The Colombian Visa Step Nobody Tells You About...

[@20andgone2]

It only cost $10 per page to have a document apostilled in my home state. Getting a document apostilled isn’t complicated at all. Just go to the state department website of the state the document was issued in and you can find the instructions there. In the case of federal forms, the US Dept. of State does the Apostille.

[@marselisscott6702]

I rather do that then pay $200 just to apostille some documents

[@nelgster]

i have a couple of properties in Colombia and have a residence visa and have never had to submit an FBI background check nor have I ever needed to apostille bank statements. the only things I've needed apostilled are government docs from the US, like birth certificates, etc. In cases when I requested a doc from a State, one can also have it apostillized by the State at the same time. It's similar to having a document notarized but an apostille is a doc that is recognized as valid between countries.

[@Rudy2.0]

Another great video thanks Ak

[@jeffreymore6799]

New subscriber I am appreciating the info

[@AKJoel]

Glad you're finding value in it!

[@Acteaon]

Yup. I had to have my US (Texas) documents apostilled here with focus on presenting them in Mexico, cuz they ask what government you’ll be submitting them to.

[@Tim8mit]

20 years ago I got a visa to marry my Colombian wife, in Colombia, the Colombian consulate in Montreal Canada gave me the complete list and explanation I just need an apostille stamp on my birth certificate....I ordered a copy from the Brit Government on line (I was born in England) ...the second part is I had to pay a sanctioned translator to make translations of all the documents ....it all took a few weeks til I had a visa printed in my Passport

[@PassportGods]

Was translating expensive?

[@majo9042]

​@@PassportGodsIt can be expensive depends of what kind of documents like the complexity from the document.

[@wickman.r4662]

My good friend in Estadio did his fingerprint card in Estadio in March or April 2024. My friend now has his 2 year Pensione Visa and will pickup his Cedula within 15 days. The agent who does fingerprints travels to your home , apartment or other to make the inked fingerprints.

[@majo9042]

Hi if I am requesting a visa residence for my husband we are leaving in USA but the application is online, how you get the finger prints?. Where we go for this?. Thanks.

[@wickman.r4662]

I did FBI fingerprints in USA at agency mentioned and received FBI letter in less than 3 days . Local agency near ORD airport accomplished Apostille within 2 days in State of Illinois office in Chicago.

[@wickman.r4662]

Fingerprints can be done in Medellin for FBI check. Paper sheet of prints then mailed to USA.

[@gabrielhollnagel6373]

Where in Medellin?

[@marselisscott6702]

Where in Medellin?

[@MZInternationalBusiness]

You get the US fingerprints at the US post office

[@radad12]

Where can I go online to get migrant visa without involving lawyer. I did my usa citizen application myself years ago and the process was simple

[@vanguardcycle]

great info.. thanks guys

[@AKJoel]

No worries, thanks for watching!

[@user-rw718]

Hello AK. Just wondering how easy or how complicated was your marriage visa to obtain. You only needed a birth certificate to obtain the marriage visa also did you need a criminal background check for a marriage visa. Im getting different information nobody seems to have thesame information so i figured i would ask you since tou recently got married

[@williamvonharten1722]

When I was applying for my retirement visa in Panama....I was able to take my FBI background check, and my Social Security earnings statement to the Panamanian Consulate to be authenticated by them. They attached documents to mine, which I then sent to my attorney in Panama. Is that an option with Colombia?

[@tomreider9622]

I am in the process now of applying for a retirement visa. I don't know when the rules changed but in August I was able to get my fingerprints done in Colombia for the FBI background check. I did get the apostille for my SSA benefits letter within 72 hours, however I was told the FBI background check will take at least 8 weeks to get completed, possibly more. I'm still waiting on that. Unfortunately I will be out of the country by the time it is completed because I will have been in Colombia for 180 days on my visitor visa before that happens.

[@JWinch]

Are you using an immigration visa service to help you or are you doing it yourself? The Colombian immigration law does not let you cross the Colombian border after you apply for a visa before you get a decision so I hope you haven't applied yet, or perhaps you can cancel the application if you already have started.

[@hjmendoza71]

I just got my Visa for the retirement done last month and I walked into my local police station in California and got my police background check done there. It was accepted by the colombian immigration.

[@JWinch]

The law is vague enough that people can have widely different experiences based on their good or bad luck of who is processing their application.@@hjmendoza71

[@tomreider9622]

@@JWinch I am using a Colombian Visa service. Nothing has been submitted to the Colombian government yet because I still need the apostilled FBI background check document.

[@tomreider9622]

@@hjmendoza71 The background check was not done through the FBI but just local police and they accepted it?

[@garethwilliams5187]

Do you need a Spanish translation of the documents at the same time?

[@AKJoel]

yes you definitely will need to get some documents translated to Spanish, please consult a visa lawyer to know exactly which documents.

[@majo9042]

Yes you do an need an official traslate.

[@IWouldRatherBeAtTheBeach]

I went to the apostille USA website and I tried booking a consultation but the Calendly URL is not valid. I also went to the Accurate Biometrics website to schedule my fingerprints but they told me they no longer do that service for the FBI and that I should contact directly. Maybe I got the wrong website name or link. Is there another similar online fingerprinting company you recommend? Also if you could please let Rugi know to update his Calendly link so I can schedule a meeting with him.

[@AKJoel]

Could you try again? I just spoke to Rugi and he said the link is working and a couple of others have successfully booked consults in the past hour.

[@IWouldRatherBeAtTheBeach]

@@AKJoel Thank you so much! For some reason it is still not working but I sent him an email. Thank you again and I love your videos!

[@hjmendoza71]

You don't necessarily have to get it FBI check that's totally wrong. I just got my Visa last month and the Colombian immigration accepted my local police station in California criminal background check.

[@AKJoel]

Yeah I'm not sure about the wording Rugi used but it makes sense that any form of criminal background check will suffice

[@JWinch]

Someone from Nexo said that starting this year they got complaints from immigration when the American applicant did not get the criminal background check from the FBI. As @hjmendoza71 he succeeded despite that. However, I am guessing it depends on the application examiner.@@AKJoel

[@hjmendoza71]

@@AKJoel for example the Sacramento Police department uses the same system that the whole country uses as a background check for police criminal records of the last 7 years. For the FBI check you're going to wait a long time and pay much more money. I paid $20 and was out of there in 10 min

[@hjmendoza71]

I'll be direct this is much easier if you do all this process within your home country. I got my documents apostle at the California secretary of state. First I had my documents notarized then I walked into the California secretary of state and got my documents apostle. I was in and out of the office in 15 minutes. And much cheaper 20 dollars each document.

[@20andgone2]

I did the same. At the time I had to mail the documents in due to COVID restrictions. It cost me $10 a page. There’s a lot of miss leading information on social media.

[@thenifty5019]

I’m doing this process but my mother is Colombia so I’m trying to do the birthright route. Currently had to request a birth certificate from the city I was born in. Once they mailed that to me I have to then mail it to the Secretary of State of the state I was born at to get it apostilled. Then once I recieve it I have to translate and apostille that doc. But I think I can get it apostilled locally

[@majo9042]

Your birth certificate needs to be traslate, anything you summit to them in another language needs an official traslate. They said that on their website.

[@Flielow]

It's really difficult for the guest to answer directly it seems.

[@jacobiejones7442]

After submitting my visa application, am I allowed to stay until it is complete/rejected?

[@AKJoel]

You will have to get something called a Salvoconducto.

[@wickman.r4662]

I used Accurate Biométrics. Excellent service at 10 drive from my USA home.

[@nerd1636]

I’ll like to know if a foreigner who’s from Bolivia and he’s under a 1 YEAR WORK PERMIT VISA in Colombia seeks for a VISIT VISA to US while he’s still working in Colombia ?

[@AKJoel]

You can ask these immigration lawyers: nexo.legal/your-peace-of-mind-in-colombia/?rc=100005

[@shimonnathan7776]

You need the fbi document if tryingcto get a digital nomad visa?

[@AKJoel]

No, only for Migrant Visas - the Digital Nomad visa is a "Visitor" visa - so background check not required.

[@RDxRyaan]

Is it only for US CITIZENS? OR EVERYONE?

[@AKJoel]

Everyone

[@renemontenegro6143]

ITS LIKE A NOTORY

[@AKJoel]

A notary is an individual that verifies the legal validity of a document's signatures, an apostille is a document that guarantees the international legality of a document.

[@renemontenegro6143]

@AKJoel Almost the same as a Notary both need verifications Joel

[@gg13308]

Do any of the documents have to be translated into Spanish?

[@AKJoel]

yes you definitely will need to get some documents translated to Spanish, please consult a visa lawyer to know exactly which documents.

[@hjmendoza71]

Yes

[@Wheresgiovi]

Do you know an attorney in Columbia that works with type M visas and knows about repatriation insurance?

[@AKJoel]

Yup, you can contact Nexo Legal and they'll sort you out: bit.ly/contactnexolegal

[@jeffdavis135]

A live scan? Like for teachers?

[@adelwilliam2430]

Hello from China, An English teacher from China. could u help me apply for tourist visa for Colombia please ?

[@AKJoel]

You should contact these immigration lawyers, they can help you: nexo.legal/your-peace-of-mind-in-colombia/?rc=100005

[@item6931]

For a long term visa of some sort, I'm guessing they will require a medical? I raise the point because I have autoimmune disease. It is well controlled, but I have it, so obviously it could be an issue for them. Also an Australian, Joel 🙂 (from Queensland).

[@AKJoel]

I believe it's only for certain types of visas where you'll need a medical - but best to check exactly which ones with a lawyer mate!

[@JWinch]

Only the two retirement visas require a medical certificate. Presumably, this is because they want to minimize the risk of the person getting sick and then costing their healthcare system a lot of money. One Colombian immigration lawyer told me someone was denied a retirement visa because they weighed 150 kg.@@AKJoel

[@item6931]

@@AKJoel cheers!

[@zohebkhan8930]

Question : I have Indian passport and hold USA visitor visa. I guess Ican travel to Colombia hassle free. Please suggest!

[@AKJoel]

You might need a visa as India isn't on this list: nexo.legal/home/colombian-visas/ I'm not sure how the USA visitor visa affects the situation, so you'd be better off contacting a lawyer to find out.

[@JWinch]

I have read the law numerous times and never found anything indicating that your travel status affected rules regarding nationalities. Maybe some clever lawyer can find an exception, but I highly doubt that an Indian citizen can travle to Colombia without a visa. ARTÍCULO 24. REQUISITOS GENERALES PARÁGRAFO 2. Los extranjeros de nacionalidades no exentas de visa para visitas de corta estancia, de conformidad con la resolución vigente en la materia, deberán hacer su solicitud en línea. Applying online means you have to get a visa. You can't just show up at the Colombian border and have your Indian passport stamped which is what it means to not require a visa.

[@Shawfamilly]

Sir I want apply tourism visa for my family member they are 8 people should we apply separately?

[@AKJoel]

Please contact these lawyers - the can help you: nexo.legal/your-peace-of-mind-in-colombia/?rc=100005

[@mauriceharnett5369]

What is the equivelant of an fbi check in australia

[@AKJoel]

Police check

[@suizod]

FBI check is for US citizens. What if you're from another country?

[@Apostille-USA]

You will need to get your criminal record from your country.

[@AKJoel]

Whichever country you're from will have their own version of a criminal background check.

[@JWinch]

Actually the law is not about citizenship - it is about where you have been in the last 3 years. The part of the law (www.cancilleria.gov.co/sites/default/files/Normograma/docs/resolucion_minrelaciones_5477_2022.htm) on criminal records says this: "Certificado de antecedentes judiciales, penales o de policía expedido por la autoridad del país donde haya permanecido durante los últimos tres (3) años con las formalidades de apostilla o legalización y traducción establecidas en el Artículo 21 de la presente Resolución" Note, that the law is ambiguous for the circumstances of someone who lives in multiple countries (like many international travelers do).

[@geri2001]

Does Colombian visa require a criminal record needs to be valid on a time period? For example it's valid for last 12 months? @@Apostille-USA

[@JWinch]

All documents (except passports) that you submit cannot be older than 3 months between the date of their issue and the date of your application.@@geri2001 "ARTÍCULO 20. VIGENCIA EXIGIDA DE DOCUMENTOS. Los documentos que se presenten como soporte para solicitud de visa, diferentes a pasaportes o documentos de viaje válidos y vigentes, deberán tener fecha de expedición no mayor a tres (3) meses antes del registro de la solicitud."

[@bluegtturbo]

Yeah and how do you know the apostille isn't fake?! 😂

[@AKJoel]

Why would it be fake?

[@wickman.r4662]

Fingerprints card to: FBI CJIS Division, ATTN: ELECTRONIC SUMMARY REQUEST 1000 Custer Hollow Road Clarksburg, West Virginia 2606 Find local Medellín visa agency / attorney for advice. DHL can deliver to USA