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For all those who are doing a VISA run over the border

After my experience, there is no other option than to go to San Antonion in Venezuela. Here´s why....

The Bolívar Fuerte as you may know is overvalued. In Caracas you´ll find an official rate of more or less 1BF to 1000 Pesos Colombianos, although on the black market I hear you can achieve a much better rate. Well San Antonio is a border town and it´s sole economy is commerce with Colombia, which then makes the exchange rate (anywhere you go not just the black market) much higher. I was getting a rate of 0.36 when is was there this gone weekend.

Anyway, I was about to pay in Pesos (205 dollars which is about 400,000 pesos) but she said as she didn´t have any change I´d need to go out and exchange the money to Bolívares. I was extremely surprised when she wrote down on a piece of paper the value of Bolívares she need.... only 440. I happily strolled out to the nearest Casa de Cambio and exchanged 150,000 pesos for the 440 Bolívares. She had charged me at the official rate, thereby saving me 250,000 pesos.

I hope this helps and I´d like to thank Hugo Chávez for overvalueing his currency.

Christian

PS you can find more information here about the whole process

http://poorbuthappy.com/colombia/post/work-visa--just-got-mine-and-her...

I actually had to stay the weekend too, due to a missing letter which the uni sent by airmail. The following monday I had everything finished, visa in passport after about 1 hour.

By sirwhale on Jul 8, 2009, 08:13 in Friendly Talkzone.