911 is the unified number, 110 the police and 118 or 165 an ambulance - and dispatchers rarely speak English. The tourist police in La Paz, Santa Cruz, Sucre and Potosi are the better route for a foreign visitor.
- 911 is the unified emergency number, 110 or 120 reaches the Policia Nacional, 118 or 165 an ambulance and 119 the fire brigade.
- Dispatchers rarely speak English, which is the strongest practical argument for staying somewhere with a 24-hour desk on your first nights.
- The tourist police are the better route for a visitor, with offices in La Paz at the Estadio Hernando Siles, in Santa Cruz on Plaza 24 de Septiembre, and in Sucre and Potosi.
- A lost passport means the police report first, then your embassy in La Paz for an emergency travel document.
- Sort out your migration record with DIGEMIG before you fly, because your entry stamp went with the passport. This is not something to discover at the airport.
Emergency numbers
- 911 - unified emergency services
- 110 or 120 - Policia Nacional patrol response
- 118 or 165 - ambulance and medical emergency
- 119 - Bomberos, fire
- 122 or 116 - FELCC, crime investigation
Dispatchers on 110 and 911 rarely speak English. If you can, have hotel reception or a tourist police officer translate. This is the strongest practical argument for staying somewhere with a 24-hour desk on your first nights.
Tourist police (Policia de Turismo)
- La Paz - Puerta 22, Estadio Hernando Siles - +591 2 2225016
- Santa Cruz de la Sierra - Plaza 24 de Septiembre - +591 3 3225016
- Sucre - Plazuela Zudanez - +591 4 6480467
- Potosi - Calle Ayacucho and Bustillos - +591 2 6227404
If your passport is lost or stolen
- Report it to the tourist police or the FELCC and get the written report.
- Contact your embassy in La Paz for an emergency travel document.
- Sort out your migration record with DIGEMIG before you fly, since your entry stamp went with the passport. Leave time for this - it is not something to discover at the airport.
Remember the fake-police scam in the safety section: a real officer will happily walk you to a station, and a genuine emergency response comes from a marked vehicle.
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