Argentina Implements Reciprocal Fee

Ok, it is finally here… Beginning December 21, 2009, Argentina will implement a reciprocal tourist fee. This fee will only be imposed on those foreigners whose country of residence charges Argentines a fee to enter their country such as the United States, Canada, Australia.

In the case of US citizens entering Argentina only at EZE (Ezeiza Intl Airport), that fee will be approximately u$d 130 which is the same fee that Argentines are charged when they apply for a visa to visit the United States of America. There still won’t be a visa requirement and the Argentine government simply considers it fair to charge US citizens the same way that the US charges Argentines.

The big question is whether this will cover tourists for a set amount of time, say five years. It looks like it will be that way somehow. This is going to hurt Argentina’s tourism far more than it will help it.

On the other hand, most Argentines can’t afford to even get on a plane, let alone pay the cost of an US visa, or prove that they have adequate resources to even apply for a visa and be accepted (most foreigners who come from “underdeveloped countries” are suspect of wanting to overstay their visas). So u$d 130 for a traveler who can afford a plane fare that is most likely over u$s 1,000 is an inconvenience and may mean a few fewer steaks and bottles of wine, but lets keep things in perspective, eh?