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Spouse visa - entitled to work?

I have a question regarding how and if you can work on a spouse visa. I work in London but am trying to get relocated to Colombia for several months to join my husband, who had to return for work. (I'm British, he's Colombian.) I just phoned the Colombian Consulate here in London to ask what to do about working on a spouse visa and they said the best thing to do is get the spouse visa here and then go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bogota and change my status from Hogar to whatever, and show them my work contract. The thing is, I am already employed here by the company, it's not as if I have to go and look for a job in Colombia, and I will be going to Medellin, not Bogota, so it's not so convenient to have to fly to Bogota to go to the Ministry when I can just take the tube for 30 mins here in London to go to the Consulate.

So, my question is, what have others done in this situation? Doesn't getting the spouse visa entitle you to work anyway? Should I get the spouse visa sorted out here without the work bit and then go to the Ministry in Bogota with my contract, or do it all here? I have to say, the Colombian consulate has been more helpful in the past. I just got the idea that the woman was desperate for me to get off the phone!

Any advice from UK citizens who've been in this position in the past would be very welcome. I really want to get the ball rolling soon as we only got married in April but have been separated cos of my husband's work commitments now since early June and I'm desperate to be with him...

By Roncita on Aug 16, 2004, 05:58 in Visa & paperwork.

Wingman says on Aug 17, 2004, 12:59:

American Feedback US Citizen experience (in case it helps). Recently married in Bogota & having the Spouse Visa issued by the Colombian Visa Stateside is one major important step. As Americans, once we arrive into Colombia, visiting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bogota afterwards (which I have already done) is in order. They charge $160-USD to issue your Residence Visa within 1-hour as you wait and “Ta-Da”...you are now in perfect legal order to execute your lawful right to coexist and work by virtue of your marriage to a local national (as such is my case)…… Incidentally, does the UK realize just how much the USA loves you guys???? All the very best-!!!

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Roncita says on Aug 17, 2004, 15:19:

Wingman Did you get your spouse visa before you left the US, or did you get it in Colombia at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs?

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Wingman says on Aug 17, 2004, 15:30:

Do it..... Good Question

Roncita, I did get a Visa from the Colombian Consulate in the US first. Then traveled to Bogota, got married, returned Stateside to pack all my stuff & am getting ready to fly on to live in Bogota permanently in just a few weeks now. While in Bogota however, I took the initiative on visiting the Ministry for Foreign Affaire to check on their requirements. To my surprise, there were other Brits there as well & the Ministry Officers appear VERY kind. As you approach them with documentation in evidence of marriage to a Colombian National – things turn very swiftly in your favor. And, it only takes $160-USD & One-Hour of your time & you’re set ready for “Rock N’ Roll”.

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Wingman says on Aug 17, 2004, 16:12:

Ooopss... Reading over your question once more, what I got was a Marriage Authorization Visa from the local Colombian Consulate. After getting married, is when I visited the Ministry in Bogotá, with Marriage Certificate on hand & the Wife present. Was informed of priority privileges obtaining a Resident’s Visa with work entitlement. That is my case. Hope there aren’t too many different issues in your case as a UK Citizen.
Ministry’s Details: Carrera 13 Nº 93-68 Office-203 in Bogota
Phone: 640-0974 or 640-8576, Email: vsconsul04 at minrelext.gov.co
WebSite: www.minrelext.gov.co
Business Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30AM - 12:00 Noontime (only)

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vicshere says on Aug 17, 2004, 18:01:

not a cake walk Getting your work visa in Bogota is not a cake walk.......this Hogar crap your visa is a bunch of bullshit dont let then talk you into....hogar basiclly means house wife ..... read my post on this subject and see for your self....try to get your ocupation on your visa
http://www.poorbuthappy.com/colombia/node/view/3774

listo
"con mucho gusto"
Vic

listo

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Roncita says on Aug 18, 2004, 04:15:

Thanks both of you Do you think I can enter Colombia on a tourist visa and then change it to a spouse visa once I'm there, at the minsterio de relaciones exteriores? I know you have to leave the country to get a work visa but I'm not sure how it works with the spouse visa. I'd prefer to do this as really don't want to wait around any longer to get the visa from London.

Also, Vic, to get my occupation put on my spouse visa, do I have to present a copy of my work contract, I suppose translated into Spanish with apostille etc?

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vicshere says on Aug 18, 2004, 11:56:

Roncita If you have a contract or job waiting why do you get yourself an actual working visa it lasts I think 2 years or so....and you should be able to get them pretty fast in London.....getting anything done in Colombia and expensive....by expensive I mean if your time has any value the ministries and government agencies will eat your time up including travel to the capital .... they are known for only giving half the information or document to get for such visas....honestly I gave up trying to get my visa changed from hogar and even getting a business visa..... everything is in my wife's name ..to hell with them......the embassy in your home country are a much better bet to get your documents

listo
"con mucho gusto"
Vic

listo

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Roncita says on Aug 19, 2004, 04:06:

work visa I did consider it briefly, as I had a work visa in Colombia last year, (which was only valid for 1 year) but my circumstances are a bit different now as I'm employed by a UK company who are sending me over to work as a correspondent, ie not a Colombian company who has to prove that no Colombian can do my job, that they exist and all the other requirements needed for the work visa etc etc.

I've come to the conclusion that the best thing to do is just go on a tourist visa and change it to a spouse visa while I'm there, but in another country - Mexico or wherever. Don't know about getting my profession stamped on my visa though - after what you've been through with this (horrendous) I think I might just carry on being a "Hogar". I'll only be in Colombia for around 8 months, then planning to come back to London again, so it's just a temporary measure.

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