Just a reassurance for Visa Runners to Colonia

[Bajo_cero2]

While your client may have crossed the border 50x - I'd hardly think you can compare a drug mule to your average perma-tourist

They have something in common, illegality and continuous border crossing. That´s why I used his example.

My point is that now you are illegal or illegal, there is not such a thing as a perma-tourist. So, why to spend time and money going to Colonia on the fantasy of legality? And why to take any kind of jeopardy?

I was a perma-tourist in the US, so I know that not even there you will find ten police cars chasing you when you are using improperly your I-94.

You might have one police car chasing you but not ten. Once a patrol chased me because I crossed a red light and I was speeding. I had no driver license, no green card and I was driving a commercial vehicle. But I explained that I was going to the Hospital, they double checked that my former girlfriend really needed immediately medic assistance and they let us go no ID checked in less than a minute.

Regards

 

[citygirl]

ETA - forget it.

People can/will do whatever they want and really, it doesn't matter to me either way.

 

[Johnno]

I think I spent about 30 minutes plus working my way through all of this thread - I've thanked a few - and probably neglected to thank a few as well - but overall, I have to say it was most informative... I'll be down there again in a couple of months and I have a feeling I now know what my game plan is Getting married and legal asap

 

[Napoleon]

I think I spent about 30 minutes plus working my way through all of this thread - I've thanked a few - and probably neglected to thank a few as well - but overall, I have to say it was most informative... I'll be down there again in a couple of months and I have a feeling I now know what my game plan is Getting married and legal asap

Congratulations on your impending nuptials.

 

[Johnno]

Thanks Napoleon Third time lucky for me And a new country to boot

 

[Johnny]

This post doesn't meet the criteria of Colonia but is rather about Montevideo. The salient issues are addressed though. I've posted before about the two "ultima prorrogas" written into my passport (the last in caps and underlined) when I renewed my tourist visa at the immigration office in Retiro. So, I arranged a flight to Montevideo (through Ezeiza), left yesterday and returned this morning. The immigration officer upon my return gave my passport a quick look and stamped in another 90 days. Painless.

I know everyone has their own experiences with tourist visa renewals, Colonia runs, visits to Retiro and on and on. From my experience, I would advise to always leave the country, and thus NEVER go to Retiro. I understand there are some folks who have had issues even when leaving the country, but I think your chances for successful renewal are vastly increased if you skedaddle out of Argentina. Cheers.

 

[L_K_P]

We went to colonia today for my 90 day visa, I have about 10 entry stamps in the last few years and 1 overstay of about 6 months....... The guy barely looked at my passport and just stamped it, 10 seconds, done. Every immigration person I've ever met has either been extremely nice or extremely clueless, I can't believe anyone has been denied a new 90 day visa until I see it with my own eyes

 

[Johnny]

We went to colonia today for my 90 day visa, I have about 10 entry stamps in the last few years and 1 overstay of about 6 months....... The guy barely looked at my passport and just stamped it, 10 seconds, done. Every immigration person I've ever met has either been extremely nice or extremely clueless, I can't believe anyone has been denied a new 90 day visa until I see it with my own eyes

Nice everywhere but Retiro ! I ran into another "permatourist" the other day who got an ultima prorroga in Retiro. Don't walk, RUN, from the immigration office in Retiro.

 

[L_K_P]

Yep I have been to the retiro office once and that was enough for this lifetime... Stay as far away as you can from this 'stairway to hell'

 

[Napoleon]

I went to Colonia on Wednesday.

I took a nap at the beach, rented a scooter, went out to a winery/bodega and sampled their wines & grappa... (no comment), returned and did a loop around the outer edges of the city (including seeing the decaying bull ring for the first time), scooted back to town, bought a new mate & bombilla from the little huts behind the playita that I napped at, and then refilled the scooter, and headed back to the port.

Oh, I did have a CHIVITO URUGUAYO from a trailer on a street a few blocks from that little beach. My life expectancy might have taken a bit of a hit, because the meat was topped with ham, cheese, bacon, and a fried egg. C-H-0-L-E-S-T-E-R-O-L !!

I came back, got my stamps, took the boat, bought some duty free, came through Buquebus' "securtity", didn't scan anything, and walked out of the building wondering if anyone even had a clue that I had just entered the country.

I'm planning to become more permanent, but the Inmagracion office is a thing of the past for a 90 tourist visa. (I'm wondering if the owner of Buquebus is paying the Inmagraciones workers to give the Ultima Prorrogas stamps.)