Can I use two passports to stay in colombia indefinitely?

Hi Guys,

I have a British and a US passport. I know that I am allowed to stay a maximum of 180 days per year on a passport. Does this mean that I can stay for the first 6 months using my British passport and then leave the country and re-enter with my US passport for another 6 months?

Thanks in advance for your help.

By ZeroOptic on Mar 28, 09:25 in Visa & paperwork.

RAAAY says on Mar 28, 09:39:

On departure, they look for your entry stamp on your passport.........they will count the days...........

.

.........Its useless to argue with ignorance

Mr. Hollywood says on Mar 28, 09:42:

In theory your idea would work, but you would definitely be violating Colombian law. If they catch you I would expect substantial consequences.

RAAAY says on Mar 28, 09:44:

Oh.....I just re-read your question...........sorry......my answer does'nt really apply..........your problem could be that they now typically only give 60 days on entry.......then you must extend it every month after that...........

They might spot you when you would be extending your second time around.......Certainly, your name will be in their computer having extended the first passport..........then you go to extend the second passport..............

Might be a problem..............you won't know until you try or unless someone else here has done it....

.

.........Its useless to argue with ignorance

Robert Jorge says on Mar 28, 09:44:

I started to type "no", but then re-read your post ZeroOptic. Actually, that might work. Especially if you do not encounter the same immigration officer on re-entry.

durito says on Mar 28, 09:51:

Here's how I think you could do it:

Fly in on one passport. Get your 60 days. Extend it for 30 days 4 times, but always in the same city. After 6 months leave the country briefly (ecuador, panama). Come in on the other passport, get your 60 days, extend it in a different city.

I know in Medellin they have a file on me at DAS that they pull out every time I have extended my passport with all my info (photos, fingerprints, etc) but that if I go to another city I have to redo all of that process to extend there. Although I know DAS uses computers at the airport, and they have computers in the office in Medellin, everything they've ever done there for me has been by hand. Including counting the days I've been in the country last year with a calender. If they had exact records in their computer you'd think that wouldn't be necessary.

It may not work, but I think it's worth a shot. Especially if you go to smaller cities (avoid bogota perhaps) and maybe cross land borders.

vicshere says on Mar 28, 09:55:

if it works thats a lot of fucking around to stay in colombia holy shit

listo

Mr. Hollywood says on Mar 28, 09:55:

That sounds like a lot more work than simply securing a more permanent visa.

jonas says on Mar 28, 09:55:

I doubt it would work. Sorry.

What I have, I do not want to lose, but Where I am I do not want to stay, but those I love, I do not want to leave, but those I know I no longer want to see, but Where I die, I do not want to go;I want to stay where I have never been

guacharaca says on Mar 28, 09:59:

This is a very good question that I have also pondered.

Legally: No.

Technically can you pull it off?....that all depends what shows up on their computer screen when they swipe your passport when you enter and leave. I suspect where the plan would fail is when you go for an "in-country" renewal during the 2nd six month period. That is where they have extra time to do searches on your name.

I have seen a foreigner over stay their visa in the USA, return to their country, renew their passport and re-enter again without a problem. Immigration even brought out an interpreter at the airport because the person pretended not to speak English even though the person had recently completed two degrees in the States. However that was ten years ago. Technology has come a long way since then.

Let me know how it goes.

jonas says on Mar 28, 10:07:

I just assume that with the same name and dob it would most likely show up on DAS computers. But who knows... You could try coming here let´s say for the first 60 days. Get an extension at DAS. After the extension has expired you still have time to make your 180 days. But you leave the country and come back on the other passport. If they know you had been here for 90 days already on passport #1 it wouldn´t really matter since you still have 90 days left. Worth a try maybe....

durito says on Mar 28, 10:13:

You could leave the country every 60 days and come in on a different passport.

Do it by land and I doubt they suspect anything. Would be kind of a pain in the ass depending on where you live.

jonas says on Mar 28, 10:16:

But there would be one problem:
You come in on passport #1
you leave on the same passport
and enter, let´s say Venezuela on that same passport (because they want to see you exit stamp)
Now when you reenter Colombia they also want to see the (Ven) exit stamp. Problemo....

jonas says on Mar 28, 10:18:

but in Venezuela a few years ago it was easy to get an entry and exit stamp at DIEX for a little bribe.

vicshere says on Mar 28, 10:24:

just do it....legal

listo

durito says on Mar 28, 10:26:

That would be a problem.

When I lived in Bolivia I'd bribe them to give me an entry stamp for the next day, so I wouldn't have to spend the night in Peru. La Paz is pretty close to the border though so it wasn't to much of a pain to do that.

ZeroOptic says on Mar 28, 10:57:

I'm thinking this all might be too much of a risk. I guess I'll try to get a student VISA or something. Thanks for the replies!

lpdiver says on Mar 31, 05:02:

Jonas...it all depends. I encounter a LENGTHY delay in Venezuela one time. It seems that when I entered they accidently stamped my passport in the exit place on the page. When trying to leave it was a BIG problem. It is not fun being led around by pimply face army guys with automatic weapons.

Luckily I had my then girlfriend (now wife) and after a great deal of discussion and showing our side by side airline tickets and her passport and her being fluent in Spanish I was allowed to leave.

Also I have had issues with US and multiple passports. So they do look at these things in the USA anyway. I bet Colombia does as well.

t

"cook some rice!"