A peaceful retirement, a fresh start or an apartment to buy: we guide you through every step, from your Bolivian residency to settling in. On the ground, in plain English, and fully within the law.
Enjoy the sun, a reasonable cost of living and a great quality of life, in Santa Cruz or elsewhere in Bolivia, with your residency fully in order.
Where to live in BoliviaStart over in a welcoming country, with a clear plan and people you can trust by your side.
Our servicesAn apartment to live in or to invest in, pre-construction or already built, with support all the way to the notary.
Real estate projectsYour residency package covers the essentials, from your documents to your Bolivian ID card. To settle in, you then choose only the services you need.
Temporary (1 or 3 years), permanent, then citizenship.
To be welcomed and guided from the moment you land.
To feel at home, quickly.
Buy a home to live in or as an investment.
Each optional service has its own price, shared in advance. You only pay for what you choose.
Bolivian law requires you to show a specific purpose for being in the country (an "objeto determinado"): a pension, a business activity, a contract. Depending on your profile, two main paths are open to you. We confirm the right one during the call.
Fee based on your profile, shared during the call. Government fees and translations included, all the way to your ID card. Settling-in services (airport pickup, housing, banking, NIT, driver's license) are optional. Everything is written into your service agreement before any payment.
30 minutes by video call to review your situation: your country, your income, your dates, your plans. You come away with the right residency path and your fee.
30 min, no commitmentA document checklist tailored to your country, reviewed before you leave, a written plan and the booking of your appointments.
Appointments booked about 2 to 3 weeks aheadYour stay begins. To put you in good hands from the very first hour: airport pickup, transfer, SIM card and a tour of your neighborhood.
OptionalMedical exam, Interpol certificate, immigration filing (DIGEMIG), then your foreign resident ID card (SEGIP). Someone who speaks English and Spanish is by your side.
Plan on about 15 to 21 days on siteAs needed: housing, lease, bank account, NIT, driver's license. And you keep lifetime access to our private WhatsApp group for clients. We stay with you for renewal, permanent residency and citizenship.
Optional servicesMoving abroad is a big step. Our role: to spare you the detours, the back-and-forth and the stress.
We left our own countries, went through our own residency applications and rebuilt our lives in South America. That experience is what we put to work for you.
After living in Asia, Mexico and then Paraguay, where he obtained permanent residency, Mathieu chose Santa Cruz. He knows the expat journey from the inside and takes care of your file, your appointments and your move.
After two years in Paraguay, Rémi settled in Santa Cruz. On our YouTube channel (in French), he shows real life in Bolivia, numbers included: housing, prices, neighborhoods, favorite spots. He welcomes you and shows you around the city.
Lawyers and notariesregistered in Bolivia, for your legal and notarial acts
Partner real estate agentsfor renting and buying
Official translatorsfor the Spanish translation of your documents
Independent accountantfor your tax questions and your company
Bolivia's economic capital, Santa Cruz de la Sierra brings together what many people look for in the next chapter of their lives: warmth, modern and green neighborhoods, excellent restaurants, buildings with pools and a cost of living that finally gives you room to breathe.
With a much lower cost of living (see the comparison), your pension or savings go further. And at about 400 meters (1,300 feet) above sea level, far from the heights of La Paz, life moves at a gentle pace in a green, spread-out city.
Santa Cruz is our city and the starting point for your paperwork, but your Bolivian residency is valid throughout the country. A milder climate, a historic city, vineyards or a village surrounded by nature: you choose the place that suits you.
A mild climate all year, a wide green valley, renowned food and affordable rents.
Bolivia's constitutional capital, with a historic center listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a peaceful atmosphere.
In the south of the country, a wine region with a temperate climate and an easygoing pace, loved for its way of life.
About 120 km (75 mi) from Santa Cruz, a mountain village with a cool climate, surrounded by nature, for a quiet life.
Altitude is an important factor when choosing a city: we discuss it with you during the call, and you can visit before you decide.
Public, dated data, so you can compare without taking our word for it.
Swipe the table to the left to see Paris and Montreal.
| Criterion | Santa CruzBolivia | ParisFrance | MontrealCanada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (city) | 1,606,671INE, 2024 census (preliminary results) | 2,103,778Insee, 2023 reference population | 1,762,949Statistics Canada, 2021 census |
| Average annual temperature | 24.6 °C76.3 °F | 12.2 °C54.0 °F | 7.1 °C44.8 °F |
| Coolest month | 20.8 °C in July69.4 °F | 4.6 °C in January40.3 °F | -9.2 °C in January15.4 °F |
| Rent, one-bedroom apartment downtown | 3,140 Bsabout US$270 per month | €1,387 | C$1,775 |
| Cost of living for a single person, excluding rent | 4,224 Bsabout US$361 per month | €1,043 | C$1,315 |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | 24 Bsabout US$2 | €16.50 | C$26.50 |
| Time difference with Santa Cruz | UTC-4 all year | +5 h in winter, +6 h in summer | -1 h in winter, none in summer |
| Distance from Santa Cruz (as the crow flies) | Arrival point | about 9,800 km (6,100 mi) | about 7,100 km (4,400 mi) |
Sources: cost of living and rents, Numbeo (Santa Cruz, updated Oct. 5, 2026; Paris, Oct. 16, 2026; Montreal, Oct. 15, 2026), amounts in local currency, US dollar conversion by Numbeo. Temperatures: 1991 to 2020 normals (Climats et voyages); Fahrenheit conversions by us. Population: INE Bolivia, Insee, Statistics Canada. Distances calculated between airports.
Monthly averages in °C, 1991 to 2020 normals. Hover over or tap the chart to see the values.
| Month | Santa Cruz | Paris | Montreal |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26.9 °C | 4.6 °C | -9.2 °C |
| February | 26.4 °C | 5.2 °C | -7.9 °C |
| March | 26.2 °C | 8.3 °C | -2.0 °C |
| April | 24.8 °C | 11.3 °C | 6.2 °C |
| May | 22.1 °C | 14.9 °C | 13.8 °C |
| June | 20.9 °C | 18.2 °C | 19.0 °C |
| July | 20.8 °C | 20.5 °C | 21.7 °C |
| August | 23.0 °C | 20.2 °C | 20.6 °C |
| September | 25.1 °C | 16.5 °C | 16.0 °C |
| October | 26.4 °C | 12.4 °C | 8.8 °C |
| November | 26.6 °C | 7.9 °C | 2.2 °C |
| December | 26.6 °C | 5.2 °C | -4.9 °C |
Santa Cruz is a gateway to some of the most beautiful landscapes in South America. Once you've settled in, adventure is just a few hours away by road or by plane.
White sand dunes and lagoons, right on the edge of the city. Perfect for a Sunday outing.
Forests, rivers and waterfalls west of Santa Cruz, one of the most biodiverse parks in the country.
A mountain village with a mild climate and its archaeological site, "El Fuerte", a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Historic churches and villages, also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Butterflies, birds and pools surrounded by nature, a few minutes from the city.
The great Andean landscapes, reachable by domestic flight from Santa Cruz.
To live in, as a part-time base or as an investment: we present pre-construction projects and existing properties with our partner agents, and support you all the way to signing.
Just one connection: via Miami from many North American cities, or via Madrid from Europe. And when you land at Viru Viru airport, we are there to welcome you.
No tourist visa needed for stays of up to 30 days, extendable free of charge up to 90 days per calendar year. Passport valid for 6 months after arrival.
Travel.gc.ca, updated October 14, 2026
No visa needed for a tourist stay of less than 90 days. Passport valid for 6 months from entry.
Diplomatie.gouv.fr, updated September 15, 2026
Entry rules vary by nationality, including for US, UK and other European citizens. We check them with you during the call, before you book your tickets.
Approximate flight times; check schedules and frequencies when booking. Once you have your residency, it is your residency, not tourist status, that governs your stay.
Housing, prices, neighborhoods: real life in Santa Cruz, numbers included. Our videos are in French.
Don't see your question here? Ask us during the call, or write to us.
Bolivian law requires you to show a specific purpose for being in the country (an "objeto determinado"): a pension, a job, a business activity or studies. If you have one, the 3-year residency is open to you. If not, the 1-year residency is requested with a sworn statement. We confirm the right path for you during the free call.
Yes, a retirement pension can support the 3-year residency. You need to provide official proof of it: we tell you exactly which document, based on your country and your pension provider.
No. Your paperwork is done with us in Santa Cruz, but your Bolivian residency is valid throughout the country. Cochabamba, Sucre, Tarija or Samaipata: we help you compare cities by budget, climate and altitude.
Plan on about 15 to 21 days in Santa Cruz: medical exam, Interpol certificate, immigration filing, then your foreign resident ID card. This estimate is based on our experience with complete documents; the authorities set the pace.
A passport valid for at least 6 months, then documents that depend on your profile (for example, proof of pension or income). Foreign documents must be apostilled, then officially translated into Spanish in Bolivia: translations are included. After the call, you receive a checklist tailored to your country.
Not at all. We work with you in English, and someone who speaks English and Spanish is by your side at every official appointment.
Our fee depends on your profile and your residency path. We share it during the free call, and it is then written into your service agreement. The package includes government fees and translations, all the way to your Bolivian ID card. Settling-in services (airport pickup, housing, bank account, NIT tax number, driver's license) are optional, each with a price shared in advance.
In two installments: 50% when you sign your service agreement, 50% when you arrive in Santa Cruz. Accepted payment methods (including international bank transfer) are listed in your agreement.
Yes. Each family member has their own file; we organize the process so you complete it together, during the same stay.
Yes. Presence rules apply depending on your type of residency. We explain them clearly before each trip and take care of any required requests.
Yes, a foreigner can buy with a passport (except within 50 km (31 mi) of the borders). Residency is still useful day to day: bank account, tax number, renting out your property. See our real estate page.
You keep lifetime access to our private WhatsApp group, for clients only, for your everyday questions. After 3 years, you can apply for permanent residency, then, under the conditions set by law, Bolivian citizenship. We support you at every step, as well as with your driver's license and Ciudadanía Digital (the digital ID for online government services).
Legal and notarial acts are carried out by lawyers and notaries registered in Bolivia, whom we work with. We coordinate everything and remain your single point of contact, from start to finish.
We do not give tax advice. For these questions, we connect you with an independent accountant in Bolivia, and we recommend you also consult a specialist in your home country.
30 minutes by video call with Mathieu to review your situation, the right residency path and the next steps.
Book my free callPrefer to write? residencebolivia@proton.me
