Medellin_bound
American looking for information about Colombia
Forum posts
43
Contacts
6
About me
American
Speaks English, Spanish, some Portuguese. some Japanese.
Registration: 27 August 2011
Managing retirement savings in Colombia by Cheryl
Hello everyone, Saving for retirement as an expat in Colombia can be challenging. With different options, rules or even taxation, expats have to understand how it works to make informed decisions. We invite you to share your insights in order to ...
@CherylThere is double taxation in Colombia, and an agreement with Florida, USA, where they get reports of SSN information from.聽 Now, with the withdrawal of funds from the USA as international assistance, and the discord between presidents, ... Read More
Young Colombian wife- is it worth it? by European_chap
I've noticed that women in Colombia really love "one-day dramas." So, is it really okay to marry a woman from such a distant country? Even though I like everything about her, her whole environment 鈥� her family 鈥� just terrifies me!
@ChineduOpara He refused to leave. The authorities will not do anything in the small town where he is. The woman is in charge of collecting the payments for the water system for the village (not a paid job). She is being trusted because she lives ... Read More
Young Colombian wife- is it worth it? by European_chap
I've noticed that women in Colombia really love "one-day dramas." So, is it really okay to marry a woman from such a distant country? Even though I like everything about her, her whole environment 鈥� her family 鈥� just terrifies me!
@European_chap This is hilarious. If you are more than 10 years older, she may not be in the relationship with good intentions; you will not know until it's too late. Families use the younger girls to trap an outsider. This happened to my father ... Read More
Surprising aspects of life in major Colombian cities (testimonials) by Ameerah Arjanee
Hi everyone, I'm a content writer for Expat Magazine, and we're currently seeking testimonials for an upcoming article. If you are (or have ever been) an expat in a major Colombian city, what aspects of life there surprised you the most? Whether ...
@ChineduOpara I do the same at restaurants. I take out my spicy chili and it helps. Ecuadorian food is very similar to Colombian food to me a bit more taste at the beaches in Ecuador but that is because of the fish, cilantro and lemon. Peru is ... Read More
Surprising aspects of life in major Colombian cities (testimonials) by Ameerah Arjanee
Hi everyone, I'm a content writer for Expat Magazine, and we're currently seeking testimonials for an upcoming article. If you are (or have ever been) an expat in a major Colombian city, what aspects of life there surprised you the most? Whether ...
@ChineduOpara About the food, the further south you go, the less flavor you will find. Think German food or the Azore Islands, that is because most of the cooking culture was brought to Latin America from Northern Spain who were of German background ... Read More
Currently both live in UK but want to Marry in Cali Colombia by benno0905
Hi Everyone,.My Colombian Fianc茅 and I (GB National) have lived together for 6 Years in the UK. We were hoping to get married in Cali next July (2024) to celebrate with her amazing family. Both having UK jobs our holiday entitlements would ...
@benno0905 Your Colombian fiancee is a resident/citizen of Colombia (meaning she was born in Colombia or is naturalized in Colombia), so unless the rule says that one of the people getting married must RESIDE in Colombia (and that obviously applies ... Read More
Your best culinary memory in Colombia by Mickael
Hello everyone, As you know, every country has its own flavours and tasting the local cuisine is a great way to discover the culture of a destination. Whether it's a small typical restaurant to taste local dishes, a traditional meal in a local's ...
@South American Voyager Maybe it is their culture and they like the food the way they like it. No reason to insult people for the way they enjoy life, just because it is not your own culture? Colombians are not forcing us to come to their county ... Read More
Buying land and building. by PJ27188
Hi everyone. I have a girlfriend who's family live and Cali, they have told me there are no restrictions on foreigners (i'm from UK) buying and building on land. Can anyone point me in the right direction on where I can find a suitable plot ...
You could be right. But I really doubt it. A lawyer can tell you that you can, but he will be placing the property under his name. I would not believe it, just because it is printed in the Intenet somewhere, especially if it is a company trying to ... Read More
Receive money in Colombia from outside by Didetune
We have created our society and will work with foreign countries. They will pay us from Europe. How can we receive the money in Colombia? We can't use paypal in Colombia and the transfer with the swip code seems to be complicated, is there ...
About not being able to take all of your money out of the country or about getting your money thru Dolex? Read More
Receive money in Colombia from outside by Didetune
We have created our society and will work with foreign countries. They will pay us from Europe. How can we receive the money in Colombia? We can't use paypal in Colombia and the transfer with the swip code seems to be complicated, is there ...
Do not transfer your funds into Colombia. If you ever want to leave and take your money you will not be able to take it out of the bank or the country. Just do a monthly/bimonthly withdraw from your ATM or if you can trust someone in your country of ... Read More
Money exchange and banking by Carl Salvo
I am planning to move to Medellin or LaVega soon. I want to be able to start a bank account there. Can I open one in the US now(such as Citibank) and send money to be deposited into the same Citibank account in Medellin? Should I wait until I get ...
Maybe, it depends on the kind of card you have, the bank that issued it and if it has the required hologram (chip) for security. The ATM will identify themselves with the Interbank Network symbols like PLUS. I found only one bank ATM that would ... Read More
opening a Colombian bank account, you need a "Cedular"? by GuestPoster597
can you (as a foreigner) open a Colombian bank account without having a "cedeluar"? Thx.
Yes, you need a Cedula and proof that your money is earned legally. So proof a job, or proof of your bank account outside the country. Read More
Buying land and building. by PJ27188
Hi everyone. I have a girlfriend who's family live and Cali, they have told me there are no restrictions on foreigners (i'm from UK) buying and building on land. Can anyone point me in the right direction on where I can find a suitable plot ...
Of course there are guidelines for buying property. one of them is you must have legal residency. Do not let someone else put their name on your property bill of sale no matter how much they say they love you and you think you love them. You have ... Read More
Aviation people that work in Columbia
Got it. Good luck. You have the right attitude. You will do well. Wish you the best. Read More
Business etiquette in Colombia by Julien
Hello everybody, As you know, professional habits may differ from one country to another. In order to help newly arrived expats better understand their new professional environment in Colombia, we warmly encourage you to share information and ...
I have had the opportunity of doing business in many types of companies in Colombia, and have made many friends in the business environment in the past. Here is a little of what I have learned in relation to first time impressions in business ... Read More
Aviation people that work in Columbia
Start by spelling it correctly COLOMBIA. No U. Colombians really get pissed off when you don't know how to spell the name of their country. What type of aviation job are you looking for? Read More
Are you happy in Colombia? by Priscilla
Hello everyone! According to the 2016 UN World Happiness Survey, Denmark, Switzerland and Iceland are the happiest countries on earth. How about you? Are you happy in Colombia? Do you feel happier today in your host country than before in ...
So, so far.... it looks like the foreigners that come to Colombia to take advantage of what Colombians cannot, are very happy. To tell if Colombians are happy you must walk in their shoes. So none of us can really say. If their facial expressions ... Read More
In retrospect, would you move again to Colombia? by Christine
Hi all, If you had to look back on your expat experience in Colombia, would you heartily say "let聮s do it again"? From the preparation stage to your actual everyday life in your new country, what did you enjoy the most? Would you do certain ...
The thing that drives me crazy about Medellin is the smells of gasoline coming from cars, the noise pollution where you can or are forced to hear some 10 songs all at the same time in the same block. Same thing in a bus. I cannot imagine someone ... Read More
In retrospect, would you move again to Colombia? by Christine
Hi all, If you had to look back on your expat experience in Colombia, would you heartily say "let聮s do it again"? From the preparation stage to your actual everyday life in your new country, what did you enjoy the most? Would you do certain ...
John Morrison is 100% correct. This happens all over Colombia. My recommendation is come visit, stay a while but don't buy or stay permanently. Keep your eyes wide open,and don't set any attachments that you can not leave as soon as you ... Read More
How Does College/University system in Cali Colombia work by nancy3030
Does anyone know how the college/university system works in Colombia? I have a friend there looking to go to college and get a 4 year degree. He is native Colombian and also has papers for the U.S.A. I am having a difficult time finding anything ...
Sorry I though you said he has papers for the U.S.A. is his English poor and that is why you can not get the information? If he is 30 years old, he more than knows what he is doing. If he has papers to U.S.A. I assume he travels back and forth as ... Read More
How Does College/University system in Cali Colombia work by nancy3030
Does anyone know how the college/university system works in Colombia? I have a friend there looking to go to college and get a 4 year degree. He is native Colombian and also has papers for the U.S.A. I am having a difficult time finding anything ...
Here is a small update on my previous comment. http://www.icfes.gov.co/ At this link you can find the information related to the test that needs to be taken to qualify for university. Your student might have to "validar el bachillerato" ... Read More
How Does College/University system in Cali Colombia work by nancy3030
Does anyone know how the college/university system works in Colombia? I have a friend there looking to go to college and get a 4 year degree. He is native Colombian and also has papers for the U.S.A. I am having a difficult time finding anything ...
According to what I have been told one needs to be in Colombia to get all of this information First there are subscriptions for testing to see if one qualifies to go to university in Colombia One must have a valid cedula which is best to apply for ... Read More
Healthcare in Colombia by Julien
Hi, how does the healthcare system work in Colombia ? Is it efficient ? What are the main differences between public and private sectors? Is it recommended to purchase private health insurance in Colombia? Thanks in advance for sharing ...
Medical care is excellent in Colombia. My father moved to Colombia 7 years a go. He was 65 then. he purchased insurance with SuSalud. He retired in the USA and upon arrival visited one of the offices of SuSalud in Medellin. There he purchased ... Read More
Buying land and building. by PJ27188
Hi everyone. I have a girlfriend who's family live and Cali, they have told me there are no restrictions on foreigners (i'm from UK) buying and building on land. Can anyone point me in the right direction on where I can find a suitable plot ...
Also to pay for your land you must do the money exchange at the local notary with a bank issued check. Do not exchange cash with anyone for a piece of land much less if you are not at the notary processing the deed of the land. Wait to buy until ... Read More
Buying land and building. by PJ27188
Hi everyone. I have a girlfriend who's family live and Cali, they have told me there are no restrictions on foreigners (i'm from UK) buying and building on land. Can anyone point me in the right direction on where I can find a suitable plot ...
Also to pay for your land you must do the money exchange at the local notary with a bank issued check. Do not exchange cash with anyone for a piece of land much less if you are not at the notary processing the deed of the land. Wait to buy until ... Read More
Buying land and building. by PJ27188
Hi everyone. I have a girlfriend who's family live and Cali, they have told me there are no restrictions on foreigners (i'm from UK) buying and building on land. Can anyone point me in the right direction on where I can find a suitable plot ...
It is not true that there are no restrictions. First you must be a legal alien with residency. Then you must aquire your cedula then you can buy land. A deed of the land can not be issued to you if you do not have a cedula. A cedula can not be ... Read More
Is there anything better to do by Grindl-POP
My name is Anton (AC) Christopher and I moved here to Colombia to get out of China. Where I was for the last ten years. Is there anything better to do here than teach English for $500 a month?
Tommy: When you say you are a brick layer. Do you mean you brick lay yourself or that you are a contractor for brick layers? If you yourself are a bricklayer. This type of jobs pay very little in Colombia. There are thousands of unemployed ... Read More
Retiring in Medallin
The firs step is to go to the Colombian Embassy site and see what type of emigrant you will be. If you qualify for a retirement visa or investor visa then the government will allow you to bring with you all of your property. Follow the legal ... Read More
Money exchange and banking by Carl Salvo
I am planning to move to Medellin or LaVega soon. I want to be able to start a bank account there. Can I open one in the US now(such as Citibank) and send money to be deposited into the same Citibank account in Medellin? Should I wait until I get ...
When I tried to open my account they (all of the banks I attempted to open an account with) wanted my account numbers, names of the banks for them to directly check into my accounts and payment slips from work or government reports of my retirement. ... Read More
Money exchange and banking by Carl Salvo
I am planning to move to Medellin or LaVega soon. I want to be able to start a bank account there. Can I open one in the US now(such as Citibank) and send money to be deposited into the same Citibank account in Medellin? Should I wait until I get ...
Unless you have a cedula or id that shows you are a legal resident (in a sense this document is equivalent to the United States' green card) and that you have established your residency legally in Colombia. The banks will not allow you to open ... Read More
cost of living questions? by guero57
Hi all. I'm seiously considering accepting an offer to come work in Bogota, and I'm curious on what to bring? For example, I imagine buying a computer here in the states will be a better deal than in Colombia. Anything else? Clothes, English books, ...
Tools. if you like to do your own repairs around the house, I recommend you bring your tools. The tools here are of poor quality. The materials by which they are made (mostly made in China) are substandard. Storage containers are very expensive ... Read More
Allow Myself to Introduce Myself by JordanWander
Hello I'm Jordan and I'm new to the site. I'm an American who has been traveling across latin america (Mexico to here) while working online. So far the journey has been for over 7 months. In that time Medellin became a legend from all the ...
Hi Jordan: How is it going so far? I just got back and notice your intro. I found an excellent place to eat sea food in Belen. Marea is the name of the place. Calle 30A Number 73-59. They are moving 2 doors down but it is easy to find. The ... Read More
After marriage procedures by takimonster
Hello, I am currently in Bogota, Colombia and am nearing the end of my 180 day stay. After a whirlwind of sending, receiving, translating, and paying fees, we are ready to get married. However, my extension ends March 3rd, 2014. My questions: ...
Just go to Panama and stay 2 or 3 days then return they will give you a new 90 day stay. Read More
notary in Bogota by AmandaN
Can anyone recommend a good, fast, no hassle notary in Bogot谩?
La Notar铆a es una entidad de creaci贸n legal, es decir, que el gobierno nacional a trav茅s del Presidente de la Rep煤blica y el Ministro del Interior y de Justicia disponen su creaci贸n. Carece de personer铆a jur铆dica y su representaci贸n se ejerce a ... Read More
Psychologist directory?
Here is a psychologists directory in Colombia. You can send a request for a psychologist (in english) on this site. The one who responds will be the one who understand your question. http://www.psico.org/psicologos/Colombia Clik on : "Haz una ... Read More
Money exchange and banking by Carl Salvo
I am planning to move to Medellin or LaVega soon. I want to be able to start a bank account there. Can I open one in the US now(such as Citibank) and send money to be deposited into the same Citibank account in Medellin? Should I wait until I get ...
If you decide that you want to open an account in Colombia you must: 1. Have a legal residency (There are any steps required to achieve it. Contact the Colombian embassy or consulate). 2. Present a legal I.D. number to the bank to open an ... Read More
prescription medications
There are certain brands that are not sold in Colombia, but they have equivalents with different names. The pharmacist can give you something compatible with what you usualy take. Fiorinal = (Aspirin, Butalbital, and Caffeine. Pharmacists in ... Read More
Money exchange and banking by Carl Salvo
I am planning to move to Medellin or LaVega soon. I want to be able to start a bank account there. Can I open one in the US now(such as Citibank) and send money to be deposited into the same Citibank account in Medellin? Should I wait until I get ...
Here is my experience with the banking systems in Colombia. Particularly in Medellin. If you are not a resident of Colombia you cannot open an account in a bank. If you are a resident but do not have a full time job in Colombia you will have to ... Read More
Buying property in Colombia
To buy property in Colombia you must have a legal residency which allows you to have the appropriate documentation to buy a house, get a drivers license, open a bank account, get a job etc... So the first step is to access the Colombian Embassy site ... Read More