Residence visa in Colombia: requirements and procedures according to Resolution 5477

The residence visa in Colombia is granted to a foreigner who wishes to settle permanently in the national territory, according to the specific conditions and requirements of the existing category applicable to the foreigner’s condition. The existing categories in this type of visa are:

1. Renunciation of Colombian nationality: for foreigners who, having been Colombians by birth or adoption, renounced Colombian nationality.
2. By accumulated time: for foreigners who have remained in the national territory as holders of valid migrant visas, accumulating time.
3. Venezuelans under ETPV: for Venezuelan citizens under the Temporary Protection Status for Venezuelan Migrants.
4. Special Peace Agreement: for foreigners who are former members of the FARC-EP, who have completed the process of laying down their weapons, have submitted to the Final Agreement for the Termination of the Conflict and the Construction of a Stable and Lasting Peace, and have made transit to legality.

Formalities associated with the residence visa in Colombia

This visa requires the principal holder to transfer every 5 years at least one month before the expiration date. This is the procedure by which, at the request of the holder, the reissuance of a visa already issued is authorized or not, as long as the holder uses the same nationality with which he/she obtained it. This procedure is carried out virtually through the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and requires compliance with the following requirements:

1. Valid passport or travel document, in good condition and with free space for visas.
2. Copy of the main page of the valid passport where the holder’s personal data is registered.
3. Copy of the page of the passport where the last entry or exit stamp of Colombia has been stamped, as the case may be.
4. Copy of the visa you wish to transfer.
5. Copy of the foreigner’s identification card, as the case may be.
6. Certificate of migratory movements issued by the Special Administrative Unit of Migration Colombia, with an issue date not greater than three (3) months. This requirement will not be necessary in the case of a Visitor visa, when the Migrant visa has been issued for less than six (6) months or the Resident visa for less than two (2) years.
7. Certification or document attesting to the validity of the circumstances circumstances or conditions or conditions that gave rise to the granting of the visa.

Lastly

The residence visa in Colombia allows its main holder to apply for a beneficiary visa and work with an open work permit that allows any lawful activity in the national territory. Additionally, it requires permanence in the territory, since the visa may automatically lose its validity when the holder is absent for two consecutive uninterrupted years.