IF ANYONE IS PLANNING ON STARTING A BUSINESS IN COLOMBIA BE AWARE THAT YOU MUST FIRST GET YOUR BUSINESS VISA APPROVED. THE PROCESS IS RELATIVELY EASY. BEFORE YOU GO TO THE COLOMBIAN CONSULATE YOU MUST GATHER THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK.
1)VALID PASSPORT
2)POLICE REPORT (CLEARANCE LETTER)STATING YOU DON'T HAVE ANY PAST CRIMINAL RECORD. THIS CAN BE OBTAINED IN THE STATE YOU LIVE IN.
3)6 MONTHS OF BANK STATEMENTS
4.) 3 PASSPORT PHOTOS
5.)LETTER EXPLAINING WHAT YOUR BUSINESS IS AND HOW MUCH TIME YOU PLAN ON SPENDING IN COLOMBIA.
6.)COMPLETED APPLICATION WHICH CAN BE OBTAINED ON THEIR WEBSITE. http://colombia.nosotros.com
AFTER YOU GATHER ALL OF THIS INFORMATION YOU CAN GO TO THE CONSULATE AND SUBMIT YOUR INFORMATION. THEY WILL REVIEW EVERYTHING AND THEN GIVE YOU AN APPOINTMENT FOR AN INTERVIEW.
I USED THE NEW YORK CONSULATE WHICH IS LOCATED AT 10 E.46TH STREET. IT WAS VERY EASY TO GET MY BUSINESS VISA, IT TOOK A TOTAL OF 5 DAYS AFTER I SUBMITTED MY FORMS AND HAD MY INTERVIEW. THE VISA IS VALID FOR 2 YEARS. THE COST OF THE BUSINES VISA IS $150.00. REMEMBER THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS VISA IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS OWNER. ALSO IF YOU ARE WORKING IN COLOMBIA YOU MUST OBTAIN A WORK VISA, THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE BUSINESS VISA. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE PROPER DOCUMENTS THE D.A.S. CAN REMOVE YOU FROM COLOMBIA AND CLOSE YOUR BUSINESS. SO IT IS WISE TO FOLLOW COLOMBIAN LAW THAT WAY YOU AVOID FUTURE PROBLEMS.
PACINO
