Post: #26

(07-10-2011 12:45 PM)Geronimo Wrote:  What about European citizens?

Colombian Tourists Visas are the same for EU, Australian and Canadian nationals - 180 calendar days per year starting New Years Day. Sorry, no special treatment for ya. hehe

Mixx

Post: #27

If they are teaching without a work visa then they teach six months and leave, you'll get hired regardless. Most classes are in 1 month to 3 month blocks, if you can stay that long then you're hired. When your time runs out you're gone unless you found a place to get ur work visa. It's the same deal in pretty much every country.

Post: #28

Update: There is also a surprise "leaving town tax" at the airport when you leave after having extended. I'm not totally clear on who gets charged, but my understanding was that anyone who stays over 2 months needs to pay an extra tax (in addition to the 72,350 COP at DAS). It's either $35 US or 65,000 COP and you pay it as you're checking in with the airline.

Not sure what happens if you try checking in online because they never require you to show proof of payment anywhere after the line for the boarding pass. It's pretty lame because it's never mentioned anywhere on the DAS website or during the complicated DAS process that you also have to pay this fee.

Post: #29

(08-10-2011 10:08 PM)Arobin Wrote:  Update: There is also a surprise "leaving town tax" at the airport when you leave after having extended. I'm not totally clear on who gets charged, but my understanding was that anyone who stays over 2 months needs to pay an extra tax (in addition to the 72,350 COP at DAS). It's either $35 US or 65,000 COP and you pay it as you're checking in with the airline.

Not sure what happens if you try checking in online because they never require you to show proof of payment anywhere after the line for the boarding pass. It's pretty lame because it's never mentioned anywhere on the DAS website or during the complicated DAS process that you also have to pay this fee.

This tax is exempt fo US/EU Citizens, you have to go and get an Exempcion de impuestos stamp on your passport (Tax exemption stamp) at another window at the airport when you leave - the check-in girls should of told you this.

Mixx

Post: #30

(08-10-2011 10:28 PM)MiXX Wrote:  This tax is exempt fo US/EU Citizens, you have to go and get an Exempcion de impuestos stamp on your passport (Tax exemption stamp) at another window at the airport when you leave - the check-in girls should of told you this.

Aw, lame. I showed them my US passport and visa stamps at the impuestos window but they just told me I didn't need anything and to go on to check-in.

Thanks for the info, MiXX. Good to know for the future and for others.

Post: #31

Amother thing you guys should know is that any taxes related to tourism are 100% reimbursable when you leave. Like your hotel taxes. The DIAN at the airport by local law MUST reimburse your taxes spent on hotel lodging! However, you must request it when you leave and have your receipts. They do not speak English, so have a Spanish translator nearby.


This does NOT apply to or include taxes you spent shopping, restaurants, or partying at nightclubs.


Mixx

Post: #32

Just to add:

The tourist visa is 180 days per calendar year, so theoretically, you could go there in june, cross the border over the new year period and then come back with a fresh 180 days.

The fine from D.A.S for overstating is "undefined", so basically it,s at their discretion. I know of someone who was charged 3,000,000 peso,s for overstaying and someone else who had to pay back charges on D.A.S fees. Luck of the draw and not worth the hassle.

The process Jalouse outlined is for your 1st extension. after that the D.A.S office has all your details on file, and all you need is payment and passport after that.

Something to consider, a bus to the venzuela will be over 200,000 cop, over 20 hours on the bus and an overnight stay from Bogota . I personally would rather pay 2 rounds at the D>A>S office, particularly if I am not near the coast, say medellin or Bogota.

Hope this helps[/align]

Post: #33

Latin lover, I have to clarify something I believe you incorrectly understand.

Yes, you are allowed 180 calendar days per year in Colombia. This does not mean that you arrive in Colombia in June, and can stay until Dec. 31st as you posted. The DAS agent would likely only grant you a 60 day stay with the right to extend by jumping through hoops fir another 30 days. On your 90th calendar day YOU MUST LEAVE COLOMBIA!

So, if you are issued a 60 day stay upon entry you could:


A. Leave Colombia for 48 hrs, or extend another 30 days, at which point you are FORCED to leave in 30 days, but you can return for another 60 or 90 days until you reach 180 total days.


B. If the Das agent only gave you 60 days, you must leave the country for 48hrs, and you can return gor another 60(or 90) days within the same year.

There is no Colombian tourist Visa that let's you stay 180 consecutive calendar days!

Mix

Post: #34

With the greatest respect MiXX, I have to disagree.

If I have read your post corrrectly, what you are saying is that the maximum amount of days you can spend in Colombia is 90 consecutive days, with a total of 180 days per calendar year.

Earlier this year I spent just over a 100 days in Colombia, this is with a 60 day entry stamp and 2 30 day visa extensions. The people at the D.A.S office also assured me that i can stay 180 consecutive days.

Knowing that D.A.S are as clear as mud, I also checked on their website of which I pulled the below off:

Para efecto del control migratorio se entenderá por año calendario el periodo comprendido entre el primero (1°) de enero y el treinta y uno (31) de diciembre. Ningún extranjero que ingrese al país en calidad de visitante turista o podrá permanecer por más de ciento ochenta (180) días continuos o discontinuos dentro del mismo año calendario.

Post: #35

How typical of Colombia to confuse the shit out of everyone and be as inconsistent with their immigration laws as posible.

I have had to leave Colombia to Venezuela for a weekend the times I was issued a 60 day tourist visa.

The formal code you pulled from the websites just says that no tourist can stay more than 180 days consecutive or otherwise per calendar year. It does not make clear if a 60 day stamp truly means 60 days with the right to extend 30 day extensions until 180 days is reached.


I guess my new interpretation is that after 60 days are up, you must continue to extend your Visa by jumping through hoops or leave for 48 hrs until 180 days is reached.

Appreciate this a lot. Knowing Colombians, if I were to ask a DAS agent this, he'd tell me a whole other story.

Mixx

Post: #36

This is really good info.. My 180 days are up in mid-October so if I don't have a visa by then, I gotta come up with something. Hopefully, by then I'll be done with my TEFL (taking online courses now) and will have found a job with a work visa. If not, I can't imagine that overstaying my 180 days, paying a (TBD) fine, & hoping they let me in after the new year does not seem like a good option.

My back-up plan for a work visa may end up being this:
I have heard from more then one person that the way to go about it is to apply for a visa independently. Fill out the paperwork and go to the correct office. From there, (I'm told) there are some fairly visible 'special' lawyers. You pay them 500k pesos and then walk your visa up the later. I assume this involves payoffs up and down the line but don't know, nor do I need to. Supposedly (I don't know first hand, have only been told), this is a relatively painless process. I hope it doesn't come to this, but I'm open to any stories of people who may have tried this.

Post: #37

(08-16-2011 07:51 AM)rinestone Wrote:  This is really good info.. My 180 days are up in mid-October so if I don't have a visa by then, I gotta come up with something. Hopefully, by then I'll be done with my TEFL (taking online courses now) and will have found a job with a work visa. If not, I can't imagine that overstaying my 180 days, paying a (TBD) fine, & hoping they let me in after the new year does not seem like a good option.

My back-up plan for a work visa may end up being this:
I have heard from more then one person that the way to go about it is to apply for a visa independently. Fill out the paperwork and go to the correct office. From there, (I'm told) there are some fairly visible 'special' lawyers. You pay them 500k pesos and then walk your visa up the later. I assume this involves payoffs up and down the line but don't know, nor do I need to. Supposedly (I don't know first hand, have only been told), this is a relatively painless process. I hope it doesn't come to this, but I'm open to any stories of people who may have tried this.

Go to das, ask for an extention( it's given in 30 day increments) and cost about 35.00...Show them proof of residence, and reason for your stay(should be as legitimate as possible) It's a revenue racket. Make sure you do this way in advance of your time being up. Buena suerte.

They are ways to get a Cedula de Extranjeria in order to get your visa.Do you have an account there, a cosigner in your apartment? These always make things easier

Pusscrook.

Post: #38

(08-19-2011 02:43 PM)Pusscrook Wrote:  

(08-16-2011 07:51 AM)rinestone Wrote:  This is really good info.. My 180 days are up in mid-October so if I don't have a visa by then, I gotta come up with something. Hopefully, by then I'll be done with my TEFL (taking online courses now) and will have found a job with a work visa. If not, I can't imagine that overstaying my 180 days, paying a (TBD) fine, & hoping they let me in after the new year does not seem like a good option.

My back-up plan for a work visa may end up being this:
I have heard from more then one person that the way to go about it is to apply for a visa independently. Fill out the paperwork and go to the correct office. From there, (I'm told) there are some fairly visible 'special' lawyers. You pay them 500k pesos and then walk your visa up the later. I assume this involves payoffs up and down the line but don't know, nor do I need to. Supposedly (I don't know first hand, have only been told), this is a relatively painless process. I hope it doesn't come to this, but I'm open to any stories of people who may have tried this.

Go to das, ask for an extention( it's given in 30 day increments) and cost about 35.00...Show them proof of residence, and reason for your stay(should be as legitimate as possible) It's a revenue racket. Make sure you do this way in advance of your time being up. Buena suerte.

They are ways to get a Cedula de Extranjeria in order to get your visa.Do you have an account there, a cosigner in your apartment? These always make things easier

Pusscrook.

no account, but yes a co-signer (or signer) on my apt. I know it's a shakedown, but am not sure of the logistics. is a 30 day extension a given if you've already had 6 months?

Post: #39

(08-20-2011 07:40 AM)rinestone Wrote:  is a 30 day extension a given if you've already had 6 months?

You are only allowed 180 TOTAL DAYS per calendar year on a Tourist Visa.

You will NOT be granted another 30 days past 180 days on the same calendar year after you pass this number, and will have to wait until Midnight New Years Day 2012 to enter as a tourist once again.

Unless you change from a Tourist Visa to a Work/Student/Spouse/Investor Visa, you're done for 2011 in Colombia.


Mixx

Post: #40

Each time I've come into Bogota, they've only stamped me for 30 days and would not do more. Last time, when i left i went to the office in Bogota, I was technically illegal. I went through a process similar to the one described here to get my passport straightened out.

Now I have a unique situation. I have overstayed my 30 days stamp from my second trip, but not my 6 month tourist visa. Due to a teaching job, I'm starting the work visa process on Monday. My question is this, do I need to go back to the office to make sure I am legal before the visa process starts? I'm assuming the answer is yes, but I don't know for sure. Last time I straightened out my illegality, they told me not to do it until 14 days before I was leaving the country. I don't know if this was to save me a payment or because once you fix your illegality you HAVE to leave.

If anybody has an experience with this, could you chime in? Speculation is welcome, just trying to figure out the best course of action so that I don't have any problems with my work visa.

Post: #41

I am in Colombia now and have just noticed that my 60 day tourist visa has expired (as I didn't check and assumed it was 90 days). I am about 2 weeks over the deadline but am hoping to leave in the next few days.

I am either going to fly or get a bus out from Cali, should I go to DAS first and explain that I thought it was meant for 90 days or just chance it and see if I can get away with it or pay a fine there and then?

Anyone know if it's easier to go to the DAS at Medellin or Cali?

Cheers

Post: #42

rinestone Go to DAS office and explain the situation. You should not have been advised to be willfully illegal anyhow.

Pure conjecture, but I can't imagine a teaching visa being given to an illegal alien in any country.

TravelEH Agian go to the DAS office. It's been mentioned but guess what,s going to happen when you get to the border or airport? They'll look at your passport and tell you to present yourself to the DAS, possibly in Bogota, bye bye to your flight/bus fare!

Where does Medellin fit into it? Bogota is HQ and closer?

Post: #43

TravelEH: They will not let you leave the country if you overstayed and didn't get it squared away at DAS first. Prepare for a couple trips to the office since you have to first learn what fine you have to pay, then go to the bank, then return back with the receipt.

Post: #44

(08-20-2011 09:40 AM)MiXX Wrote:  

(08-20-2011 07:40 AM)rinestone Wrote:  is a 30 day extension a given if you've already had 6 months?

You are only allowed 180 TOTAL DAYS per calendar year on a Tourist Visa.

You will NOT be granted another 30 days past 180 days on the same calendar year after you pass this number, and will have to wait until Midnight New Years Day 2012 to enter as a tourist once again.

Unless you change from a Tourist Visa to a Work/Student/Spouse/Investor Visa, you're done for 2011 in Colombia.


Mixx

Just for the record, after coming from another couple rounds with the DAS, it does appear you can overstay 180 days. I got approved for 30 more days even though my six months is up before those thirty days. you never know with these guys- it's probably different each time.

My impression (today, not on others) is that you can stay longer you just have to keep paying. I don't know if you could try to keep this going with 30 day extensions or not and I don't plan on testing it as a visa is in the works, but as of today (or maybe only for today), you can stay longer then 180 days.

I wouldn't want to advise people to count on this, but I wouldn't rule it all the way out either.

Post: #45

Inconsistent does not even begin to cover it.

You,ll see on the stamps that they date it from say, the 5th oct to 5th nov which is 31 not 30, so in feb say it'll be a 28 day stamp.

The 1s time i went to DAS, they didn,t go ahead because they wanted to finish early for the weekend, regardless that my visa expired on sunday, assaured it would be fine.

Went back on monday, was informed that they dont do international on monday, on the tuesday, did paperwork and fingerprints/photo,s only to be told the lady with the stamp was off. Finally complete on wed!

Just venting a little, but yeah, take nothing for granted unless in black and white. Even then, it really is in the lap of the gods.

Post: #46

(09-15-2011 05:35 PM)latinlover Wrote:  Inconsistent does not even begin to cover it.

You,ll see on the stamps that they date it from say, the 5th oct to 5th nov which is 31 not 30, so in feb say it'll be a 28 day stamp.

The 1s time i went to DAS, they didn,t go ahead because they wanted to finish early for the weekend, regardless that my visa expired on sunday, assaured it would be fine.

Went back on monday, was informed that they dont do international on monday, on the tuesday, did paperwork and fingerprints/photo,s only to be told the lady with the stamp was off. Finally complete on wed!

Just venting a little, but yeah, take nothing for granted unless in black and white. Even then, it really is in the lap of the gods.

Definitely true. And this is why I don't want people to put faith in anything you are told by the DAS, or by this message board. I've been told to blast off and come back in the morning and I'm quite sure it was only because these government jerk offs had unofficially checked out for the day. God help you if you try to get something done there in the afternoon.

The guy today grilled me so much, I swear he was looking for me to bribe him to get the paperwork through quickly, no kidding. Money talks here- in the US or other countries the final say is usually written somewhere, here it is in the hands of the person you are dealing with at that point. They can grease the wheels or throw sand on them as they see fit. no joke.

Post: #47

So it would be best to come to Colombia in

july / august

stay 180 up till jan 1, then leave the country and return the next day for another 180 days.

which in a sense would be allowing you to stay for 360 days straight almost

am i understanding this correct?

Post: #48

@Dash

Yes. However, When you enter Colombia on a tourist Visa, you will have to go through the 30 day extension process after your initial 60 days upon entry into the country, and every 30 days thereafter.

Post: #49

Is there anyway to get a job in Colombia?

I'm in the planning stages right now (brushing up on Spanish, saving some money, etc.) but I'd really like to live in Colombia for a year or two. Get a job doing something manly - hard work oriented.

Is there anyway to get a work visa?

Post: #50

dash, you can do that, but the guys at customs can also be jerk off. i have always asked for 60 or 90 days and they have given me 30 each time. it all depends on their mood. to be safe and safe some cash, go before your 30 days (or 60 if they stamp for 60) and get it extended. i think it's only like 20-30k if you go before but a couple hundred if after (for me it was).

tassadar, easiest way to work here is to teach english. there's a really good thread on here about it. you can take the TEFL online, so that could be part of your preparation.