Advice for US Travelers

Question

Are There Special Requirements to Travel to Colombia?

Answer

1. You'll need a valid passport (valid at least 6 months beyond the date you exit Colombia) with 1+ empty pages. If you don't have a passport, they take 6-9 weeks to get (unless expedited). Find more information here: https://www.fcc.gov/international-roaming#:~:text=Mobile%20telephone%20networks%20differ%20from,and%20receiving%20data%20%E2%80%93%20might%20not. 2. From 72 hours to 1 hour before your flight here AND home, digitally fill out the required "Check Mig" entry registration. It's tedious, so give yourself time, & have your passport, flight information, & address where you'll be staying ready. You can switch it to English, but be aware that when you're looking for country, the US may be "Estados Unidos." The website to complete the form: https://apps.migracioncolombia.gov.co/pre-registro/en YOU MUST DO THIS AGAIN online within 72 hours of FLYING HOME, and there's no paper version available at the airport to do this. 3. As far as COVID, according to the US Embassy in Colombia, "International travelers entering Colombia must present proof of completion of a COVID-19 vaccination scheme or either a negative antigen test taken within 48 hours prior to the originally scheduled time of embarkment or a PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to the originally scheduled time of embarkment." When I returned to Colombia in January, I was not asked for vaccination documentation, but it is better to be safe. Please check for up-to-date information at the time of your travel at the US Embassy website: https://co.usembassy.gov/updated-covid-19-vaccination-testing-requirements-to-enter-colombia/#:~:text=Resolution%20692%20states%20that%20international,to%20the%20originally%20scheduled%20time 4. You'll need a facemask, at least leaving Colombia. 5. If you're traveling around Colombia, you may need a yellow fever vaccination to visit certain national parks. Find a yellow fever vaccination clinic here: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellow-fever-vaccination-clinics/search

Question

What Can I Expect Upon Arrival to the Cali Airport?

Answer

The Cali airport is small. Once you exit the plane, you'll go to an immigration line. They usually let families go up to the immigration desk together. They will ask to see your passport (out of its holder, if you have one), and they may ask your reason for visiting. You can say "Turismo" (tourism) or that you're going to a wedding: "Voy a una boda." They may ask where you're staying, so it's a good idea to keep your hotel address handy. They may also ask for proof of your "Check Mig," which is the registration for entering Colombia that you will fill out prior to flying. Keep a screenshot of the email you receive after completing the Check Mig form on your phone. Finally, they might ask how long you're staying. They will not request a visa for tourism trips. After exiting immigration, you'll collect checked bags from the carousel, and then there may be someone there in the Customs area. Sometimes they ask if you have anything to claim (the answer is usually no unless importing goods or carrying more than $10,000 USD), and you may hear the same questions from immigration, but most likely, you'll breeze through and send your bag through a short conveyer belt before exiting the airport. Upon exiting, you'll be asked "Taxi?" or can visit the taxi stand. Cali airport taxis are legitimate. If you have Colombian pesos, you can follow someone to a taxi. They'll ask what barrio (you can answer Ciudad Jardin, if you're staying close to our house). They might even give you a piece of paper with a quoted price for the travel (around 80 mil). Then they'll need the full hotel address. It's about an hour (depending on traffic) to the south end of Cali. I'm also happy to arrange for a driver to pick you up! Just say the word! If you need cash, there's a currency exchange booth right outside the airport and another inside, though you may have to go up a floor to the departures section. There is also an ATM inside the airport. The word for ATM is "Cajero automático."

Question

How Does the Currency Work?

Answer

Colombia uses the Colombian Peso (COP). You can think of $20 in the US equating to about 100 thousand COP (which looks like a bill for 100...but it's a hundred thousand). Your money goes a long way here, and there are ATMs where you can withdraw money as well (and it comes out in COP). However, many places only accept cash, so it is important to have COP. In the Cali airport, there is a currency exchange office right outside the exit, or you can get COP in advance at a currency exchange office in a US major airport, especially if you're flying through Miami. As far as how much money you should plan on spending, that's entirely dependent on you and how long you intend to stay, but in a recent travel blog I read, the couple spent about $65 USD per day per person. In their blog they break down travel costs they encountered on their four-week trips and the way those costs differed depending on the way you use your money and the kind of budget with which you're working: https://travelyourmemories.com/colombia-trip-cost/#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20for%20a%20mid,x%20%2464%20on%20average%20%3D%20%241344. IMPORTANT: Be sure to notify your credit card company and your bank that you are traveling to Colombia to minimize the likelihood that they will put a hold on your cards, thinking that those charges are not from you. Some people like to download a free currency converter app on their phones before coming to better understand how much they're spending.

Question

Will My Cell Phone Work?

Answer

Definitely talk to your cell phone carrier prior to traveling, telling them when and where you're traveling, and get their recommendations for international travel. Here's a little more information on this: https://www.fcc.gov/international-roaming#:~:text=Mobile%20telephone%20networks%20differ%20from,and%20receiving%20data%20%E2%80%93%20might%20not. We also recommend that you get the free app Whatsapp on your phone prior to coming if you don't already have it. This is the easiest way to communicate with the bride and groom, and many businesses communicate through Whatsapp.

Question

How Do I Get Around Cali?

Answer

Taxis and Ubers are probably your best option, and they are inexpensive here. We recommend downloading some travel apps onto your phone before coming, probably these three: Uber, DiDi, and Cabify. These allow you to input your credit card information ahead of time so that you don't have to worry so much about having the right amount of cash or making change in an unfamiliar currency. They also allow you to input the address in advance, which is convenient if you are worried about not being able to give a good explanation of where you want to go in Spanish. Taxis ordered through these apps are more reliable than taxis hailed on the street. INSIDER TIP: Don't slam taxi doors! It is considered rude here. While rental cars are another option, rent at your own risk. Driving in Cali can be stressful, and there's a good chance no one will speak English at the rental office. If you are traveling outside of Cali, rental cars can be a nice option, especially if you're with someone who speaks Spanish and is familiar with Colombia. We successfully rented a car through the rental company Localiza to travel to Salento (a beautiful town in the coffee region) with my dad when he visited. There is a public bus system that is also a possibility for the adventurous traveler, and it has buses within Cali (the Mio) and all over Colombia (at the bus terminal), but if you're staying in Cali, ordering a taxi is a simpler option.

Question

What Should I Pack?

Answer

—Wedding clothes —Swimsuit —Bug spray —Phone charger (Electrical outlets are the same in Colombia as they are in the States.) —Raincoat (July is part of the dry season, but it's good to be prepared!) —Other clothes (The temperature will probably be from the high 60s to low 90s.) —Clothes for going out on the town if you plan to be in Cali a day or two before the wedding —Comfortable dancing shoes! (You are, after all, headed to the salsa dancing capital of the world!) —Toiletries with regulation-sized liquids (You are allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes in your carry-on bag and through the checkpoint. These are limited to travel-sized containers that are 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item. Placing these items in the small bag and separating from your carry-on baggage facilitates the screening process. Pack items that are in containers larger than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters in checked baggage.) —Don't pack jewelry in your checked bag. ***If by some chance your luggage gets lost (this has only happened to me once when I had a last-minute connection change coming into Cali), you'll need to give a description of your bag and your address and phone number to the people at the luggage desk right near the baggage carousel.

Question

What if I Don't Speak Spanish?

Answer

Truth be told, it is a little challenging to get around Cali without Spanish, but if you pack your patience and an open mind, it's totally possible. The people are generally very friendly and helpful and are happy that you're trying, and there is always Google translate. It's useful to practice the basics on an application like DuoLingo or other language acquisition programs (particularly travel vocabulary like directions, places, common greetings, and numbers). Here is a website with super useful survival Spanish for people traveling to a Spanish-speaking country: https://www.mondly.com/blog/2018/06/11/93-spanish-travel-phrases-traveling-spanish-speaking-country/ Websites and vocabulary like this help you prepare for the specific situations you'll be in while traveling. It's always good to ask "¿Hablas Inglés?" (Do you speak English?) early on, just in case this could save you some communication struggles. Trying to get around in a country in another language can be a little humbling. Remember that when I moved to Colombia, I spoke almost no Spanish, but it worked out pretty well for me! Keep your sense of humor intact and be okay with making mistakes.

Question

Is Colombia Safe?

Answer

I have lived in Colombia for the past six years, and Felipe has for his entire life. We love Colombia! That being said, there are certainly places in Colombia that are dangerous, and you want to use common sense when traveling here. There is a Colombian expression that says "No dar papaya," which basically means that you shouldn't put yourself in a position where people can easily take advantage of you. That means that you want to avoid walking around on the street while texting on your phone or being in unfamiliar places (particularly alone) late at night because this may invite petty theft. There is no special animosity against foreigners here, but you should be aware of your surroundings. It's also always safest to order taxis on your phone from the apps mentioned earlier (Uber, Didi, and Cabify) in order to ensure that you have a trustworthy and safe driver, especially at night. You can find US travel advisories regarding Colombia here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Colombia.html Colombia has been at a "Level 3: Reconsider Travel" basically since I moved here, and I've had many friends and my father visit without incident. You can also enroll your trip in the free STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) to register your travel with the US Embassy. This will ensure that you 1. Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in Colombia; 2. Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency; and 3. Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency. Here's the website where you can do this: https://step.state.gov/