Job Discussion Forums

Utica2008 · Joined: 05 Oct 2011 Posts: 13 Location: Ireland

Hello,

I have a few questions regarding entering Colombia.

I have heard that although technically you are supposed to have an onward or return flight booked, but this is hardly ever checked, although some airlines enforce it. Can anyone shed some light on this please?

Are there any very cheap flights that people book as proof of an onward flight without intending to get the flight?

Do you claim to be a backpacker who will be travelling out of the country by bus? I will more than likely be flying from madrid.

Also are there any factors that decide how long they stamp your visa for? 90 is the maximum but sometimes they stamp for 30 I believe? Do people just usually ask for 90?

Thanks

JonnyBravo · Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 80 Location: Bogota, Colombia

Since one way tickets were not really much cheaper for me from Detroit, I just booked a round trip ticket for the latest they would let me return and then changed the flight later. I nearly didnt get on that flight.

labomba · Joined: 28 Apr 2009 Posts: 31

You can get 60 days. That is how it works.

90 days is very, very, very rare. You will get 60 days.

The checking of airline tickets and having a return is usually done by the airline. It is rare to be checked for this by immigration unless you look out of the ordinary.

The airlines vary on this. You can check with them. My experience is that coming from Europe, the airlines here have let me fly in on a one way ticket, flying with BA.

Some people get a single ticket to Quito from Colombia, or "make" an eticket to Quito.

You should search the old forums on poorbuthappy.com and colombia vanilla.

JonnyBravo · Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 80 Location: Bogota, Colombia

There are basically two places you could get asked this, at the airport before you get on the plane, or at immigration in Colombia. I wasn't asked at either. Or really much of anything at immigratation actually.

Cruiser · Joined: 26 Nov 2010 Posts: 39

simonenglish · Joined: 09 Aug 2011 Posts: 38

littlelauren86 · Joined: 20 Sep 2011 Posts: 94 Location: Korea

Same here. I got 90 days at immigration, no smiling though.

The thing is Asiana airlines did ask me for proof of onward/return travel when I checked in. American airlines didn't ask for anything.

windowlicker · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 183 Location: Bogot�, Colombia

originaloli · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 5:17 pm Post subject:

You will be given a piece of immigration paper on the plane asking what you are bringing into the country, if you have a criminal record etc. On this will be a section asking how long you intend to stick around. Put 90 days on the visa and you should receive just that. My partner and I did...Colombian immigration was a piece of piss. It's usually more of a pain coming back to England in this current climate of hatred (coming in at the Belgian end of the Eurostar I was asked why I'd been out of the country for more than two years - and not in a nice chatty way) and xenophobia.

littlelauren86 · Joined: 20 Sep 2011 Posts: 94 Location: Korea

G22 · Joined: 25 Oct 2010 Posts: 89

You don't need a return ticket and if you ask for 90 days you most likely will get it.

Cruiser · Joined: 26 Nov 2010 Posts: 39

MNguy · Joined: 01 Feb 2010 Posts: 129

Who runs it now that DAS is shit-canned? I left Colombia by bus after overstaying my work visa by two months and had to give the DAS guy at the border my cell phone and $20 for the stamp to get out.