Please check with your relevant Government Travel Advice Service for the latest advice regarding your passport and visa requirements for each South American country you plan to visit.

Your government is likely to have a Travel Advice website with Visa information for individual countries worldwide. If you can't find the specific information you are looking for, then be sure to make a phone call to your Government Travel Advice Service. Ask them this simple question:

"Do I need a Visa to travel to any particular South American countries?".
VERY IMPORTANT !
Generally, you must be in possession of a valid passport with at least six months validity. Make sure you have plenty of spare pages in your passport for entry & exit stamps. Depending on the nationality passport you possess, you may have to apply for a Visa to visit some South American countries prior to your travel. Brazil and Paraguay, for example, have stringent Visa requirements you should check. Since March 1st 2007 Bolivia now make United States citizens apply for entry Visas.

United States Citizens can research up-to-date Passport & Travel Visa Requirements by clicking here.

Many overseas citizens to South America will be able to enter countries solely with a valid passport (for tourism only) without the need for a specific Visa. The majority of tourists can usually access countries for free (except Chile which may charge a small entry fee for United States & Australian citizens). A toursit can stay somewhere between 30 - 90 days in most South American countries. Individual countries may allow you to pay for a time extension on your tourist stay.

Beware of checking Visa requirements by 'trawling' random travel chat forums. I've seen numerous travel chat forums where Visa information advice for South America is hopelessly out-of-date! You must double check with your Government Travel Advice Service which is updated daily.

Nicks Travel Notes: “Recently I met two Australian travellers who told me that they had been refused entry at the Brazil border. They were completely unaware that as Australian passport holders they required a specific Brazil Entry Visa that must be obtained before leaving Australia. Countries Visa requirements often change, so please do your research carefully.”

2007 South America Travel Advice