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Business visa question

HI all. I have a question regarding the business visa, i´m just reading through the requirements & rules on http://www.colhouston.org/pdf/visas_english/Business.pdf and it says "The holder of a Business Visa cannot establish permanent residence in Colombia, and his/her activities cannot be compensated as salaries or professional fees in Colombia. A Business Visa may be issued
multiple entries with each entry for up to six (6) months. THIS IS NOT A WORK VISA!!
This visa will expire if the visa holder exceeds the limit for his/her authorized stay (6 months)"

Now, does this mean that i can´t stay for more than 6 months and i have to leave the country or does it mean that i can renew after 6 months?. If you start a business here, surely you wouldn´t have to keep leaving the country every 6 months, you would have to have very trust worthy partners or just close it down..Seems a bit silly if that´s the case.

Thanks in advance. Paul

By paulr on May 15, 2009, 09:50 in Friendly Talkzone.

Miguel_Clavo says on May 15, 2009, 10:01:

You can enter the country and remain for 6 months. You then need to leave the country for at least one day. Just make sure your passport get stampeds for both the exit and reentry. You can then return and stay another 6 months...i have been in Cartagena for almost 6 months. i will be flying to Miami one day in the first week of June, and go on a shopping spree and eating frenzy, and return to Cololmbia the next day. You can have multipile entries to Colombia, but you can not stay more than 6 months at a time per entry, or your VISA becomes AUTOMATICALLY INVALID. YOu renew your Business Visa before it expires. They have the option to give you a 1-2-3-4 year Business Visa, depending, of course, if the guy got laid the night before or how irritated his hemorrhoids are......=)

Lets hear it for the new PBH Experts on Colombia! DrPhilinamillion, KY, and Darloops!!!!!!! We Salute Your Valuable Contributions to This Forum!

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gorgonabob says on May 15, 2009, 10:34:

i flew to Panama city four years ago and applied for a business visa...

the guy at the embassy asked me where i was going to live, i said colombia, he said wrong... you cannot live in colombia on a business visa..

i said.. woops.. what do i need... and he said a propietario visa..

there you go.. nice guy that one.. really helped me out.

i left the country the next day with my one year propietario visa which i have now renewed twice for periods of two years...

the next visa will be the residence one

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 15, 2009, 10:43:

On a Business Visa you can not become a permanent resident on this Visa which allows you to "live" in Colombia.....You can own a home/apt, or stay in a hotel/hostel/park/beach or the streets while here on a Business Visa, but you can not "live" here, but you can stay at these locations during the entire 6 months.......slight difference...i have been here in CTG for almost 19 months or so...left Colombia for short periods, but live here....or should i say i stay here?.

Lets hear it for the new PBH Experts on Colombia! DrPhilinamillion, KY, and Darloops!!!!!!! We Salute Your Valuable Contributions to This Forum!

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stephen_aubrey says on May 15, 2009, 11:00:

gorgonabob can you explain more this propietario visa,was it hard to get and what are the requirements.Thanks.

" Most people talk a lot, few are up for the moment"

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paulr says on May 15, 2009, 13:06:

Thanks Miguel, very well written..that´s all the info i needed. The thought of going back to DAS every 30 days to get a stamp and to see how their hemorrhoids are fills me with horror. Thanks again.

"paulr threatens me with death !" pobrecito

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 15, 2009, 13:26:

after you get the Bus Visa, you only need to deal with DAS when you apply for your Cedula de Extranjeria (once you enter, you need to check in with DAS to let them know where you are staying and to apply for your cedula)....the Cedula is valid the same length of time as your Visa...if you get a 2 year Visa, your Cedula will expire at the same time....etc

stephen check out this site:

http://colhouston.org....click on english:visa.....

Lets hear it for the new PBH Experts on Colombia! DrPhilinamillion, KY, and Darloops!!!!!!! We Salute Your Valuable Contributions to This Forum!

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 15, 2009, 14:32:

GL, the most you can stay in Colombia on one entry is 6 months...actually 180 days....if you overstay your 6 months, your Visa automatically becomes INVALID....it states that on the Visa requirement sheet.

http://www.colhouston.org/pdf/visas_english/Business.pdf

BUSINESS VISA (NE)
The business visa can be issued ONLY to the legal representative, management, or executive staff of a foreign enterprise, of commercial or industrial nature, that has economic ties with Colombia companies or foreign companies legally established in Colombia. The visitor may perform activities related to company such as attending to the Board of Directors, perform business deals or supervise the management of the companies with which his/her company has economic ties.
It is also issued to the person who proves his or her condition as merchant, industrialist, business person, or marketing student with a verifiable nexus with a national or a foreign company established in Colombia.
The holder of a Business Visa cannot establish permanent residence in Colombia, and his/her activities cannot be compensated as salaries or professional fees in Colombia. A Business Visa may be issued for multiple entries with each entry for up to six (6) months. THIS IS NOT A WORK VISA!!
This visa will expire if the visa holder exceeds the limit for his/her authorized stay (6 months)

note the last sentence.

this continues as long as you hold the Visa...it is not a Resident Visa where on some of them you can stay longer than 6 mos at a time......

Lets hear it for the new PBH Experts on Colombia! DrPhilinamillion, KY, and Darloops!!!!!!! We Salute Your Valuable Contributions to This Forum!

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durito2 says on May 15, 2009, 16:07:

gloid- i suspect you have a temporal socio visa, which is what i have it. it's the "propetario" visa gorgonabob mentions above

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durito2 says on May 15, 2009, 18:37:

nope

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 16, 2009, 06:26:

NE=Negocio=Business...that is the legend type for the visa...that is the same as mine.....but i have a US business with a branch/main office in Cartagena.....how did you get a Business Visa without a foreign company? did you hire someone to obtain your Visa? if so, he probably lied like a mofo on that app....yikes! .....but to their detriment, they do absolutely NO investigation for the Visa other than making sure your documents look official...however, last year i was called into the SF Consulate for an Interview which turned out to the be 2 minutes about my Visa, and 60 minutes about how i can assist him with my business when he visits Cartagena.....putz...wasted my time and gas.....

Lets hear it for the new PBH Experts on Colombia! DrPhilinamillion, KY, and Darloops!!!!!!! We Salute Your Valuable Contributions to This Forum!

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Miguel_Clavo says on May 16, 2009, 06:28:

btw, You dont have to own the business like i do. You can be an executive officer working for the foreign business as well.......

Lets hear it for the new PBH Experts on Colombia! DrPhilinamillion, KY, and Darloops!!!!!!! We Salute Your Valuable Contributions to This Forum!

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