While answering another post it occurred to me that I haven't seen any mention about the reciprocity fees supposed to be collected in advance at all air and land points of entry into Argentina starting very shortly. As I understand it, you are supposed to go on line before arriving at the point of entry and pay any fee due by credit card. You will not be able to pay on arrival, which is a big shift. You will also be required to pay the fee no matter how you're arriving, which is an even bigger shift. Formerly, land arrivals were exempt.

As I understand it, the advance payment requirement for air arrivals takes effect December 28th 2012. The policy for land arrivals is due to take effect Jan 7th, 2013.

This only applies to people carrying passports who have already had to pay when arriving on international flights into B.A. That includes, of course, Americans, Canadians and Australians, plus some more countries: hopefully, you know who you are.

Please note that I'm only reporting what I heard from usually-reliable sources. If the whole thing falls flat, it won't be the first time that's happened. Probably, you'd prefer not to spend the entire day riding over one of the unpaved high passes from Chile, only to be turned back at the border just as it starts to get dark and cold. Check it out yourself, and do whatever needs to be done.

I've got no information about the specifics, but I've seen enough talk about it elsewhere that it must be easy to learn more about. Google is, in certain respects, your friend.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Thought I would share the official Argentinian press release: Dirección Nacional de Migraciones | Accesible

It confirms exactly what Mark said (just in Spanish). We intend to cross from Chile Chico to Los Antiguos (Carretera Austral to Ruta 40) around Jan 10th. We'll post our experience here. Stay tuned...

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Always happy to hear when I get it right. I'd also be curious about insurance--whether they ask, demand, or care at all. Seems to be increasingly necessary, although I crossed there without.

Checking your blog from time to time: looks like a good trip. Enjoy!

Mark

I received the following from the Australian government smart traveller service the other day. Not sure what other nationalities it applies to.

Went online to pay and it is a little cumbersome, but relatively easy.


Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Argentina for the most up-to-date information.
Australian tourists are charged a “reciprocity fee” of USD100. The fee is valid for multiple re-entries within a period of one year as of the date of first entry. At present the fee is only collected for entry at Ezeiza and Jorge Newbery International Airports in Buenos Aires. After 7 January 2013, this fee will be applicable at all ports of entry. Passengers arriving on cruise ships are exempt.
The reciprocity fee is payable on the Argentine Migration website. Those who pay online will have to print the receipt and submit it to immigration authorities at the airport. Payment of the fee on arrival will be accepted until until 28 December 2012 at the Ezeiza International Airport.
Australian citizens whose passport shows they were born in Argentina are exempt from the fee and should pass through the Argentine passport control line on entry in order to be exempt from the payment. Australian citizens holding a business visa are also exempt from payment.
Argentina has introduced biometric entry procedures at Ezeiza International Airport, Jorge Newbery International Airport and at the Buenos Aires ferry terminal. Visitors to Argentina are required to have their thumbprint scanned by an inkless device and have a digital photograph taken on arrival.
Children (under 18 years of age, as defined by local law) travelling alone or with one parent may be required to provide a letter of consent from the non-travelling parent(s) to the Argentine authorities. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Argentina well in advance of departure from Australia for further advice.
If you are travelling to or from Argentina via the United States you will need to meet US entry/transit requirements. You should check your visa needs well in advance of travel with the nearest Embassy or Consulate of the United States. See also our travel advice for the United States of America.
The World Health Organization (WHO) lists Argentina as a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission and recommends travellers to all departments in Misiones Province and parts of Corrientes Province (Beron de Astrada, Capital, General Alvear, General Paz, Itati, Ituzaingo, Paso de los Libres, San Cosme, San Martin, San Miguel, Santo Tome) are vaccinated against yellow fever. Iguazu Falls is located within Misiones Province.
Some airlines may require passengers to present a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate before being allowed to board flights out of the country. If in doubt, check with your airline.
Australian Customs officials will ask you to present a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate on entry into Australia if you are aged one year or above and have stayed overnight or longer in Misiones Province in the six days prior to your date of return to Australia.
Make sure your passport has at least six months' validity from your planned date of return to Australia and carry copies of a recent passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.

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I will see what happens tomorrow, will be crossing from Brazil to Argentina at Paso de Los Libres.

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Blaze

Is effective from January 7.

Just in time for all the Dakar rally people crossing into the country.

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The official website sends you around in circles and is poorly set up. Thankfully South American Travel News
( South America Travel News: Update to the Argentina Reciprocity Fee | South America Travel News Blog ) makes it easier with these instructions:

To pay the Argentina reciprocity fee in advance, complete the following steps:

1) Go to https://virtual.provinciapagos.com.a.../Registro.aspx

2) Complete the required information and pay the reciprocity fee (per person) with a credit card

3) Print the receipt and keep it with your passport to show immigration authorities upon entry

The current fees are: $160 for the United States (valid for 10 years), $100 for Australians (valid for 1 year) and $75 for Canadians (valid for one entry).

Thanks all for posting this info, as well as specific instructions on how to pay.

When leaving Argentina yesterday (8 Jan) at the El Límite-Futaleufú crossing I asked the migración official what I needed to do to reenter the country in about a week. He immediately told us to pay the new fee online (we are from the states). The officials were all well aware of the change in the law, stated that all crossings further south would be similarly well aware, and advised us to be sure to pay in advance because they will not accommodate at the border.

Looks like you got this one right, Markharf!

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I was concerned about the fee for Canucks so I just checked and discovered:

For Canadians the $75.00 fee is valid for multiple entries from bordering countries for 3 months.

There is a $150.00 option that is valid for multiple entries for 5 years

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K9DR650SE

South America 2013

Hi

Does this only apply to USA, Canada and Australians? What about the British, Irish, German, Spanish etc? Thanks

Hope I haven't used up my yearly quota of "right."

The new rules apply to anyone to whom reciprocity fees apply. If you don't owe fees, you don't need to worry about where or how they're paid.

Mark

This is what the document looks like

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K9DR650SE

South America 2013

It is called "reciprocity fee", which means that if your country doesn t charge Argentines for entering, Argentina wont charge for entering. This fee has been existing for years at airports and is linked to the need of a visa. Europeans dont need a visa because they reciprocally dont ask a visa for Argentine nationals.

As an Australian passport holder I can confirm the accuracy of the above advice provided in these previous posts through first hand experience. I was refused entry to Argentina at land border crossing just east of Futaleufu Chile yesterday. Fortunately I did not have far to go back to town, get online during business hours the following day and print myself off the Tasa De Reciprocidad / Reprocity Fee Document (Receipt of US $100 online visa payment) as shown in an earlier post. You will need a copy of this document with associated barcode to present to immigration at the land border entry into Argentina. Most of my previous entry points into Argentina to the south were a little more remote however they occurred just before the implementation date around January 7th so I was lucky.

Promised to report, so here goes.
Crossed at Chile Chico (to Los Antiguos) yesterday. We paid the fee in advance because we read many stories of people being turned back. Easy process, just make sure you enter your birthdate in US format (MM/DD/YY). Entering the day first makes the system explode.

The Chilean officers actually asked to see or receipts before we even exited, apparently many people had been turned back. Process was simple on the Argentinian side. They just took the receipt and entered the number in the computer, stamped the passports and sent us on our way. It was clear the officials were well informed about the changes in policy. I think it would be pretty hard to get through without paying.

Thanks to everyone who posted before us.

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Seattle to Argentina - Starting Oct 2011
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