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Why I have to go to Venezuela, the 180 day calendar year rule, and more than you ever wanted to know about Colombian visas

3/8/2012

7 Comments

 
Let’s do this Tarantino style and start with the ending first...I have to go to Venezuela this weekend in order to stay in Colombia.  Que?

Okay, now let’s back it up a bit.  Colombia’s official tourism slogan is  “Colombia, the only risk is wanting to stay.”
This is definitely true as I and many others I know can attest too.  I have to be honest though, before I left on this trip Colombia wasn’t even on my itinerary because I thought it was too dangerous.  But rather than fearing for my life here, I have instead fallen in love with this country, it's landscapes, and it’s people.  That’s why my original plan to stay 2 weeks has turned into 6 months, which brings me to my current predicament. 

The tourist visa allows you to stay in Colombia up to 180 days per calendar year with each stay capping out at a maximum of 180 consecutive days (as per amendments to the immigration law titled "El Decreto 2622 de 2009").  This is a bit confusing so let me explain with some examples:

  1. Let’s say you enter the country on July 1st, 2011.  You can stay until Dec 31, 2011 which is 180 days in the 2011 calendar year.  However, you can not claim on January 1st, 2012 that a new calendar year has started and that you now get a fresh 180 days.  This is due to the consecutive days stipulation.  You may, however, leave the country and re-enter, thereby resetting the consecutive days clock and thus allowing you to take advantage of the new calendar year.
  2. Another example.  I entered Colombia on September 12, 2011.  My 6 months expires Monday on March 12, 2012.  I have to leave the country to reset the clock on the consecutive days rule but when I return, since I have only been in Colombia for 2 months in calendar year 2012, I have an additional 4 months left.

There are other types of visas that you can obtain that offer longer stays:

http://www.investincolombia.com.co/Adjuntos/105_Chapter%205%20Immigration%20Rules-%20Visas.pdf

I researched all of them and the only other one that would apply at this time would be the student visa.  I looked into registering for Spanish classes at EAFIT, the local university.
  
http://www.eafit.edu.co/idiomas/spanish-program/Paginas/inscripciones-matriculas.aspx 

This was a great option!  Not only would I get a longer visa, but I’d also get an intensive Spanish course as well.  Unfortunately, the classes don’t start until March 20 and my student visa would not be processed in time.

Which brings us to the last option which many long term travelers become quite familiar with:  the infamous border run.

My objective now is to obtain the visa in the least amount of time and in the most cost-efficient way.  Here is the breakdown:

Colombia shares land borders with five countries, Panama, Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil and Peru.  The land border between Panama and Colombia is a little bit sketchy to say the least.  The Pacific side is too dangerous as you venture into the Darién Gap, aka 'no man's land' and have to worry about having coffee with the bandas criminales such as the Urabeños or other paramilitary groups like the FARC.  I like adventure but I have my limits.  The Atlantic side is doable but a little more complicated than I want at the moment due to numerous reasons.

The crossings for Brazil, Peru and Ecuador are either too far or you face the problem of the Amazon, which leaves me with the the crossing at Cúcuta for Venezuela.   Since I’m in Medellin, Cúcuta ends up being the closest and easiest.

And that my friends, is why I am going to Venezuela this weekend, in order to stay in Colombia.

These articles might be helpful as well:

My adventure to the wild and crazy frontier town of Cúcuta and how I crossed the border into Venezuela to renew my Colombian visa.

Current requirements for renewing your visa in Medellin, Colombia.



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7 Comments
Joel Duncan link
3/8/2012 01:22:45 am

So you are out for the weekend. I guess I should be checking my visa status to make sure I don't have to leave the country. I think you answered this but you you only have to leave when it is 180 consecutive days? I think that I have nearly spent that amount of time here but not consecutive days. Good post, I am sure many guys will benefit from it. Hopefully they find it before their visas expire!

Reply
JosephLe.com link
3/8/2012 01:49:21 am

Thanks brother! You should be good because you haven't been here consecutively for that long!

Reply
teresa
4/18/2012 10:30:19 am

you are wonderful Joseph Tle.
Please do take care!

Reply
Eye
2/6/2013 06:46:19 am

Thanks for the info! :)

But fyi, the FARC is not a paramilitary group, they are an insurgency group. In fact, paramilitaries were trained by the government largely to exterminate the FARC. If you're interested in learning about this aspect of Colombia's history, this book is fantastic: http://zedbooks.co.uk/node/7853

Reply
JosephLe.com link
2/6/2013 10:36:58 am

That's very interesting! I wasn't aware of that. I will have to check out that book, looks like a good read. Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoyed the site!

Reply
Marcus
2/18/2013 10:47:33 pm

Great info mate! Just to clarify regarding the tourist visa, can I give you my situation and see if i have it right?

I will arrive in Medellin on July 1st 2013. Hopefully I will get 90 days but if 60 days, so be it. This will take me to September 1st (if i get 60 days). I can then renew for a further 60 days, taking me to November 1st. On 30th October I leave Colombia for Peru to take on the inca trail and arrive back in Colombia on the 6th November.

Will I get another 60 days on arrival back into Colombia, taking me to 6 January? And as it is a new calender year and I wont have stayed consecutively for 180 days, can I renew again for a further 60 days, potentially taking me to 6 March 2014?

Long winded I know!

Cheers

Reply
JosephLe.com link
2/19/2013 07:44:14 am

Hi Marcus,
Yes, because you're leaving Colombia you won't have to worry about breaking the 180 consecutive days rule so you'll be fine staying November 6th, 2013 until potentially March 6th, 2014 if you desired (as long as you renew your visa).

As for your question regarding your return to Colombia from Peru, the amount of days you receive for your visa tends to vary from 30 up to 90 days (with recent reports saying 90 days are more typical given now). Whether you get 30, 60 or 90 though the important thing is you'll be able to renew the visa if you want and stay until March 6!

Hope that helps and happy travels!

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