How do you get a CIE foreigner ID card in Bolivia in 2026?

You need DIGEMIG permanencia temporal or definitiva papers plus the Resolución Administrativa and notification or delivery proof SEGIP lists for first-time CIE files. Bring your valid passport (or other accepted identity document), the signed pre-registration form from SEGIP's foreigner flow, and originals with simple photocopies in one folder as the desk instructs.

Pay fees at Banco Unión into the institutional account SEGIP publishes for extranjería collections. Regular first issue and renewal are commonly listed at Bs. 600; student or disability tracks can be lower when the DIGEMIG resolución expressly supports that category. SEGIP notes that QR-style digital payments are not accepted for this flow because the system needs a bank transaction number it can validate. Keep the deposit slip original and a copy in the folder.

SEGIP guidance gives 25 business days from DIGEMIG notification to start the CIE without a fine, then Bs. 10 per day afterward until you file. Do not treat the visa sticker day as the end of paperwork if the plastic card is still pending.

La Paz SEGIP desks often print faster than Santa Cruz, where card pickup can add weeks after biometrics. Plan buffers before remote travel or bank appointments. Renewals reuse DIGEMIG permanence papers plus the old CIE, or a SEGIP loss/theft form if the card is gone. Duplicates and data changes follow separate published fee lines.

With a CIE you can open resident bank accounts that refuse passport-only customers: Open a bank account. Longer leases, phone plans and many contracts also expect the card number. Health access still depends on residence type and employment cover: Choose health insurance. Fees and lawyer buffers sit outside thin monthly sheets: How expensive is Bolivia and Monthly budget.

Spanish helps at every SEGIP window. Bring organised folders rather than assuming English service. Update the card when residence status changes so banks and contracts match the live DIGEMIG trail.