reciprocity fee - must pay online

[ndcj]

I think what the critics mean is:

1. Countries of Argentina's socioeconomic tier do not charge $160 to come in.

I bet it saves a bunch of time making stuff up instead of checking!

India charges $US150 for US citizens for a 10 year visa.
Brazil charges $US160 for US citizens for a 10 year visa, and requires extensive documentation.
Paraguay charges $US105.
Angola charges $US141.

I can come up with another dozen examples if you want. Remember that most citizens of developed nations don't require any visa or fee to enter Argentina. Just US, Australia and Canada, all of whom charge exorbitant fees for visas.

 

[mendozanow]

http://www.argentinaindependent.com...s-to-payment-method-for-reciprocity-fee-visa/

link in OP bad, try this. Generally, trying to post links in this forum sucks.

 

[mendozanow]

Article:

Changes to Payment Method For Reciprocity Fee Visa
by Hugh Davies, 18 September 2012.

Share/Bookmark
The National Immigration Agency has changed the method by which tourists and business visitors from the US, Canada, and Australia will be required to pay in order to gain visa entry to Argentina.
The reciprocity fee will shortly no longer be payable at the airport upon arrival. Instead the payment must be carried out online, prior to arrival, using the credit card based Provincia Payment System.
The system will be effective as of 31st October 2012 for flights to Aeroparque and 28th December 2012 for Ezeiza International Airport. A press release clearly states that “after these dates cash payments will not be accepted at the airport”.
The change in payment method follows a decision to increase the fee for US citizens from US$140 to US$160, which came into effect in April of this year.
A press release from the US state department offers these instructions for how to pay the reciprocity fee online:
1) Enter the web site www.migraciones.gov.ar or www.provinciapagos.com.ar of Provincia Pagos and register to start the process.
2) Complete the form with the corresponding personal and credit card information.
3) Print the payment receipt.
4) On arrival in Argentina, this printed receipt must be presented at Immigration Control. The receipt will be scanned by the Immigration officials, the information will be checked, and the traveller’s entry to the country registered.

 

[mendozanow]

Confirmed by government website

http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/accesible/imagenes/reciprocidad.jpg

 

[pablosailor]

I am a U.S. citizen but I think ndcj is right. I travel all over the world and have to often deal with paying fees in advance. Getting a visa for China, for example, is a major hassle. Before entering China a foreigner has to go to a Chinese embassy(if we are overseas) wait in lines, pay high fees, and then return several days later to collect the completed visa. I had to complete my visa for India ahead of time and pay the $150 fee(like ndcj said). I had to go to San Francisco to do that but I was glad to get that ten year visa. Argentina asking for people to do it online before they arrive in Argentina is very reasonable, in my opinion. Maybe the person who wondered if Argentina is partly changing their system so they don't have to accept pesos at the airport is correct, but the basic system is in line with what many other countries around the world do. I like that idea of doing online rather than having to wait in a line at an embassy. Good idea.

 

[mendozanow]

I got a visa at Ezeiza in Nov 2011 for US$140 that has a 10-year multiple entry validity. Will I be "grandfathered in", or are old stamps invalidated in this reform process?

So far, it appears the current regulatory system still stands, so the 10-year multiple entry would still be valid. The coming change is only with respect to form of payment.

And, it still only to applies to international flight arrival at the two BA airports, not international flight arrivals at the other airports in Argentina, or to entry by land or sea.

 

[Greg2231]

Just US, Australia and Canada, all of whom charge exorbitant fees for visas.

The fees the US charges are not exorbitant, they are in order to recoup the cost of procesing visas, there is zero profit in this for the US. Unlike Argentinas fee which is a completley retaliatory cash generator for the goverment.

I dont know if you rember but Argentina used to be in the visa waiver program, but was expelled because there overstay rate went above a threshold making them ineligable to continue in the program. I personally would like to see Argentina back in the Visa waiver program, but doubt that it is very likely as I would suspect Argentines have a greater than 3% visa refusal rate which makes them ineligable to rejoin the visa waiver program.

 

[sleslie23]

It always amazes me how people from the US whine and cry when they are treated in the same way their country treats people from the "rest" of the world.

The fees charged by the US *ARE* exorbitant and the process extremely difficult for anyone not from a country on the visa waiver form.

 

[Greg2231]

It always amazes me how people from the US whine and cry when they are treated in the same way their country treats people from the "rest" of the world.

The fees charged by the US *ARE* exorbitant and the process extremely difficult for anyone not from a country on the visa waiver form.

If you consider $160 for a 10 year visa for the US as exorbitant, then how the hell are you going to affford a plane ticket and hotels? China charges me the same, and only will grant me a six month or 1 year visa, and I pay it every year without complaint.

I dont think foreigners have a right to complain about the US visa rules, just as I dont think any one but Argentines have a right to complain about the Argentine ones, and any ability you have to enter a foreighn country is at there discretion and terms. However that doesnt mean we cant debate the motivation behind such policys, and yes the process for a US visa can be long and dificult, though there may be reasons for that, but I wish it was much more simple for people to obtain a visa and visit the US or not even need one to begin with.

However Argentina charging a reciprocity fee isnt going to change that, all it will do is line the goverment coffers as the Argentinas fee is probally around 90% profit, versus the so called "exorbitant" US fee which has exactly 0% net profit in it. Maybe what the Argentine goverment should do is put all the money it collects from the reciprocity fees in a fund that can go to paying the Visa fees for Argentines.

 

[citygirl]

I don't think most people have issue with paying it. I do find it a bit absurd given that pretty much every country that charges a visa fee actually requires you to do an application, show proof of x, y and z, etc which is what the fee covers - checking that info. Argentina simply charges a fee for doing well.. nothing. But it's reciprocity so let's move on.

My only issue/concern is whether this new rule will be appropriately communicated. I know when they instituted the "visa" fee - it wasn't announced very well at all. I used to fly back/forth from here to the US on the regular and every flight people were shocked about it for the first year.

So now it will be required to be paid before hand. But who is going to inform tourists of that? Or where will that information be announced (b/c announced in an Argentine paper isn't exactly reaching the necessary audience)