Staying in Colombia longer than 180 days

MotoAdventures says on Mar 28, 2005, 09:38:

Visas One option is to say that you've lost your passport, then apply for a new one in the local embassy, which would be pretty easy if you're in Bogota. I think the fee is about $100 for a new passport, and you could start your 180 days from scratch. And yes, they do inforce your time limit in Colombia. This is at least something to consider.

Another option is the student visa. In Medellin, Universidad EAFIT is a nice campus with a really good Spanish as a foreign language program. I'm not sure about schools in Bogota.

It used to be easier to obtain a student visa, but I've heard that these days you have to let DAS know at the border when you arrive that you have intentions to study, and they stamp your passport with something that says that you are going to study. (Even with this you still have to apply for the student visa after you have signed up for classes.) Then you get the certificate from the University showing that you are enrolled in classes, and take that to the DAS in Bogota with some other paperwork and photos to get the student visa. I haven't heard of anyone being denied the student visa. It just takes a couple of hours once you arrive at DAS with all of the paperwork. If you do this option, try to get your school to say that you are signed up for classes for the longest time that they'll give you, so as to not have to go back frequently to renew the visa.

Paul Thoreson - Casa Kiwi Hostel Medellin - www.motoadventures.org

calipro says on Mar 28, 2005, 10:11:

Student Visa I don't believe it is possible to get a student visa without leaving the country.

Lauthra says on Mar 28, 2005, 12:12:

Yes, you can. Maybe they changed the rule or something, but you can. It's pretty easy. You are allowed the 180 days per calendar year. If you need more info and that let me know, I'm through my boyfriend's 4th student visa process...
Nato ;)

Nato (='.'=)

ReidEnter says on Mar 28, 2005, 15:43:

staying longer usually they allow you 3 months or 90 days. this can be extended if you visit DAS and give them a reason. they will normally alllow you three additional 30 extentions but for each extention it is necessary to visit DAS. You can leave the country and re-enter afer the expiration of your allowable stay and they should give you an additional 90 days if you ask for it.

goosekirk says on Mar 29, 2005, 16:19:

Lauthra You've gone through 4 student visas for your boyfriend - where? Did you mean that even with a student visa, you're still limited to 180 days per year?

Lauthra says on Mar 30, 2005, 09:33:

Nope The length of the student visa they issue will be as long as the course you enroll in is, his courses are only 2 months long, so we have to go every two months and get the damn thing. I assume you can keep getting it again and again, don't know of any law that limits the amount of student visa time you can have.
Where? In Bogotá.
Nato ;)

Nato (='.'=)

calipro says on Mar 30, 2005, 21:21:

Goosekirk I can see you aren't getting real good advice.

Your time is up! There are no extensions after 180 days and you can't get a student visa without leaving colombia. Most students that need to get a student visa or renew their visa go to Quito.

So what are you going to do? Lose your passport?

Why not just over stay and pay the penalty when you leave. How big can the fine be?

Of course when you do finally leave DAS will interogate you for a couple of hours, fine you and probably make you wait six months or so before you can come back.

Gator says on Mar 31, 2005, 06:32:

You Will Havev No Luck... in extending the 180 day limit in one year. You can just say the hell with it and overstay but you might have a very unpleasent surprise when you finally try and leave.

It is almost impossible to obtain a visa while in Colombia so your best bet is to leave while your trip is still legal. Then decide what you want to do and apply at the Colombian consulate in the country where you live.

Just look at it this way-what kind of luck would you have if you were a COLOMBIAN national and tried the same route in the USA if you were visiting their on a visit?

Forget the attempt to exit then return through Cartagena or San Andres, DAS is a fairly efficient outfit and they DO use a computer data base.

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

Lauthra says on Mar 31, 2005, 06:51:

Calipro is wrong You DON'T have to leave the country to get a student visa.
Nato ;)

Nato (='.'=)

calipro says on Mar 31, 2005, 07:34:

Lauthra is wrong..... "It is almost impossible to obtain a visa while in Colombia so your best bet is to leave while your trip is still legal."

Gator

"I don't believe it is possible to get a student visa without leaving the country."

Calipro

And Gator and Calipro are right!!

Albatross says on Mar 31, 2005, 07:53:

Cali and Lauthra... So how long have you two been married ?

“Democracy - a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance." - H.L. Mencken

carter says on Mar 31, 2005, 08:49:

Lauthra is correct You can apply for it outside of the country but its easiest to do it here. I went through this process last month and it can only be done in Bogota.


process.

1. register at a University (it has to be an official institute or Uni)
2. Go to ministry of foriegn affairs just off parque 93 (get there early)

3.
A. You will need letter of exceptance
B. letter stating the University is official
C. 3 passport fotos
D. about 90,000 pesos
E. proof of funds (bank statments)
F the form they give you
G. photocopies of everypage in your passport with a Colombian stamp and your page with personal info.
H. photocopy of everything

4. If you aren't interested in studying state to the University that you don't want to pay for the course until you have been excepted for the visa they should let you do this and you will only have to pay for the letters and registration roughly 50,000. If they refuse most Universities allow monthly payments so just pay the first month.

5. Although you may registar in a 2 year course they will only give you the visa for six months and tell you to return. Apparently the process is a lot easier the 2nd time.

6. Applying outside the country will give you a full year.

If you need other info PM me. Im 100% sure that this info is correct as of 1 month ago.

Calipro have you ever tried this process because we have 2 people who have the student visa from Bogota saying it can be done and your saying it can't? 2 of my other friends also went through this same process and were succesful.

calipro says on Mar 31, 2005, 09:11:

Carter I went to enroll at the Universidad Javeriana in Cali a couple of weeks ago and they told me that I would have to apply for the visa outside the country and that there was no other way.

She told me that students usually go to Quito to get their student visas renewed because this was the closest consulate. Anyway a student visa for only six months wouldn't have done me any good. I want to get a cedula and I'm going to apply for a buisness visa in Miami as soon as I get the paper work together.

Plus the University wanted me to pay the full semester up front before they would give me the paper work to get the student visa.

Albatross says on Mar 31, 2005, 10:40:

Cali If you don't mind my asking, what are the advantages of getting a Cedula ?

Also, as far as you can tell, how much time & money do you think getting one requires ?

“Democracy - a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance." - H.L. Mencken

carter says on Mar 31, 2005, 10:49:

calipro They miss informed you Im afraid. Did you actually want to study or did you just want the visa?

Cedulas are easier to get once you have been in the country for a certain amount of time I can't remember how long exactly.

Did you talk to the ministry of foriegn affairs about the visa?

Some Universities will want all the money but if you want to study then this isn't a problem. Others who aren't use to the process will not and will wait for you to get the visa. I am studying at Uni San Gil and Im the first international student they've had. as a result I told them what I needed and they told me to pay them once I had the visa.

Unfortunatly you only get the 6 months to begin with

Lauthra says on Mar 31, 2005, 12:51:

oh so wrong We just did this process yet again TODAY in BOGOTA in the Ministry of Foreign Affaris, even in their website they say you don't have to leave the country. As Carter said, they misinformed you.
Nato ;)

Nato (='.'=)

calipro says on Mar 31, 2005, 14:47:

carter I just wanted to be able to get a cedule. I didn't really want to study.

It is my understanding that someone must have a visa that is good for over six months to get a cedula. I don't know what you mean that after you have been there awhile it gets easier to get a cedula. When I get my business visa for one year, I'm simply going to go to DAS and apply for a cedula as soon as I get into town.

I only talked to the university and a document prep. company in Miami that specialized in getting gringos a colombian visa and they both said the same thing. That I had to get the visa at a consulate outside the country. It could be that they knew that you can get a visa for six months in Bogota but that wouldn't do me any good.

Gator says on Apr 1, 2005, 07:04:

Lauthra... a little help please. Went to MRE's web site: (http://www.minrelext.gov.co)and could not finds that information. Where the heck on the site is it located? Also e-mailed them at cancilleria at minrelext.gov.co but, as usual, no answer. I also called MRE's main number, 566- 2008, and was told that process is taken care of at the consulate in which the applicant lives. Would not be the first time we have been furnished the wrong information from a government agency-if you called first I would appreciate the phone number.

Thanks

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

Lauthra says on Apr 1, 2005, 14:21:

Here
http://portal.minrelext.gov.co/portal/webdriver.exe?MIval=po_inicio.html

Click on Solicitud de Visa, ver detalle link.
Nato ;)

Nato (='.'=)

Gomezman5 says on Apr 1, 2005, 15:31:

It's "Lose" not "Loose" and that is a crazy suggestion! Every time you enter and exit Colombia, you and your vitals are entered in a computer at the DAS station in the airport. What do you guys think the man or woman is typing as he is looking at your passport? You think he is typing the daily lottery numbers? Colombia's government is pretty inept and backward, but they are not completely clueless.....Be logical guys. Thinking that losing your passport and applying for a new visa while thinking that the Colombian government will not know you were there earlier, is just plain silly. They will know. Bad idea.

Mr. Hollywood says on Apr 1, 2005, 19:22:

Cedula If you have a visa longer than 6 months you are REQUIRED to get a cedula through the DAS.

I don't think there are any big advantages to having one except it enables you to open Colombian bank accounts, if that's actually a plus.

Gator says on Apr 1, 2005, 19:31:

By God! It's there...Tks Lauthra and carter's info. is on the $ Somewhat restrictive but should be fairly easy(an oxymoron in Colombia)and can be done.

Esta visa puede ser solicitada en Colombia por primera vez.
Requested for the first time in Colombia

Fotocopia del certificado de admisión o de matrícula.
Letter(certificate) from the registrar or proper school official that you have completed regisation or been admitted

Certificación donde se indique que la intensidad horaria es mínima de diez (10) horas semanales.
Ten contact hours of study a week(in the USA about three, three credit hour courses.

Fotocopia de resolución de reconocimiento de personería jurídica del establecimiento educativo.
Just a document showing the school is legitimate (accredited)

Documento que demuestre solvencia económica titular/padres/rep. Legal.
Basically proof you or someone else can support you economically.

Certificación o constancia del Organismo Internacional o Institución que otorga la beca.
Proof that any alleged scholorship is legit.

Cuando el extranjero es menor, autorización de los padres para su permanencia en el país y designación del responsable.
If you are a minor parents permission for you to be in Colombia and who is responsible for you while there.

Certificación correspondiente si se trata de práctica laboral o pasantía dentro del Programa de estudios.
If you work or intern it is required by the program.

Thanks guys and ladies

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

Lauthra says on Apr 2, 2005, 16:13:

I knew it :) I love being right.
Nato ;)

Nato (='.'=)

calipro says on Apr 2, 2005, 19:29:

Cedulas Let you open bank accounts, get Direct TV, cell phone service on the monthly plan, rent an apartment at colombian rates, get internet service, get electric service, phone service, sign contracts, buy a car.

In short a cedula lets you live like a colombian (cheap and easy) and keep your girlfriends at colombian prices;-)

royed31 says on Apr 24, 16:51:

Hi all sounds like that is cleared up.

would like to know:

When student visa finishes and waiting to enroll on next level, how do you go about getting a tourist visa again. Do you need to leave the country ( sorry to start all that again)

I am in Bogota and have enrolled on level 1 at National. It cost about 550 000. Is there any cheaper options anyone found that I can still get a visa . Is there any courses longer than 2 mths at each level?

As I am on 2nd week of level 1, how easy is it to get the student visa, i.e do I need to know alot of spanish or is it very straight forward with not many questions.

did this very quick as battery is about to quit,

R