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SOUTH AMERICA Topics specific to South America only.
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I haven't been everywhere...
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Photo by Josephine Flohr,
Elephant at Camp, Namibia



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  #1  
Old 3 Weeks Ago
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reprosity Fee

has anyone tried to figure out why Canadians have to pay 285 thousand peso to enter the county, this was imposed during the Santos government 2012 -2016. Duque became the next president and abolished the fee , id guess he welcomed Canadians
so the new president Petro señor Gustavo has implemented the entrance fee again what a asshole this is nothing new in Colombian politics. But where is the money going
Canada gives about 2 billion dollars in support to the Colombian well being , much of that is to feed the poor and ecomnomic Development, this place is a thief Heaven on the political agenda Why on earth do Canadians have to pay 100 bucks to visit Colombia. is there another nation that has to pay for this privilege
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  #2  
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I'm definitely not a fan of this new entrance tax either. I do not have good info on it, but usually it is the economically stronger nation who initiates it in my opinion. I'm guessing that Canada is charging some heavy fees for the Colombian tourist visas.

Canada's immigration/ tourism policy for Colombians is about the same as the USA's policy, which is not very friendly. There is a 1-2 year wait just to get a Canadian tourist visa processed for Colombians. If you look at the tourism/ immigration policies of the countries in Europe, they are in general a lot more friendly towards Colombians.
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  #3  
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Colombians do not need a visa for the EU, but do for Canada, and it's neither easy nor cheap. Canadians do not need a visa to enter Colombia - reciprocity would mean that Canadians would need a visa not just an entrance fee.

Colombians have to pay an application fee of CAD$ 100, biometrics fees of CAD$ 85 (may not be required), and passport processing fees of around CAD$ 45. Canadians have to pay CAD 100 entrance fee to enter Colombia - this is 31% (or 57%) less than Colombian pay.

If the reciprocity fee were truly reciprocal it would be at least CAD 145.

You reap what you sow.
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  #4  
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fees for thiefs

How's this supposed to be cheaper than a Canadian visa that is good for five years, a Canadian has to pay every time they enter Colombia 100 bucks a pop
a Colombian pays once for the the visa I consider it a bargain for 5 years
If a Colombian has to travel to bogota to have a eye scan , sure it costs a bit of money but if it is such a burden on your budget then you have no business going to Canada 145 dollars will get you nowhere
My point is a family vacation to Colombia just won't happen
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It definitely sucks. If Canada softened its immigration/tourism policies with Colombians than it would create all kinds of problems with the USA. The narcos would send people to Canada and then have them illegally enter the USA over the land border.

To be honest, I do not think you guys have a "good" understanding of how much of a "hardship" it is on Colombians to get a tourist visa for Canada or the USA. The process for a Colombian getting a 5 year tourist visa is like them winning the lottery. The $$ value you mentioned for getting the tourist visa is not the real cost. The real cost is 200 hours of waiting in lines.
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  #6  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tohellnback View Post
How's this supposed to be cheaper than a Canadian visa that is good for five years, a Canadian has to pay every time they enter Colombia 100 bucks a pop
a Colombian pays once for the the visa I consider it a bargain for 5 years
If a Colombian has to travel to bogota to have a eye scan , sure it costs a bit of money but if it is such a burden on your budget then you have no business going to Canada 145 dollars will get you nowhere
My point is a family vacation to Colombia just won't happen

***

It definitely sucks. If Canada softened its immigration/tourism policies with Colombians than it would create all kinds of problems with the USA. The narcos would send people to Canada and then have them illegally enter the USA over the land border.

To be honest, I do not think you guys have a "good" understanding of how much of a "hardship" it is on Colombians to get a tourist visa for Canada or the USA. The process for a Colombian getting a 5 year tourist visa is like them winning the lottery. The $$ value you mentioned for getting the tourist visa is not the real cost. The real cost is 200 hours of waiting in lines.
It's currently CAD 90 not CAD 100 (not that this is significant difference). I do take the point that it's every trip, so if a Canadian travels to Colombia several times in 5 years it is more expensive, EXCEPT for the point made by #gatogato. A Canadian flies in, pays the fee with a credit card, and enters the country; a Colombian has to spend a ridiculous amount of time and effort preparing all of the forms demonstrating financial capability, getting letter of invitation, etc., etc.

Schengen Zone passport holders had visa-free entry to Colombia, and granted visa-free access to Colombians at the end of 2015. Colombia lifted the entry fee for Canadians in 2019, presumably in the hope of reciprocity on the part of Canada, and have now re-introduced it.

I suggest that the issue of Canada/USA border is moot: the border is controlled, not everywhere with fences and border guards, but with surveillance and intelligence. More to the point, the most practical way of moving stuff from Colombia to the USA is not by using individuals with back-packs who then have to get through robust security checks at the departure and arrival airports (except of course for decoy purposes) but by container or "charter" aircraft.
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  #7  
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pay

what the hell do you expect. every MF in Colombia wants Aprovecha work illegal you name it
Walmart of the the word
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  #8  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alanymarce View Post
It's currently CAD 90 not CAD 100 (not that this is significant difference). I do take the point that it's every trip, so if a Canadian travels to Colombia several times in 5 years it is more expensive, EXCEPT for the point made by #gatogato. A Canadian flies in, pays the fee with a credit card, and enters the country; a Colombian has to spend a ridiculous amount of time and effort preparing all of the forms demonstrating financial capability, getting letter of invitation, etc., etc.

Schengen Zone passport holders had visa-free entry to Colombia, and granted visa-free access to Colombians at the end of 2015. Colombia lifted the entry fee for Canadians in 2019, presumably in the hope of reciprocity on the part of Canada, and have now re-introduced it.

I suggest that the issue of Canada/USA border is moot: the border is controlled, not everywhere with fences and border guards, but with surveillance and intelligence. More to the point, the most practical way of moving stuff from Colombia to the USA is not by using individuals with back-packs who then have to get through robust security checks at the departure and arrival airports (except of course for decoy purposes) but by container or "charter" aircraft.

With an easy Colombian tourist visa in Canada, my concern is that the Colombian cartels would send Sicarios and other bad actors to Canada and than smuggle them across the land border into the States.

With the weak gun laws in the USA it would be pretty easy for the cartels to cause havoc and strengthen their networks inside the USA.

When Colombian tourist visas were easier to get for the US in the 1970s and the 1980s the USA had a big problem with Colombian hitmen coming to the US to murder someone and then either fleeing back to Colombia before they got caught, or getting caught, but then getting bail and fleeing back to Colombia.
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visa

Quote:
Originally Posted by gatogato View Post
It definitely sucks. If Canada softened its immigration/tourism policies with Colombians than it would create all kinds of problems with the USA. The narcos would send people to Canada and then have them illegally enter the USA over the land border.

To be honest, I do not think you guys have a "good" understanding of how much of a "hardship" it is on Colombians to get a tourist visa for Canada or the USA. The process for a Colombian getting a 5 year tourist visa is like them winning the lottery. The $$ value you mentioned for getting the tourist visa is not the real cost. The real cost is 200 hours of waiting in lines.
I know the hardship and what is involved , my girlfriend applied and I walked her thru it. its not a hard thing to do , but if you dont have command of the English language and the format that Canada is using is: well just Canadian bureaucracy It takes a special patient talent to figure it out. Most Colombians use a visa agency if they have money. and let them figure it out
My better side had to renew her Colombian passport. and this is an ordeal. im in Bucaramanga a city of a million. she spent 16 hours in lines in total time to receive her passport. and its not the first one she has had Im guessing every body in Colombia wants to get out Not good things are happening with the leftest agenda
Canada easy-Peasy
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  #10  
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humm reprosity basura

well im flying out of Colombia again this is my 3rd time this year. thank god I visa and cedula this would be a costly ordeal. only to have the privilege of not waiting in line with the general migration. it has its benefits. to get thru to your bags
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  #11  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tohellnback View Post
well im flying out of Colombia again this is my 3rd time this year. thank god I visa and cedula this would be a costly ordeal. only to have the privilege of not waiting in line with the general migration. it has its benefits. to get thru to your bags
I take your point. A few years ago I was averaging once a month. I assume you have "e-migration" set up?

As far as passport renewal is concerned, Colombia is (or was until they changed the passport contractor recently) very efficient - a new passport in 24 hours. Last time I renewed a passport I was told that it would take 4 months! There was another option - doing it at the passport office in person which would take 4 hours, which is what I did, although I had to fly (14 hours with connections) to do this.
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Hello, everyone. I am new here, can I ask a question?
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