General Info

VivaCol and Avianca don't take foreign cc's. Use copa or lan (make sure it's pricing in col pesos). Foreign bank accts / credit card. Forget it. They're about 25 years in the past when it comes to that. Stick with capital one and buy your tickets on lan.

[QUOTE=WreckDiver; 1425557]Has anybody made an purchase of a airplane ticket on viva Colombia using a foreign credit card? I know that Avianca makes you go through the other country page and quotes prices in USD (of course more expensive then in COP) if you have a foreign credit card. Also how difficult is it to open a bank account in Colombia and get a local credit card? Has anybody any experience on the subject?

Wreck[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=TuDueno;1425607]Avianca tickets. I confirm that there are problems with foreign credit cards although I managed serveral times to order a ticket on-line on their Colombian web site using my European credit card. No idea why it sometimes works and sometimes not. Please note that I am an Avianca frequent flyer and this may help.[/QUOTE]Also try using a different browser.

[QUOTE=TuDueno; 1425607]When I was in Colombia in April I spend an entire day asking at serveral banks if a foreigner can open a bank account. Finally at Banco de Bogota they explained in detail that in order to open a bank account one need to have a Colombian residence. Thus it is almost impossible for a foreigner not living in Colombia. Colombian nationals need a new cedular (I'd card) if they want to open an account. The old one cannot be used for business purposes anymore.

Avianca tickets. I confirm that there are problems with foreign credit cards although I managed serveral times to order a ticket on-line on their Colombian web site using my European credit card. No idea why it sometimes works and sometimes not. Please note that I am an Avianca frequent flyer and this may help.[/QUOTE]It's a problem with your credit card company. Most have problems with foreign transactions. You need to call them to unblock their fraud detection.

[QUOTE=WreckDiver; 1425557]Has anybody made an purchase of a airplane ticket on viva Colombia using a foreign credit card? I know that Avianca makes you go through the other country page and quotes prices in USD (of course more expensive then in COP) if you have a foreign credit card. Also how difficult is it to open a bank account in Colombia and get a local credit card? Has anybody any experience on the subject?

Wreck[/QUOTE]Almost had a canceled flight due to crazy airline Avianca. I am in Medellin and booked a ticket for myself with canceled flight credit. Confirmed with the agent that I could purchase an airline ticket for my Colombian girlfriend with my credit card. My credit card company is very familiar with travels abroad and I know it was not their fault. Booked flight online. 2 days later I come in to my apartment at night, turn on my computer, and check my emails. Avianca has sent me an email stating that I have to call them within 6 hours or the flight will be cancelled. The email was sent three hours earlier. I still had three hours left. Spoke to an agent who confirmed that if I had not checked my emails the flight would have been cancelled. What company does not give at least 24 hours+ to respond. The flight was more than a month away. To make a long story short, process took 45 minutes to resolve and I was told it was a security check by the airline because the credit card had been used under another name.

Called Avianca with 800 number through SKYPE for free. Crazy policy! What can you do? Other than this I have pleasant experiences with Avainca and I have flown with them about 5 times.

The processes living in Latin America can make one crazy at times. You just have to view it as cost of living abroad.

Hi All,

I see that I'm not the only one with this problem.

1. I tried a different browser not the problem.

2. I can by tickes on Avianca so my credit card is fine.

I still don't know what the problem is with viva Colombia but I can buy tickets on copa, avianca and Lan. Also I did buy tickets with viva Colombia last year without a problem. One piece of information what copa, avianca and Lan do is to let you enter the webpage under "other countries" this increases the price of the ticket beacuse all the promotional prices are taken out which means that you are paying for "economy extra" class I. E. Almost business class.

One idea, I'm european, but all americans have you tried to open a citibank account in Colombia given the fact that you have a citibank account in the US? Would that work in this way you don't need a local I'd-card. Or plan B would a Avianca gold card enable better service for payment? I mean I can't believe that its a account transaction issue beacuse the airlines per definition fly to other countries with other currencies.

/wreck

[QUOTE=Vegas Jeff; 1425807]Almost had a canceled flight due to crazy airline Avianca. I am in Medellin and booked a ticket for myself with canceled flight credit. Confirmed with the agent that I could purchase an airline ticket for my Colombian girlfriend with my credit card. My credit card company is very familiar with travels abroad and I know it was not their fault. Booked flight online. 2 days later I come in to my apartment at night, turn on my computer, and check my emails. Avianca has sent me an email stating that I have to call them within 6 hours or the flight will be cancelled. The email was sent three hours earlier. I still had three hours left. Spoke to an agent who confirmed that if I had not checked my emails the flight would have been cancelled. What company does not give at least 24 hours+ to respond. The flight was more than a month away. To make a long story short, process took 45 minutes to resolve and I was told it was a security check by the airline because the credit card had been used under another name.

Called Avianca with 800 number through SKYPE for free. Crazy policy! What can you do? Other than this I have pleasant experiences with Avainca and I have flown with them about 5 times.

The processes living in Latin America can make one crazy at times. You just have to view it as cost of living abroad.[/QUOTE]Not sure about all of the drama with Avianca. If you live in Medellin or any other large city, there is an Avianca / Deprisa office on almost every block. Just walk through Poblado and I know of at least 3 within a half a mile of each other. They accept any country's credit card and they are usually fast. Also you can make a reservation and pay by foreign credit card at the airport prior to your flight.

[QUOTE=WreckDiver; 1425896]Hi All,

One idea, I'm european, but all americans have you tried to open a citibank account in Colombia given the fact that you have a citibank account in the US? Would that work in this way you don't need a local I'd-card. Or plan B would a Avianca gold card enable better service for payment? I mean I can't believe that its a account transaction issue beacuse the airlines per definition fly to other countries with other currencies.

/wreck[/QUOTE]I had a citibank account. I could use the citibank atm in Colombia for free (no transaction fee) but I could not open a citibank account in Colombia. They even claimed to have a particular restrictive policy because they are an international bank. Further I believe that the residence requirement is per Colombian law rather than per individual bank's policy.

[QUOTE=TuDueno;1425949]I had a citibank account. I could use the citibank atm in Colombia for free (no transaction fee) but I could not open a citibank account in Colombia. They even claimed to have a particular restrictive policy because they are an international bank. Further I believe that the residence requirement is per Colombian law rather than per individual bank's policy.[/QUOTE]That is correct. It is government policy and not a bank policy. You can't open a bank account in Colombia unless you have a Colombian Cedula. Foreigners can get a Colombian cedula if you have a certain amount invested in Colombia.

[QUOTE]VivaCol and Avianca don't take foreign cc's. Use copa or lan (make sure it's pricing in col pesos). Foreign bank accts / credit card. Forget it. They're about 25 years in the past when it comes to that. Stick with capital one and buy your tickets on lan.[/QUOTE]Not exactly true.

With Avianca: You have to use select the "country of origin" and it has to be same as the country that issued the credit card. That is true with many carriers all over the world. I think the system is designed to give special deals in some countries and not have to have same deals for other countries. I would say that it is quite sophisticated. :-D.

BTW, there was article recently is money (or Kiplinger) recently how many smaller countries are more sophisticated than USA in terms of fraud protection and CC security (as mandated by their governments). They used Colombia as an example of how it is far better than USA!

Mongers-

Actually, you can get a cedula and open a bank account, contract services (TV, internet, mobile phone, etc) and get a drivers license on a one year business visa, which costs $0 USD from any Colombian consulate in the USA and is very easy to obtain.

Suerte,

Rock Harders.

[QUOTE=Vitrea;1425983]That is correct. It is government policy and not a bank policy. You can't open a bank account in Colombia unless you have a Colombian Cedula. Foreigners can get a Colombian cedula if you have a certain amount invested in Colombia.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Vitrea;1425986]BTW, there was article recently is money (or Kiplinger) recently how many smaller countries are more sophisticated than USA in terms of fraud protection and CC security (as mandated by their governments). They used Colombia as an example of how it is far better than USA![/QUOTE]May be true but the thieves in Colombia are a 100 times more sophisticated too, card cloning is very common in Colombia, almost unheard of in the USA. I would never use a CC in a store or restaurant in Colombia and when using an ATM I make sure there isn't a skimmer on the key pad and cover the key pad with my free hand when entering my pin.

[QUOTE=Rock Harders; 1426004]Mongers-

Actually, you can get a cedula and open a bank account, contract services (TV, internet, mobile phone, etc) and get a drivers license on a one year business visa, which costs $0 USD from any Colombian consulate in the USA and is very easy to obtain.

Suerte,

Rock Harders.[/QUOTE]Rock Harders I googled Colombia and business visa all the requirements looked easy but a point caught my attention. What is the minimum amount of money that the Colombian embassy would feel comfortable in seeing for the visa application? (5000 or 10 000 or 500 000 USD)

They are very imprecise on the website do you have any experience in getting a business visa application approved?

Also does anybody have an idea of the transaction costs to wire money to your colombian account?

/Wreck

[QUOTE=WreckDiver; 1426463]Rock Harders I googled Colombia and business visa all the requirements looked easy but a point caught my attention. What is the minimum amount of money that the Colombian embassy would feel comfortable in seeing for the visa application? (5000 or 10 000 or 500 000 USD)

They are very imprecise on the website do you have any experience in getting a business visa application approved?

Also does anybody have an idea of the transaction costs to wire money to your colombian account?

/Wreck[/QUOTE]Forget about amount of money. You need a letter from a real company saying that you are going to invstigate business opportunities in Colombia. The visa is good for 2 years. The consulate charges about 100 USD. Which must be paid by wire transfer (no credit cards) or cash. When you have the visa you go to das office on calle 100 in Bogota and apply for cedula. A few months and you get contrasena, which is temp, but ask for resolution that tells the bank to accept it.

Citibank on calle 72 at k8 has visa debit cards with your account, which can be used internationally.

[QUOTE=WreckDiver; 1425896]Hi All,

I see that I'm not the only one with this problem.

1. I tried a different browser not the problem.

2. I can by tickes on Avianca so my credit card is fine.

I still don't know what the problem is with viva Colombia but I can buy tickets on copa, avianca and Lan. Also I did buy tickets with viva Colombia last year without a problem. One piece of information what copa, avianca and Lan do is to let you enter the webpage under "other countries" this increases the price of the ticket beacuse all the promotional prices are taken out which means that you are paying for "economy extra" class I. E. Almost business class.

/wreck[/QUOTE]Like I mentioned before. Did you call your credit card company to see why your card was declined. Avianca is a different company so just because it got accepeted there, it does not guarantee Viva will also.

[QUOTE=Zing23; 1426498]Forget about amount of money. You need a letter from a real company saying that you are going to invstigate business opportunities in Colombia. The visa is good for 2 years. The consulate charges about 100 USD. Which must be paid by wire transfer (no credit cards) or cash. When you have the visa you go to das office on calle 100 in Bogota and apply for cedula. A few months and you get contrasena, which is temp, but ask for resolution that tells the bank to accept it.

Citibank on calle 72 at k8 has visa debit cards with your account, which can be used internationally.[/QUOTE]With this visa you can enter and leave Colombia as often and for as long as you like, for 2 years. I don't know about Renewing it, but should be possible. Without a cedula you cannot easily open a bank account in Colombia. You get this with the visa, from das.

With a bank account, you will get a local debit card, but it may not be useful for buying things internationally. The citibank Debit card is VISA, good anywhere.

Just because you have a cedula and bank account and money, does not give you a credit history in Colombia. You need a job with income, then go to data credit office and apply to get a credit history. Then you can get a credit card. I am sure there is more, but I cannot think of it right now. (yes, you can buy property or rent etc with your foreigner Cedula / contrasena).

-zing