What is the MERCOSUR visa and how to obtain it in Colombia according to the new resolution?

First, MERCOSUR stands for Mercado Común del Sur (Southern Common Market). It is an integration mechanism created with the signing of the Treaty of Asunción in 1991, modified and updated in 1194 by the Protocol of OuroPreto. This economic integration process is aimed at the free circulation of goods, services and productive factors, and also includes mechanisms to facilitate the mobility of people.

MERCOSUR is composed of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela (suspended since August 2017). Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Guyana, Peru and Suriname are associated states. Bolivia requested its incorporation as a State Party in 2015.

Specifically, the MERCOSUR visa is a type M visa and is intended for nationals of the States party to the “Agreement on Residence for nationals of the States party to Mercosur, Bolivia and Chile”, in application of the principle of reciprocity, which is contemplated in Article 4 of Resolution 5477 of 2022.

This visa is valid for two years and is granted only once. With this, an open work permit is obtained, which allows its holder to carry out any lawful activity within the national territory. It also allows the application of beneficiaries.

The specific requirements for the MERCOSUR visa are as follows:

1. Letter of application for a Temporary Resident Visa under the Agreement on Residence of the Mercosur and Associated States Parties explaining the activity that will be developed in Colombia and the means of subsistence that he/she has for his/her stay.
2. Passport with a minimum validity of six (6) months.
3. Certificate of judicial, criminal or police record issued by the authority of the country where he/she has stayed during the last three (3) years with the formalities of apostille or legalization and translation.
   • *If the visa application is submitted to a Consular Office of the Republic of Colombia with headquarters in the territory of the applicant’s country of origin, for purposes of the authenticity of the documents, certification in accordance with the procedures established in that country shall be sufficient, in application of the principle of reciprocity. When the application is processed before the Internal Working Group on Visas and Immigration, such authenticity may be certified by a consular officer of the applicant’s country of origin accredited in Colombia, in application of the principle of reciprocity.
4. Image of the country’s entry stamp.

If the visa application is made from Europe or Cuba the study fee is 42.25 EUR and the issuance fee is 149.98 EUR. If requested from Colombia or any other part of the world, the study fee is 54.92 USD and the expedition fee is 270.4 USD. All the procedure and payment can be made from the page website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ()

Cybergraphy:

https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/international/consensus/mercosur#:~:text=%C2%BFWho%C3%A9nes%20make%20part%3F,%2C%20Guyana%2C%20Per%C3%BA%20and%20Suriname. .

https://www.mercosur.int/quienes-somos/paises-del-mercosur/

https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/sites/default/files/Normograma/docs/resolucion%5Fminrelaciones%5F5477%5F2022.htm