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Entry Fee required to enter Colombia?

I just arrived to Cartagena today via Celebrity Infinity cruise ship. The final port of call was Miami but exited 2 days earlier in the port of Manga. The Colombia immigration officials told me that a $35 dollar or 70 mil COP fee was due upon entry into the country and was payable only with cash. He stated no receipt would be given. An officer on the ship confirmed that this was normal procedure. I asked if the same fee would apply if I were to cross via land an he confirmed. Has anyone ever heard of this? He said this fee is automatically paid when purchasing plane tickets. Anyways I never paid him but he said there would be a fine of $3,000 US the next time I try to leave Colombia. I brought 15 suitcases of luggage and packed into the back of my pick up truck and never had to clear any sort of customs. Drove 2.5 hours from Cartagena to Barranquilla through 5 military check points and was never stopped once. I could have had millions of dollars in those suitcases. Maybe next time....

By Brian858 on Nov 5, 2009, 17:03 in Friendly Talkzone.

babygirl says on Nov 5, 2009, 17:05:

Best quote of the week... "should I be taking this pill with wine?" Canadian Girls Kick Ass!

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Papi de Alejo says on Nov 5, 2009, 17:05:

v
V

Live simply... Love generously... Care deeply... Speak kindly...

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babygirl says on Nov 5, 2009, 17:05:

Best quote of the week... "should I be taking this pill with wine?" Canadian Girls Kick Ass!

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babygirl says on Nov 5, 2009, 17:18:

WOW! That's wild and scary all at the same time. PS: Sorry for being a smart ass with the alphabet thing. I couldn't resist.

Best quote of the week... "should I be taking this pill with wine?" Canadian Girls Kick Ass!

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chrispej says on Nov 5, 2009, 19:11:

Sounds like bull. Port taxes are included in your cruise. But if you disembarked in Colombia, do you have a tourist visa stamp in your passport? If not, you may be screwed!

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pedro (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 5, 2009, 19:14:

There's an exit tax payable when you leave Colombia by air, for something close to that amount you mentioned. But I believe it does involve paperwork and a receipt.

You're right to be suspicious, as staff in Cartagena will try that game on from time to time.

"this may seem a strange post but it is not...when in colombia men need to be aware that colombia women may try to be seductive and entice a travelling gringo to have sex with them..to be forewarned is to be forearmed..." -- pow wow

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flynn flanagan says on Nov 5, 2009, 19:49:

no entry fee at airports. There is a departure tax for citizens and visa holders. at airports Tourists dont pay the departure tax anymore as far as I know. Welcome to Latin America , you have just suffered the gringo effect. I bet the crew guy that you talked to was in on the scam. No receipt is a big bell ringer.

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Robert Jorge says on Nov 5, 2009, 20:01:

Somebody is making a fortune.

"You can not take the barrio out of the girl you really can't." Oneforamillion

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Buongone says on Nov 5, 2009, 20:25:

Seems like a scam. Another good thing. If you ever want to go back to the states. Get ahold of the Liner Co. jumo back on the ship in CTG.

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theflatline says on Nov 5, 2009, 20:26:

Rank Amateurs,

A real scam artist here would have had some phoney ticket to give you.

Legaleez for Complete Morons - A book for gringos in Colombia for who think they understand the nature of the law in a country where they cannot speak the language.

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El Expatriado says on Nov 6, 2009, 04:05:

I 've been in about 14 times.Never had to pay squat coming in, but never came in by boat. Yo do have to pay $35 or similar leaving , if you stay over about 3 or 4 weeks.

Are you sure you never came into Venezuela/ Thats where the rela corruption is.

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charlysito71 says on Nov 6, 2009, 04:29:

We are leaving next week from Bogota,and the wife phoned the airline. 120.000 COP exit tax each person!

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cvivaspoorbuthappy says on Nov 6, 2009, 10:06:

charlysito71, only if you don't do the exemption, before checking in, go to the tax exemption counter and they will cut half off. Most tickets have the other half in their price though, check at the counter.

CV

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viajero123 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 6, 2009, 10:11:

charlysito71, tell the airline you´ve been here less than 60 days so the exit tax wil reduce. Then at the airport you´ll have to go to the tax exemption window and get a stamp and a paper. Did you get a DAS entry stamp in Cartagena?

Anyone there has had any experiences coming in through Cucuta? A friend crossed the border into Colombia without problems and then went to Cucuta airport to catch a flight to Bogota and was told by Avianca that she had to pay a "impuesto fronterizo" that had not been included in the ticket. Avianca call centre insists all taxes were paid at the time of booking. They still made her pay. Any experiences?

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El Expatriado says on Nov 7, 2009, 04:43:

I never pay nothing if i am in olombia less than 3 weeks.

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scumbuster says on Nov 7, 2009, 04:50:

I am more interested in the suitcases.. How did you get 15 suitcases on a cruise ship? Did we just find a way around the 1 bag airline limit? jajaja

Tomas Jefferson “When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”

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Brian858 says on Nov 7, 2009, 08:32:

There isn´t any limit on how many suitcases you bring on the cruise ship. I had my cabin steward store the suitcases that we weren´t using in a secure area. I met a guy on the ship who brought a motorcycle in 3 seperate suitcases. There isn´t any weight or size limit either. You just pull up to the ship to check in and have all your luggage tagged with your cabin number. Check in for the cruise with your carry on. Then your luggage is delivered to your room by the crew. The cost was $1200 each for an 11 day trip from San Diego, California to Cartagena, Colombia. The best thing about it is there isn´t any customs upon arriving in Colombia. They check your passport but not your luggage. They call you in the morning to clear customs on the ship with the Colombian officials then you have 8 hours to gather all your things and exit the ship.

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scumbuster says on Nov 7, 2009, 10:09:

Brian... Good info. I will be looking for a cruise from FL to SM or Cartagena when I am ready to move down. Bring our personal affects in one load rather than paying through the nose through the airline or dribbling it down over years little by little.

Tomas Jefferson “When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”

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