, to me that seems a lot more intrusive than information that's gathered about passengers from visa-waiver countries.
Apr 6th, 2011, 12:18 PM
#13
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It could be that the application for a visa gathers more information. It just isn't clear.
yestravel, the process is roughly this:
1. phone for an appointment - cost of phone call US$14 if I remember correctly
2. all appointments are in Santiago, so make arrangements for travel to/from and hotel in Santiago where applicable (if you are from Punta Arenas, for example, and can't get home the same day)
3. take all the relevant information to apply (mentioned by Jeff)
4. pay US$140 for the application - no refund if refused but possible to re-apply within a given time frame for the same amount
5. leave passport in case visa is approved - usually a minimum of 2 weeks
6. pay for courier service to deliver passport to your home (with or without visa) - amount varies on where you live, but within Santiago is about US$12.
So, it is a very different process.
People from visa waiver countries register with ESTA before travel for approval, cost US$14 for registration.
yestravel, the process is roughly this:
1. phone for an appointment - cost of phone call US$14 if I remember correctly
2. all appointments are in Santiago, so make arrangements for travel to/from and hotel in Santiago where applicable (if you are from Punta Arenas, for example, and can't get home the same day)
3. take all the relevant information to apply (mentioned by Jeff)
4. pay US$140 for the application - no refund if refused but possible to re-apply within a given time frame for the same amount
5. leave passport in case visa is approved - usually a minimum of 2 weeks
6. pay for courier service to deliver passport to your home (with or without visa) - amount varies on where you live, but within Santiago is about US$12.
So, it is a very different process.
People from visa waiver countries register with ESTA before travel for approval, cost US$14 for registration.
Apr 6th, 2011, 06:14 PM
#15
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 4,024
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That's what most of the world has to go through to be able to travel to the U.S.
Canada and the visa-waiver countries (Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore) are the exceptions.
Canada and the visa-waiver countries (Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore) are the exceptions.
Apr 7th, 2011, 02:11 AM
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No one has mentioned above the humiliation of having to kowtow to an unfriendly immigration agent, who acts as if he/she owns you.
To me, that is the worst part of the awful PITA the whole thing is.
Well, I kowtowed but at least I got a ten-year visa. LOL!!!!
To me, that is the worst part of the awful PITA the whole thing is.
Well, I kowtowed but at least I got a ten-year visa. LOL!!!!
Apr 7th, 2011, 02:30 AM
#17
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Even people from visa waiver countries have to go through the process if it is not a tourist visa; visas for studying etc.
So you can see that while most of us do not like the reciprocity fee charged to visitors, we don't feel that sorry for you either!
So you can see that while most of us do not like the reciprocity fee charged to visitors, we don't feel that sorry for you either!
Apr 7th, 2011, 06:26 AM
#19
By the way, getting a Visa for Brazil a couple of years ago involved two trips to the WDC Consulate, a hefty fee, and more papers (from banks, airline, taxes etc.) than I needed to get a mortgage for my house But it was worth it to get to the other side of Iguazzu Falls and Foz de Iguazu...and, as with the Argentine reciprocity fee, it is good for a number of years.
~Marnie
But it was worth it to get to the other side of Iguazzu Falls and Foz de Iguazu...and, as with the Argentine reciprocity fee, it is good for a number of years. ~Marnie
