Moving to another country is no small decision but it´s not as hard as you might imagine…millions have done it.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Extended Stay Colombia (ESC) - provides you a safe, low cost place to stay for a month or for months if you wish. You can stay a month or so in one place, then move to another. It´s a low cost, Endless Vacation Lifestyle. Our furnished apartments are large and have a fully equipped kitchen so you dont have to eat out every meal like if you were staying in a hotel. There are lots of grocery stores, drug stores, restaurants, laundry, shopping centers and healthcare providers (including the highest rated internationally accredited hospitals) close by so you don´t need a car. Our hotel staff will gladly assist you or text William on WhatsApp at +57 304 201 3535.
- Social Security - Yes you can live comfortably on just your SS and live BIG if you own your own house or apartment. You can continue to receive your SS as you do now in your bank account in the US and simply use ATM´s in Colombia. Once you have your Retiree or other visa and your Colombia I.D. (cedula), you can open a bank account in Colombia and SS will automatically direct deposit your monthly check on the 3rd of the month like clockwork. It is important that SS has your new address for correspondence as periodically they will send you something to confirm your data and that you are still alive.
- Medicare and Medicaid - will not cover you in Colombia unless there is an emergency and you can not return to the US. Colombia has a very good government healthcare system which you can get once you have your VISA and Cedula. There are also many private healthcare insurance providers and the cost is very reasonable. You can keep your regular FREE Medicare and periodically return to the US to use it. You can get rid of Part B.
- Retiree or other visa, cendula, health insurance - You can stay in Colombia for 90 days with just your US Passport and stay another 90 days with an extension which is easy and low cost to get but you need to get the extension BEFORE the 90 days expires. If you want to stay longer, we recommend you contact https://expatgroup.co/english/.
- Buy or Rent ? We recommend that you rent for awhile before you buy. Extended Stay Colombia is a good way to go because you can stay in different ESC apart-hotels and try out the city or area. For example, in Medellin, you can stay in Rio Negro just outside Medellin at Rio Verde Living Suites. Rio Negro is where the international airport is and San Vicente Hospital which is internationally accredited and state-of-the-art. Rio Negro is a booming suburb because they recently completed a tunnel between Rio Negro and Medellin which shortened the commute from an hour to 20 or so minutes. So the city is exploding with shopping centers, new gated communities and apartment complexes and restaurants. Then, you can stay at our Orange Suites apart-hotel in El Poblado, the chic neighborhood in Medellin. Again, you can walk to almost everything and a taxis or Ubers are super cheap. So that would let you explore those 2 neighborhoods. Or you can head to Manizales and explore the coffee zone. I tell people, it´s easy to buy and hard to sell. SO even though we offer Colombia Living Realty and Century 21 Colombia, take your time before you buy. I recommend that if you own your home in the US and have low ownership costs (no or a low mortgage), consider renting your home in the US and use those funds to rent in Colombia. Typical rents in Colombia are only say $500 to $1,000 per month depending, of course, on the size of the home or apartment, location and how fancy. Renting an apartment or house can be a little difficult for foreigners as Colombia has a rent guarantee program using fiduciaries. With Extended Stay Colombia there is no contract.
- Buying - Colombia has very strict rules for buying properties or investing. You MUST register any funds before transferring or closing on a property. Please DO NOT let someone tell you you can buy without registering the source of your funds with the Banco Republica which is like the FED. We have great English speaking lawyers to walk you through this process.