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Types of visas

I'm self-employed as a dyslexia correction provider. I'm bilingual and provide this service in either English or Spanish. Last month two Colombian families hired me to provide my services for their teenagers. They paid for these services ahead of time by bank wire and I entered Colombia on a tourist visa. I lived in Colombia many years ago, but on a student visa. I'd very much like to move back, opening my business in Bogota or Bucaramanga. (I'm a US citizen.) I've visited the embassy webpage and looked at the kinds of visas available. A work visa isn't quite it, as I wouldn't have an "employer" but would instead be self employed (and hopefully in time I'd generate employment for locals as the business expanded). The business visa, as described at the website, doesn't allow you to work and live in the country, just visit for business purposes. But there has to be a category for people who want to take their businesses to the country, especially something like this, which is a service currently unavailable there. Can anyone here put me on the right track? (I don't want to chat with anyone at the embassy yet and "tip my hand" - I'd like to know a bit more about what the options are before I do that. At least know what to call the type of visa I'm looking for! Thanks for any suggestions or leads you might have,
Laura
(profecita)

By profecita on Jul 18, 2005, 10:21 in Visa & paperwork.

Gator says on Jul 18, 2005, 13:47:

You Might Try A... TS Commercial Visa. Somewhat of a stretch but you might fit. You do NOT have too many options if you want to be legal and not work under the table. At some point, and I suggest you make is sooner rather than later, you need to sit down with someone at the one of the consulates.

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

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europeantraveler says on Jul 18, 2005, 14:02:

You need a TS visa - Temporal Especial In your case, here are the requirements:

Para el ejercicio de actividades de carácter independiente

1. Carta de solicitud suscrita por el interesado indicando la actividad a desarrollar en Colombia.

2. Documentos que acrediten la idoneidad para el ejercicio de la actividad. Títulos convalidados por el Ministerio de Educación Nacional y permiso provisional o licencia para ejercer profesión que se encuentre regulada en Colombia. O, Acreditar experiencia según el caso.

Taken from this website:

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

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BAQ says on Jul 23, 2005, 19:29:

THINK ABOUT THIS I know another american here now in a similar situation, now I am not going to advocate you do this, but it IS an option. Come down here and find a FRIENDLY DOCTOR, then apply for a MEDICAL VISA, thats how this guy got a visa to stay down here. From what he told me, it is only good for one year and then I guess you have to renew it but once you have been here for THREE years consecutive, you are a perminant resident. What you DON'T want is to get caught here WITHOUT a visa or overstay your visa, they take visas serious here and would first put you in prison, then deport you. If you are here SOLO, you will have to find a COLOMBIAN to help you with a business. Without the correct visa, you won;t be able to get any licenses for a business ect in your name.

Just a thought.

Semper Fidelis !

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profecita says on Jul 30, 2005, 01:11:

types of visas Thank you very much to Gator, europeantraveler and BAQ for your suggestions and information. I'm going to keep researching until I find a way to make this happen - legally, of course!
Muy agradecida,
profecita

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