Starting a new 90 day tourist visa.

Dear Fan,

You may get some clarity by reading the online article "How to Extend Your Tourist Visa and Stay Longer in Ecuador."

roamaholic.com/tourist-visa-ecuador

How do you split your time between Colombia and Ecuador?  Do you have a Colombia-registered car in Bogotá that you drive many hours during daylight, stopping in places such as Neiva, Popayán, Pasto or Ipiales/Tulcán for overnighting en route?  I am curious because I have been dividing my time between these two countries for the same reason -- avoidance of onerous taxation in Colombia.

For the uninitiated, the distance between Bogotá and Manta, Ecuador, is 900 miles by car .. and could take 25-30 hours of driving plus stops .. on largely curvy two-lane Colombian roads.

cccmedia

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 actually my second retirement in Colombia. I went back to the states for 2 years but now am done in the US for good. I had a Ford Explorer my first time in Colombia. I am just thinking about getting something a little more economical now.  I flew this last trip to Manta, but may elect to drive in December if we go ahead and get a car. Yes it's a long haul from Bogota but, what the heck. I am retired now, no hurry, and there is lot I haven't seen in Colombia. If this becomes a regular thing I could move over that way to make it an easier haul. I can actually see me spending my first 6 months in Ecuador in 3 or 4 different locations. I definitely want to spend some time in Quito. Maybe head to the coast then and wonder down to Guayaquil and across to  Cuenca. While down in that area head into Peru for a few days since I will need to be out of both Ecuador and Colombia for 3 or 4 days extra? That is correct? What do you do for the few extra days between the 182 in Colombia and 180 in Ecuador? Where do you stay when your there? What months do you head down?

I would definitely only be driving in daylight. Pick up a few airbnb on the way to stay at.  Sight see along the way. Drive till I get tired and stop for the night, or couple nights if we like the place.

From what I have gleaned online, and experienced in my 5 weeks, it looks like June is the time to head to the Coast for 3 or 4 months. It was absolutely beautiful weather when I was there. Mid 70s to a few low 80s almost every day and upper 60s to low 70s every night. Good sleeping weather. Could hear the ocean waves going to sleep at night. Going in December I will get to see the warmer months to see how I can handle that. As you might guess living in Bogota I like cooler weather so I will see how I can handle the summer on the coast.

NHLFAN wrote:

While down in that area (Cuenca, Ecuador), head into Peru for a few days since I will need to be out of both Ecuador and Colombia for 3 or 4 days extra?... What do you do for the few extra days between the 182 in Colombia and 180 in Ecuador?... What months do you head down?

From what I have gleaned online, and experienced in my 5 weeks, it looks like June is the time to head to the Coast for 3 or 4 months. It was absolutely beautiful weather when I was there. Mid 70s to a few low 80s almost every day and upper 60s to low 70s every night. Good sleeping weather. Could hear the ocean waves going to sleep at night. Going in December I will get to see the warmer months to see how I can handle that. As you might guess living in Bogota I like cooler weather so I will see how I can handle the summer on the coast.

That's great.  Beautifully expressed.

If you read the guidebooks and online posts about Peru, you'll read about how it's supposedly gray all the time in the winter months (which are reversed from the Northern Hemisphere) in big Lima.

But I'm in the Peruvian capital now, flew down last Friday .. and I like the weather so far this time of year (winter).  It's cool and mild.  Not humid.  Yesterday was actually sunny.  Even the infamous garúa -- the misting that doesn't rise to the level of rain and requires no umbrella -- is pleasant  There was garúa the day I arrived and a little bit since.

However, i don't have to go to Lima, Peru, to make up the extra four days due to the apparent 182/180-day limits in Colombia and Ecuador.

That is because I have a permanent-residency visa in Ecuador.  Had it since 2014.  So I can stay 190 days in Ecuador if chose to (or even more time), and may do so some day when they re-open casino(s) in Quito, where I have a condo. 

cccmedia from Miraflores district, Lima, Peru

Where do you stay for the few extra days (given tourist-permit limits of about 180 days in Ecuador and Colombia)?

I'm currently staying at an AirBNB in the Expat-friendly Miraflores district of Lima near the Pacific Ocean, not for four days but for several months.

In this neighborhood off Avenida Larco there are tons of restaurants, plentiful parks (including the famous Kennedy cat park with hundreds of felines) and three casinos with blackjack within about four blocks from here.

I took an interior unit to keep the exterior noise levels low.  it's about $50 a night on a monthly rental, which offers a 25 percent AirBNB discount off the nightly rate.  I consider the rate reasonable for a furnished place with a kitchen, 24-hour security and a portable heat radiator in the best part of the capital city.  On my only previous trip to Lima, I paid $100 a night for a week in 2016 for a loft with kitchen at the Dazzler hotel, which is about two-and-a-half blocks from my current AirBNB rental.

i would not stay in this city in the warmer months, including April when I visited in 2016 nor the summer months of December to March.  Like you, I prefer a cooler climate .. and not humid and sticky.

cccmedia in Lima

cccmedia wrote:

Where do you stay for the few extra days (given tourist-permit limits of about 180 days in Ecuador and Colombia)?

I'm currently staying at an AirBNB in the Expat-friendly Miraflores district of Lima near the Pacific Ocean, not for four days but for several months.

In this neighborhood off Avenida Larco there are tons of restaurants, plentiful parks (including the famous Kennedy cat park with hundreds of felines) and three casinos with blackjack within about four blocks from here.

i would not stay in this city in the warmer months, including April when I visited in 2016 nor the summer months of December to March.  Like you, i prefer a cooler climate .. and not humid and sticky.

cccmedia in Lima

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 second time about 3 years ago in Feb. It was miserable hot the 10 days I was there.  I was staying in an ocean view airbnb in Barranco. Kennedy is nice and on the weekend they had a lot of painters with their artwork all set up around the perimeter of the park. It was a pain getting down to the beach and if you wanted a taxi to head home they wanted to gouge you since there was no easy way back up.

I had wanted to visit Trujillo up nearer the Ecuadorian border. and had thought about heading there for a couple weeks if I do the Ecuador hop next year. It's going to mess me up with my plans this year as I will have about 65 days of my 90 shot going into 2019. But it's far enough out now to figure something out. I read that Peru immigration has the ability (discretion) to give up to 183 days on entry. It might just be easier to do that next year. A long term Airbnb is probably the way to go. Furnished with linens and all utilities paid.
Thanks for all the good information.

BTW. What do you do for medical insurance when your out of Colombia? I only would want something for emergency or catastrophic care.

NHLFAN wrote:

I liked Lima. Was there two times. Once about 15 years ago in July (winter). As I recall very comfortable weather. Was a second time about 3 years ago in Feb. It was miserable hot the 10 days I was there.  I was staying in an ocean view airbnb in Barranco. Kennedy (park) is nice and on the weekend they had a lot of painters with their artwork....

I read that Peru immigration has the ability (discretion) to give up to 183 days on entry. It might just be easier to do that next year. A long term Airbnb is probably the way to go. Furnished with linens and all utilities paid.
Thanks for all the good information.

BTW. What do you do for medical insurance when your out of Colombia? I only would want something for emergency or catastrophic care.

For this trip, I signed up for $125 US per month for a medical insurance policy that apparently is administered out of Philadelphia.  I took a high deductible of $2,500.  As usual, pre-existing conditions are not covered.

I do have an AirBNB one-bedroom apartment with furnishings, linens and pre-paid utilities.  The owner's local assistant is coming by this morning to show me how to operate the stove and the clothes washer-dryer.  There's a phone here on an installed line although I didn't receive the number yet.  24-hour security.  Full kitchen.  Two elevators.  Excellent hot water in the shower, the most adjustable and dependable I have found at any AirBNB or hotel in South America.

The long-term Peru tourist-stay is true.  I asked immigration for 180 days at the arrival airport here and I got it.

cccmedia in Lima

That insurer is USI Insurance Services, www.usi.com ...

After signing up, i got a prompt response from USI co-ordinator Mr. Chen in Philly saying I would be covered if I continue on (as projected) to Argentina and-or Chile.

I also have Ecuador IESS coverage, which apparently is required for Ecuador visa-holders these days.  Before flying from Quito to Lima last week, I stopped by an IESS hospital in my Quito condo neighborhood and got confirmation that my coverage is ongoing.  I set up automatic monthly payment to IESS years ago.  That coverage is valid in Ecuador only.

cccmedia in Peru

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 (6 months) we better have at least accident and catastrophic coverage. I have been looking on this site. https://www.squaremouth.com
For 6 months it would cost $1300 for both.

For the USI policy cost calculator it would run $875 for both. Good savings. Another great tip from you. Thanks

It looks like we may have to have travel medical when we go to Ecuador in December. I was reading that a law was passed requiring it some time ago, but implementation was delayed until July this year. I snuck in under the wire my last trip if that was the case.