Clarification On Documents Needed To Travel South?
 

Hi everyone, new to HU so forgive me if I am in the wrong forum! But im planning to leave next month (August) to ride to Argentina from California. I'm seeing a lot of mixed information online on what is needed to cross between borders and I want to make sure I have everything right before I leave. From what I understand the only country I need a visa for is Bolivia. And the only paperwork required to travel south is bike title, registration, and import/export permits... Can someone confirm this please? What other things do I need, I have a motorcycle license and am getting an IDD for good measure.

Any recommendations for insurance, or is it even needed? Any information would be greatly appreciated! Thank you all in advance :scooter:

I'm not sure where you're getting conflicting information from, since your questions are pretty basic and uncontroversial.

For s starters, no one can give you accurate information about visas until you say what your nationality is. If American, you need visas for Brazil, Paraguay, Senegal, and Bolivia...subject to change, as always. If you're another nationality it's all different.

You need all those documents in your own name, just in case that's not apparent. Temporary import permits ("TIP") you get at each border, not in advance. For your purposes there is no such thing as an "export permit," but it's worth making sure you close out TIPs as you leave each country--else there could be consequences later.

Insurance is also purchased at borders, except when it's not. Mexican insurance can be purchased online in advance. Some countries require insurance, some don't, and there is a group of southern tier countries which share insurance so you don't have to buy for each individual country. In all cases the consequences for not having insurance can be severe if you have an accident, so include that in your cost/benefit calculations.

As for "What other things do I need....?" that's a broad question with a great many answers. Spanish language abilities? Repair skills? An alert attitude and awareness of your physical, emotional and attentional limits? I could go on and on (and on).

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Documents for U.S. plated bikes

- Title
- Registration
- Drivers license
- Passport

Take originals. It is often useful to have sets of copies to save time and hassles at the borders. Yeah, there is usually a copy shack but they close for lunch or don't have change or you'd rather be getting your business done and keeping an eye on your bike than making copies... They love paperwork and stamps. Go with the flow.

Insurance is often available at the border but sometimes you have to ride into the nearest town. Sometimes you get part of the importation done, then have to get the insurance and return to customs to complete the process. Unless things have changed, getting short term insurance in French Guiana is expensive. I talked my way in but never found affordable insurance and left without issues in 2012. (YMMV)

I remember buying the required insurance in Mexico, Belize, Nicaragua(?), Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Guyana, Peru, and Ecuador. There may have been others and the rules may have changed. The cost for short term insurance is reasonable and frankly, it's part of the cost of adventure.

I use VisaHQ.com for general visa requirements.

Looks like the Brazilian reciprocal fee requirement for U.S. citizens is indeed lifted. https://www.visahq.com/brazil/ Good to know.

From the best of my memory, your passport will be stamped into every country in Central and South America. Except for Mexico and Cuba, where you get a tourist card that you slip into your passport. Make sure you have enough blank pages.

Visa / Reciprocal Fees

Bolivia - fee
Paraguay - fee
Suriname - fee (visa not available at the border)

Venezuela - as far as I know, you can't cross the Colombian / Venezuelan border with a vehicle. Not sure about crossing the Brazilian / Venezuelan border with a motorcycle...

Surely someone noticed that I wrote Senegal when I meant Suriname in my post above.....? How embarrassing.

You’re getting some good advice, but part of the deal is that stuff changes, sometimes without warning. Suddenly, no visa for Brazil, where it used to take at least a week and cost dearly. But you might arrive there and discover that visas are again required, for no apparent reason. Keep your ear to the ground and look for information on government websites—your own, or the country in question. Don’t bother calling embassies except in very special circumstances (the nature of which I, at least, can’t imagine).

French Guiana insurance can be evaded by getting EU Green Card insurance, even though it will probably exclude French overseas territories. Hardly anyone ever needs to know this, since it’s a bit off the tourist trail.

Mark

markharf,

Yeah, I noticed and was going to tell you to go post in the Africa forum. :clap::clap::clap: but decided it was a typo. :D

markharf's advice is spot on and the best advice, things are this way today and different tomorrow. In Latin America "anything is possible and nothing is certain." The rules say this and the experience of some travels confirm the fact, then someone else says they just got away with the opposite. I have read again and again that original documentation is 100% required, then I traveled with a guy who only had copies of his Mexican title, etc. Some advice clearly makes life easier to get across frontiers with minimal hassle.

PS: I did the less-traveled route, Venezuela > Brazil > Guayana > Suriname > French Guiana > Brazil. I called that trip my South American Sampler. To that end, Guayana, Suriname, French Guiana...been there, done that, no great pull to go back. I look forward to the day when Venezuela is a reasonably safe place to visit again. Angel Falls and the lower falls were completely worth the effort.

Many riders skip or only dip into Brazil; a less traveled country given its size. Brazil is flat out a great country. I returned last December (by airplane) to see Rio de Janeiro (again), Iguazu Falls and Yucumã Falls / Mocona Falls (look it up, it's wild.)