Minimum Income for Retirement Visa?

lpdiver says on Jan 15, 2005, 09:46:

Apostille I doubt you are going to get around it. It is sort of a master notary in the U.S. It wasn't difficult. Ten dollars and ten minutes. Of course I live in the capitol of my state so didn't have to travel. I had my birth certificate printed and apostilled in Tennesee and then mailed to me no problem. American do and must recognise the Apostille of Colombia.

"cook some rice!"

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miamimike says on Jan 15, 2005, 09:52:

gpoore-since when did Colombia have a Pensionado Program? I had asked this question of this forum about a month ago and no one at that time knew of a Colombian Program. The ones that are well known are the Retiree (pensionado) programs in Honduras, Panama and Nicaragua.You get a lot of tax breaks retiring in these countries and the min. levels to qualify start at around $500 but vary from country to country. Brazil has a program also but it is more restrictive then these 3 previously mentioned countries.Belize also has a program I believe. These are a great way to draw people with Hard Currency and I am surprised Colombia doesn't offer such a deal to retirees. Dominican Republic has no such program either. Check out the info on Http://www.escapeartist.com/ - Jan 13, 2005 - Similar pages
they are pretty complete on all countries offering any such program.

On Sept 17, 2008: Senator John McCain said, as he had many times before, that he believed the fundamentals of the economy were "strong."Hours later he backpedaled, explaining that he had meant that American workers were Strong.

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oldbongo says on Jan 15, 2005, 09:54:

gpoore.. this is colombia....

the oldgringo know the captain of the port in providence..

there is no way that they are going to trouble you if you just
put oil in the machine....they are creative....

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COLDK says on Jan 15, 2005, 11:30:

Retirement in Cartagena http://www.cartagenainfo.com/retiring/indexsp.html

Here u can find information about it, but it is in spanish. At the end it is an email add for questions and a name.

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lpdiver says on Jan 15, 2005, 11:40:

Spanish If you click on the home page button at the bottom there is a complete English version. I don't think it has the information being sought but does give a link to a local attorney.

"cook some rice!"

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oldbongo says on Jan 15, 2005, 11:48:

geeez.. then he will put the runaround into second gear...

just visit cartagena 3 months,san andres 3 months,
and providence will let you stay, no problem.

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lpdiver says on Jan 15, 2005, 12:20:

JEJEJE I am sure you are right. Thinking with my American side of my head and wanting to do things legal and proper right. Not necessary down there but here after dealing with USCIS my wiring is fried.

"cook some rice!"

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Gator says on Jan 15, 2005, 16:01:

That amount is about right and you need... income equal to ten monthly salaries in Colombia at the Colombian minimum wage. The miminum wage is right around 382.000 CPO ($160 USD) a month x ten months is 3.820.000 CPO divided by the exchange rate (lets say 2350/1 to make it easy. That comes to to about $1600 USD a month.

"Also, how do I get around this nonsense about what they call apostillo? Americans do not recognize that, only notory publics."
True, but you are not going to retire in the USA.

You must go to the Colombian consulate of your choice to start the process. Best bet if you don't like the system don't go.

I assumed, from what you said that you checked but here are the requirements:


Granted to a foreigner who receives monthly pension, provided by a government agency or a private company, equivalent to a minimum of ten legal monthly salaries.

REQUIREMENTS

1. Valid Passport with at least 3 available pages and good for at least 6 months.

2. Two copies of the passport, including the information pages, as well as all stamped pages.

3. Two original Colombian Visa Application Forms signed and completely filled out with duplicates.

4. Three recent color passport-type photographs (1.5”x1.5”).

5. Original of the Certificate of Record Search. This is a police clearance certificate from the city of residency showing applicant's criminal record, if any. This certificate must have been issued within the last six months, translated into Spanish and both versions (English and Spanish) must be notarized and certified with an APOSTILLE from the Secretary of State of the State where it was issued. This certificate is required ONLY if you do not hold a current Colombian visa of any type.

6. Original(s) of the certification issued by the government or private company paying the pension. These documents must be translated into Spanish and authenticated by the Consular Office where you apply. If notarized the APOSTILLE while be needed.

Pay a visa fee of $175 though I think US Citizens are exempt from this fee. You must appear in person at the consulate. After entering Colombia you have six months to appears at the Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad (DAS, the Administrative Department of Security). Any document not in Spanish will have to be translated and notarized. If things can go wrong they will-but that's Lo Colombia.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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lpdiver says on Jan 16, 2005, 04:38:

US citizens exempt...NOT! I know what it says on the Colombian Embassy website. However, I was required to pay for my TS visa at the Houston embassy in 2003.

"cook some rice!"

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umm says on Jan 16, 2005, 05:00:

The DECRETO NUMERO 2107 DE 2001 says:
4. Se concederá Visa Temporal Especial con ocupación pensionado, al extranjero
que compruebe recibir pensión en una suma mensual equivalente a diez (10)
salarios mínimos legales vigentes, provenientes de fuentes externas, o de
Gobierno, organismo, o empresa particular extranjera.

I will save a copy of that DECRETO in my new forum (LINK) under Travel Colombia


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lpdiver says on Jan 16, 2005, 06:34:

AHHHHHH that is what i like Finding it in writing.It isn't on the English version. Whenever I try to do something along governmental or legal lines in Colombia I try to always find the law and bring it with me. Excellent stuff, excellent.

Are their any financial requirements to enter Colombia as a spouse?

ALP

"cook some rice!"

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umm says on Jan 16, 2005, 06:59:

The cheapest solution is making an investment in Colombia. Then you get a visa as inversionista.
For that you would have to invest 100.000US$ then you get a residence visa and you can usually take your spouse with you.
Then it also does not matter any more how much money you import every year.
If you enter as pensioneer then you must expect that you get a one year visa. After one year you get a two year visa and so on.
If you enter as inversionista then you get your residency immediately and after 5 years you can apply for Colombian passport.

The decreto is usually for Colombian embassies and Consulados. I dont believe someone has translated it into english.
Anyway for me no problem, even if it is hindi or chinese :)


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lpdiver says on Jan 16, 2005, 07:20:

UMM In my case my spouse is Colombian. I don't have 100,000.00 laying around to invest. This may be a moot point as I may have employment opportunities arising in Colombia.

Most of the Colombian embassy website for Houston is available in English also.

My question still stands: As the spouse of a native born Colombian what would be required for me to relocate my family to Colombia. My family includes my Paisa wife, myself, my gringo daughter from first marrriage, and our soon to be born Colombican nina?

Any ideas?

"cook some rice!"

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umm says on Jan 16, 2005, 07:23:

Then its no problem,
you can get a visa as CONYUGE of a Colombian.
If your wife moves back then you can just go with her.
Thats written under resident visas in that DECRETO, articulo 56 and 57.

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lpdiver says on Jan 16, 2005, 07:27:

I thought so...thanks What about my daughter from another marriage (100%) gringa. I know our baby has Colombian as well as American citizenship rights by birth.
And I assume there are no financial requirements. If you are silly enough to move and not be able to support yourself you are welcome to come and starve...no?

"cook some rice!"

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umm says on Jan 16, 2005, 07:34:

That forum really sucks sometimes.
I wanted to edit my previous post, and normally I can edit my own posts but in this moment its impossible.
That with the RESIDENTS visa was not correct.
Those chapters are about visas temporales.

Well, you have to know whether or not you got enough money to support your family. I can only tell you one thing: in the USA the same amount of money carries you less far than in Colombia.
For your daughter from another marriage, you must be careful that the mother doesnt apply for the child to be returned to her.

In case you need money in Colombia, then there is naturally like everywhere the possibility to work. Well, you dont want to work any more, so you must caculate for yourself if the money lasts for the rest of your life.
And you want to give a reasonable education to your children.


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lpdiver says on Jan 16, 2005, 07:52:

UMM Exactly so I do plan on working and would not move there if it was not a positive move for my family and myself. The only way I see this as likely happening; in my case anyway, is to earn American dollars and spend them in Colombia.

I see this happening in two potential ways. Working in the petroleum sector in Colombia and residing there. Or working in the surrounding areas and living in Colombia. As an example offshore on the oil rigs of Panama they work 28 days and are off 28 days. Why not take those American dollars to Colombia where I can live a much better life? Assuming I don't get kidnapped or killed.

I could live anywhere in the Carribean in theory. I WANT to live in Colombia...I think.

I have full custody/sole custody of my daughter so that at least isn't an issue.

"cook some rice!"

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gpoore says on Jan 16, 2005, 12:00:

Apostillo Question I am in the process of applying for retirement residency in Colombia but I cannot figure out how to get a document apostilled in the U.S.

I have been to three Colombia consulates, two in Panama and the one in Guatemala City. They are no help. I have originals of all the documents necessary, trtanslated into Spanish but only notorized. They do not accept a notarized document in lieu of apostillo.

Anyone clues?

Thanks,
Jerry

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lpdiver says on Jan 16, 2005, 12:41:

Apostilled Specifically they want it Apostilled in the state that it was issued. In my case for example. My letter of singlehood was apostilled in Louisiana, as were my police certificate, and divorce papers. In this case on the 23'rd floor of the state capitol.

My Tennessee birth certificate had to be apostilled in Tennessee. The office of the secretary of state for each state does the apostille. Don't messs wit after they do it. The staples are a special copper staple and they will likely assume that you tampered with the document if they see a common silver staple. The lady from the birth certificat office hand carried mine and had it Apostilled for me.

Further they have time limits I think 90 days.

FYI the back of a Colombian Birth certificate has marriage and divorce information on it and thus probably the reason why they want a fresh one.

"cook some rice!"

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umm says on Jan 16, 2005, 17:21:

YOu carry your documents and a translation of those to the next Colombian embassy or Consulate and they do it for you.
If you have no official translation they can also arrange for that.

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lpdiver says on Jan 18, 2005, 04:16:

UMM SO you are saying that the Colombian embassy is going to translate and Apostille my Tennessee birth certificate...I'd bet not.

"cook some rice!"

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gpoore says on Mar 14, 2005, 07:01:

Visa By Way of Marriage I gave up on getting a retirement visa in Colombia because the combination of the dropping dollar and Colombian peso inflation around 8% caused the minimum income to get close to $1700 per month and probably higher next year when I would have to reapply.

So, I live on a sailboat in Isla San Andres and have a Colombian girlfriend who is an islander. If I marry her, it seems that I solve two problems. I should get Colombian residency and I should get an OCRE to live on the Islands of Providencia and San Andres forever if I want. FYI, Colombians from the mainland are only permitted 4 months on the islands unless they have a job or family there. This is controlled by OCRE which is like a mini DAS just for Providencia and San Andres.

The other problem I have is that I have been to San Andres so many times on my boat that customs wants me to import my boat at 10% of the value (10$ of about $80,000). I don't have that kind of money laying around, just living on Social Security. They made me import my boat on a temporary basis free for one year but after I accumulate one year in total, they tell me I will have to import my boat permanently. These people can't be too bright. I am not here taking anybody's job, just spending money as a tourist. Maybe a little mordita is in order?

Thanks,
Jerry
SV Pelleas
San Andres Isla, Co

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