Colombian citizenship through naturalization can be granted to foreigners who meet certain requirements.
It is defined as the legal bond between a person and the State and allows attributing citizenship status to them. Here are the requirements you must meet to obtain citizenship.
Colombia recognizes dual citizenship. You are not required to renounce your current citizenship, BUT you should verify if your country of origin permits dual citizenship or if you would automatically lose your citizenship by becoming a citizen of Colombia. Some countries like the Bahamas, China, and Japan do not allow dual citizenship.
Requirements to apply for Colombian citizenship by naturalization
According to the official website of the Ministry of Justice, foreigners residing in the Republic of Colombia who wish to initiate the Naturalization process must:
- Have been domiciled in Colombia for 5 continuous years. Remember that these will be counted from the date of issuance of your Permanent Resident (R – RESIDENTE PERMANENTE) visa.
- Keep in mind that the required time for this process will be reduced to two (2) years if the foreigner has Colombian children, is married or has a permanent Colombian partner, or is a Spanish national.
In addition to this, at the time of initiating a procedure and throughout the entire administrative process, the foreigner must maintain their resident visa, foreigner identification card, and valid passports, as the naturalization process does not exempt foreigners from complying with their migration obligations.
How to apply for Colombian citizenship?
Initially, you must have the following documents:
- Copy of the Permanent Resident Visa
- Letter addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting Colombian citizenship. This must include: full name; foreigner identification card number; occupation, and current nationality; city of domicile and address of residence in Colombia; landline phone, cell phone number, and email address. The applicant must also state their willingness to be notified through the entire process via electronic means, which the Ministry will use as authorization to request confidential, tax, or other pertinent information from authorities, the reasons for their request, and finally, the applicant’s signature.
- Copy of the valid foreigner identification card.
- Copy of the biographical data page of the valid passport. (If the passport does not include the applicant’s date and place of birth, a document proving same must be provided.)
- Any document not already in Spanish, must be apostilled or legalized and translated into Spanish.
- A document proving your work activity, profession, or occupation in Colombia.
- Important: All documents must have an issue date of LESS than 90 days at the moment they are submitted for review.
- A recent photo: document type, front view, white background. Size 4×5 cm in JPG format.
If you meet all the requirements and have gathered all the necessary documents, you can request the start of this process by accessing the Foreign Ministry’s website and filling out the form under the link titled: “Start your nationality process online here.” Once you have completed this process, you can check the status of your application as often as necessary by clicking on “Check your application status here.” Simply fill in your document number and type.
How to apply for Colombian citizenship for my child?
If you have children or minors in your care, you can request Colombian Citizenship by naturalization for them through your Resident Visa. Simply fulfill the following requirements:
- Have a valid passport for the minor.
- A copy of the minor’s birth certificate.
- Have a copy of the Resident Visa as a beneficiary.
- Have a copy of the parents’ or legal guardian’s identification documents.
- Submit a request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This document must be a petition presented by the legal adult on behalf of their child. Additionally, it must be signed.
In what cities can I sit for the citizenship exam?
Currently, the citizenship exam is being offered in five cities. They are: Barranquilla, Bogotá, D.C., Cali, Cúcuta, and Medellín.
There is also a digital study guide available to persons planning on sitting for the exam, which can be accessed here. The study guide covers four topics: geography, history, the constitution, and Spanish. According to my sources, the exam is write-in, it is not multiple choice.
The exam is held twice per year. If you fail the exam the first time, you can retake it on the next available date in six months.
The cost of sitting for the citizenship exam is $700,000 COP at the time of publishing.