Medellin Living

Thank you to Angela Atkins for submitting the detailed step-by-step process below.  The information is accurate at the time of publishing, and subject to change.  Be sure to verify the steps as you go. If you arrive in Colombia as a tourist, and decide to stay longer, you can take Spanish classes and extend your [...]

So, after finding all of the correct offices, getting my stamp out of Colombia and into Venezuela, and having a super relaxing lunch, it was time to finish the process. The stamp out of Venezuela was easy, but interesting.  To receive a stamp out of Venezuela you must pay 55,000 VBF.  I went to the [...]

After a crazy long bus ride to the border town of Cucuta, and a nice traditional breakfast, of course the next thing my friend JD and I had to do was get on a bus. JD asked around about what bus we should take to get my visa stamped, and it all seemed easy enough.  [...]

So, I needed to leave the country since my tourist visa was up.  Venezuela was the closest and cheapest option, and that’s where I decided to go. With my limited Spanish I knew that I would need some major help for this trip.  I recruited my friend JD for the trip, and he was kind [...]

Thanks to not being thrilled with my new job, and not willing to sign a contract, I got to renew my visa…again.  This time, however, I had to leave the country to do it.  Being such an epic adventure for a whole four hours in another country, I though I would break it down for [...]

The DAS office now uses Bogotá bank for the deposits.  As far as I know, the deposit has to be made at the location that is across the street from Premium Plaza.  The rest of the required information is the same…for now.  There are possible major changes in January when DAS basically is restructured.  So [...]

In order to stay in Medellin for longer than the tourist visa, which is a maximum six months, I have been looking for a job so I can get a work visa. As I understand it, work visas are obtained by first getting a contract from the company you intend to work for.  Once you [...]

Yesterday afternoon, I renewed my tourist visa for the 4th and final time in 2009. In a little under 4 weeks, I will be on a flight back to the USA.  It feels like I have so little time left. On the flip side, by most working Americans’ account, 4 weeks is A LOT of [...]

This past Monday, I renewed my tourist visa for the third time.  At this point, the process simply involves using the instructions I documented the first time around.  I made the requisite deposit in a bank account, and took a number at the DAS office.  Unlike my last visit which entailed about 30 minutes of [...]

About 10 business days after I initially submitted the payment and paperwork for a 30-day tourist visa extension, I returned to the DAS office for a new stamp in my passport.  Aside from a 20 minute wait, there were no hiccups in the process.  The drag, of course, is having to repeat the visits every [...]