WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU LEAVE?

There are a variety of things you should organize before leaving for Colombia, falling into three main categories: Paperwork, Money, and Accommodation.

Visa requirements
Who requires a visa?: Required by all except the following for touristic purposes for up to 90 days:

a) nationals listed in the above (except for nationals of the Republic of Ireland);
b) nationals of Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil,Brunei-Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica,Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Holland, Honduras, Iceland, Indonesia,Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Korea (Rep), Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Norway, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, The Philippines,Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovak Republic, South Africa, Spain, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, UK, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela.

What documents will be required?

PASSPORTS: Passport with an expiration date of minimum 3 months required by all.

Time required to issue visa:

5 days for nationals resident in the UK who require a visa; in all other instances 10 to 15 days. It is advised to allow plenty of time for applications.

How do I apply?

Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section.

Application requirements:

(a) Valid passport with at least one blank page to affix the visa (two pages for business visas). (b) Three recent passport-size photos,must have white background.

(c) Two completed and signed application forms.

(d) Onward or return tickets.

(e) Proof of sufficient funds to cover stay (such as latest bank statements).

(f) Fee, payable by cash, cheque or postal order.

(g) Proof of address.

(h) For business visas a letter of responsibility from company in Colombia is required.

(i) Photocopies of all the above documentation.

COLOMBIAN VISA

For other visas other documents may be required. These will need to be translated into Spanish, and some of them will need to be legalised by the Consulate. Most applications will need to be supported by documents from the relevant organisations/the relevant ministry in Colombia and in the applicants country of origin. Some nationals may be required to undergo an interview prior to being issued with a visa. Contact the nearest Colombian Consulate or Consular section at Embassy for further details.

What is the cost of a visa?

Tourist: 30 (depends on nationality). Temporary visitor: 75. Business: 120. Company: 155. Temporary working: 160. For other types and costs contact the Consulate or Consular section at Embassy.

How long is the visa valid for?

Up to 3 months although depends on nationality and purpose of stay. A visitors permit will be issued on arrival and a 15-day extension to this period may usually be granted.

Other information:
Temporary residence: Enquire at Consulate or Consular section of Embassy for further details; see Contact Addresses section.

Embassy contact information:
Please contact the nearest Embassy of Colombia for information on what documentation you may require to enter Colombia.

As an exchange student you will have to ask for a student visa in the nearest Colombian embassy. It´s recommended applying for this visa in advance as it can take some time. Please contact the embassy to find out the requirements for obtaining student visa.
When arriving to Colombia you will have to visit DAS office (federal police) in Ibagué (within 2 weeks from the date of arrival) to register your visa. Please don´t forget this! If you don´t do so you are risking 300,000 COP penalty. For DAS Office prepare 2-3 passport size photos, some copies of your passport, and document proving your blood type (IMPORTANT).




Money

According to our experience it´s necessary to have at least 300-400€ (850,000 - 1,200,000COP) per month available for living costs (depends how much you want to travel and party). Official currency in Colombia is Colombian peso (1€ = aprox.2900COP, 1$ = aprox. 2000COP). In Colombia is not a problem to find ATM at every city. Most of them work fine with cards issued outside Colombia. Most banks have a maximum cash withdrawal limit of 400,000COP per transaction. Only Citibank will let you take a maximum of 1,000,000COP per withdrawal. Be careful when you are withdrawing cash!

Clothes
Despite Ibagué is quite high located climate is very gentle. Thanks to the fact Ibagué and all Colombia is near to the equator temperatures varies only little through year. Usual temperature in Ibagué is around 18 – 20´C at night and 24-28´C per day. So take this in count when choosing clothes to take with you. However if you are planning to travel to mountains such as Nevado del Tolima etc. take some warm clothes with you. Colombia has two seasons: the dry (December-March) and the rainy season (April, May and September, October, November). The rest of year is something between of these two.
Vaccinations
You are required to have yellow fever vaccination before going to Colombia (take your vaccination card with you to prove it if necessary). Other considerable vaccination before go is Hepatitis A and B. If you are thinking to travel to Amazon Basin (Leticia) or Pacific Coast (Chocó region) it is recommended to use antimalarics which are widely able to buy in almost every pharmacy (ARALEN - . There is no risk of malaria in areas above 700m (also Ibague) above or Caribbean coast!
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