Modifications to the Colombian Visa Regulation

Resolution 5477 modified Resolution 6045 of 2017 and brought important changes that affect all foreigners wishing to travel to Colombia, due to the fact that it imposes more requirements for visa applications, making it more restrictive.

Application review times

The time for the visa application study stage is extended from 5 working days to 30 calendar days, which requires the planning and collection of the necessary documentation sufficiently in advance to allow entry into the country as planned by each person.

However, it is important to bear in mind that, according to Article 18 of this resolution: “compliance with the requirements established in this Resolution gives rise to and serves as a basis for the substantive study of the visa application.

Discretionality in the Decision

The presentation of all the requirements does not automatically result in the granting of the visa”. In this regard, the decision as to whether or not to authorize the visa is discretionary.

However, it will always be important to correctly evaluate the reason for which you want to travel to Colombia and determine the type of visa required, whether it is a visitor, migrant or resident visa because now, each category has new sub-categories and each of them has different requirements and effects.

Passport or Travel Document Validity

On the other hand, it is mentioned that visa applicants must present a valid passport or travel document with a minimum validity of 6 months.

This requirement was not mentioned in the previous resolution, since it only required validity, good condition and free space for visas.

Process Payments

As for the payment of the stages of the process, the deadlines for payment have also changed.

Under former Resolution 6045, the maximum term for payment of the study fee was 15 calendar days after registration of the application and completion of the electronic form.

With the new resolution, this period has been reduced to 10 calendar days.

As for the issuance stage, the visa holder had up to 30 calendar days to make the payment, whereas, with the new resolution, the term, as in the study stage, is 10 calendar days.

In all cases, if payment is not made, it will be interpreted as withdrawal of the application and the procedure will be terminated.

In conclusion, Resolution 5477 represents a necessary adjustment to Colombia’s migration policies, as the country has become an attractive destination abroad.

New sub-categories

With the creation of new subcategories, the possibilities for foreigners’ profiles to fit into the list of existing subcategories are increased despite the severity of the requirements.

The entry into force of this resolution affects all foreigners wishing to travel to Colombia in terms of the timeframes with which the application must be submitted, the requirements to be met and the categories to which to apply.