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Colombia: Giving up Citizenship?:
Sorry to be boring, but to get back to the topic, If I can get my head around the studying, and there is a hell of a lot of it to take in, I am taking my Colombian Naturalization/Citizenship exam next year.
Why? because you then have no visa to renew, just your cedula. I am married to a Colombiana, have no intention of leaving, and couldn't afford to return to the UK even if I wanted to.
I still wouldn't give up my UK citizenship, and at this point have no intention of applying for a Colombian passport, as my Wife says, it would probably cause me more hassle than benefit!
Before making the decision to go for it, I made sure that it was not going to impact on me financially, apparently it will make no difference at all.
The UK Government will know I have duel citizenship because, a) I have to declare that I have, and b) the Citizenship process takes up to eight months, because part of that is them making enquiries with your home country, and I wouldn't think that US citizens would be any different in that respect.
Colombia: UK Double Taxation Treaty:
Reading the UK paper on Santos' current trip to the UK, not a lot of interest except the announcement that he is signing the Double Taxation Agreement with the UK whilst there, which should please those whose Accountants wont accept that HMRC already have their own agreement with DIAN. It can be read here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3893006/Theresa-s-curtsy-Queen-PM-royals-welcome-Colombia-s-president-Juan-Manuel-Santos-wife-London-historic-official-state-visit.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
Colombia: Warning! - Another Lorry Driver's Strike:
I heard today that the Lorry Drivers are going on strike again this Saturday August 20th, because the Government yet again have not moved on the promises made. This time it is alleged they will continue the strike until the Country is on it's knees, and people have been forewarned to stock up on essentials, as the shop shelves will soon be bare!! Info came from someone in one of the Drivers Assoc.
Colombia: medical care:
If it is your intention to live here legally, and not try to avoid your legal commitments, you have to pay into the National Health System, albeit you can pick your Health Provider, provided they are in your area.
I pay into SURA, my payment then covers my immediate family, in aaddition a pay for an additional Complimentary Health Plan (PAC) with the same company, which gives me direct access to Specialists, and others benefits, not available on the ordinary health service.
Unfortunately I have had to test out this plan on a number of occasions since moving here, and found it to be excellent, far better and quicker than I would have received back in the UK.
The only downside for some, is that most of the Doctors don't speak English, if you want that, then you are going to have to pay for Private Medical Insurance, and use the International Clinics, of which there are many. There are some treatments no available on the health system, which you have to pay for, but then I have not found those to be too expensive.
As for the cost, it is a % of your declared income, you declare your income to the health Provider, as long as it sounds reasonable they accept it, there is not requirement to provide proof, The only problem I had initially is that I came here with high blood pressure, and some companies are not happy taking on people with pre-existing conditions.
Colombia: Why some are coming, while others are going:
Like yourself I am a Brit, I moved here nearly five years ago, when the exchange rate was not so good, within a couple of years, I was getting nearly double, and it is tempting to change your standard of living accordingly, but I have in the main resisted, and following the Brexit Referendum, there was a drop but not significant, and I had budgeted for this, this month the exchange rate went back up, although in the lats couple of days it dropped again... this is the main problem with emigrating, if you are just on your pension, you have to be aware of your spending.
That said, I have a far better life here than I could ever have had back in the UK, or even Spain where I lived for six years before moving here.
Contrary to your declaration, Healthcare and Education is not free in the UK, yes, it is free at source, but you pay for it through your taxes, which are why taxes in the UK are so much higher than here and elsewhere, but that also has it's advantages, because DIAN offset your tax payments in the UK against your tax here, so until now I have paid $0 tax, but that is expected to change next year with the new tax regime. (Although there is no double tax treaty, Colombia still has an arrangement with the UK's HMRC)
There has never been any question of my Colombian wife moving from here, I am retired, she like yourself and others, has her family here, and unlike many, no desire to move.
Unlike yourself, I feel that I will never be totally accepted, I will always be an extranjero, but I am happy here, and Colombia is now my home. I won't move from here, a) because I am happy, b) I couldn't afford to!
Colombia: Frustration learning Spanish?:
When I first started learning Spanish 20+ years ago, I used cassettes (showing my age!) CD's and internet, but until I moved to Spain and had to use it day in and day out, I was not much good, I could hold my own but it was frustratingly slow.
I lived permanently in Spain for six years, and by the time I left I could hold a good conversation, I lived amongst the Spanish, so I had no option.
However I then moved to Colombia to be with my now Wife, and immediately I spoke if we were out I received "Qué?" and they would ignore me and talk to my wife, it is totally different here,
I find that Colombians that don't know you, do not have the patience to talk slower, and the meanings of words are different here to Spain, much like English US and British, even now four and a half years later, I find people intolerant of Foreigners when it comes to speaking.
However although my Wife understands English, she doesn't use it, so we speak Spanish permanently, that certainly helps.
As you have been learning for such a short time, do not expect too much, and if you make a Blooper, and I am sure you will, rather than getting frustrated, laugh at yourself, and they will laugh with you, not at you.
Colombia: Wills and Trusts in Colombia:
I will certainly be interested to see what advise you all receive,
I have been to two Abogados and One Notary, all told me that there is no such thing as a Will in Colombia, and anyone telling you otherwise is after your money.
They told me that in law, if you are legally resident, and there are no children, the spouse (woman or man) inherits the estate of the other, and the only tax payment would be a declaration on your income tax (renta), In my case because we have put our properties in joint name, the income tax portion only applies to the deceased's portion.
If there are children, which neither of us have, then the children also receive a share of the deceased's portion, including the daughters, which in the past did not apply.
Nothing was said about any part going to Parents, but I can see where it might, if the house or property is registered as 'Familiar'.
I bought my mother-in-laws house, paying off the mortgage, but before doing so, as it was registered 'Familiar' all the family, My wife's Parents, Sister and Brother in law, all had to attend the Notary and renounce their claim to the house, it along with our Finca will all now go to my wife.
Colombia: best hospital:
There may be a Hospital, if there is I don't know of it. I use SURA EPS, and pay for the Supplementary Plan, which give me direct access to Specialists.
At the moment I am being treated for Skin Cancer, I was sent to a Dermatologist in a Private Clinic, I needed a Cancer Body Scan, so he gave me a couple of options, and I paid for the scan, it wasn't over the top, and it was at a Specialist Skin Cancer Clinic in Medellin (Aurora), then it was back to the Dermatologist, and he performed the two operations I have had so far, at the Treatment Centre of SURA. I am not sure if this is how it works everywhere but it is certainly different to Europe.
It is also the same for a serious spinal problem I have, I went to an Orthpaedic Surgeon at his Private Clinic, he then referred me to the Instituto Colombiano del Dolor in Medellin for a spinal block, which unfortunately didn't work, so now back to the Orthopaedic Surgeon.
There is a lot of travelling between different Specialists, but, and I can only talk for myself, it works, and I have complete confidence in my Specialists. Much faster treatment than I would have received back in the UK.
Colombia: Anyone else having postal problems?:
4/72 are not fit for purpose, but as there is no alternative for normal posting, its all we have got.
In 4 1/2 years I have received two letters, at an address here, and that was before I moved out of town to a Finca, as they will NOT deliver outside an urban area.
As has been said, you also have to ensure the Postal Code is correct, without a house number and the PC they wont even try to deliver, I take the code off their site, then there can be no argument on their side.
Here I use my Mother in law's address, even then there is no guarantee, and it takes a minimum of 5-7 weeks from the UK , (so I still haven't had my UK referendum papers to vote on the EU, fortunately we had the right result!).
If you live in Medellin and are expecting mail which hasn't arrived, but you know the Post Code was used,, go to the main Postal Sorting Office of 4/72 on the Autopista Norte in Caribe, you may have to sit a while, but usually they will find your mail hidden away somewhere, they keep it for a few weeks before disposing of it.
Now I have all my official mail sent to my Brother in the UK (unfortunately I can't do that with Voting papers), he scans anything of interest, and if it is something I have to deal with directly, I bite the bullet and pay for him to forward it by Courier.
Colombia: "yes, or No", need to make Colombian tax declarations?:
In answer to the queries, since January 2013 all Foreigners, Resident in Colombia on any Visa, have to declare their income, including Foreign Pensions, albeit until October 2014 Foreign Pensions were not taxed, unfortunately an Abogado queried this, and as a result, from October 2014, Foreigners Pensions are taxed, unless your home country has a double tax treaty with Colombia, so unless you have a very good Accountant, you could have to pay tax twice, in your home country and in Colombia.
Find an Accountant, and take receipts for any vehicles bought or sold during that tax year,
your escrituras for any properties owned,
receipts for any work done on your property, including materials if you did the work yourself.
A certificate from your Colombian Bank, obtained specifically for DIAN, which shows your expenditure for the year.
Copies of your income transfers to Colombia, and if you used a Transfer Company, a certificate from them.
A Certificate from you EPS Health Provider to show how much you paid into the system, as a legal requirement.
This does not mean you will pay any tax, if you have a good Accountant, your claimable expenses will cancel out any tax obligations, but you must complete the return.
I have been reliably told, that DIAN is not after the little man, if a Return is made, as long as it appears reasonable they will accept it, they are after those who make no Returns, and those who are obviously lying, as their Certificates will bear out.
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