Getting a Colombian Spousal VISA from within Colombia (Bogotá)

Hello All,

I've been reading this site for some time, and have gathered much information
from it.

Now I am totally puzzeled and in a bit of a bind (not to mention, I've waited
until the last minute)

What I want: A Spousal VISA to remain in Colombia.

My situation:
My wife is Colombian. We were legally married in Medellin about a year ago.
I have been in Medellin for about 5 and half months. I came as a tourist
(March 16th) even though I was already married, as the tourist route was free
(until recently, as I have had to pay 115,000 for the past two renewals).
We are waiting for her Immigration to Canada, which may take a while (at
least another six months, maybe 12).

I am on my last possible tourist extension.

I want to fly to Bogota and get a spousal VISA to remain in Colombia, but I
am totally confused as to how to do this. Of course, I have heard a lot of
things from a lot of different people, and the laws seem to change faster
than the weather.

One person at the DAS told me (via a translator) that I would have to leave
the counrty before my last extionsion expired... no matter what. He said that
even if I get a spousal VISA, I would have to get this in another country.
Another person at the DAS told me that I could get this in Bogota.

Questions:

1. Can I get a Spousal VISA (without leaving Colombia) given that I have
almost maxed out my tourist extensions?

2. Do I need a police clearance from my home country (some posts here would
lead me to believe that I don't). (I have have reseached the site...)

3. Someone told me that I would have to register the marriage at the Canadian
embassy, someone else told me that I don't. Do I? How is this done?

4. Other than brining my marriage document, what else do I need to bring to
Bogota? How long does it take?

5. I know that you will get a "Hogar" stamp unless you apply for some sort of
right to work in another profession. Given that I have a degree (not in
teaching) is it possible to get a Spousal VISA that allows me to work as an
English teacher (I have been tutoring for about 4 months, and have many happy
students.) I would have no supporting documentation for teaching... only my
university degree from Canada. I, of course, cannot tell them about me
tutoring, as this would consitute working illegally.

If I can't get a the right to work as a teacher, then so be it. I can go to
Canada and work as needed. I just want to be able to remain, and be able to
return to Colombia as needed, and would prefer to be able to work legally (so
I am not forced back to Canada for $$). My Spanish is at a level which pretty
much exludes me from any work other than teaching English.

Please, if anyone knows the answers to some, or all of these questions, it
would be greatly appreciated.

John

By johnboy77 on Aug 29, 2005, 16:01 in Visa & paperwork.

robert555 says on Aug 29, 2005, 16:24:

living in colombia hi everybody i am new to this so please bare with me, i have been to colombia many times in the last 20 years, and have decided i would like to live in cali and buy an appartmen at the moment i live in orlando florida, though i am scottish can anyone please guide me how i go about the immigration process its seems kind of confusing im told marriage seems to be the quickest alternative, would that be correct, i would be most grateful if anyone can help me or knowsomeone who has a good knowlege of thees matters thank you very much

robertscotland

sydneygirl says on Aug 29, 2005, 18:16:

my take As far as I know Because you got married in Colombia its actually easier for you. You just take your marriage certificate to the immigration office and you can apply for a spouse visa.

Because the laws changed recently reguarding spouse visas you don`t need to leave the country anymore. You can apply for a spouse visa on a tourist visa.

If you had been married in the US or else where you would need the document apostilled but because you were married in colombia you are fine you just need the notaria certificate.

Reguarding the interprator that you spoke with. I had a serious problem with one of those when I asked a question a about leaving the country and coming back in after my 6 mnths was up- They said that would be fine, but when I arrived back after spending major $$ going to Miami the airport customs said I was only allowed 6 mths a year. SO I think that those people are not up to date and not accurate. The one I spoke to was from the immigration office in the city though, not DAS.

Not sure about the police clearence. But if you over stay your tourist visa. You will need to pay a fine. Its not that big and there is no record of the "overstay" on your passport if you pay the fine.

You pay it at DAS and they give you a slip stapled into your passport to take to the airport when you leave.When you go to pay the fine at DAS in bogota they will send you "upstairs" for this but dont be afraid its not serious. You can always go and ask to talk to someone up stairs in DAS in bogota before you visa expires anyway, if you are not comfortable taking my word for it. Better to have you partner who speaks spanish with you.

The only reliable information I get is from the DAS office in Bogota. The rest of the people dont seem to know what they are talking about.

Oh and if you find out that you need a police clearence from you country of origin can you tell me please because I am getting married here too and will need to apply for a spouse visa as well in a few months.....thanks.....sydney girl.

Mr X says on Aug 31, 2005, 02:00:

Yes, you can get a spouse visa in Bogota without leaving the country. No police certificate from UK necessary since the regulations were changed in Feb. It's not a difficult process.

Dan says on Aug 31, 2005, 04:52:

I didn't know that you can get a spouse visa while still in Colombia. So you just go to the visa office in Bogota with just a certified marriage certificate? Hmmmm... Hell, If that's all that is needed, I may just do that next time I'm in Colombia. Where does it show this new regulation showing that? I havn't seen/heard anything about it.
Thanks,

God Bless America!

johnboy77 says on Aug 31, 2005, 18:55:

OK Thanks everyone, This is what I am going to do (IF ANYONE SEES THAT I AM FORGETTING SOMETHING, OR KNOWS SOMETHING I DON'T PLEEEEASE LET ME KNOW!)

1. Get a recent copy of the marriage cert from a Notary in Medellin
2. Get a notarized letter from my wife telling the DAS what I will be up to etc...
3. Go to Bogota with my passport, credit cards and bank statements (to prove I can support myself), marriage cert, letter, and thats it.

Someone told me I needed to legalize my marriage at the Canadian embassy (I am a Canadian citizen) but I don't know. Can anyone tell me about this??

Mr X, I wouldn't suspect I need a police clearance from the UK, as I have never been there.

John

Mr X says on Sep 1, 2005, 01:35:

John, I'm sure the police certificate thing applies to Canadians too. Wouldn't make sense otherwise. I'm not an expert but I'm almost certain that you won't need to do anything at the Canadian embassy in order to get a spousal visa from the Colombian govt. If you were married in Colombia then that is enough for them.
You can see the new regulations at the minex website.

BAQ says on Sep 2, 2005, 11:01:

DAN Dan, don;t think you can get a spouse visa unless you plan on living here. From the way you wrote your post "I may just do that next time I'm in Colombia" unless you plan on STAYING, a spouse visa won;t work for ya. You can ask GATOR, he knows much more than I, but the way I understand it, if you get a spouse visa and LEAVE colombia for more than 90 days per year, the visa automatically expires.

Someone correct me if I am wrong.

Semper Fidelis !

Dan says on Sep 2, 2005, 12:02:

BAQ yeah that's right that it would expire. But I'm thinking more of long term. Right now, I travel to Colombia for work using a different passport than my personal one. I've only been to Colombia for a week on my personal Passport. with the other one, a total of about 18 months with a few more coming up very shortly. I do plan on living in Colombia someday. Just don't know when I'll be able to yet. Just dreaming, that's all.

God Bless America!

mikecolombia says on Sep 4, 2005, 21:03:

The spousal visa only last 6 months. If you want to stay, you can always apply for residency in Colombia. You can go to the embassy webpage and find all the info. that you need.