How do I immigrate to Colombia from Australia?

HODAD26 says on Feb 1, 2005, 19:39:

Colombia rules you will be stoked to live there Michael Johnson Senor Pescado
you get 60 days, then you have to go each month to DAS, fingerprints, etc
costa about 56,000 pesos, with 2 pix, etc, and then i think you can do this up to 6 months, but easy to go to Ecuador, better there than Venezuela, by bus, no problemo, maybe 30 bux to theborder
i rode cali-Bogota, at night, on bus,
great country,

Michael Johnson Senor Pescado

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AUSSIEGRINGA says on Feb 1, 2005, 19:44:

is this the only way? Thanks Hoddad! Is this the only way?...After 6 months I go to Ecuador to do what? And for how long do I have to stay there before retuning back to Colombia? I am obviously a complete novice at this sort of thing and I want to make sure that I am totally prepared for what I have to do and if its actually worth uprooting my whole life in Australia to live there?

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julito says on Feb 1, 2005, 20:57:

maybe TEMPORARY SPECIAL VISA A Temporary Special Visa may be issued for a maximum period of one year, for multiple entries and will be issued in the following cases:

Requirements:
Application form
3 Colour photographs (3x3) cm.
Valid passport
Police record
A) Medical treatment
B) Judicial or Administrative procedure
C) Partner
D) Retired
E) Stockholder
F) Volunteer, N.G.O.
G) Marriage
H) Adoption
G) Marriage:

Letter from the fiancé duly notarised indicating they will be getting married.
Photocopy of the fiancé's I. D., duly notarized.

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Monacomatt says on Feb 2, 2005, 05:31:

immigration any info on how to go about this in not marrying a colombian?
there is a lack of easy to obtail information on how to mover permanently to Colombia, this website has been very helpful, but need to more.

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Roncita says on Feb 2, 2005, 08:22:

Aussiegringa, if you are going to do a Spanish course you can get a student visa before you leave Oz. That's valid for 1 year but you can't work with it. After that, you can renew it/change it but to change it, you have to leave the country, as Hodad said. Just to renew it you don't have to.

If you are going to uproot your life to come here, and neither you nor your Colombian partner will have an income, I would think seriously about it. OK Colombia is cheap but you can't survive very long with no income. And sorting out a job, as a foreigner, is challenging too. Not impossible, but it helps to have good contacts here and a job possibility lined up (and if possible being able to speak Spanish). Without a job offer/contract, you can't get a work permit, and without a work permit you can't work (obviously). Even when you do get married, it still doesn't automatically entitle you to work - you have to go and register your profesion and bring all your supporting evidence to the Foreign Affairs office in Bogota.

What work are you considering doing over here?

Having said this, don't be put off. Why don't you come over for a short visit first and check out the work possibilities while you're here? That's what I did before I made the decision to jack in my job in London and move to Medellin to be with my Colombian boyfriend (who is now my husband). It's not been an easy ride, but always knew I wasn't going to be here permanently so it's slightly different for me.

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Gomezman5 says on Feb 2, 2005, 08:48:

Great advise so far!! Aussiegringa...

I think this is a classic case of going into things with "rose colored glasses on". Without even mentioning the security and violence situation there with everything from common street crime to guerilla groups who want to kidnapp someone like you and hold you hostage for money, there is a real problem of survival given the fact that your Spanish ability and financial resources are limited.

Plainly stated, the econonmy is not good. And it is especially not good for a gringa because what do you have to offer Colombia. For example, I know of engineers, Information technology, and a chemist who have done well working for international countries that need their skills. But, they are either bilingual or their skill is so specialized, the are give an interpreter to assist them in their work.

Look, Colombians line up at the American embassy forever, praying that they get the chance to gain an opportunity to come to the US to work and just in general live a better life. Why do you think that you are going to live comfortably there? If you had a ton of cash, (USD) that would be different. If you told me that you were worth a million dollars and that you want to buy a place in Bogota and live the next 20 years of your life without working I would say that that is not problematic. But, your situation is different.

I might also add, that even once you do learn Spanish proficiently, you still will be faced with a form of anti gringo sentiment that will limit your ability to gain employment. Colombians are not going to be in a hurry to hire you. Remember, Gringos have not exactly assimilated in Colombian society like Latinos have done in the US.

Sure, Colombians love being nice to foreigners who come to learn about their country and visit. It is another story for them to come there and work. All of a sudden, you will not be dealing with the clien tourist oriented Colombians, you will be dealing with the regular everyday Colombian that may or may not like Gringos.

Think hard about this decision

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Tinto (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Feb 2, 2005, 09:05:

some similar situations You might want to search through the site for posts from SYDNEYGIRL and CHRISTINALKC. Both of them have recently moved from Australia to Bogota for an extended period of time.

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sydneygirl says on Feb 2, 2005, 09:13:

I am in the same situation Im Australian a woman and I too am moving to Colombia for a few years to live with my soon to be husband while we establish an export business.

Currently I am in Colombia, but I will leaving for australia for 3 months to pack up my life and save some cash, i have been here in Colombia for 8 months in total so far. Ill be back in early June, should you need a friend....write me an private email and we can hook up for a coffee. I live in Bogota when Im in Colombia.

SO I KNOW ALL THE INS AND OUTS:
It used to be that you needed to apply for a spouse visa from OZ and then get married within a year of having it granted....but now.

As of March the LAWS IN COLOMBIA CHANGE you will be able to Marry your partner here in COlombia on a Tourist visa.

SO you need: A single certificate form Australia when you get your divorce and then you are home free.

I got that info from the DAS Office and from the women up stairs who are the ones to ask.

Reguards to toursit visa you are granted up to 6 months a year not more!!! Even if you leave and re-enter Colombia they will not give you a new tourist visa.....learnt that one from experience!!

With the toursit visa you get 30 days on entry and then have to go to DAS every month and pay about $25 and have your passport stamped until your 6 months is up.


Also if you want information reguarding visas, its important to ask at least 3 different people at the office of immigration and the DAS office because everyone gives different information.

may I aso suggest that you start to collect proof that you are together with you man from the first moment possible, like airtickets, leases, stat decs, mail to the same address ect, so that if you need to go back to Australia for any reason, you can take him with you. You only need a years worth of proof to apply for a defacto visa for him from outside Australia.
Its always good to keep your options open.

Hope I helped you.

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