Phil Hughes
@nicafyl
Nicaraguan expat in Guatemala
Forum posts
77
Contacts
4
About me
Nicaraguan
Speaks English (well), Spanish (OK)
Registration: 06 April 2011
Free ebook, "Escape to the Tropics"
After almost 24 years in Central America I decided to document "how it works" or, at least, how it worked for me. I have lived in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and, now, Guatemala.If this sounds interesting you can grab it from monosmedia.com It's free, you ... Read More
Mortgages in Guatemala by NorCal401
Does anyone have experience with getting a mortgage in Guatemala or know of any US Bank that will lend for property there?
Most property transactions here are either cash or getting the owner to carry a contract. If you are not a Guatemalan citizen I would expect it would be very hard to get a local bank to grant you a loan.That said, if you are in Guatemala, go talk to ... Read More
Guatemala Tourist visa Help by Olamionas
hello please .how do i apply for Guatemala Tourist visa from south Africa .i have a Residence in South Africa . Holding a Ghanaian Passport Holder wish required a visa to travel to Guatemala .There are no Embassy to Apply here in South Africa, ...
@Olamionas While I have no personal knowledge of these people, they seem real. They offer a "apply on-line" option.https://www.visahq.com/guatemala/tourist-visa/ Read More
Transfering land title guatemala by Romalyn Torres
Hi im here in USA and i bought a property in Guatemala thru my friend , is it possible to tranfer the title to my name even i dont go to guatemala? If yes how ? Thanks
@Romalyn Torres It shouldn't be a problem. You just need to grant a power of attorney to someone you trust here in Guatemala. That probably means needing to get it authenticated at the Guatemalan embassy in Gringolandia. If there is no embassy local ... Read More
Sending money to Cambodia from Pana by namtate
A few years ago I was able to do this by visiting local banks/ It was very time consuming (local banks treat local people horribly, long wait times, bank friendly policies) and stressful! This seems to have ended, no mas! Anyone know a way to ...
@namtate I recognize this is from a long time ago but here is a generic solution to sending money from anywhere to anywhere. Use Wise.You can go to https://wise.com/invite/u/phillipsh (yes, that is my affiliate link), open an account and then use ... Read More
Assorted Guatemala information
In English. Check out https://gringo2gt.com/ Read More
Guatemalan Organic Farming by MichelParaguay
Good morning all Here is some information about Guatemalan organic farming. According to AgenceBio.org, in Guatemala, - the area cultivated organically was 13,380 hectares in 2011; - the number of organic farms was 3,008 in ...
Check out https://cincoazul.com. They sell and deliver organic products. Read More
Bank question...and a rather dumb one by Quesera
I opened a bank account at BAM recently and brought along a Guatemalteco to vouch for me as requested (required). He is a trusted and long-term employee where I am currently living. All went well...I must have answered a million questions to which ...
No problem. After 15 years in Central America, I know a lot of stuff. The most important is that I know what I don't know. I used to run a web site called NicaLiving. An amazing number of questions (and answers) passed through there. I shut it ... Read More
Bank question...and a rather dumb one by Quesera
I opened a bank account at BAM recently and brought along a Guatemalteco to vouch for me as requested (required). He is a trusted and long-term employee where I am currently living. All went well...I must have answered a million questions to which ...
All banks put holds on funds. I know BanRural is 15 business days and expect others are similar. It sucks as the money is usually taken out of your account within three days. I doubt an attorney could open an account for you as you need to show ... Read More
Bank question...and a rather dumb one by Quesera
I opened a bank account at BAM recently and brought along a Guatemalteco to vouch for me as requested (required). He is a trusted and long-term employee where I am currently living. All went well...I must have answered a million questions to which ...
First, a correction. The name of the credit union is COLUA. The relationship/differences between a bank and COLUA is the same as the bank/credit union relationship in the U.S. Credit unions are basically member owned. Accounts are only for ... Read More
Bank question...and a rather dumb one by Quesera
I opened a bank account at BAM recently and brought along a Guatemalteco to vouch for me as requested (required). He is a trusted and long-term employee where I am currently living. All went well...I must have answered a million questions to which ...
Most of what you said doesn't really make sense to me -- like "your husband's residency". But, as this is a bank thread, let me sorta answer that. First, it is unlikely a bank will let you "independently" open a bank ... Read More
Bank question...and a rather dumb one by Quesera
I opened a bank account at BAM recently and brought along a Guatemalteco to vouch for me as requested (required). He is a trusted and long-term employee where I am currently living. All went well...I must have answered a million questions to which ...
A couple of corrections. * You have pensionado *residency*, not a visa. Calling it a visa could confuse someone. * The deposit limit you are talking about is for cash. You can deposit a check or receive a wire transfer for any amount. Also, bank ... Read More
Lake Atitlan get-together?
I own a small B&B in San Antonio Palopo which is about as Gringo-free as you can get on the lake. I would be interested in hosting a get-together for folks who actually have interest in/care about Guatemala. I don't have a specific plan but ... Read More
Bank question...and a rather dumb one by Quesera
I opened a bank account at BAM recently and brought along a Guatemalteco to vouch for me as requested (required). He is a trusted and long-term employee where I am currently living. All went well...I must have answered a million questions to which ...
What this process is about is having a "legal entity" in Guatemala related to your account. If you don't have residency (my must not or you would not need this person) then the bank needs to have something/someone they can file their ... Read More
Best quiet Lake Atitlan area near Pana by maryrossi
Hola, my husband and I are mid/late 60s presently living in Panajachel and checking out other lake pueblos. We want something quiet & safe that has a good mercado (fruits & veggies). We are hoping to find a pueblo that is close enough to ...
They are there -- OK, should be -- if you click the booking option. But, they are more or less like this. * Pana apartment - $35/night * Room in San Antonio with breakfast - $40/night * Studio apartment with mini-kitchen - $55/night There are ... Read More
Best quiet Lake Atitlan area near Pana by maryrossi
Hola, my husband and I are mid/late 60s presently living in Panajachel and checking out other lake pueblos. We want something quiet & safe that has a good mercado (fruits & veggies). We are hoping to find a pueblo that is close enough to ...
I will watch for anything for rent. Other options are watch guatemala.craigslist.org. I also have one other possible idea -- please contact me directly at nicafyl at gmail dot com so we can set up a chat. It could be a great opportunity. Read More
Working "remotely" advice? by languagetraveler
Hi everyone- Im new to the forum and I have a few questions if anyone can help. I live in the states and have no immediate plans to permanently move to Guatemala, but would like to plan some extended stays of 1-2 months here and there. Ive ...
I am a Claro-hater (started in Nicaragua) but their DSL service has been extremely reliable. It has been far more reliable than electricity. The one issue I have is that the router "slows down". (This is a common problem with cheap ... Read More
Best quiet Lake Atitlan area near Pana by maryrossi
Hola, my husband and I are mid/late 60s presently living in Panajachel and checking out other lake pueblos. We want something quiet & safe that has a good mercado (fruits & veggies). We are hoping to find a pueblo that is close enough to ...
OK, I remember responding to a question from you a few weeks ago. Wellcome to Pana. It's not quiet but this last week of the feria has been crazy. All the pueblos have markets but "a decent market" is another issue. I just bought a ... Read More
Lake Atitlan internet
If "big" means over a meter and more likely 1.6 meters, and it is Internet-related, that would be a VSAT system. If possible, avoid such a system as the delays (because of the distance to/from the bird are long) are, at best, irritating. ... Read More
Getting Through Customs for a Long Stay by maryrossi
Hola! My husband and I (late 60s) are coming to Guat in 3 weeks for a long stay, maybe 6 months, maybe permanent. We're in the process of regenerating after getting physically depleted, and since we're using the all natural approach of herbs ...
There is a lot of "small time" agriculture here and much of it is organic. Monsanto tried an invasion here and the public said no so you should not be getting GMO products here. But, lots of corn is imported from Mexico (I am talking sacks ... Read More
Getting Through Customs for a Long Stay by maryrossi
Hola! My husband and I (late 60s) are coming to Guat in 3 weeks for a long stay, maybe 6 months, maybe permanent. We're in the process of regenerating after getting physically depleted, and since we're using the all natural approach of herbs ...
In the case of tahini, it is easy to find in Panajachel. There is both imported (Roland and probably another brand) and tahini made here. Not sure it is organic. Lots of people miss the fact that many things are available here because they are ... Read More
Getting Through Customs for a Long Stay by maryrossi
Hola! My husband and I (late 60s) are coming to Guat in 3 weeks for a long stay, maybe 6 months, maybe permanent. We're in the process of regenerating after getting physically depleted, and since we're using the all natural approach of herbs ...
Historically, no problem but with the big customs corruption shakeup, things could have changed or will change very soon. I know, for example, that importing canned food used to be a non-issue but within the last month the government is requiring ... Read More
Is Guatemala safe? What about crime rates?
If you have seen Mexico and "figured it out" I think you will understand Guatemala. Number of murders per 100,000 is a pretty useless statistic in places with "directed" crime and Guatemala is one such place. Crime victims are ... Read More
Healthcare in Guatemala by Julien
Hi, how does the healthcare system work in Guatemala ? Is it efficient ? What are the main differences between public and private sectors? Is it recommended to purchase private health insurance in Guatemala? Thanks in advance for sharing ...
I expect most usanos will have trouble understanding the health care system here in Guatemala. The model is pretty typical for Latin America. I wrote up an article on something more generic including information on Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala and ... Read More
Healthcare in Guatemala by Julien
Hi, how does the healthcare system work in Guatemala ? Is it efficient ? What are the main differences between public and private sectors? Is it recommended to purchase private health insurance in Guatemala? Thanks in advance for sharing ...
While I pretty much disagree with everything you said about insurance and such, let's call that difference of opinion. However, you are flat wrong about what you say as " it might become cumbersome and a hassle, with all the lines, the wait ... Read More
Healthcare in Guatemala by Julien
Hi, how does the healthcare system work in Guatemala ? Is it efficient ? What are the main differences between public and private sectors? Is it recommended to purchase private health insurance in Guatemala? Thanks in advance for sharing ...
Public sector works just fine. My "most serious" experience was an appendectomy for my daughter. The story is up on AtitlanLife. No issues. Also, my niece hurt her back and was taken there for X-Rays. Fast, efficient and, of course, free ... Read More
School age for children-at what age to kids start school in Guatemala?
The civil war, no money for uniforms, no local school/school teacher, having to work for the family, ... can all affect this. I know someone who just finished her tercer basico a few months ago at 22. Read More
Living in Gua. and Getting Citizenship - HOW? by JamesB
Hello: If I move to Antigua and decide to stay for three or four years to study Spanish I would also like to leave the country with a dual citizenship and have a Guatemalan passport. Can anyone tell me who to hook up with during my first several ...
This is typical -- same in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Basically, you are asked to sign a form that says you are renouncing your former citizenship in favor of the new one/new allegiance. But, the form only goes in you new citizenship application ... Read More
Living in Gua. and Getting Citizenship - HOW? by JamesB
Hello: If I move to Antigua and decide to stay for three or four years to study Spanish I would also like to leave the country with a dual citizenship and have a Guatemalan passport. Can anyone tell me who to hook up with during my first several ...
Got here from a search for something else. The thread is old but I figured it was worth a comment. To get Guatemalan Citizenship (for someone who is not Central American) you need to get permanent residency (pink DPI) and have it for five years. You ... Read More
visa runs and residency by rararoo2
A friend just returned from Guatemala. He was told by a person there that after a person has done several visa runs out of Guatemala then residency is about automatic. Does the number of visa runs have anything to do with residency? Also does a ...
I agree. On the border crossing issue, I think the creation of the CA-4 (http://a42.com/forum/pg/forumview/misc/country-information/regional/ca-4) has helped make regional border crossing more legit. It's harder for one country (Guatemala, for ... Read More
visa runs and residency by rararoo2
A friend just returned from Guatemala. He was told by a person there that after a person has done several visa runs out of Guatemala then residency is about automatic. Does the number of visa runs have anything to do with residency? Also does a ...
While this has never happened to me, it isn't a surprise. When I applied for Nicaraguan residency I had to get a "movamientos migratorios" document and was surprised to see it contained all my entries and exits including a one-day ... Read More
I've been invited to Guatemala City as a partner in a restaurant by Jaredvstone
I'm a chef by trade and a good Guatemalan friend of mine has invited me to Guatemala City to help open a bar/restaurant in zone 1, located in the site of a previously successful bar/restaurant. I'm am seriously considering this as it seems ...
Whenever I go to Guate I stay in Zona 1. It is the future. The city government is doing all the right things such that redevelopment progresses well -- including safe mass transit. What is happening now is the real city is being re-invented (like ... Read More
Helping a Guatemalan student move to Ecuador
Thanks for the quick reply. That's good info and I am going to suggest Rocio contact them. They may have some good suggestions for the second part of the problem. That is, she needs to do two more years of "high school" first and would ... Read More
Helping a Guatemalan student move to Ecuador
A friend (daughter of my maid here in Guate) wants to study to be a doctor. She is 16 and has just finished her basic education. She wants to move to Ecuador to finish what, here, would be two years of "directed study" (basically pre-med) ... Read More
visa runs and residency by rararoo2
A friend just returned from Guatemala. He was told by a person there that after a person has done several visa runs out of Guatemala then residency is about automatic. Does the number of visa runs have anything to do with residency? Also does a ...
"He was told" and "I was told" are really common in Central America. When I first moved to Costa Rica I tended to believe most of those stories. 12+ years later, I tend not to. What type of residency you are talking about may matter but, having done ... Read More
Bilingual Preschools In Antigua by mbungay
We are researching our next destination and Antigua is at the top of our list. We are having a hard time finding a bilingual preschool for our twins who will be 4 years old when the new school year starts. I would like some suggestions, a website ...
This may sound strange but you probably should say what two languages you are talking about. I live in Panajachel about 50 meters from a bilingual preschool named PanKids but the two languages are Spanish and German. Personally, I want to find a ... Read More
I was wondering how easy it would be to move to Guatemala?
a42.com/site/pg/s/63/73 is a good place to start. The residency information is on a child page. The retiree process is easy but being married to a Guatemalan may be easier. As a retiree you need to show $1000/mo of retirement income. No FAX or email ... Read More
Trying to Sell or ship gold coin
There are so many people traveling between Guate and the US that is should be relatively easy to find someone to do the work for you. As an example of a similar problem, I had some damaged $100 bills that the Bank of Guatemala would not accept. My ... Read More
Missing! Anyone seen Steve Baruday? Maybe in Pana or by Lake Atitlan by tampabooker
Looking for my friend who went to Guatemala Late October. Last heard he was headed to Panajachal around October 31. Have not head from since, but he posted here before going down to Guatemala. His name is Steve Baruday, white male, 60 years old, ...
I agree that "the Antigua problems" need their own thread but I feel it is important to respond because your statement that "there are no problems in Antigua" is way off base. There are big problems. The removal of the alcalde and four others for ... Read More
Missing! Anyone seen Steve Baruday? Maybe in Pana or by Lake Atitlan by tampabooker
Looking for my friend who went to Guatemala Late October. Last heard he was headed to Panajachal around October 31. Have not head from since, but he posted here before going down to Guatemala. His name is Steve Baruday, white male, 60 years old, ...
(Note that I have exchanged private messages with Tampabooker but this information seems to be of general interest.) This morning I was talking with my neighbor who has lived on the lake for 15 years. He mentioned "problems" in Antigua. ... Read More
Opening bank account in Guatemala by DeliaL
We are also flying in in Dec (7) to check out Guate we will have a bit more time. Do you need to have an address to open a bank account or is there a PO Box type situation there? Do banks pay interest on deposits? If so does anyone know how much? ...
a42.com/site/pg/s/63/73/335 offers banking info but the bottom line is that you need your DPI before you can open an "independent" bank account. What that means is that if you don't have it, you need a Guatemalan to "sponsor" you. The residency ... Read More
2 weeks in Dec to explore Atitlan/Antigua as place to move. Need plan by Padrino
My fiancé and I are coming to Guatemala in December (2013) for a bit over 2 weeks to check out Lake Atitlan and Antigua as possible places to retire 1 year from now. I've lived internationally for 30 years including 3 years in Costa Rica for post ...
atitlanlife.com will give you some info including the weather in Panajachel. Feel free to contact me when you get to Pana and I can offer some pointers/intros. I am more likely to be talking to locals than Gringos but the Gringo community is easy to ... Read More
Moving soon by rpkittle
We just completed our one week trip to Guatemala. We stayed in Antigua and liked it so much that we are moving there. My wife and I want good health care and the USA will soon be not the place find it if you are on Medicare. We saw how beautiful ...
In that case, unless you plan on traveling every day, you are probably better off without a car. Finding local transport tends to be easy and with the buses the ayudante will stash whatever you have -- inside or on the roof rack depending on what it ... Read More
Moving soon by rpkittle
We just completed our one week trip to Guatemala. We stayed in Antigua and liked it so much that we are moving there. My wife and I want good health care and the USA will soon be not the place find it if you are on Medicare. We saw how beautiful ...
I have never been to that particular area but my experience in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panajachel is that you will find lots more options (generally at lots better prices) once you are at your destination. Thus, planning on a short hotel stay ... Read More
Moving soon by rpkittle
We just completed our one week trip to Guatemala. We stayed in Antigua and liked it so much that we are moving there. My wife and I want good health care and the USA will soon be not the place find it if you are on Medicare. We saw how beautiful ...
Yes, there are certainly "Gringo prices" -- particularly in Antigua. Do your homework on prices. Another good place to check is http://guatemala.craigslist.org -- not because rental prices are necessarily good there but because there are lots of ... Read More
Applying for Permanent Residency in Guatemala by amytoledo71
I need to obtain an official police report/record from the Guatemalan authorities. With what agency would I go about requesting this information ? Cordially, Amy Toledo
OK, I was confused. So, you have lived in Guatemala? While I don't know this for sure for Guatemala, what you need are police reports from where you have "lived" (generally for the past five years) where being in a country as a tourist does not ... Read More
Applying for Permanent Residency in Guatemala by amytoledo71
I need to obtain an official police report/record from the Guatemalan authorities. With what agency would I go about requesting this information ? Cordially, Amy Toledo
I assume you meant "for" rather than "from" in your first post. Start at the A42 Guatemala page. You fill child pages with both Guatemalan Immigration links and decent descriptions of the residency types available. As for obtaining police reports, ... Read More
housesitting
You might want to try Craigslist. Also, if you are considering around Lake Atitlan, you can post a free ad on atitlanlife.com Read More
2 weeks in Dec to explore Atitlan/Antigua as place to move. Need plan by Padrino
My fiancé and I are coming to Guatemala in December (2013) for a bit over 2 weeks to check out Lake Atitlan and Antigua as possible places to retire 1 year from now. I've lived internationally for 30 years including 3 years in Costa Rica for post ...
Wow, lots of questions. First, let me mention a new web site called atitlanlife.com. The first real issue will be out in 1 August but there is some stuff there already including free classifieds. I have lived in Central America for 10 years and ... Read More
Foreigners opening a bank account by LindaLynda
I am wondering if foreigners can open savings accounts in Bolivia and if so what is the current interest rate?
Better visibility? The second post in the old thread had the answer. Read More
Relocation attorney info? by nicamedia.sales
Hi Folks I have been living here for six years after sailing and working in every country in Central America, most of the Caribbean and some in South America. I choose Nicaragua carefully after checking out the other tropical countries down ...
I'll second that. I have known Paul for over eight years and worked with him on many different things. 99% satisfied. Read More
Checking out Guatemala--thinking of around pana--live currently in US by Gig3000
Thinking about the little things here. If i didn't want to carry cash around, how would i pay for rent? Can you have a cashiers check cut at the local bank to pay the landlord? or mail it? If we rent from locals, do they go to the bank? Do they ...
Actually, they use G&T Continental to connect to the "regular" bank network. I recently bought a house and they dealt with the transfers including sending me email when the transfers showed up. Read More
Checking out Guatemala--thinking of around pana--live currently in US by Gig3000
Thinking about the little things here. If i didn't want to carry cash around, how would i pay for rent? Can you have a cashiers check cut at the local bank to pay the landlord? or mail it? If we rent from locals, do they go to the bank? Do they ...
I am not new to Central America but am moving to Pana. OK, almost finished moving with months of getting stuff together. My first generic suggestion is "don't sweat it, things will work out". Pana is about as laid back and Gringo-friendly as you can ... Read More
Moving/Visiting Nicaragua by Samantha.S
So my family and I are planning on taking a 6 month trip to Nica to check it out before possibly moving there. we are running into mixed reactions. One friend says it is amazing there that he will be retiring there. Yet another says, unless you ...
If you want to eat food in packages that come from the US, Nicaragua is expensive. On the other hand, if you want to eat fresh papayas, mangos, ... it is dirt cheap. The same goes for pretty much anything else. You sound like you want a lifestyle ... Read More
Researching Nicaragua for possible retirement. by flyphish
My wife and I are looking at possibly spending 5yrs or so living in Central America. We are interested in learning what prevailing feelings towards American expats are, possible opportunities to help out in local communities. (My wife is a nurse ...
I have known and worked with Paul Tiffer for many years. (He posted earlier in this thread.) I highly recommend him. He has done the residency work (and other work involving businesses and real estate) for many NicaLiving members. Read More
How to Begin Immigration Process to Nic from Can ? by BruceCanNic
Hello All, I am very interested in moving from Vancouver, Canada to Nicaragua but have not found the proper information as to how to begin the process as there is no embassy or consulate in Canada. Has anyone recently gone through the process. Do I ...
A42.com has up to date information on this including the various types of residency. Much of this information is cleaned up info from NicaLiving.com. You need to be in Nicaragua to apply but there are documents you need to get in Canada first. Read More
Opening a bank account in Bolivia by Julien
Hi all, is it difficult for expats to open a bank account in Bolivia ? Which documents are required to open a bank account in Bolivia ? How long does it take to open it ? Is there any restriction for expats regarding the services (loans ...
all bank loans are at 18 percent interestWow, sounds like bank interest on deposits is going to be a lot more than the current .1% in the US. Read More
Would like information on Jinotepe by andros1946
I will be retiring in September 28, 2012 I have 3 weeks of vacation which I have to take before 5/15/2012 I did some research about other cities in Nicaragua however, I can't find any about Jinotepe My budget is limited and I am looking for A "safe" ...
There are at least two very active NL members living there: Mike and GranadaSherif. Read their recent posts and/or post your questions and they will likely have something to say. Read More
Researching Nicaragua for possible retirement. by flyphish
My wife and I are looking at possibly spending 5yrs or so living in Central America. We are interested in learning what prevailing feelings towards American expats are, possible opportunities to help out in local communities. (My wife is a nurse ...
When I moved to Nicaragua eight years ago I was concerned about how I would be treated. After so many years of US intervention I was not expecting a good reception. The reality is that people here seem to understand the difference between actions of ... Read More
Would like information on Jinotepe by andros1946
I will be retiring in September 28, 2012 I have 3 weeks of vacation which I have to take before 5/15/2012 I did some research about other cities in Nicaragua however, I can't find any about Jinotepe My budget is limited and I am looking for A "safe" ...
Some basics and some user comments can be found at nicaliving.com/node/5748 There are also a few active users familiar with the area. Read More
Electricity in Leon
Not sure about reliability--I have 100% reliable electricity because I am off-grid. But, see qa.a-zliving.com/questions/20/what-is-the-cost-of-electricity-in-nicaragua for electric rates. Read More
Moving to Nica by jonandellen
We have been offered a lucrative transfer to Nica by US based company expanding to off-shore site. The questions we have are myriad but primary concern is safety, Nica attitude towards Americans, crime and the political climate. We want to accept ...
Saying "Nicaragua" is a lot like saying "California". There is a big difference between Managua, Masaya, Granada, Estelí, ... For example, I don't like cities so I would not move to Managua but I also would not move to Los Angeles. I would say ... Read More
where is best moderate temp small town...HELP!
Both small and moderate are subject to interpretation. That said, here are my feelings on this. If small means from 20 to 50,000, my two suggestions are Jinotega and Somoto. Somoto is warmer but not really hot. Jinotega is more like what you might ... Read More
Importing your "stuff"
I have a lot of stuff and would like to know how much hoop-jumping is required to import it. It is all personal stuff but not what your average person would have. For example, I have lots of electronics stuff (parts and test equipment) because ... Read More