Bump. Need information regarding a secure place to leave my bike for two months in Bogota. Any info is appreciated

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why not leave your bike in a bounded parking lot? cheap and secure

I am looking at storing my motorcycle in Colombia as well. I am currently in Guatemala. If anyone knows of a contact for storage, paperwork process, link, email, etc, it would be muchly appreciated.

Thanks,

Kevin

Colombia's Dian is far from being overlander friendly. I have been travelling and living here for over 40 years. For this reason I have never asked a visa other than a tourist visa even if my sons were born here 25 years ago.

I have not seen change of the attitude of the Dian. One guy I know was trown in Jail for over staying his visa. This is unsual, but the operator can
dictate what he wants and there is no appeal.

they are only 2 way to do that without risking any issue with the Dian. The first one is to secure your bike in an inpounded parking. The bike is considered being out of country. I know Cartagena's port has an impounded parking.

The other way is to store your bike to the zona franca between Colombia and Venezuela. the Zona franca is through Paraguachon. A lady has a storage business and one can leave his bike for $50. a month.

Damn those are nasty rules.
You should check if you can just leave your bike a parking lot too I think. If the regulations allow you, then it shouldn't be a problem.

Parking a bike in Colombia is a piece of cake. I asked about it the first hotel I have found on my way towards Equador near Pasto and got very friendly feedback, paying 2 USD/day, covered parking place + all bags stored with a separate room. When I wanted to do the same in Mexico, sometimes I had impression that I'm asking for parking an airplane instead of motorbike.
If you don't want to park in the hotels, each city has a dozens of city parkings with the long term plans (you will have to pay on monthly basis then).
Your bike is not stamped into your passport.
My impression was while I was riding through Colombia (2 weeks ago) that police and military check points have a special order not to disturb bike travelers. Every day I have passed 10-20 checkpoint never being stopped or asked. In 80% you will see their thumb up and that all. I parked my bike for a month only, but otherwise I'd go to Ipiales border for checkout and then park somewhere in the nearest parking.

For what it's worth, when I spoke to the DIAN in Medellin last December (while extending my TIP for an extra 3mths), out of interest I asked if it was possible to leave a bike in Colombia while taking a short trip overseas. The lady, who was very helpful, said it was not possible. The bike would be confiscated. She double-checked this with her superior. No exceptions.

For others looking to store bikes in Colombia, I would double-check this with the likes of Motolambia (I think they're based in Cali, I've never contacted them) and also call the Aduana in Medellin or Bogota for an update. You can get their info online.

I've stored my bike in Brazil before (2015), but as other bikers have said, the rules are apparently changing / changed.

Peru was possible in 2016 and probably still is. I left my bike with a friend for a month while I flew to Britain. As long as you return to Peru and leave the country within the 3mths TIP you're fine. Again, check the rules haven't changed.

Good luck!

Bob

I have a naive -maybe stupid as well- question:

A guy did it and stored his vehicle in Ipiales after cancelling the TIP. So, when he crosses the borders to Ecuador, the DIAN will ask for nothing? Is this so simple?

Because if it is, it will be the best solution for our travel plans!

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The Pin Project | Overland Greece

This is good info ... but you are leaving out one very important element:
These storage facilities need to be able to supply you with an OFFICIAL document of some kind (approved by DIAN I assume) that proves your bike was held in Bond for a specific amount of time.

Regular vehicle storage places are fine for local vehicles but FOREIGN bikes with TIPs may need more serious and official verification issued so rider has something to show when exiting the country. Without this, I'm guessing they may confiscate your bike. In Peru', that is FOR GOOD.

IIRC, most ports and airports provide bonded parking. But whether these places can provide official paperwork for riders is unknown. You have to have something to justify the OVERSTAY of your TIP to show Aduana when exiting country.

Re-setting a Visa is less complicated, just exit country, return the next day. Also, if you're in a capital city, you could visit Migracion to get an extension. Same goes with TIP ... in some cases you may get an extension of time on your TIP. All a major PITA to do. Lots of waiting around for corrupt officials to return from their 4 hour lunch.

It is very funny because there are several reports from people who actually flew out of the country and found one or another way to deal with the TIP & the DIAN and all claim that TIP & Migracion are totally unrelated.

However, the first thing that the officer of DIAN in Cartagena told us when clearing our vehicles was that these two things go always together.

At this stage, I am not sure who is right, who is wrong and what is legal and what is illegal.

i just found and talked with the amigo who parked his car for 10 months in Ipiales after cancelling the TIP at the borders. He said exactly the same. The vehicle is considered to be out of the country. On your way out of Colombia and in to Ecuador, nobody bothered from the DIAN side for a foreign vehicle to go out of the country after 10 months without a TIP. But it confirms what poorbuthappy mentioned!

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The Pin Project | Overland Greece

Can't really comment on the specific policy of Colombia (or Ecuador) but many times your passport is NOT linked to your TIP and there is NO indication in your passport that you own a bike or that it is in country. Therefore many times a person
(not with bike) and leave or enter said country at will, renewing visa upon each entry. (with some exceptions)

Other countries link your Passport/Visa to your vehicle and often staple your TIP IN YOUR PASSPORT. In that case you cannot leave country without your vehicle or without paperwork canceling TIP or doing some other work a round.
Interesting as normally Aduana handles vehicle whist
Migracion handles People and Visas. But I guess DIAN sort of covers it all ... a Gestapo like organization if I recall my dealings with them when I was there. IIRC, DIAN make up any rules they want at the time regarding foreigners.

Yes, sometimes they are linked but not always. When you say "clearing" your vehicle, were you entering or exiting Colombia? I assume Exiting?

Nor am I. Good luck!

This makes sense and is hopefully how things work. Was your "amigo" a foreign national (Gringo)? Was his bike on out of country plates? All this matters as some policies change for locals vs. Foreigners.

What I've done in past ... if in the capital, go to head office of Aduana, DIAN, tourism. Try to talk to someone fairly high up the food chain, best would be TOP GUY. Schmooze that guy with letters of introduction from your sponsors or from other govt. officials.

Request he write a letter stating he approves of what you want to do and it is, by his reckoning, legal.

Letters from big Jefe's on official stationary work wonders at borders and in any encounter with other "officials". Also, official letters from USA State Dept. on official stationary (or your home country govt.) are very effective too (but not as much as in years past! )