stephen99 has left 7 comments

stephen99 comments on Apartments.

apartment in cartegena go to santa marta...cheaper....
more beautiful and so many peaceful places to hang out
just got a fantastic place for much less than you are gonna pay

stephen99 comments on How to transfer money to Colombia to buy land

sending money to colombia I have just done this ....and the problems are not here but in colombia
You must do the following to be sure of success
1 gather documents that clearly show the source of your funds...from banks etc
2 get a letter from your bank saying you hae been a good customer for the length of time
3 get it translated by a certified translator..english to spanish
4 go to clombian consulate and have them authenticate documents
5 send to a friend in colombia who must then go to a dept of the government that authenticates the consuls signature
6 have someone take the documents to the bank and ask them if they will accept the transfer...only then
7 send the money make sure the exchange rate is specified in the transfer contract
be ready for a poor rate of exchange in Colombia and a withholding tax of 0.004%
The banks are not following any laid out process in writing and so the onus is on you to prove the funds are not laundered
Its a pain....but if you do this

you will be ok
any less and you are taking a big risk the bank will not accept the money
no land and you lose your deposito
it worked recently for us
good luck

stephen99 comments on Colombiana with daughter (moved from Talk Zone)

canadian visa Hi I am a canadian replying... with a colombian wife and children
It really is best with stuff like this to go to directly to the canadian embassy and talk to them...you can do this in person by email or by phone...call as a canadian asking for citizen services
I have done all three....and rules change. so its better not to waste time or make mistakes
go to the horses mouth
good luck

stephen99 comments on Colombiana with daughter (moved from Talk Zone)

canadian visa Hi I am a canadian replying... with a colombian wife and children
It really is best with stuff like this to go to directly to the canadian embassy and talk to them...you can do this in person by email or by phone...call as a canadian asking for citizen services
I have done all three....and rules change. so its better not to waste time or make mistakes
go to the horses mouth
good luck

stephen99 comments on Brief travel guide to Santa Marta

beach house for rent santa marta have a place on the beach el rodadero...sleeps 8
cra 1 area b 5 minuts walk to the middle of the beach
write sbharris at symapatico.ca if interested

stephen99 comments on Safety in Colombia

safe in Colombia? I just returned from Colombia and travelled throughout the country by bus.Before I left I was anxious but I trusted my wife's family to keep us safe.
Basic story..........Colombia has changed a lot in the last three years
travelling is much safer....... We went through the mountains at night on a bus from Bogota to Santa Marta.The presence right now in the travelled areas is the army
I am an old teacher and a parent...I understand how your parents feel
So I think the argument is simply this.........
the people you must rely on are the adults in colombia...who will only allow you to travel where they know its safe now.......
the embassy is usually not up to date on specific areas of the country
On our trip my family had no hesitation travelling with us...they would not have done the same trip three years ago
The tourist areas and cities are not in the middle of the troubles
just normal south american crime stuff......
check your home town stats probably does not look much better
When Toronto had SARS tourism collapsed...baseball was cancelld americans stayed away in tens of thousands.....CNN showed people wearing face masks etc..only two hospitals in town had the virus within the walls of the hospital......not outside...the media effect on distorting the truth is powerfull..............Colombia has some really bad troubles...........but they are in particular areas in a land that is as big as Spain and France together.I can say that there is no war activity in Bogota and Cartegena.
I think if you parents are worried about in between..... then fly from Bogota to Cartagena....If you want more info my wife and I would be glad to help
Good luck

stephen99 comments on APARTMENTS FOR RENT IN EL RODADERO SANTA MARTA & CARTAGENA

OCEANFRONT COTTAGE IN EL RODADERO Beautiful 2 bedroom/2 full bath cottage with balcony/patio fully furnished,with living room sleeps 8/private lot/ wonderful location. Quiet beach in front. Ten minute walk to main El Rodadero beach/supermarket/five minute walk to Gym and swimming pool.Classified level 5 tourist location.
Photos available by email. Rates are competitive and seasonal.
Call Anjelica at 011 571 671 3939 in Colombia to book. Speak Spanish
Call Stephen or Esperanza 416 530 1273 in Canada.Speak English or Spanish
email:stephen.harris at senecac.on.ca