Colombia Forum

soystar1
Joined 2012
Posts: 504

9 years ago

Advice on filling out the new online visa app

9 years ago

Well, I just went through the online visa application and so, I thought I'd share some highlights for those who will undergo the same task.

Point one. The application starts off in English but the majority of the needed document links are entirely in Spanish. You can use Google translate to find out what they want. Don't be angry if the online app stops working and quits on you. Mine did once.
Moving on......
Point two: During the input, they do ask if you have a criminal record for those of you who were asking the question on this forum.
Point three: When you are uploading the required documents they will not tell you that you are limited to just eight documents. Keep this in mind when you are uploading everything. Also, they require that you follow the required documents list or you might be turned down for a visa.
Point three: your pdf documents will be limited to a specific amount of memory upload so, if your pdf documents are too big. You will be given a prompt that you can not upload any more docs.

I used foxit reader to convert my .jpg files into pdf files.

I also used the small pdf an online website to shrink my pdf files and then upload them to save my upload file size.

Point four: As in my case, my docs were translated from English to Spanish and so I had more than eight documents to upload. The website will tell you that you can mesh these PDF documents but not what program to use.

****I used foxit reader to scan multiple documents into one. So, this should have been my first step and then shrink the file size using the small pdf website.
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/Secure_PDF_Reader/

http://compress.smallpdf.com/

Upon finishing the upload you will be given a factura for the visa study. Your payment options are online (all colombian banks payments), a servibanca atm, or at a bank named: Sudameris. I tried the Serivanca atm as there is one located close to me. Rather simple: choose payments, cancilleria, and then visa. The problem is that my debit/credit card would not take as it is from the states. I used my Colombian debit card and it went through without issue.

*Also, please remember to translate your documents from English to Spanish by using an official translator prior to uploading them. The translator will give you back the translated forms along with another form with their declaration that they are an official translator for the Cancilleria's Office. https://tramites.cancilleria.gov.co/ciudadano/directorio/traductores/traductores.aspx

Hope this helps.

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