Colombia - Clearance Agents

An approved agent is required for clearing into and out of Colombia when dealing with the Port Captain. This is because they do not deal directly with yacht crew.

While neither the Oficina de Migracion (Immigration) nor DIAN (Customs) requires an agent as an intermediary, you would probably do better to leave the entire clearance process to your agent especially if you do not speak very good Spanish. The process can appear daunting with all the paperwork in Spanish.

For an extended stay of more than a week the agency charges can appear high: typical charges being in the $280 to $420 USD range. In fairness to the agents themselves, a large chunk of these charges results from the required visits and certification through the Health Authority, Immigration, and Port Captain's offices.

The agency fee should cover:

• The initial Port Authority check-in (Acta de visita). Valid for the port of Cartagena only.
• The tourist passport entry stamps for all crew covering a period of 90 days.
• The one-year temporary importation permit (issued by customs). Valid at all ports for a period of a year with the possibility to extend a further year.
• The cruising permit (Certificado de Permanencia). Valid at all ports.
• The departing sailing orders (zarpe) and exit passport stamps.

A maritime agent must be contacted and terms agreed before arrival. They will require vessel documents and copies of all the crew passports, plus the completion of the standard Health declaration form (annex 8). Besides clarifying this requirement list your agent should also list any additional documents and forms needed onboard (they will become your legal representative). They should also clarify their charges.

Finally, your agent will issue an arrival security number which is the key to entering the port.

Contact several agents before arrival to ensure clearance charges are made clear together with other services on offer. The charges from one agency to another can vary significantly so negotiate firmly on arrival. There are plenty of agencies to choose from.

Club de Pesca Marina in Cartagena , Marina Santa Marta and Marina Puerto Velero in Barranquilla, work with their own agents or act as agents for their customers to avoid abuse and over charging by agents.