Post: #1

Overview

The maximum length of a tourist visa in Colombia is 60 days. You can go to a DAS office and get a 30 day extension, which costs about $40 USD in fees and a boatload of hassle and paperwork. The goal of this walkthrough is to make the process clearer and reduce the amount of pain and confusion involved in getting a renewal.

Before You Go - Getting the Deposit Slip

The extension fee cannot be paid at the DAS office. You need to go to a Davivienda and deposit the money into the DAS checking account and then present proof of payment at the DAS office. Go to a Davivienda branch and say you need to "consignar" or make a "consignación" into the DAS account. At the time of this writing, you must deposit $72,350.00 COP into business account 056-99020-3, Código 103, account name "Fondo Rotatorio DAS."

It's probably a good idea to first check the DAS web site for the current account information and deposit amount. It'll be tricky because it's in Spanish and not well organized, but today you can find the current information by going to the DAS Web site > Servicios de Informacion > Preguntas frecuentes. The information is under the question "¿Cuáles son los requisitos para prorrogar la permanencia como turista en el territorio nacional?" I don't know how much you can trust the site, however, as it currently lists fewer requirements than they actually demand at the office (e.g. says you need just one photocopy of your passport picture page). The best bet is to go down to the DAS office and pick up the check-list in person, but this is a hassle.

Before You Go - Makin' Copies

You need photocopies of the following:

Passport picture page - 2 photocopies.
Passport visa stamp page - 2 photocopies.
Davivienda Deposit slip - 2 photocopies.

I got color copies because I read on another forum that color copies are better, but I'm not sure if it makes a difference and none of the DAS instructions specify color or B&W.

Renewal Timing

The official documentation for the visa process always talks about the visa time in terms of days rather than months (i.e. "60 days" rather than "2 months") but in practice, they seem to go by months. I arrived in Colombia on May 9th, 2011 and so 90 days should have brought me to August 7th, but they gave me a stamp until August 9th, which is 92 days.

Lonely planet and other forums I've read say you can get the extension at any time, but I went to DAS about a month after I'd arrived and they told me that they only do visa renewals within 2 days of the visa expiration, so I had to come back a few weeks later.

Visiting DAS Office - Day 1

The DAS Office in Medellin is located at Calle 19 No. 80A - 40 Barrio Belen. It's open Monday - Friday from 7 AM to 3:30 PM.

Checklist:
Original Passport
2 photocopies of passport photo page
2 photocopies of passport visa stamp page
Davivienda deposit slip
2 photocopies of deposit slip
3 photos sized 3cm x 4cm (you can get these in advance, but it's easy/quick/cheap to just get them right around the corner from the DAS office the day of)
Something to read while you sit and wait (Optional)

Note: Cell phones (or any electronics) are not allowed in the DAS building. You can check it at the front gate and retrieve it when you leave, but it's easier just to leave it home.

Note: The DAS staff does not speak English, so if you don't know Spanish, you need to bring someone who does or hope that another foreigner waiting there can translate for you. The guards won't let a translator past the front gate unless you pretend he's just a foreigner that needs a visa.

I think most cabbies know the DAS office ("la oficina de DAS") by name and it's simpler just to say that than the address. They'll probably drop you off at the correct foreigners' entrance, which is just a guard gate leading to a small office labeled "extranjería." If you see a gigantic line of Colombians, you're at the wrong entrance.

If you haven't gotten your photos yet, there are a bunch of little shops that will do it for you around the corner from the DAS building. Just ask anyone and they'll point it out to you. It's quick and costs about $6,000 COP, if I recall.

When you enter the DAS office, the guard will ask you if you have any cell phone or electronics and if you do, you'll check it at the gate and retrieve it when you leave. Then you enter the office and tell the receptionist you're there for a visa extension. She'll ask to see all of your paperwork and give you a form to fill out. The requirements technically call for a photocopy of this completed form, but she let me just fill out two copies by hand instead. The form asks the usual name, DOB, nationality questions but also asks some strange questions like blood type, physical build, and distinguishing scars or attributes.

Once the receptionist verifies that all your paperwork is in order, she'll tell you to sit and wait. There's no organized system of order among the people there so the burden is on everyone waiting to organize themselves into correct first come, first served order. when I was there, people who were on deck would move to the front row, but it was still kind of just ad-hoc who's been waiting longest. Pay attention to who's there when you get there and who arrives after you.

Prepare to be waiting a long time. I waited about an hour, but I've heard horror stories of people waiting 4-5 hours. That's why I recommend a book or something to occupy your time (remember you won't have your cell phone to play with).

Once you're up, you hand in all your documentation and photos and the DAS guy makes it into little booklets. Then they take you to a room in the back and take mugshots (head-on face photo, profile of both sides). Then they scan all of your fingerprints... twice. Finally they tell you they're set and ask you to return tomorrow for your extension stamp.

Visiting DAS Office - Day 2

Returning for your visa extensions stamp is thankfully very straightforward and quick. Just explain to the receptionist when you arrive that you turned in your documentation already and you just need the stamp in your passport. She'll take the passport to the back and ask you to sit and wait. After about 5 minutes, someone will call your name and give you back your stamped passport and you're done.

Post: #2

Here is a photo of the checklist they hand out at the DAS Medellin office as of July, 2011.



Here is the translation:

Quote:Request for Extension

Requirements

1. Make a deposit in any Davivienda office in the business checking account No. 056-99020-3, Code 103, $72,350.00, "Fondo Rotatorio DAS". Present two photocopies of the deposit slip.

2. Three (3) photos 3x4 any background.

3. Original passport.

4. Completed form and its respective photocopy.

5. Two (2) photocopies of the photo page of the passport.

6. Two (2) photocopies of the visa stamp page of the passport.

7. Completed form and its respective photocopy. [Note: Not sure why this is on here twice]

8. If one is a minor, present the degree of blood-relation if the parents carry out the paperwork (Registro Civil).

9. Present authorization of the parents if the paper work is carried out by family members.

10. Present all of these documents in letter sized paper.

Post: #3

That's a lot of work when you can simply cross-over to Venezuela for a weekend and come back.

+1 for sharing however, you really did your homework.

Mixx

Post: #4

(07-08-2011 09:49 AM)MiXX Wrote:  That's a lot of work when you can simply cross-over to Venezuela for a weekend and come back.

Yeah, agreed. I don't know if I'd have done all that if I knew up front how much of a pain in the ass it'd be. I showed up the first time with photocopies of my passport and thought it'd be over and done with in a matter of hours. I'm hoping that laying out the whole process will help others on the board make a better decision for what would be most convenient for them.

Post: #5

By the way the max visa is initially 90 days but YOU MUST REQUEST IT UPON ENTRY to the DAS agent! Otherwise, he will issue a 60 day.

You are allowed 180 days per year without having to pay anything, but you must leave the country on your 90th day!

Mixx

Post: #6

Hahaha! Thats like that in Colombia y man! You have to get used to all that tramitología! Filas! (hit on girls in the Filas is very good) Tiempo perdido! This is a very good guide...But if you have Problem, you can look for tramitadores... but you have to be careful beacause you never know...

Post: #7

Sounds difficult but it's not a big deal, everything is right around the office to get the photocopies pictures etc also this is only for the first time, the next time you just pay the fee at the bank then head to das with your passport.

From what I've heard they're pretty stingy with the 90 day visas, everyone I met only got 60 days regardless of whether they asked or not.

Post: #8

you can ask for 90 days when you arrive but that doesn't mean they will give it to you. I asked, and got a huge NO

The level of pain might vary from city to city. In Santa Marta it took maybe 2 or so hours (to leave with your new visa stamp), cell phones and ipod inside were not an issue and no mug shot photos.

I didn't find it a painful process, a couple of hours of your time every 60 days doesn't seem like a big deal to me.

Pretty much the same in any other country I've done it in.

Post: #9

You have to SMILE and give a good reason for requesting the 90 day, I suggest saying you are there to invest in real estate and have a wedding to go to on your 70th day ( they will not confirm this). Be VERY POLITE.

When I did not have my Colombian cedula, I was never denied a 90 day Visa once I Mentioned being an investor.

Mixx

Post: #10

(07-08-2011 02:57 PM)MiXX Wrote:  You have to SMILE and give a good reason for requesting the 90 day, I suggest saying you are there to invest in real estate and have a wedding to go to on your 70th day ( they will not confirm this). Be VERY POLITE.

When I did not have my Colombian cedula, I was never denied a 90 day Visa once I Mentioned being an investor.

Mixx

but ur Mixx and we aren't

Post: #11

i wish i had this guide couple of months ago, probably would've save me a day out of the day and a half i went through during the same process.

i may end up testing the 180 day thing soon. i was in bogota for 3 months and i'm back for another 3 trying to get a visa. anybody have any ideas on what happens when you overstay?

Post: #12

(07-09-2011 11:21 AM)rinestone Wrote:  i wish i had this guide couple of months ago, probably would've save me a day out of the day and a half i went through during the same process.

i may end up testing the 180 day thing soon. i was in bogota for 3 months and i'm back for another 3 trying to get a visa. anybody have any ideas on what happens when you overstay?

You will get a fine....some where in the 200,000 cop range or so I have heard....keep in mind that if use up your six months and then leave.... they probably won't let you back in until Jan 1st...so if you plan on overstaying your visa make sure you either stay until the end of the year or you might not be able to come back until january.

Post: #13

(07-09-2011 05:12 PM)Cali-Pro Wrote:  

(07-09-2011 11:21 AM)rinestone Wrote:  i wish i had this guide couple of months ago, probably would've save me a day out of the day and a half i went through during the same process.

i may end up testing the 180 day thing soon. i was in bogota for 3 months and i'm back for another 3 trying to get a visa. anybody have any ideas on what happens when you overstay?

You will get a fine....some where in the 200,000 cop range or so I have heard....keep in mind that if use up your six months and then leave.... they probably won't let you back in until Jan 1st...so if you plan on overstaying your visa make sure you either stay until the end of the year or you might not be able to come back until january.

so you think im good to overstay my six months, pay a fine, then come back after january 1???

Post: #14

Up until now I thought that if one wants to stay 180 days in a row in a year as a plain tourist you basically have 2 options:

- 60 days visa + (30 days extension x 4)
- 90 days visa + (30 days extension x 3)

(The extension is issued for a max of 30 days, right?)

MiXX, that'd be really cool...are you saying it's as simple as leaving on your 90th day, do the Venezuela weekend thing, come back and get a brand new 90 days visa ?
When was that? Does this still apply? Which Colombian city did you come back through?
Thank you!

(Amazing forum by the way!)

Post: #15

(07-10-2011 06:19 AM)rinestone Wrote:  

(07-09-2011 05:12 PM)Cali-Pro Wrote:  

(07-09-2011 11:21 AM)rinestone Wrote:  i wish i had this guide couple of months ago, probably would've save me a day out of the day and a half i went through during the same process.

i may end up testing the 180 day thing soon. i was in bogota for 3 months and i'm back for another 3 trying to get a visa. anybody have any ideas on what happens when you overstay?

You will get a fine....some where in the 200,000 cop range or so I have heard....keep in mind that if use up your six months and then leave.... they probably won't let you back in until Jan 1st...so if you plan on overstaying your visa make sure you either stay until the end of the year or you might not be able to come back until january.

so you think im good to overstay my six months, pay a fine, then come back after january 1???

I think you will be OK if you stay and pay the fine...if you over stay and then try to come back before Jan. 1st you will be screwed.

Post: #16

(07-10-2011 08:20 AM)tonehammer2009 Wrote:  Up until now I thought that if one wants to stay 180 days in a row in a year as a plain tourist you basically have 2 options:

- 60 days visa + (30 days extension x 4)
- 90 days visa + (30 days extension x 3)

(The extension is issued for a max of 30 days, right?)

MiXX, that'd be really cool...are you saying it's as simple as leaving on your 90th day, do the Venezuela weekend thing, come back and get a brand new 90 days visa ?
When was that? Does this still apply? Which Colombian city did you come back through?
Thank you!

(Amazing forum by the way!)

So long as you don't go pass 180 calendar days, you can leave Colombia to ANY country and come right back for another 60 days or 90 days depending on what the DAS agent feels like giving you the 2nd time around and how much he/she likes you in the 5 milliseconds they know you.

You can cross by plane to any neighboring country or by land to Venezuela via Cucuta.

Juts remember, 180 calendar days per year is ALL you get as a tourist.

If you have not been to Colombia the first 2 Quarters of 2011, then you can go and stay the rest of 2011 there, and hell, even stay in January some more as it is a NEW Year!


Mixx

Post: #17

I cant remb but how do the ppl teaching in Colombia without workvisas stay for a full yr and more if all you can stay is 180 days?

Is all you do is pay the fine and you will be allowed back in?

Post: #18

(07-10-2011 10:29 AM)Dash Global Wrote:  I cant remb but how do the ppl teaching in Colombia without workvisas stay for a full yr and more if all you can stay is 180 days?

Is all you do is pay the fine and you will be allowed back in?

You cannot work in Colombia without a work-visa. Hell, you cannot even get married in Colombia without a "Marriage Visa" (not a tourist visa, unless you get married in SAI).

The simple fact that you are asked for a "Cedula No." for everything you do is enough to let anyone know you are not Colombian.

Teaching/work-visa is NOT the same as a tourist visa where you are only allowed to spend money, and not make any money.

You will have legal issues if you stay more than 180 calendar days in Colombia on nothing more than a tourist visa. I strongly recommend you not try it or risk paying up to $2,000USD in fines. But it gets better, you MUST fly to Bogota and pay your fines, don't think because you are made of money you can pay fines right there, get your boarding pass, and be done with it.

If you are low on funds, find yourself in Cali, and overstayed your Visa, boy are you in for a nice "salad toss" Colombian style.

You also risk not being allowed into the country again for x amount of years, depending on how the DAS agent is feeling that day.

Teaching on a 2 year temporary work visa is completely different.

Mixx

Post: #19

Mixx,

Im gonna assume you mean legally as many people work in Colombia without a work visa. Now this is obviously under the table and illegal.

Maybe someone working in Colombia without a work visa for more than 6 months can chime in an give a def answer of the in's an out's and how to get around this rule.

Post: #20

(07-10-2011 11:06 AM)Dash Global Wrote:  Mixx,

many people work in Colombia without a work visa.

How do you know for certain many people work as English teachers in Colombia w/o a work visa? Hearsay? You've only been there once for a couple of weeks

(07-10-2011 11:06 AM)Dash Global Wrote:  Maybe someone working in Colombia without a work visa for more than 6 months can chime in an give a def answer of the in's an out's and how to get around this rule.

Regardless, if how to go about breaking local immigration laws is what you are after, I cannot help you, nor do I recommend anyone here continue a thread on breaking immigration laws in Colombia...we got enough stigma and bullshit to deal with as American foreigners. This thread is about legally extending your tourist Visa in Colombia, and Arobin went through a great deal of trouble to do his homework, and let us know so others do not fall through the same trap doors.

Dash, Why do you insist on derailing it to a controversial subject on ways to break the local laws? Sorry man, not cool, and you know Mixx don't hate on anyone here.

However, It's Roosh's forum...if he allows it, so be it.

Mixx

Post: #21

Mixx,

I meet a group of 8 teachers in Cartagena teaching in Bogota and 6 of them were working without a workvisa. It is pretty common knowledge / info for anyone that knows about teaching English in Colombia. If you go to DavesESLCafe Colombia forum you will find it VERY common for ppl working w/o a work visa. Work visas are not easy to obtain in Colombia. Not sure if you read my Teaching ESL in Colombia thread but a few posters that are teaching or have taught in Colombia talk alittle bit about the work visa situation. You dont have to take my word for it, with alil research anyone cant find the reality of teaching in Colombia with and without a work visa.

Not trying to derail this thread but people work / stay in Colombia for longer than the 180 days. Sorry but I thought that was relevant to the topic as many of the people extending their tourist visa in Colombia are working / teaching in Colombia and have to deal with DAS and make visa runs ect.

Obviously anyone going to teach in Colombia goal is to get a work visa but that is certainly no guarantee and there is a high chance you wont get one your first year. In the case that one is not able to obtain they will need to know the guidelines to how to work around the system.

Post: #22

(07-10-2011 11:28 AM)Dash Global Wrote:  If you go to DavesESLCafe Colombia forum you will find it VERY common for ppl working w/o a work visa.

OK...then if you already have a credible-illegal source (oxymoron?) for ilegal ways of teaching abroad. Why you mentioned you needed help on it here?

Sorry man, usually I'm pretty cool about shit...you know this. This is one of my hot buttons (long story).

Mixx

Post: #23

(07-10-2011 11:40 AM)MiXX Wrote:  

(07-10-2011 11:28 AM)Dash Global Wrote:  If you go to DavesESLCafe Colombia forum you will find it VERY common for ppl working w/o a work visa.

OK...then if you already have a credible-illegal source (oxymoron?) for ilegal ways of teaching abroad. Why you mentioned you needed help on it here?

Sorry man, usually I'm pretty cool about shit...you know this. This is one of my hot buttons (long story).

Mixx

No hard feelings

I couldnt remb the guidelines for staying longer than the 180 days. Sure I could go to Dafe's and find the answer but the reason why I mentioned it here is because I thought it was relevant to this topic (extending tourist visa, dealing with DAS, many people that will be interested in this will be people teaching in Colombia WITHOUT a workvisa) and could be of benefit to other posters here.

You obviously have some strong feelings about this but hey nothing wrong with that. To each his own!

Post: #24

What about European citizens?

Post: #25

(07-10-2011 10:23 AM)MiXX Wrote:  So long as you don't go pass 180 calendar days, you can leave Colombia to ANY country and come right back for another 60 days or 90 days depending on what the DAS agent feels like giving you the 2nd time around and how much he/she likes you in the 5 milliseconds they know you.

Thank you Mixx, great info.