NHLFAN
American expat in Colombia
Forum posts
63
Contacts
4
About me
American
Speaks English. Beginner Spanish
Registration: 30 July 2018
90 day visa extention
When you return will it be over 1 year since you originally entered? If so you can get a new 90 day. If not you will be entering with the remainder of your last 90 day visa. On the day your original expires you can apply for a 90 day extension. The ... Read More
Retire wants to move to Peru by jeff5745
We are looking for a good place to move to Peru for about a year. We live on a fixed income but comfortable. We are looking for something by the water, my mom wants to see the ocean again. We live in Carson City Nevada and at 4500 feet above sea ...
If your going for the beach in Lima you will have a nice view but requires a taxi to actually go down to the beach. The city is on high cliffs with no easy walking access. A friendly beach area is Manta, Ecuador and the smaller beach towns on ... Read More
Should a Full-Time Expat Get Medicare? by cccmedia
Medicare is not honored outside the United States and its territories. So, is there any reason a full-time Expat would get Medicare? Kathleen Peddicord, a full-time Expat who writes for the Live and Invest Overseas media, says yes. Writing from ...
Interesting thread. I am only 62 and just arrived less than a month ago with a 2 year temp visa. I had to have medical to get my cedula, so out of necessity and speed opted for a recommended EcuSanitis. I assume it may be related to ColSanitis which ... Read More
Finally coming to Cuenca by shift_happens
After a few years and reading as much as I could I'm finally visiting Cuenca for 2 weeks 13-26 June with my university student son. As my son is planning his new future in Hospitality management when he graduates I would like to see if Cuenca ...
Just tell the taxi driver the name of the hotel and ask how much. There will probably be a line of taxis. If they quote you too much you can offer lower, or simply walk to the next taxi in the line. More than likely the next taxi will see you ... Read More
Shopping online within Ecuador 2019 by vsimple
It鈥檚 2019, and what is the current situation with online buying within Ecuador? Since 2015, not much has changed unfortunately. What has changed is that some companies like Kissu, Novicompu, CompraEcuador, etc have increased their online ...
As I just moved here full time from Colombia I haven't yet had a chance to do online shopping. I have heard there is a large import tax associated with online shopping here. I would love to know the regulations on importing items from Amazon for ... Read More
All you need to know about firearms in Ecuador by 3lckr
You CANNOT legally bring your weapons to Ecuador. Why did I put legally? I wouldn't know any illegal way to do it... Anyway, firearm imports are closed indefinitely by our "beloved" Correa, and import of any other type of weaponry is complicated and ...
For those that think a gun is unlikely to help, I may in some cases agree. If you never shot a gun before and got it to stick in your night stand in case of emergency, it's probably not a good idea. But someone that is from the US and had owned ... Read More
New members of the Ecuador forum, introduce yourselves here - 2019 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Ecuador forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
Perhaps start a new thread asking this question as this is just for new member introductions. I have a whole list. BTW, Curious why you have chosen Panama and Ecuador. Asia and parts of Europe can also be quite reasonable cost wise, unless you ... Read More
Poverty, Wealth and Expats by antialiased
This topic has come up a number of times yet I (usually) only rely on personal observations to make the case that the vast majority of N. American expats would be considered wealthy. However, today I decided to actually collect statistics/data. ...
In Ecuador I am over the top 1% but well under the .1%. Quite a gap between the two. Even when I was working in the US I only broke into the top 10% one year, the last year I was working in the US. If I went back to the US now I would consider ... Read More
Colombians-MERCOSUR Visa for Ecuador by NHLFAN
Well, Colombia has officially lost 9 months of my income for the foreseeable future due to tax policy. For those expats with a Colombian spouse there is a quick easy way to get temporary residency in Ecuador. The pension or investment visas ...
A police report from Colombia . Its from Ministerio De Defensa Nacional, Policia Nacional. 3 working days then apostle another 3 days. If doing it in Bogota, there is a place right around the corner from the National Police that they referred us to, ... Read More
Air freight motorcycle to Canada
Might you be better off selling it? Is it worth shipping back to Canada? Read More
Crime in Ecuador 2019 by vsimple
A new year, and updated information relating to crime is important. For members who contribute, do state the city and area you are referring to and preferably a source. Here is an Ecuadorian word that all residents should know - [i]sacapintas[/i]. ...
Your not in Kansas anymore.. LOL You can minimize problems by being careful. Dress like the locals. I try to take money at a mall ATM and never leave immediately after. If I need more funds than one withdrawal I will often take one withdraw and then ... Read More
Colombians-MERCOSUR Visa for Ecuador
Well, Colombia has officially lost 9 months of my income for the foreseeable future due to tax policy. For those expats with a Colombian spouse there is a quick easy way to get temporary residency in Ecuador. The pension or investment visas ... Read More
Ecuadorian Craft Beer by vsimple
Beer drinkers in Ecuador probably know the industrial variety of beers that are locally sold including the two most popular brands, Pilsener and Club. This thread is to share information about Ecuadorian craft beer. The main difference between ...
This is a little off track but any wine makers out there? I made wine for years in the US but was never was able to get wine grapes in Colombia. I did make some respectable plum and mango wine along with some skeeter pee (hard lemonade) in Colombia. ... Read More
Paperwork for residency by NHLFAN
I have decided to have residency in both Colombia and Ecuador. I have had my residency in Colombia for about 8 years. On my Colombian residency it seems I remember that official documents needed to be within a date range in when they were issued. ...
I do have some news about having both Colombian and Ecuadorian residency. Yes you can get both. The route I am taking does seem a little odd when you look at what seems to be more normal methods like a pensioner or investment visa. From my ... Read More
Paperwork for residency by NHLFAN
I have decided to have residency in both Colombia and Ecuador. I have had my residency in Colombia for about 8 years. On my Colombian residency it seems I remember that official documents needed to be within a date range in when they were issued. ...
My wife called the Ecuadorian Embassy in Bogota today and they recommended we file through them. They said in Ecuador they are swamped with Venezuelans and if we file here in Bogota we could eliminate much of the wait times and could have the visa ... Read More
Paperwork for residency by NHLFAN
I have decided to have residency in both Colombia and Ecuador. I have had my residency in Colombia for about 8 years. On my Colombian residency it seems I remember that official documents needed to be within a date range in when they were issued. ...
There is a possible problem .. and it may be why we don't receive posts on these forums from anyone claiming he or she is already doing such a dual Colombia-Ecuador residency. You may want to run the following past one or more ... Read More
Paperwork for residency
I have decided to have residency in both Colombia and Ecuador. I have had my residency in Colombia for about 8 years. On my Colombian residency it seems I remember that official documents needed to be within a date range in when they were issued. ... Read More
Salt Air and Electronics by NHLFAN
I recently returned to Colombia after spending around 3 months on the Ecuador and Peruvian coast. Locals I spoke to commented on the short lived electronics life. TVs and computers seemed to be the most frequently mentioned items, but I also heard ...
I do have a SSD and Intel core i5 however still have a fan. Not sure if its for the battery or cool the main chip. The bottom of the laptop does get quite warm if you have it on your lap for a while. I hope to get a couple more years out of this one ... Read More
Salt Air and Electronics
I recently returned to Colombia after spending around 3 months on the Ecuador and Peruvian coast. Locals I spoke to commented on the short lived electronics life. TVs and computers seemed to be the most frequently mentioned items, but I also heard ... Read More
Lifestyle on limited budget by gsusser
Hi, long time since I posted and a lot has happened. I'm an American looking to retire in Medellin or possibly Cali, though I've never been to the latter. I only mention Cali as I believe the cost of living is less and I like warm weather. ...
Ahh. I hate to be a wet blanket. I agree with all the positive things listed above. And what I will mention really shouldn't impact your life much. I think $2200 a month is more than enough to retire comfortably in Colombia if your not a ... Read More
Marriage on a T3 Visa by BailCedeno
Hello, I am from the US and am trying to get married in June to an Ecuadorian. All I have is a T3 stamp visa and have used 14 of those days in my 90 days of the year. Can I get married on the T3 tourist visa? Or do I have to apply for an extension ...
I dont know that there would be any obstacle on getting married on a T3 stamp but that isn't going to help you staying perminently in Ecuador or her to migrate to the US. In the case that either of you wants to live perminently in the others ... Read More
Coast location recommendation by Sibylleanne
I am Belgian, and I will be retired in about a year and I am planning to spend 2-3 months in Ecuador end of 2019, Ol贸n, Puerto Lopez, Crucita or San Clemente. My intention is to retire there if things go on well. However, I am a single woman, ...
The problem is, in Colombia after 183 days you are considered a tax resident and are taxed on retirement income. I am currently on the Ecuadorian coast looking at property for this reason. We will keep our apartment in Colombia but plan to be in ... Read More
New members of the Ecuador forum, introduce yourselves here - 2018 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Ecuador forum? Don聮t know how to start? This thread is for you聽;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
You may want to start a new post on this subject. Not on the introduction thread. Although not a woman I am looking at the same area. I have some thoughts on these locations that may or may not affect your decision. Read More
El Ni帽o 2019 by cccmedia
Surf-warning signs are being posted on most of Ecuador's beaches .. as damage has started to occur up and down the coast in advance of an El Ni帽o weather phenomenon. Meteorologists foresee an El Ni帽o developing in February ...
http://i68.tinypic.com/34dhldk.jpg Read More
El Ni帽o 2019 by cccmedia
Surf-warning signs are being posted on most of Ecuador's beaches .. as damage has started to occur up and down the coast in advance of an El Ni帽o weather phenomenon. Meteorologists foresee an El Ni帽o developing in February ...
Im north of Manta and the waves the last week have been amazing. I am staying right on the ocean but the sea wall has been solid here. I have seen properties here destroyed this week because their sea wall was compromised by the pounding. ... Read More
El Ni帽o 2019 by cccmedia
Surf-warning signs are being posted on most of Ecuador's beaches .. as damage has started to occur up and down the coast in advance of an El Ni帽o weather phenomenon. Meteorologists foresee an El Ni帽o developing in February ...
https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/ecuador/1/inocar-periodo-aguajemaximo-feriado-navidad?fbclid=IwAR1Dhif2EA705P0v3lzKKk293YK-GiOO8X9loY8LSVZpMHiyV7F2jhWuVBs Read More
Need recommendations on visa process by jagsatori
My family will be moving to Cuenca for 5 months starting in January for a cultural sabbatical. We've been trying to apply for an extended tourist visa of 180 days but have received conflicting information from the virtual consulate website and ...
Thats way too pricey for me to stay more than 3 months. $900 for myself and wife for 3 months extension.. wow Maybe trying to push people into applying for residency? Read More
Ecuador to build 鈥渨orld鈥檚 longest cable car鈥�
Interesting article. Privately funded in Quito. http://www.globalconstructionreview.com/news/ecuador-build-worlds-longest-cable-car/?fbclid=IwAR3WX6GAyq82cNa59f_HRrLHsdcIbz3xE9-GEsZUiCyxq00yq_HtkfvSPTA Read More
Salary Expectation by Rutha Kumar
Hi Everyone, My husband has been offered a job in Santiago, Chile. He has 7+ years of experience in IT industry. We both are planning to move to Santiago,Chile by next year (2019). Can someone please tell what salary should be good for two of us ...
You may be able to get an idea by playing with this site. You can compare wages, cost of living from city to city and country to country. https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries.jsp Read More
Overstaying the 180 days on tourist visa by Gavin44
I have been on and off here for the whole year. It looks like it will be 7 days over the 180 days which was a surprise to me . I was quite willing to pay the fine but now I am worried. Are there really tax implications ? This is my first year of ...
Another option is just wait and see what happens. This topic is flogged to death on most Colombian forums for the same reason your investigating. One alternative I have heard put forth is, dont go looking for trouble and try to fly under the radar. ... Read More
Need recommendations on visa process by jagsatori
My family will be moving to Cuenca for 5 months starting in January for a cultural sabbatical. We've been trying to apply for an extended tourist visa of 180 days but have received conflicting information from the virtual consulate website and ...
I assume from your writing and grammar your from the US or Canada. If not things could be different. To some extent there are usually different regulations for different countries. I am from the US and entered without a visa earlier this year. I ... Read More
Tourist interested in staying by NHLFAN
I will start out by saying I own a home and live near Bogota Colombia. If I reside in Colombia 183 days or more I would need to pay taxes on my US retirement income. 2019 will be the first year this will affect me. So I have been looking at options. ...
I bought travel insurance for both countries before starting my current trip to Peru and Argentina. In Lima, where I had to see a doctor to get access to a meds refill, the doctor I saw at a major cl铆nica in San Isido, Lima .. provided the ... Read More
Tourist interested in staying
I will start out by saying I own a home and live near Bogota Colombia. If I reside in Colombia 183 days or more I would need to pay taxes on my US retirement income. 2019 will be the first year this will affect me. So I have been looking at options. ... Read More
Longstay visas - can I keep bouncing on a 6-month business visa? by robsamui
I'm a newbie, but coming to retire in Vietnam soon and have been scanning these forums for months. I can't find any references to my question - sorry if I've missed it. Whats the official attitude to using end-to-end 6-month business ...
I can not speak for other countries but know a little about the US system. As far as US green card requirements, they can be good for up to 10 years, so once you get past the temporary visa requirements it is not very burdensome. The US has never ... Read More
Dating a Vietnamese girl by GuestPoster56932
Well, I鈥檓 about to embark on trip number 6 to Vietnam since February of this year to see a girl (girlfriend)! It鈥檚 been a rocky 9 months being in love with a woman from a different culture, who lives on the other side of the planet and ...
Well said. As soon as hiring a private detective pops into your mind its time to move on. Its over. If your from any developed country finding a good woman in a developing country should be relatively easy. I will refrain from saying like shooting ... Read More
Looking for advice... In the Da Nang area. by Stewart Strum
Where to start鈥� I am a 60-year old retired 鈥淎merican Expat鈥� (currently) living in Thailand and have been, for the last ten years or so. My long-range plan was to live out a simple laid-back life with my Thai wife, in a small ...
From what I have heard, the way your describing the new visa requirement in Thailand isn't quite correct. The visa process is the same. Its just that the US embassy is not in the business of verifying income any more. But you do not need the ... Read More
HIV Medications by ScottD
I have HIV and loved Cuenca. My fear is getting my HIV meds down there. They are so costly and without my insurances, I wouldn't be able to exist. Scary. Anyone have some light on this? I would be so grateful Mail order doesn't seem to ...
I will refrain on a rant about drug companies in the US right now. Just because its $4000 a month doesn't mean it will be in other countries. The US has the highest drug prices in the world. In general because we are the ones paying for most R ... Read More
Living on Social Security by krazeekalvin
What are the rules on living in V.N. on U.S. Social Security? I have heard that you can't, and then you can. Some are saying not to tell them. Anyone have any ideal's, comment's? Would like to hear from someone who knows or is doing it. Thanks.
For those using Schwab. Make sure you dont tell them your moving out of the country. They have an International Account they will try to put you into. Its the exact same thing with free ATM fees but requires 20K to open the international account. I ... Read More
Internet speed by NHLFAN
Is internet speed at or above 10 mbs generally available in Vietnam? I would like to be able to stream NHL games.
No problem. It should work flawlessly with an HDMI cable. Now, about the cat5 cable, it's still strange but honestly there's a lot of bottlenecks that can happen and it could be the smart features of your TV being on the slow side (very slow ... Read More
Internet speed by NHLFAN
Is internet speed at or above 10 mbs generally available in Vietnam? I would like to be able to stream NHL games.
If you don't have buffering on your laptop, but you see buffering on the TV when using an HDMI cable from your laptop, there's something definitely wrong with your setup because HDMI is just a reflection of what's being displayed on your ... Read More
Internet speed by NHLFAN
Is internet speed at or above 10 mbs generally available in Vietnam? I would like to be able to stream NHL games.
I have the exact issue where I have trouble streaming on my TV but on my laptop its very good. I use wifi on my laptop and even tried a HDMI cable to the TV thinking that may help. It didn't change a thing, with lots of buffering and freezing. I ... Read More
Internet speed
Is internet speed at or above 10 mbs generally available in Vietnam? I would like to be able to stream NHL games. Read More
New to this country.
Hi all. I have been semi retired for the last few years, but just recently officially retired. I am a US citizen living near Bogota, Colombia. My wife is Colombian, but also a US citizen. Colombia has recently pulled the rug out from under us by ... Read More
AirBNB versus Hotel by cccmedia
Travelers have a choice these days -- stay in a hotel or an apartment. Crashing on your cousin's couch may be an option for some, but we'll leave that for another thread. :D AirBNB's have some advantages: lower pricing as a rule .. ...
I have seen as much as 50% discounts for a monthly rental on Airbnb. I tend to prefer them over a hotel as you can have a kitchen to cook in your apartment. It can save over eating out every meal. Read More
Medical Questions about Living in Ecuador by Joe Gaglio
I am planning to move to Cuenca in a few years. One aspect could be a deal breaker. I take a medication that costs $1100/month w/o insurance. The generic is$600 w/o insurance. With insurance, the copay is $100/month. I need to understand how ...
This isn't comprehensive tax law for Colombia, but it gives a brief description of the income tax rate about 1/2 way down the page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Colombia I believe Colombia is really shooting themselves in the foot ... Read More
Medical Questions about Living in Ecuador by Joe Gaglio
I am planning to move to Cuenca in a few years. One aspect could be a deal breaker. I take a medication that costs $1100/month w/o insurance. The generic is$600 w/o insurance. With insurance, the copay is $100/month. I need to understand how ...
Any income taxes paid in Colombia can be taken as a credit against US taxes as a foreign tax credit. In many cases it is dollar for dollar, so whatever income taxes are paid in Colombia would reduce U S taxes by the same amount. So you would pay ... Read More
Medical Questions about Living in Ecuador by Joe Gaglio
I am planning to move to Cuenca in a few years. One aspect could be a deal breaker. I take a medication that costs $1100/month w/o insurance. The generic is$600 w/o insurance. With insurance, the copay is $100/month. I need to understand how ...
I for sure am no expert on Ecuador, however when getting a visa to Ecuador I would only prove enough income to qualify for the visa. If you have a pension and SS both, I wouldn't necessarily be verifying income of both if not needed. Only ... Read More
Immigrants from Venezuela by mugtech
Just read that the national oil company, PDVSA, did not make an interest payment of over $400,000,000 on 11/22/16,. They do have a 30 day window, and supposedly some debt restructuring will free up more cash for interest payments. Since 95% of ...
Unfortunately as more close the borders to Venezuelans, they end up being a Colombian only problem. If they would be more evenly distributed through SA it wouldn't put such a burden on just one or two countries. I am near Bogota Colombia and I ... Read More
Starting a new 90 day tourist visa. by NHLFAN
I am cinda confused how the tourist visa works. Especially when you get an additional 90 days extension. I made my initial trip to Ecuador in June and stayed a planned 5 weeks. I liked it so much I decided I would return in December 2018 and put in ...
When we went to Ecuador in June I didn't get any medical insurance. I am 62 and good health. I run almost daily. My Colombian wife is 54 and good health. We have EPS in Colombia and had just been in for checkups. But I figure for extended stays ... Read More
Starting a new 90 day tourist visa. by NHLFAN
I am cinda confused how the tourist visa works. Especially when you get an additional 90 days extension. I made my initial trip to Ecuador in June and stayed a planned 5 weeks. I liked it so much I decided I would return in December 2018 and put in ...
I read the link you put up. Thanks. Thats definitely something to look at if I decide this will be a yearly thing. As for being in Lima. I liked Lima. Was there two times. Once about 15 years ago in July. As I recall very comfortable weather. Was a ... Read More
Starting a new 90 day tourist visa. by NHLFAN
I am cinda confused how the tourist visa works. Especially when you get an additional 90 days extension. I made my initial trip to Ecuador in June and stayed a planned 5 weeks. I liked it so much I decided I would return in December 2018 and put in ...
cccmedia Thanks for the link. I will be checking that out momentarily. I just retired a second time in October 2017. Right now living off savings until January. I will be 62 next month. I will start my pension and SS later this year. This is ... Read More
New members of the Ecuador forum, introduce yourselves here - 2018 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Ecuador forum? Don聮t know how to start? This thread is for you聽;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
I am new to this forum. I just returned from my first visit to Ecuador. I was north of Manta for 5 weeks. Loved the climate, ocean and people. Due to tax implications of becoming a tax resident where I am now (Colombia) I am looking for other spots ... Read More
What should I bring to Ecuador on my Tourist Visa? by Paternostro18
Hi All, I plan on moving to Ecuador in the near future. I will be applying for an investor visa and once I obtain my cedula I will NOT be shipping all of my stuff from the US. I am slowly selling it all now. I am looking for advice on what I should ...
I can vouch for the sunscreen. I paid about $20 for a good quality tube. I found it later on Amazon for $9. I am currently living in Colombia but thinking of splitting my time between. This list is helpful as I may drive back and forth. Adds to my ... Read More
Starting a new 90 day tourist visa.
I am cinda confused how the tourist visa works. Especially when you get an additional 90 days extension. I made my initial trip to Ecuador in June and stayed a planned 5 weeks. I liked it so much I decided I would return in December 2018 and put in ... Read More