This is a guest post by James Byder. The information is current as of September 2012.
To get a resident visa in Colombia based on being in a relationship with a Colombian national, you need to present various forms and documents at the Ministry of Foreign Relations in Bogota. They will then usually grant you this visa on the same day.
The visa is typically granted for a year in the first instance, but this can be renewed later, and it allows you to work, live and study in Colombia. After three years with the same visa, you can apply for permanent residency.
Essentially, this visa works in exactly the same way as being married, but rather then presenting marriage certificates, you are presenting proof of your civil partnership.
Required Documentation to Apply for Resident Visa in Colombia
1) Declaration of relationship status in front of a Notaria. This is a legal document which declares that you and your partner live together and are in a civil partnership. It is signed my you, your partner and the Notaria. This has to be done in advance of going to the Ministry, and this document is handed in along with the other forms on the day you apply for the visa.
2) Short letter (1 paragraph is fine) from your Colombian partner to the Ministry for Foreign Relations saying you live together, and requesting that you be granted a visa. The letter needs to be signed and witnessed by a notaria.
3) Photocopy of your passport and partner’s Colombian ID card. Your partner’s ID photocopy needs to be signed and witnessed in front of Notaria; your passport photocopy does not.
4) Two forms that are on the Ministry for Foreign Relations website. Both are straightforward, and only take 5 minutes to fill out:
- Formato SC-FO-15
- Formato SC-FO-07
5) Two 3mm by 3mm photos of yourself to accompany forms and the visa that they eventually grant you.
Cost, Office Hours, and Getting There
The visa has a cost of $295 (USD), plus you have to pay a non-refundable $50 to be seen at the Ministry and hand in your papers. You cannot book an appointment in advance. You have to just show up and join the queue with your partner and documentation, so get there earlier.
Hours: Weekdays from 7:30 am to 12:30 pm
Address: Ministry of Foreign Relations, Avenida 19 #98 – 03, Edificio Torre 100, Pisos 3º y 4º, Bogota
The building is fairly obvious once you are there, and you’ll see lots of people outside. There is a Transmillenium bust stop about 5 minutes away, or you can take a taxi if you not familiar with the transport system in Bogota.
The official website of the Ministry for Foreign Relations contains all the information (in Spanish) about this marital/partnership visa, as well as all the other types of visas. If you scroll down, you can download the forms mentioned in step 4 above.
Interviews
Once they have had a look through your paperwork, they will sort it out for you and then call you for a short interview.
They ask you lots of things, including how you met, why you want to be in Colombia, where you’re living, about your partner’s family, etc. The interview is fairly intense, although short, as they are trying to verify your relationship is genuine.
They send you away, and then call your partner in for a similar interview. Assuming your answers correspond, and they are satisfied, they grant you the visa.
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About the Author: James Byder is a former UK government economist who recently moved to Colombia and started a blog focusing on themes related to doing business here. For more information, or if you would like to contact him, please see his new blog at TotallyColombia.com.
Please contact Dave with any corrections.
I’ve been through the process a couple of times. A couple of notes on my experience. I was not called for an interview and my partner never accompanied me. What I applied for was the Visa Conyuge – Spousal Visa. Only thing I had to do was go in, pay and wait 2-3 hours for it all to be processed. On my recent renewal, I was only renewed for 6 months, not 12 months like my first spousal visa. When I asked why, I was told that it’s the discretion of the officer working the case as to how long to give you. All in all, the process is fairly straightforward. One important thing to add is that you must register your new visa with DAS within 10 days or else you are fined. When you register, you also will receive your national ID card, the cédula extranjería.
Thanks for the info!
J.
How long do you have to have been living together?
@ May : i heard 2 years but there´s no way they can check that. i went to a visa agency in medellin who told me that the notary normally doesn´t ask proof of this but heard contradicting stories too.
only 1 way to find out : go there and see what happens. i think they told me the notary cost was about 70,000 COP.
good luck
what about spanish citizens? is the same process to get a visa?
Thnaks
Hi,
Was wondering what is required to renew my visa based on Civil Partnership. First one was for 6 months. Do we just take our original documentation or is another form required?
many thanks
Barry
Great Info,
Just got back from Bogota last night (we live in Medellin). Everything went great, super efficient office, in at 8am out by 9am with a 1 year visa in hand. We moved to Medellin on Jan. 1, luckily my fiance was born here, but as we aren’t going to have the wedding until later this year we decided to give this a try in the meantime.
Like a hot knife through butter. The Interviewer even spoke Spanish slowly to help me understand more. Oh yeah, and Bogota might get a bad wrap sometimes, but I throughly enjoyed the city (except for the taxi drivers/crooks, don’t listen to them and count your money before handing it to them).
I’d recommend staying in both La Candelaria and Zona Rosa as both have something unique to offer.
Best,
JoeSabino
is there a translator available?
Guys, I renewed by visa on Monday. This time is was more straightforward than the first time – no interview necessary and they renewed my visa for an additional two years. I will give a full update on steps involved soon here and on my own blog.
Cheers
Jamie
Thanks James, glad to hear all types of visas are getting easier to renew, not just tourist visas.
My name is tom and I got a 1 year visa marital hecho.It expires in Sept 2013.My girlfriend and I are no longer together.Any chance of re-newing my visa without her being there?
hi Jamie,when you renewed your visa did you have to go back to Bogota and was your gal with you? was it a union del hecho visa? tom
Hi All,
Renewed my visa on Thursday. Only problem was we had a notarized copy of the Union Marital document, which was a copy of the copy, and it must be from the original, which is only available from the Notaria that issued it. And the copy must be less than 3 months old. Probably obvious to everyone else, but we didn’t know.
The very charming official held on to the rest of the papers while my partner made a rush trip to the Notaria, in Chapinero, and got an official copy of the original. Got back at 1150, one year visa issued by 1205. It was the same young lady that interviewed us six months ago. I asked if we would be meeting for the next three years and she said, “just one”. Seeing James’ comment about getting a two year visa, I am hoping I know what she meant.
Foreigners are so well treated here. Other countries that regard themselves as ‘advanced’ could learn a lot.
Thanks for all the info everyone, it really helped me a lot today and everything went completely smoothly (albeit I still had to wait about 3 hours at the ministerio for my turn – I arrived about 10am).
Also, if I hadn’t come across Barry’s comment about the Publica Escritura being only 3 months old I think I would have shown up with my old copy and failed in my renewal mission so thanks heaps Barry 🙂
I went to my notaria to get a new copy as early as possible this morning but with the trancones of Bogotá (!!!) I still only managed to get there at 9am hence arriving at the ministerio about 10am even though I had planned to get there earlier to try and avoid a bit of queueing. My advice is definitely get to the ministerio as early as possible if you don’t want to waste your whole day!
Since this blog post cropped up first on my Google search about renewing the spouse visa I thought I’d add my own advice too – on the website I read something like you only need a letter from your spouse when his presence is required (maybe I read the Spanish wrong but that’s what I understood) but in reality the visa officer told me that you need a recent letter EVERY time you renew the spouse visa (but he still accepted the letter I had from a year ago – definitely a nice chap :D).
Thanks all for the helpful info. I married a paisa two years ago and am now thinking of applying for a residence visa.
One question I have, is what are the potential negatives of having a residence visa? Are there are taxes I would need to pay? Other pitfalls?
Hello everybody!
I have a question! I´ve read the time you have to have living together is minimun 2 years. I know you said that sometimes they don´t check it but we´re afraid because there is no way to show we have met since 2 years ago as we met in the Netherlands in November 2010 and he had no come to Colombia before. Maybe it isn´t a problem in the Notary but could it not be a problem in the Ministry of Foreign Relations?? maybe during the interview??
Thanks in advance for your answer!
Excellent information. Thanks for sharing. I get so confused on the different types of visas for Colombia, and it doesn’t help that I don’t speak Spanish!
Hello,
Thanks for the info, I am half Colombian but i havent lived there since I was 8, I also gave up my Colombian passport when I was 16 (did not renew it) but I want to move there with my fiance in a couple of years. Would I need to apply for my passport again or could I get a visa from being an extranjero? He is British and I also hold a British passport
I look forward to hearing from you.
Also, the two forms listed in the OP…I cannot find on the MRE website in relation to these visas…
◦Formato SC-FO-15
◦Formato SC-FO-07
Regarding civil partnerships for the Residents visa…..how legal and binding so they tend to be? My relationship has finished and I need to understand the implications,
Thanks
Simon
One – Because in Colombia, a National has a ‘National registry’ – that is a record of birth, marriage, child born, etc, it is a document that is NOT static. Unlike a birth certificate from the U.S. and/or other countries that is the same for as long as you live. That is the reason ALL documents can not be older than 90 days, because their version of a ‘birth certificate’ can, and does, change.
Two – In Colombia, a couple living together for two (2) continuous years are considered married by Colombian law. There is a difference between a couple living together, conyuge, and being properly married with documentation. The first visa, for either, is temporal and that is the one with the cost of $160. When you have had three (3) continuous years (married AND living in Colombia), five (5) years for retirement visa, your next and LAST visa is permanent and the cost is $ 300, that is the difference for the cost.
Three – Very good info here and very good of people to post their experience, most of the time it is much more clear than a gov web site. Having said that, this is Colombia and things do change (sometimes often, without warning) AND I would advise ALL to check many sources before diving in the pool.
I have lived here, in Medellin, going on six (6) years and sometimes I believe I know nothing. One here MUST go with the flow. Good luck to all.
◦Formato SC-FO-15
◦Formato SC-FO-07
Forgot to add this. I BELIEVE, not sure! These forms are from the CONSULATE in other countries. The corresponding forms from MRE, I think would be –
DP-FO-67
DP-FO-66
Hey guys good notes on the visas, but just remember when your relationship ends so does your visa. Last update the policy of the Ministry of Foreign Relations is giving people 1 month to notify them of changes, but be ready to travel outside the country IMMEDIATELY. You can go out and come back in as a tourist if you dont have any other options.
If your thinking about getting a business owners visa, work visa or business visa you must apply for these outside the country the first time. After that you can renew inside the country. My company does renewals for people anywhere in Colombia without the need to travel to Bogota if any one is interested.
Typically people pay 300,000 to 500,000 pesos for overstaying on marriage visas but varies on what your story is.
Union Marital de Hecho, or Companero Permanente is easier to get that regular marriage but the ministry will never give you a visa for more than 1 year. If you get married in Colombia you will have to prove that your single, and get your birth certificate with apostille from your home country. IF YOU OR YOUR WIFE have kids, then the process is very complicated and requires a judges review before you can get the marriage license.
ALSO never pay cedula fees or other fees REQUIRED BY MIGRACION COLOMBIA office based on internet or old requirements. These values change yearly. If you under pay you have to make the entire payment again, NO REFUNDS from Colombian Immigration office.
Contact me directly if you have questions. Our main office is in Medellin, CO
Saludos,
James
Hi, I’ve got a question regarding the ‘Union Marital de Hecho’. I’ve been living with my boyfriend for just over two years and I also have an expired tourist visa so wanted to pay the fine required then transfer to a visa based on partnership. However, my boyfriend has two children that do not live with us so I have looked into some of the paperwork needed, some takes up to 45 days. I’m leaving Colombia in Just over a month to visit my family in England and want to return to Colombia. Do you know if there is anyway that I would be allowed to re-enter the country without my visa process completed?
Thanks
Laura
IMPORTANT NOTE ON 1) Declaration of relationship status in front of a Notaria.
A simple note will not be approved from the Ministry but works for many other situations. You must ask them to register the relationship in a PUBLIC ESCRITURA. So, that in 2 days or so the notary will tell you to come back and pick up an actual CERTIFIED DOCUMENT.
This is a common mistake because the notarias are not always familiar with requirements for visas. This document is used for many things besides visas, so depending on your needs they have a couple different ways to produce a legal document regarding your relationship.
The first presentation must be done in person with both couples, consulates outside the country accept a letter from the girlfriend, and are not always doing interviews.
Again my company can do renewals without the need to go to Bogota if your interested. We are Visas Y Tramites Internacionales.
Saludos,
James
Is it possible/(legal) to have a union marital de hecho if you are already married (and not yet divorced)?
Hi, I have a question about the union de hecho declaration. I have been living in the country for a bout a year, residing at the same address as my partner. That is I have had to leave the country for a short while every 3 months. Will the notary office or the government department which issues the visa try to verify if I have indeed resided at the same address for more than 2 years?
hi guys,
how long do you need to be living together? notary dont have proof if you tell them 1 yr but for the visa application and need to bring photocopies of passport?
any help here please
HELPPP!!
Im desperatly wanting to move to Colombia, from Europe.
All I read online is how easy it is to get residency when youre married. but,,, IM GAY !!!
Heared that another way is to buy property in Colombia or get a student visa but lol I dont have money to buy houses.. Any advice would be really appreciated?!! Thanks!
Hi all
Thanks for all the great info but now i have a question of my own.
I am from the UK and have been living with my Colombian girlfriend for 9 months in Lima, Peru and we have now returned to Medellin to live. We met and year ago here in Medellin this month and we have been to the notaria to get the form to say we have been together for a year.
I want to apply for the compañero permanente visa but after reading the comments i don’t know if i can get it now. Chat somebody please let me know if i can or if not, what other visa can i get.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Alan, yes it can get confusing. You can send me a direct email if you like at james@colombiavisas.com
James.,
I am Colombia Citizen and my husban is US citizen we lived in Greenville, NC we been married for 7 years and he wants to become Colombian Citizen what should I do?
Thank you in advance for your help,
Monica Schiraldi
Hello,
Thank you to Dave for your informative website and everyone’s helpful input! I have a slightly different question. My husband and I want to move to Medellin. He has quite a bit of experience and is hoping that he will be able to get a position at a school which will enable him to obtain a work visa. If he is successful in getting a work visa and I am married to him, is there something that will allow me to stay as long as he does? Or am I on my own?
Thank you for any insight…
Jenn
I don’t know. Maybe another reader can help answer that question.
Hi All,
Please Help!
Me (matthew) and my partner (mauricio) are civil partners. He is colombian and I am from UK. We had the ceremony (Civil Partnership) in UK. We are currently preparing to hit the criteria to apply for a spouse visa for Mauricio (partner) to come to the UK. We should be applying in the next few weeks. We have been apart over 9 months although i visited for 3 weeks in december. This process is very hard and the requirements in UK are completely un-just, but we are hopefully nearly there and close for application. Once we have applied there may possibly be await for 5 – 12 months until we get an answer. We are both not prepared to be apart any longer, the distance and process has been heartbreaking and extremely difficult.
While we wait for the outcome of the spouse visa for UK. Can I Matthew (in UK) go to colombia (bogota) to be with Mauricio and apply for resident visa? ? ?
Does the civil partnership stand in colombia?
Can I apply as soon as I have arrived?
What is a Notaria?
I need to work for money as Mauricio has a basic job. We will arrange to rent a small flat before i come, and I have been told I need a works permit.
Is this process completed in a day? Does this enable me to work and study spanish?
Will this effect the spouse visa application for UK? Or is it done separately?
The key thing is I need to be able to work and i want to know if I can apply for different visas when one is pending?
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you in advance and i hope all the above people with concerns have managed to sort there visas!
Thank you,
Matthew x x
With the resident visa through marriage; do the ask for the background check?
I have a felony conviction for drugs in USA, but it was 40 years ago, Can you tell me how Colombia treats this? Thanks in advance.
They don’t check your background, only if you are married or living together with your partner.
They run criminal background checks in the Interpol database when you get your cedula extranjeria/id card, after you arrive in Colomba with your visa. Basically this search is for open warrants.
but that is open warrants with interpol correct? I mean I dont have any warrants but im sure that warrant is for international crimes?
Very useful info thanks! Hopefully somebody can help me out. My plan was to apply for the visa conyuge right now (since I am here in Colombia on holidays) to finally move here in februari 2014. To already have things done before my next travel to Colombia. However, I read that for the visa conyuge:
“Se pierde por ausencia del territorio colombiano superior a ciento ochenta días (180) días”
Does this mean 180 days in total over the 3 years the visa is valid? Or 180 days in a row being outside of Colombia? In the first case it is better that I wait to apply for the visa on my my next trip in februari.
I got my this kind of visa a couple of months ago. The process was not so simple.
An agent interviewed me, after waiting for about 6 hours in a boring room.
I got 2 years of conyugue visa, I am from a nearby country.
A tip: double check all the papers you need beforehand, I heard a girl who went 3 times to the ministry, and she had to pay three times for the “estudio de la visa” (50U$), and wasted a lot of time.
Good luck
I am 95% sure that the answer is “in a row”.
Just to be completely sure, ask a migraciones agent.
Hey everybody,
I hope somebody can help me out! I’m getting the union martial de hecho from a notary and they are telling me they have to write on the paper that we have atleast 2 years together.It’s not our case, the first stamp in my passport is from last year. Did you union martial de hecho letter states that you had 2 years together?What did you tell immigration? I don’t want to have a letter saying 2 years and they see in my passport one year???
Hope you can help me with that!
Hi Fab!
I was wondering how did it went for you? since I want to apply the next year but I’m not sure how strict they are about this 2 year requisite. Do they actually check that?
Thanks a lot!
hi david,
the only issue is to get to union marital in bogota from a notary, they are really strict and aksing a lot of papers and stuff like that,once you get that you go to immigration and it’s pretty easy…. I got 3 years visa. if you need any help tell me
hi Fab!
Thanks for the quick reply. I would not mind if they ask me lots of paper, certificates, etc, but the only thing that worries me is how are they going to treat the “living together for 2 years” requisite. How was your experience on that particular point? You said previously that you didn’t have the 2 years, and that is my case too, so any experience you can share with me, i will appreciate it greatly!
Thanks again!!
david i am so confused with this visa thing. How can i get the visa for just living together and not married ? what is the differnce between the visas?
Hi Andrew, the TP10 visa is intended if you are a spouse of a Colombia or are a “permanent companion” of a Colombian. There is no difference other than the documentation required. The “permanent companion” is essentially a common law marriage in Colombia also know as a de facto marital union, which is intended for a couple that have lived together for two years. A defacto union is more informal than a marriage and is easier to dissolve without requiring a divorce. You will need a document from a notary in Colombia documenting the de facto marital union to use for the TP10 visa. However, keep in mind that Colombia is a community property country and this applies to marriages as well as the more informal de facto marital unions.
I am trying to get my escritura publica or union libre, but the 3 Notarias I have tried so far are asking me for a birth certificate and proof that I am single and both have to be aposillized, I only have to Oct 9th 2013 to get the visa, help!!
Hi Thanks for the quick reply, I have found a notaria who will issue me with the relationship status without birth certificate and martial status however will I be asked for these papers at the interview or does the notarias certificate cover all that. Thanks.
Just wondering how you got on Jimmie? I’m in a similar situation, so it would be great to know which notaria is more relaxed about the paperwork! I have my birth certificate and proof that I am single, but I’ve heard that both need to have apostilles and be translated. Any reports on this would be appreciated.
Hi Michael, Good news, Notaria 32 asked how long we had lived together we said 2 years she asked if I was single, yes, didn’t ask for birth cert or proof of above questions however she insisted on an official translator which she arranged for 2 days later. So we came back then made our statements and got the certificate 2 days after that.
Also notaria 41 was similar however they had a backlog because they were short staffed at the time and it was going to take 6 days to complete which was the day my visa ran out and they didn’t need an official translator my friend was going to do it.
The interview was so easy, the guy we got was really nice, no hard questions it really was a breeze and I got 3 years with I was amazed at.
Now the forms are done online so the interviewer did it for us (or you can do it at home) and he took my picture for the form at that point I knew we got it.
The translator we got is called Mirian she is really sweet ph # 3115427211 peso 50000/ hr.
Good Luck Michael, let me know how you go.
Mirian was your translator in Bogota? Which type of visa did you get? Did you have documentation with you (of any sort). What was the cost?
Or save the money take a friend and go to 41 and see if they will let you do it.
Is a person eligible to get residency permit or citizenship in Colombia if he has a child in Colombia when he is not married with his child’s mother?? And how long does it take if its yes?
Hey,I am about to move to Bogota in January to stay with my boyfriend there. My question is : do the same rules apply to same-sex couples in this case, will I be able switch to this visa from my simple tourist one which I get at the border? (I’m Hungarian btw. don’t know if it makes a change :P) thanks in advance! 🙂
Hi everybody,
I am from Costa Rica and my girlfriend from Bogotá. My doubt has already been asked by others but I still don’t have this clear. My girlfriend and I met in Italy while studying there,and we lived together for one year. Then we had to return to each own’s country on last January. We’ve been visiting each other since then, but I am looking forward to move to Bogotá in early 2014 and I want to apply for a visa through a Union Marital de Hecho. My question is, do we have to prove at some point of the process that we’ve been living together for 2 years? How strict are they with this?
Thank you in advance!!
Hi guys!
Was just after some clarification as to whether this would be the best visa for my situation. I am Australian and my fiancé is Colombian, I have booked a ticket to return to Colombia in January of next year, but don’t intend to marry until July. In this time I was hoping to work as an English tutor. My main concern is that we have only known each other for just over two years and during that time have lived together for a very small period. Will this affect my chances of getting the marital de hecho visa? Or the documents required to apply for it?
In addition, is it possible to get married in Colombia just on the 90 day tourist visa and then later apply for a spouse visa, if so what are the requirements?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
-Dusty
thanks for your post! I find it very useful, since I’ll be in a very similar situation soon 🙂 I have noticed that some people here have recommended Notaría 41, so I think I’ll go to straight to that one in case of problems with the others.
By the way, It would be great to know how is it going for you, if you already applied for your visa or just going to, how the experience and if you have any more tips. The link to your blog seems to have a problem so I could not find anything there.
Thank you!
if bogota is too complicated visit medellin
hi,
for example: we register our partnership in notaria, i get colombian visa for a year, i get cedula and we split later on. what happens after that? do we have to officially get divorced? will they cancel my visa ?
I think the partner visa is now for 3 years (at least mine is). If the relationship ends, you aren’t supposed to stay in Colombia, but in practice it’s unlikely that the authorities would check on this if you still have time left on your visa – they would if you went to renew a visa. If you only have a civil union/Union Marital de Hecho (as opposed to being married), I’ve been told it’s relatively easy to go to a notary to dissolve the civil union, if there aren’t assets or children involved. Be careful re. the assets as civil partners basically have the same rights here as married partners when it comes to divorce/separation, so if you think there’s a chance you might break up, sort out a pre-nup equivalent.
What kind of questions do they ask you at the interview, also how do you prove you are single ,Thank you in advance.
I have got my Colombian girlfriend pregnant and am coming towards the end of my 180 day tourist visa. I dont want to marry her (yet – maybe in the future, but we have only been together for a few months). I want to do the right thing and support her but I will obviously have to leave the country in the next few weeks for visa reasons. Is there a visa I can get that will allow me to spend more time here, rather than forcing me to leave until 2015 when i can get another 180 days as a tourist? I have savings and can prove I can support myself. Am I right to assume that the spouse visa is only intended for people who are definately going to marry? I am a UK citizen. Thanks
Hello, just to let you know that the process has changed slightly. We went to the camara de commercial for an ‘acto de concilliacion’ instead of ‘escritura publico’ which they gave to us the same day. Although it was a little more expensive, the price was 330,000 pesos.
Also, I was given my visa which is valid for three years so I will not need to go back to renew it until 2017….
Can anyone help me please I am getting married in colombia next year will I be able to return to the uk every year to work for 6months.thankyou in advance
Hey!
I am looking to renew my VISA to stay here in Medellín. I want to find a job but I was wondering what my options may be for getting a VISA that would allow me to find a job maybe even in retail or something simple to start off? I had thought about requesting an expansion of my VISA then looking at other options but I don’t know what my best option is. I don’t know if the Civil Partnership would work or not because I am gay…and well single. But would this work for me or not?
Thank you!!
Hi There,
Common law marriage for same sex couples is valid. Some notaries are not easy to deal with because the dont have practice or have personal reasons to not handle the requests. All notaries have the template. Federal law acknowledges COMMON LAW MARRIAGE OF SAME SEX COUPLES. All federal benefits such as immigration apply.
if you have problems with your notary, we offer a package deal of 300 bucks which includes our attorney going to the notary with you to get it done correctly. Notary fees are about 50 bucks, and the visa itself costs 255 dollars in Bogota.
Feel free to contact me for more info.
Cheers,
James Lindzey
57-4-444 6634
ColombiaVisas Skype
Hi guys, Very informative thread! I have a few questions I wouldn’t mind being answered, if possible.
I’m an Australian citizen and met my partner whilst she was studying here. If I was to return to Colombia with my partner, what sort of process would be the easiest and most efficient path for us to go down, to ensure that I could remain in Colombia with her?
One of the biggest negatives we have is my Spanish. I have only just started learning it. To be honest I have only ever used it to ‘swoon’ her. Will this have any negative impact on me being able to obtain a visa?
Also money, I don’t know what the working set up is like over there, but are there any companies that hire English speakers (with almost no spanish language skills)? I wouldn’t care what the work was, so long as it could help support us. I do have some savings to take with me, approximately $15,000 USD (possibly another $5,000 before we might depart). Would my best option be to study Spanish while I’m there, and live off my savings in that time? How long could I make that $15k last, whilst living in a safe, but relatively cheap area, surrounding Bogota?
Thanks in advance for any advice I might be given!
Regards,
Mitch
Hi Mitch,
Hi Mitch,
You might find some of the posts on my blog useful re. cost of living. $15,000 will get you pretty far here while you’re learning Spanish. If you’re willing to be an English teacher (& maybe do a tefl or CELTA to help you to get a decent job with decent pay) you won’t need to speak Spanish, but it’s always helpful as the general level of English amongst Colombians isn’t great! But your Spanish won’t count against you in terms of getting a visa! You can rent a 1 bed apartment in a decent area (say Chapinero Alto) for about $500 a month. Feel free to email me if you have any other questions! Naomi
I never really heard of this visa until now. So I have a few questions.
I met my girlfriend about a year and a half ago when I was travelling in colombia, I spent months at her house then, have been home and went back for 4 months ( as her uk visa was rejected) between last september and was home on christmas eve. I have a flight booked on 15th april and my return is 15th october. Will i go over the 6 months in a year rule, or does a year start fresh every year?
also as we are serious and will have been together over 2 years when I am there, would I be able to apply for this, say when we first 3 months are up to cover the next 3 months? We are obviously serious about this so it would be a good way to start to road to gaining full citizenship.
Hi I need some help.
My fiance and I have decided to stay with his family in Colombia (I’m British and he’s dual British-Colombian) he’s obviously fine to stay as he has all his paperwork. However, we’re struggling to find out what we do about my visa. I understand there is a partnership visa i can get as we’re planning to marry here next year. We can get that sorted with the notaria. The problem is, we’re in Cartagena – is the only place to get the visa done in person in Bogota? Or is there a closer consulate/online/post we can get this sorted?
My other question is, can I extend my Visa to 180 day mark and sort out the partnership visa in the next 3 months? My current visa ends beginning of March.
Many thanks
Hi from what I understand , you need to go to a notary in your city, hopefully you will find one that will not ask you for to much paper work that is the trick , they say there is some notaries that only ask for your passport and his cedilla. Then they will present a certificate at the notary then you will have to to take it to bogota with your boyfriend and present your paperwork and they will give you the visa.. I am from Scotland and am in the same postion.what I would like to know is how long one can stay out the country for in a year .anyway good luck seems a bit daunting but stick in there and everything will be fine.
Hi,
I belong to Pakistan living and working in Pakistan and Dubai.
I and my Colombian fiancee plan to marry in 2015. I would be visiting Colombia sometime in October 2015 to marry her and then take her with me back to Pakistan.
I will not be working in Colombia, but we might have to visit Cali at least once a year because of my fiancee’s family living in Cali.
Am I entitled to apply for Colombian Resident Visa?
Hi all, any assistance will be greatly appreciated.
We obtained my wife’s Spousal Visa in Bogota. The gentleman that actually did the issuance stated that when it came time to get the Resident (3yrs), we would NOT have to return to Bogota . . .
1. Anybody know just WHERE in Cali we would go to apply?
2. OR . . . would we MAIL the application & make payment?
3. How does the Resident Visa work?
4. For how long is it valid?
5. What form(s) would we use?
6. Same process to obtain my new Cedula?
Thank you so much for any assistance you can render.
Hi Walter,
Visas that are put in passports are only done in Bogotá or in Colombian consulates in other countries. I am not aware of visas being put in passports in other cities in Colombia like Cali. So you will need to go to Bogotá or use a third party visa service to get the visa. You can apply for a visa online but it is easier in my opinion just to go to Bogotá where they will fill in the application for you online in the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores office.
The resident visa (RE visa) can be obtained after having a TP-10 visa (spousal visa) for 3 years. You can look on the Cancilleria website for a description in English of the RE visa and requirements. The RE visa is good for 5 years and permits working in Colombia. During this 5 years, if you leave the country for 2 contiguous years you lose the RE visa. Cost is $385 plus $50 processing fee (which they call study).
A new cedula will be needed after getting the RE visa, which can be done in a Migración Colombia office in any city in Colombia. You will have a maximum of 15 days to register the RE visa with Migración Colombia to get a new cedula. It is important to register the visa within the allotted time frame or you will be liable for a big fine of up to seven times the minimum monthly salary in Colombia (nearly $1,800). Every time you get a new visa you will need to register it with Migración Colombia to get a new cedula.
Hi I´m from the uk and I´ve been living in Medellín with my girlfriend on and off for 4 years. I now want to stay here permanently,get a job etc and am looking to get the Unión Marital de hecho visa. I think I understand the process, but one question my girlfriend has is about the rights that a partner would have in a civil partnership. She owns 3 properties. What is the simplest way for her to ensure that I will have no legal claim on her property and everything else if we split up. I have Heard that there is a space at the bottom of the Publica Escritura declaration fo this effect. i.e a sort of pre-nuptial agreement. Is that true? thanks
Also, how easy is it to have a Unión Libre dissolved. Is it as simple as the Publica Escritura when you declare your relationship in the first place
Hi,
I’m an Iranian and have a colombian TP10 type visa, I married my husband 2 years a go and am living in Colombia. I found a job as an engineer and when I went to register it, they told me NO. We have to first evaluate your degrees and you need to apostille them first. I spent 6 months working on that and finaly, long story short, I gave up on that. My question is can I work as a Contractor?
Do you know where can I find in their website what are the exact permissions and restrictions for TP10?
Thank you!
Hi well have been reading all the comments, my question is, am from uk, but live in Spain, and have Columbian girlfriend, am flying in December for 5 week holiday, returning 6th Jan. In feb or march am planning to go back, with my boat, and live there for at least one year, at her house in Bogota. we are planning to marry here in spain in July or august, then return to Bogota. What do i need to stay that long, with my boat as well, and work while am there. We plan to after one year to move back to Spain and bring boat back.
Do you realize that getting permanent residency in colombia is not the same as in the united states. In colombia you are actually getting a 5 year renewable visa. Every 5 years you have to go to the external affairs ministry and renew it. So its misleading. In the us once you’re given permanent residency status that’s it until you have the requsite years to apply for citizenship.
How about how to undo an Union Libre?
I got one about a year ago with my partner. Since then I have moved back to the US and now would like to end it. How can I go about doing it from the US? Is it fairly a simple process?
i hold resident visa in Colombia and am married to Colombian i get it almost one month before and its veiled five years, i would like to know what is the next step for citizenship how long it will take and what is the documents that i have to provide.
thank you
Hello, what happens if I get residency based on the TP10 (conyugue) visa and then later I get a divorce? Can I stay in the country?
A TP-10 visa is no longer technically valid if you get a divorce.
Thanks, what about the residency?
The TP means temporary. Basically if you didn’t hold a TP-10 visa long enough to get a Resident Visa (RE) visa (requires 3 years). You technically lose the TP-10 visa upon divorce and can’t get an RE visa.
Hi, I have been visiting my Colombian Girlfriend 3 times in Colombia for the last 1 & 1/2 years and living together 3 months each visit. I am here now and this time staying 6 months and looking at this civil partnership visa. But I have over looked one thing, my girlfriend is still married (even though she has been separated from him for 7 years) And she says it will take one month to get divorced – but she also says that her husband will not be helpful and she will have to force the divorce and this can take one year or more. I know the law is the law – is it possible to still get this visa while she is married? has anyone else been though this with their partner who is still married?
Likely not possible. Most notaries will require a registro civil to get an escritura publica (declaration of relationship status) to legalize a union marital de hecho (essentially a common law marriage). The registro civil will detail a Colombian citizen’s birth, parents names, nationality and marital status.
Also this visa is a TP-10 visa and not a resident visa as is incorrectly in the title of this post.
Get the divorce first or you will likely run into trouble.
Thanks Jeff for your reply – for now we can start the divorce process. I am looking at visas TP – 3 Study and TP – 4 offered work so I can stay longer
As a single senior having lived in Ecuador seven years, what do I need to do if I want to live in Medellin, Colombia? All paperwork needed, etc.
Jaimito is my REAL name used in Ecuador. Not my Visa name.
So just to make sure I have this straight, a Visa Conyuge and a Marriage visa are both TP10 visa’s but with the Visa Conyuge you do not need to show proof of being married?
Hi my Colombiana girlfriend is pregnant I still live here in uk I know if you parent a child you get residency but can you apply for this while pregnant or only once child is born,
Is it mandatory that the couple has been living together for 2 years?
Or is okay if it has been one year?
If we aren’t married, what documents would we need to prove we have been in this relationship?
Thank you for your time