I forgot to mention something important (Godfather mentioned this as well), when you get to CALI, immediately after the immigration checkpoint is a desk where they will issue foreigners a special tax exemption/discount voucher document that you should make sure you get and keep with you until you leave the country later. This voucher gives you a $20 credit off the normally $46 exit fee when you leave Colombia. If you forget to do this, you will be told to get it when you leave.

Also, it may have been just me, but my port of entry was Houston and the Customs people singled me out for a thorough check of my luggage. This has never happened to me before. They really questioned me thoroughly about the purpose of the visit, including requests for details on hotels, # days in Colombia, etc. Obviously, very few people go to CALI for "tourism" as you can imagine. Additionally, you should give yourself about 1.5 hours before your flight when you leave Colombia as there was a long line to get processed by Customs and they manually go through all your carry-ons. The Colombian customs took so long as the officials were really scrutinizing each passport (with magnifying glasses, etc) and I saw them take a couple with Guatamalen passports off to the side when their passport looked apparently looked unsuual.

Yeah. Actually you don't have to get it when you arrive. The office was open even very EARLY in the morning when I was leaving. Just make sure before you go to your airport check in you go upstairs and to your left. There is an office with a window and a guy will stamp your passport showing you are a foreigner. Not sure about the $20 credit you are talking about. With this exemption stamp in my passport I didn't have to pay any taxes at all. Did you pay $26 exit fee?? I didn't have to pay anything besides what the airline already charged but I don't think that was an exit fee moreso an airport tax.

I think the customs thing is random. As I also mentioned, the lines going through to my final airport security were LONG and SLOW. They didn't question me but they did take out everything out of my suitcase. They made me turn on my laptop, they even went through the lining of my suitcase. Don't sit in the Admiral's club. Go directly to your gate as the lines get long.

GF, for some reason they were really insistent on the $26, saying that the normal fee was $46. My Spanish wasn't good enough to debate the merits, so I paid up b/c I was running a bit late. But I'll be sure to push the issue on my next trip.

Hombres, the tax exemption you guy's are refering to is called in Spanish: extencion

As stated, it is better to get it upon arrival than when departing.

Merlin,

Did you get your passport stamped with the "extencion" that Sf4fish is talking about? They stamp it right near your entrance stamp. If you have that you shouldn't have paid anything. Personally, if I went back i'd probably do it again before I left as the open was open and I'm told always open in the morning.

I think upon arrival you'd have to go back upstairs and that's too much trouble for me. It only took 5 minutes before leaving...

GF, I didn't see the "Extencion" stamp, just a computer printout type of thing with data. Is this a separate stamp?

Yep. If you go to that office upstairs this dude will actually stamp your passport with an "Exención". Sf4fish and I mis-typed above. It's an Exemption stamp NOT extention. They will stamp it next to your entry stamp. Definitely ask specifically for this Exencion stamp and once you have it you won't have to pay any taxes at all.

I had other dudes tell me they went and had to pay some exit taxes too. They didn't speak Spanish too well and didn't ask for this exemption stamp by name. I'm sure you'll be back so ask for it next time and save $26.

(Message edited by godfather on April 01, 2004)

I just got back from cali March 9th 2004 and had had a extencion tax stamp done as I was departing from my plane on Feb 25th my arrival. I fully expected to pay taxes.. and I was quoted it to be around 80,000 pesos.. but when I when I was inline checking in my baggage I was told that the taxes at American Airlines.. are already paid now. Supposedly this is new. .but I wonder if its only w/ AA? any comments on this? .. Now all I need is 30,000 for the taxi.. and money coming back.. for trip 7 ! I LOVE CALI!

Maybe it's particular to AA, because I flew COPA from San Jose, CR and don't recall any stamps being used on me or the other passengers that were in front of me in the line (all from COPA). I know some airlines pre-charge taxes in some Asian countries as well.

For future reference, here is what the exencion stamp looks like. You MUST go upstairs to that office to get it stamped on your passport. They will stamp it next to your entrance stamp as you can see on my passport. I doubt it's just American passengers that are exempt. I think as long as you get this stamp you shouldn't have taxes. Good luck.

GF, thanks for the picture. This clears up a lot of things as now I am definitely sure that I did not get this stamp. I'll be sure to insist on it next time. Thanks for the tip.

I ALWAYS GET THE STAMP WHEN I COME IN, AND THEN I PAID NOTHING, MY TRIPS EARLIER I GOT THE SAME STAMP BUT HAD TO PAY SOME 20 OR 30 DOLLARS WHEN I WAS READY TO LEAVE, BUT I GUESS THEY HAVE CHANGED SOMETHING, BECAUSE THE LAST 2 TRIPS THIS YEAR I PAID NOTHING.... ONE BIG POINT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE,, AND I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHY THIS IS, BUT I STARTED COMING INTO CALI ON SUNDAYS AND LEAVING ON SUNDAYS AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THEY JUST WAVE YOU THROUGH, EVERYONE IS REALLY LAID BACK

Just a quick note that this stamp is still in effect and works if you get it.

I agree with 802's remark about Sundays versus other days..

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