Facilitating Sexual Tourism
A sad trend relating to Colombia’s lax laws on prostitution, sexual tourism has become rife in major Colombia cities such as Medellin and Cartagena. While prostitution might be legal in Colombia, pimping or organizing sexual tourism is not: Medellin recently began a crackdown, with the arrest of a foreign sex-tourism provider. Some people might see the popularity of sexual tourism in Colombia as a business opportunity, but don’t be fooled: the law provides penalties of three to eight years’ imprisonment for facilitating these activities.
Dealing in Antiquities
With a number of UNESCO-certified world heritage sites such as San Agustin and Tierradentro, Colombia takes the safeguarding of its archaeological patrimony incredibly seriously. There are many laws and decrees forbidding selling, purchasing, or removing antiquities from the country. While this might not seem like an activity that most travellers would engage in, it’s easier than you might think to become embroiled in this illegal trade: travellers to San Agustin and Tierradentro have often reported being offered antiquities by unscrupulous tour guides. The punishment for possessing these items might not be long jail terms, but avoid the risk and say no.
Drinking in Public
The laws regarding public alcohol consumption in Colombia can often be confusing for travellers: it is common to see people drinking beer in public in certain squares in large cities, often in front of the police. However, strictly speaking, drinking in public is illegal, and the decision about whether to enforce the law is entirely at the discretion of the officers in question. You are unlikely to be arrested or serve any jail time if the police choose to make an example of you, but public drinking can carry a hefty fine, so it’s advisable to err on the side of caution and not take any chances.
Taking an Uber
Uber | © vaalaa / Shutterstock
This is a weird one, but since their failure to register formally as a taxi company, Uber is illegal in Colombia. It can be confusing for travellers when their Uber arrives and the driver insists that they sit in the front seat or, in more extreme cases, jumps out to hug them. This is a common way for the drivers to avoid being detected by the police by making it appear that they are a friend of the passenger, helping them out with a lift to the airport. Taking an Uber is a crime that won’t necessarily get you arrested in Colombia, but being caught using Uber does carry a small fine. Apart from that, it’s always a nuisance to have to deal with the police during a trip abroad, so use the app with caution, or download an app such as Tappsi which will connect you with regular city cabs.
Overstaying your Visa
Always keep a stash of your passport and visa copies at hand. | © FotograFFF/Shutterstock
Travellers to Colombia are automatically entitled to a 90-day tourist visa (issued as a passport stamp) upon arrival in the country. After this period, it is possible to visit a migration office and extend your visa by a further 90 days for a small fee. However, the maximum amount of time a foreigner visitor is allowed in Colombia is 180 days in a calendar year: once you exceed this you’ll need to leave or get a work visa. It is quite common for travellers to exceed these numbers, whether by mistake, or by operating under the assumption that it’s no big deal. Once again, you won’t end up in jail, but you are likely to be on the sharp end of an eye-watering fine. Keep an eye on those dates!
Saying You Prefer Venezuelan Arepas to Colombian Ones
Not actually illegal, strictly speaking. But just try it and see what the reaction is: you might feel like you’ve committed a crime! The same rules apply for suggesting that James Rodríguez isn’t actually the best footballer in the world, spelling Colombia as “Columbia,” and insinuating that Colombian cheese could be improved.
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Publish date : 2023-11-30 03:00:00
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