Amigos de las Américas

AMIGOS de las Américas

Passports & Visas

All Volunteers

AMIGOS requires that all volunteers, regardless of country assignment, send two clear copies of the first page of their passport to the International Office with their application. Remind volunteers that these copies must be clear, in the event they need to replace a stolen or lost passport.
Volunteers’ passports should be valid six months after the arrival in country of the project year.

Volunteers Assigned to:

1. Paraguay - The International Office will send an information packet to all Paraguay volunteers in March. Volunteers must submit a visa application, a check, their passport, two passport photos, and copies of identification cards to IO in April. They will be without their passports until the end of May, so if they have plans to travel internationally before then, they must inform IO immediately. The visa will be placed directly in the passport and will be returned to the volunteer with the airline tickets.

2. Michoacan - Volunteers are required to submit four (4) passport size pictures (two(2) are of the front side, and two (2) are of the left side (the ear must be visible and no jewelry can be worn)) in March. They are also required to submit a passport copy, but if one is already on file, then they do not need to submit another one. IO completes the application portion of the visa process and registers volunteers with the immigration office in Michoacan. Other projects in Mexico do not require special visas. Each state establishes its own set of immigration parameters.

3. Dominican Republic and Panama - A tourist card is required, and can be purchased for $10 and $5, respectively in Miami upon checking in with AMIGOS representatives

4. Nicaragua – A tourist card is required and can be purchased for $5 upon arrival in Nicaragua

Volunteers with Non-US Passports may require a visa to travel to the assigned project area. These volunteers should indicate that they do not have a US passport on the volunteer application. They are required to research their own visa requirements for entry into Latin America and the United States.

Lost or Forgotten Passports - All volunteers are responsible for traveling with their passport to the gateway departure city. If a volunteer arrives in the gateway departure city without a passport, he/she will NOT be permitted to travel to Latin America. In such an instance, the volunteer will be held responsible for any expenses related to either helping him/her get to Latin America or return to home of record from the Gateway City Airport.