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Union Libre Visa

Well, I got one! Now I am officially a Colombia cedula holder! Thanks Gator for all your help!

Here are the steps to follow:

The number 1 rule is that you have to prove that you have been living in "SIN" for at least two years. This can be proven via joint bank accounts, joint ownership of personal property, and many other ways. The way we proved it is by notarized comments made at a notary by a personal friend and a relative. They signed a form called "ACTA DE DECLARACION BAJO JURAMENTO PARA FINES EXTRAPROCESALES". The couple and the friend/relative have to be present at the notary at the same time, with proper ID. The cost for each is like 11,000 pesos.

Step # 2 is to complete and notarize an "DECLARACION DE LA UNION MARITAL DE HECHO Y SOCIEDAD PATRIMONIAL DE HECHO". The couple has to be present with proper ID. What this states is that you have been living under the same roof for a period of at least 2 years and that you agree to share everything both of you own 50/50. The cost of this document was less than 150,000 pesos. The foreigner needs a complete copy of the passport. A copy of very single page. I had 52 pages, but took copies front and back. The Colombian has to have a copy of their cedula.

Step 3 is to have the Colombiano/a cedula be notarized. You need to make a copy of the front and back of the cedula. This costs like 2,000 pesos.

Step 4 is to get photos for a visa. Any photo shop can do it.

Step 5 is to go to the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores in Bogota. The address is Carrera 13 No. 93-68 Second Floor. They take applications from 7:30 am to 12 Noon. Gator send me a Visa Application Form which you can find on their web page, but the MRE had me fill out a form they handed to me. The cost of the visa is approx 320,000 pesos. There was supposed to be a person to person interview, but they did not give me one. I turned in the paperwork, paid the fee, and I had the visa.

Step 6 is to go to your local DAS office, to register your visa. You need to go to the office to get instructions and an appointment. You will need to go to Banco de Bogota and pay 137,100 pesos. You will need to make 2 copies of the deposit slip. You need to make 2 copies of the passport and the visa. You need to get 2 copies of your blood type. Any clinic/laboratory can perfom this function, called a Factor RH and Grupo Sanguineo. DAS will give you a form to complete, which you will need 2 copies. You need to get another set of photos in Matte with a blue background.

Step 7 is to show up at the DAS office at the appointed time. They will ask you for the paperwork and in about 15 minutes they will come out and take your fingerprints. Once that is done, they will hand you your passport with a stamp registering your visa. They will tell you that the original cedula will be sent to your home address within 15 days.

THAT'S IT! Sounds long but it was rather easy! Total cost was about 1,100,000 pesos, but about 400,000 pesos was for the flight from Cali for both of us.

By davidyamiga on Sep 15, 2009, 10:16 in Friendly Talkzone.

Francijoe says on Sep 15, 2009, 12:39:

Its good that you put this up to help other people. I did my spouse visa but I did it here in Cali. I went to a place called Rapitrammites. They charged me 70,000 pesos to do the paper work. They do all visa there. It saves on flying or on a buses. The first time I went to get my visa I went on a bus to Bogota. I didnt have the right papers. 22 hours on a bus for nothing. Going there and back. I took my marriage ceft. to Rapitrammites to get it translated in to Spanish. Thats when I found out they could do my visa for me. They give me a check off paper for all my docs. It took them four days. I didnt even go, my husband filled the paper work with them. He picked up my visa and then we went to DAS. Which was easy too. They told us to pick up my copy of my cedula in one week. My husband picked it up and they told him I would get my cedula in the mail. They said in a month. I got my cedule the next day after picking up my copy cedula....so congrats on your visa..I know I was happy when I got my cedula. I love Colombia....Gator is a big help with everything......He helped me. Chao

Hey cant we all get along.....

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Gator says on Sep 15, 2009, 12:57:

Muy bueno, amigo. Enjoy Cali.

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

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davidyamiga says on Sep 15, 2009, 13:18:

Azuno...it was my arepas!

Otra vez en casa...Cali!

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Monita Linda says on Sep 15, 2009, 16:03:

They MAIL cédulas nowadays?

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luck4unme says on Sep 15, 2009, 17:27:

Please confirm that there is no requirement regarding "eligibility to marry."

As in, they do not require apostilles or notarized copies for previous divorce...... from your country of citizenship........ or from Colombia for her?

Has the requirement changed or was I previously misinformed?

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davidyamiga says on Sep 15, 2009, 17:32:

If you are applying for UNION LIBRE, you do not need any documents. I have been divorced previously and they did not ask for proof that I was single.

Monita, yes. They are going to mail my cedula to my home.

Otra vez en casa...Cali!

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span_colombia says on Sep 15, 2009, 20:11:

they sure do send it to you. got my cedula de extranjeria promptly in the mail.

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robbie1 says on Sep 15, 2009, 20:37:

These cedulas aren't delivered by common carrier, private courier, etc? They are actually "mailed"? I never heard of a mailbox in Colombia.

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span_colombia says on Sep 15, 2009, 20:49:

i don't know who sends them, but the security received the mail where I was at.

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theflatline says on Sep 15, 2009, 23:02:

Robbie1,

There is mail in Colombia, it always shows up with the guard or the condo/apartment keeper jack of all trades dude. Or someone walks by and slips it under the door.

The would steal the mailboxes.

Legaleez for Complete Morons - A book for gringos in Colombia for who think they understand the nature of the law in a country where they cannot speak the language.

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robbie1 says on Sep 15, 2009, 23:12:

TFL, how does that mail get there? It is by private, hired delivery guys. I always got my bills under the door or at the guard shack too. And then we would have to go to a tienda to pay them. Because there was no way to MAIL the bills to pay them. Where do you buy stamps at in Colombia? Where do you drop a stamped letter off to mail it? Where are the postal drop boxes? Where are the mail trucks? Where are the mailmen?

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Gator says on Sep 16, 2009, 09:17:

The new issues can be sent by mail, picked up in person or you can leave authorization for someone else to pick it up for you. Mrs. Gator's new issue was mailed and received with no problem.

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

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luck4unme says on Sep 16, 2009, 09:46:

DAS delivered my cedula 3 weeks after I applied. It arrived via moto last month.

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davidyamiga says on Sep 16, 2009, 16:48:

There is mail in Cali. I just got a "nice" letter from the Mayor's office telling us that we have to fork over 3,000,000 for megaprojects in Cali.

Otra vez en casa...Cali!

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