Colombia Expat Forum

elpdiver
Joined 2019
Posts: 1213

4 years ago

Immigration to Coloma daughter

4 years ago

I am in the middle of my trip to Medellin and have finally caught up enough to start making a few posts. They will be non linear in nature; much like my favorite producer's movies, Quentin Tarantino.

So, you can search through the history and see the various thoughts on this subject. I went to the Migrations office here in Medellin a few weeks back and this is the result.

We arrived at the office about 10 a.m. and there was a line of about twenty people outside and the glass door was locked and a security guard posted. Tapped on the door and asked if this was the place to inquire about my situation and was told to get in line

Within about thirty minutes it was my turn and the guard opened the door and allowed to get in line inside in the air conditioned office. My wife was not allowed to accompany me.

I needed the bath room and the guard pointed the way down the hall. The bathroom was spotless and the porcelain throne had no seat.

There was no toilet paper; but, they had a dispenser. Digging through my Publito Paisa coin pouch that I purchased 15 years ago I discovered that I had no "traditional" 500 mil peso coins, so I had to go back out into the waiting room and scrounge through the line until I found someone to exchange the coins for me.

After the bath room the guard had saved my position in line and soon was pointed to a seat. As each person was called we all got up and changed seats to move towards the front of the line. The line went quickly with no more than two minutes per customer.

Finally, my turn!.I explained my question and my heart sank as he was pointing me to same web page as the Houston Consulate and telling me that all my questions would be answered there.

I politely informed him that I believed that I had gotten bad information from the consulate and he sort of bristled. Calming him down I asked if it was true that if I obtained a Resident visa via my daughter that I could be out of the country no longer than six months as informed by the Houston Consulate.

Then he spoke a few words of English and I asked, "Do you speak English and commented that I felt that his English was better than my Spanish. Finally on his good side I asked my questions.

I can be out of the country for up to two years and then enter for one day and reset the clock for another two years.

There are zero financial qualifications required. I even asked if I could enter if in a state of bank ruptcy.

I am allowed to work if I so choose.

The visa does not have to be renewed; but, after five years the cedula will have to be renewed.

Hope this information provides some use to others.

LPd

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