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Migracion Colombia Offices Reopen: What Does this Mean for Tourists? - Medellin Guru
Migracion Colombia offices reopen on September 21 with a resumption of services. So, it is now possible to obtain tourist visa extensions and cedulas.

Migracion Colombia Offices Reopen: What Does this Mean for Tourists?

Migracion Colombia offices reopen on September 21 with a resumption of services. So, it is now possible to obtain tourist visa extensions and cedulas for foreigners.

International flights have resumed to Colombia starting on September 19 and now Migracion offices reopen on September 21.

What does this mean, if your 90-day tourist visa expired? Don’t worry, because of the coronavirus pandemic, nationwide quarantine and no international flights leaving Colombia, the time reporting for tourist visas was suspended. And you will have 30 days from October 1 to renew your tourist visa or leave the country.

We provide information about Migracion offices reopening in Colombia with a particular emphasis on:

  1. Tourists with an expired tourist visa/permit good for 90 days needing a tourist visa/permit extension.
  2. Tourists with a tourist visa/permit extension good for 180 days that is expired.
  3. Those who applied for a Colombian visa and were approved but were unable to register the visa or apply for a cedula due to the coronavirus pandemic.
  4. Visa holders with a normal Visa (Migrant, Resident or Visitor) that expired during the health emergency.
  5. Those who need a Certificate of Migratory Movements.

Resolution 2223 of September 16, 2020

According to Resolución 2223 issued on September 16, on September 21, 2020, Migración Colombia will reopen and restart operations for the following services :

  • Issuance of the Alien Identification Card Cédula de Extranjería and its duplicate,
  • Foreign Registration for both minors and adults,
  • Certificates of Migratory Movements,
  • Certificate of Migratory Movements and Nationality,
  • Safe conduct (Salvoconductos) SC-1 and SC-2,
  • Temporary Permits of Stay (PTP) for extensions of stay in the national territory and a category change,
  • PEP-FF – this is for Venezuelan citizens.

Foreigners who require any of the Migracion services, must fill out a Unique Form of Procedures online and attach the documents and other requirements.

Foreigners who require to carry out a procedure or service of those reactivated MUST MAKE AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE through the Migracion website.

People who do not have an appointment will not be served at Migracion offices. No walk-ins will be permitted.

Colombia tourist visa stamps in a passport

Colombia tourist visa stamps in a passport

1. Tourists with a 90-Day Tourist Visa Who Need a Tourist Visa Extension

For example, if you entered Colombia and they stamped a 90-day tourist permit on your passport, which expired on April 15, 2020, but you couldn’t leave Colombia due to no international flights and could not extend your tourist visa, you can now extend your tourist visa starting on September 21.

if you have a 90-day tourist visa that expired during the health emergency, according to article 15 of Resolution 2223, you will have one month from October 1 to renew the tourist visa or obtain another type of visa.

However, on September 21, Migracion Colombia offices reopened with a gradual resumption of services. However several readers are reporting that Migracion was not processing tourist visa extensions:

  • The online system to apply for tourist visa extension is offline.
  • You can’t make an appointment for tourist visa extensions.
  • Readers that have gone to Migracion have been unable to extend tourist visas.

Some readers with expired 90-day tourist visas were told my Migracion they had to leave Colombia but could return. However, other readers were told by Migracion that online tourist visa extensions would be available on the Migracion website starting the week of October 10.

Also, we confirmed with the visa agency we partnered with on October 14 that Migracion was not extending tourist visas online or in offices.

However, on October 16, the option to extend a tourist visa is now on the Migracion website (Permiso Temporal de Permanencia para Prorrogar Permanencia). So, tourist visas can now be extended online.

Instead of a tourist visa extension, there are over 20 different types of Colombian visas and Colombia is still issuing visas even during the coronavirus pandemic. We have a comprehensive guide to Colombian visas.

Or you can leave Colombia during this time (until the end of October) without generating any immigration offense or fines.

2. Tourists with an Expired Tourist Visa Extension Good for 180 Days

If you already have a tourist visa extension (for 180 days) that expired during the time Migracion offices were closed, according to article 14 of Resolution 2223, these “resume term of permanence in the national territory”.

In other words, apparently the clock restarts for tourist visa extensions. And we confirmed with Migracion that the clock for tourist visa extensions restarts on September 21. However, Resolution 2223 is ambiguous about those with expired 180-day tourist visa extensions. It is possible you are limited to being in Colombia until the end of October.

Sample Colombian cedula, photo courtesy of Migracion Colombia

Sample Colombian cedula, photo courtesy of Migracion Colombia

3. Received a Colombian Visa but Unable to Obtain a Cedula

If you received a normal Colombian visa such as a retirement visa or marriage visa but were unable to register the visa and obtain a cedula (Colombian ID) you can now obtain a cedula at Migracion offices,

Normally in Colombia, you must register your visa and apply for a cedula within 15 days or you would be liable for a fine.

Under Resolución No. 0918, the Colombian government with forgive any penalties and fees they would normally assess due to the coronavirus crisis.

We have a separate article that looks at obtaining a Colombian cedula.

How to Obtain a Colombia Resident Visa - Medellin Guru

How to Obtain a Colombia Resident Visa – Medellin Guru

4. Normal Visa (Migrant, Resident or Visitor) Expired During the Pandemic

Normal visas were still being issued during the pandemic. However, we have been contacted by some Medellin Guru readers who let their normal visa (Migrant, Resident or Visitor) expire during the coronavirus pandemic. So, they are in Colombia and no longer have a valid normal visa or a tourist visa.

This category is not really covered in Resolution 2223. If you fall in this category, we recommend contacting the visa agency we partnered with to see what options you have.

Contact Medellin Guru’s Visa Partner

5. Those who need a Certificates of Migratory Movement

A migratory movement certificate is needed for marriage visas and resident visas.

You can get the Migratory Movement Certificate (Certificado de Movimiento Migratorio) at any Migración Colombia office. The cost was increased on February 1, 2019 to 90,000 pesos.

You need to submit online and can pay online. Or you can submit online and pay at a Migración Colombia office. The processing time is about three business days.

When Migracion Colombia offices were close it was not possible to obtain a Migratory Movement Certificate. When Migracion offices were closed, copies of all entry and exit stamps in your passport could be used for visa applications.

But know that Migracion office are reopening, you can obtain a Migratory Movement Certificate.

New entrance to Migracion Colombia in Medellín, on Calle 19A

New entrance to Migracion Colombia in Medellín, on Calle 19A

How to Get to Migracion Colombia in Medellín

Here is a list of the Migracion Colombia offices in the five largest cities in Colombia.

  • Bogotá – Calle 100 # 11B-27
  • Medellín – Calle 19 # 80A-40, Barrio Belén
  • Cali – Avenida 3 norte # 50N-20
  • Cartagena – Carrera 20 B # 29-18, Barrio pie de la Popa
  • Barranquilla – Carrera 42 # 54-77, Barrio El Recreo

A complete list of Migracion Colombia can be found here. In Medellín, the Migracion Colombia office is located in Belén and is listed on the Migracion Colombia website with the address Calle 19 # 80A-40.

However, this address is the old entrance and the guard there will direct you to the other side of the building.  The new entrance location is actually on Calle 19A and is shown in the photo above and with the red marker on the map below.

Medellin Guru’s Comprehensive Visa and Passport Series

If you want to stay longer in Colombia, the county has over 20 types of visas that can permit you to stay in Colombia for over 180 days.

On the Medellin Guru site, we have a comprehensive series of visa articles that are kept up-to-date and should answer most visa questions. These articles include:

We have looked in detail at the seven most popular Colombian visas used by foreigners:

  1. Retirement visa
  2. Marriage visa
  3. Investment visa
  4. Resident visa
  5. Work visa
  6. Student visa
  7. Visitor visa

Also, we have looked in detail at three additional Colombian visas, which are less popular for foreigners:

In addition, we have a guide to Colombia tourist visas and how to extend a tourist visa. Also, we have a guide to renewing U.S. passports in Colombia and a guide to obtaining a Colombian passport.

Furthermore, we provide information about travel insurance that meets the insurance requirement for Colombian visas. And we have a guide to how apply for a cedula extranjeria in Colombia and a guide to using notaries in Medellín and Colombia. Finally, Medellin Guru has partnered with a visa agency to offer Colombia visa services.

All of our Colombia visa articles were updated in early 2019 and multiple times in 2020 to ensure they are up-to-date. In addition, all visa articles on this website will be kept up-to-date as new details are disclosed.

Using a Visa Agency if Needing a Visa for Longer Than 180 Days

If you are in Colombia and not located in Bogotá and applying for a Colombia visa plus you don’t want to travel, you can use a visa agency to obtain a Colombian visa.

A visa agency can handle the online application. And it will courier your passport to Bogotá to get the visa in your passport.

Medellin Guru has partnered with what we believe is the best visa agency in Medellín to offer Colombia visa services. Features of this service include:

  • Online chat – get visa questions answered fast.
  • Online quotes – get immediate visa quotes.
  • Courier your passport to Bogotá to get the visa in your passport.
  • Office in El Poblado in Medellín.
  • Competitive price compared to other visa services.

The Medellin Guru visa service partnership was launched in March 2019. And in 31 months, 473 visas have been successfully received by clients:

Also, our visa service renewed 56 American passports in Bogotá using our passport renewal service and provided visa stamping service to 10 clients (getting the visa in a customer’s passport who applied for a visa himself before the pandemic). In addition, 28 clients extended tourist visas using our tourist visa extension service.

So, in total we had 567 clients of the Medellin Guru visa service in 31 months.

In addition, many more visas are in process – short, medium or longer term, depending on client needs.

Use the Medellin Guru Visa Service

We reviewed all the Colombia visa agency services in Medellín and found one agency that offers a more efficient visa service with more features and more comprehensive communications including online chat, WhatsApp, Skype, email and phone plus a low price and a convenient office in El Poblado.

Our visa partnership is an affiliate relationship (like the Amazon affiliate program). If you use our visa partner, Medellin Guru receives a small commission and you support the website. This is at no additional cost to you. The price remains the same, whether you use a button or affiliate link on this website or not.

Furthermore, the visa agency we partnered with offers visa services anywhere in Colombia. So, if you are located in another city in Colombia you can use this service.

Migracion Colombia office in Bogotá

Migracion Colombia office in Bogotá

The Bottom Line: Migracion Colombia Offices Reopen – What Does this Mean for Tourists?

Migracion offices have been closed for over five months but they now reopen on September 21.

So, if you are a tourist with an expired 90-day tourist visa. you can now obtain a tourist visa extension. But you must do this before the end of October.

Also, if you have a 180-day expired tourist visa extension, you should start looking to make plans to leave Colombia.

Furthermore, if you were unable to obtain a cedula during the coronavirus pandemic, you can now obtain a cedula.

We expect that Migracion offices will soon become busy. Migracion now requires appointments, so there won’t be waiting in lines at offices with walk-ins.

But it is likely Migracion office calendars will quickly fill up once people realize that Migracion offices have reopened. So, we recommend making your appointments soon.

Sign up for the Free Medellin Guru Newsletter – You can see all of the previous Medellin Guru weekly email newsletters and sign up here.

Editors note: updated on October 14, 2020 with information that Migracion is not extending tourist visas and if you have a 90-day expired tourist visa, you need to leave Colombia by the end of October or you will be liable for paying a fine.

Editors note: updated on October 17, 2020 with information that the online option to extend tourist visa is now available on the Migracion website

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26 thoughts on “Migracion Colombia Offices Reopen: What Does this Mean for Tourists?”

    1. Hi Jeff, regarding point 1 on “Tourists with a 90-Day Tourist Visa Who Need a Tourist Visa Extension”, I was checking in with ExpatGroup and there was a mention that the Migracion office is open but has not resumed the extension process for this yet. So does this mean the 31 Oct deadline is not yet confirmed? Hope you can clarify =)

    2. UPDATE: Oct 1, 2020.
      I’ve been told by 2 separate people in Migracion Colombia that as long as I travel out and back into the country in October I will get a 3 month visa when I return. So in their minds it seems that 2020’s 180 day clock WAS ‘frozen’ and that only my first 90 days (Jan 12 to April 12) will be counted towards the 180 day limit. They did stress though that this travle be done within the month of October.

      This is different from the information Broc has received (above), but I’ve been reassured enough to take my trip. It does seem on the face of it that if tourists were unable to leave because of corona restrictions, then the 180-day clock should stop for the time of the restrictions. Not that logic and fairness play much of a part of these type of decisions sometimes …

      • I’m glad that you were able to get clearer information and hopefully another Migracion officer doesn’t have different thoughts. They have this entire system really unbelievably disorganized and according to one I spoke with, there were over 100,000 foreigners stuck here because of the quarantine, and that’s not including Venezuelan migrants. 30 days with as few offices as there are, and those offices only operating at 30%, is simply not enough to accomodate all of those people, even if only 1/5 of that number were looking to stay here on a visa like me. They only gave me until October 6th (15 days) to register the visa I got during quarantine so the 30 day grace period didn’t even apply to me so I had to basically hawk their website waiting for available appointments.

    3. I visited the appointment page several times and tried to extend for the PTP option, but all I get is no data available. Is anybody else experiencing this?

    4. Thanks Broc for taking the time to write. That is a shame. I was hoping that the 180 day clock did stop.

      Unless there is an official statement that clarifies the current vagueness of the wording on the decrees, any trip out of the country and back in is probably too risky since they may not let me back in.

      And if I stay and don’t take the trip I wondered if it is possible for me to even stay until the end of the year by getting another 90 days in early October?

      Thanks for any light anyone can shed on my ‘dilemmas’ 😉

    5. Thanks again for having this website! Decoding the meaning of the various declarations has been enormously valuable for me. As I understand it from the main article the Colombian declarations indicate that the “180 day clock” stopped on March 19 and resumed on September 21.

      I arrived in Colombia on Jan 12 this year and although I applied for a 90 day extension to my tourist visa online I heard nothing back about that application but of course I have been here since then.

      Anyway, i’m going on a short 10-day trip to the USA in a week or two and I’m hoping I can get back into Colombia again.

      If the 180-day clock stopped then it should not be a problem getting back in, right? There’s no way the immigration can say I’ve had my 180 days for 2020 and not let me back in the country, is there? Can anybody reassure me about this as I really need to be in Colombia this Autumn!

      Thanks and the best!

      • From the information I was given by Migracion, I was originally in the same boat as you at first. My time ran out right at the beginning of the 2nd extension of the emergencia sanitaria at the end of May and I was told that time was in fact still running. What they meant by time being frozen was not that your time actually stopped, they just meant that even though you, I and thousands of others are technically considered overstays, it isn’t our fault that we couldn’t leave so they introduced a 30 day grace period on September 21 for people to either get visas or leave the country. So yes, you are in fact counted for the time between March 19 and September 21, they just won’t fine you or hold it against you for being stuck here. And from what I asked regarding tourists, it’s not likely that the ones stuck here will be let back in after leaving considering every tourist that was here has technically overstayed their alloted time, so you may have to wait until next year. This is what I was told at the Migracion office here last week. You may want to stop by the local Migracion office near you and ask regarding this because when I mentioned to the officer I spoke with that a lot of tourists are under this impression he said that anyone staying past the allotted 30 day window is going to get sanctioned and possibly banned for a short period from entering. Best to speak with them and not to make assumptions, these decrees were not explained or worded by them very well.

    6. Hi Jeff.
      Thanks for all this information! It’s very useful.
      I had my passport stolen last week. I have cancelled it, but do you know if there is anybody I can talk to about extending my 90-day tourist permit without a passport. It looks like the passport is going to take 10 weeks. Should I just book an appointment? I was only in the country for 5 days before the lockdown started.

      Thankyou in advance.

      Joshua

    7. Thanks for the helpful article, tried to schedule but calendar for this month is full.

    8. I got a spousal visa in July and tried to reserve an appointment to no avail. The site is pretty much either not functioning or all the appointments have been reserved really quick. Like normal they aren’t really giving out answers or anything, and with the little time frame we were given, I’m expecting everyone who tried to reserve and couldn’t do so to get fined at the end of all of this. It’s such an unbelievable mess that could have been somewhat avoided with some clarity and some concrete answers but whatever I guess.

      • Appointments will become available after Oct 1. All Sept appointments sold out according to the english speaking agent at Migracion Colombia today. It is understandable. Keep trying.

        • Hi Ron,
          Does that mean we can only log onto the website on the 1st October to get an appointment?

          I was granted my Visa R and have the PDF however I only have 15 days to register this in migration Colombia.

          • Hi Jamie,

            I actually got lucky and was able to reserve an appointment for October 5, so I would suggest giving it a shot. Here is the link to do it – https://www.migracioncolombia.gov.co/tramites-y-servicios/58-servicios/agendar-su-cita

            They told me the same thing at the Migracion office here in Armenia, that the 30 day window did not apply to people who got visas during quarantine and we only had 15 days, specifically until October 6, to register and/or get a cedula. If you are not able to get an appointment, I would suggest taking screenshots of the messages popping up saying that there are no available appointments and use that as leverage. One of the Migracion officers told me that in my case they would wave the appointment in that case if I can’t get one by that date, but then again I’m sure that would vary depending on where you are at.

    9. Got my verification code today online at migracion colombia website, to renew my expired resident based cedula extranjeria. I tried reserving my appointment immediately after receiving my code and discovered all Sept appts had been gobbled up within hours of migracion reopening. Spoke to their office who advised me to try again the beginning of October. The site is not programmed to accept appt requests beyond Sept 30. This is going to take forever to handle the enormous backlog after 6 months of total shutdown. This was to be expected I guess. Hurry up and wait on the Fila.

      • Thanks for providing your experience. Not surprising, there is likely a huge backlog.

      • Hi Jeff, regarding no 2.Tourists with an Expired Tourist Visa Extension Good for 180 Days, does this mean no action is required or is an appointment for an updated extension document with the new date required?

        • I understand no action is required. Just like 90-day tourist stamps that have until the end of October to extend the tourist visa or leave the country.

    10. Jeff, another very good article. Question: will you describe what a migratory movement certificate is? I do not recall having read about that previously. Thanks.

      • A migratory movement certificate is a report from Migracion showing your entries and exits from Colombia. It is needed for resident and marriage visas .

    11. Hi Jeff, thanks as always for this great article.

      I am trying to book an appointment via the website but after selecting a date there is no further options ie it is not confirming whether there are free times on that specific date (I have tried several dates between now and mid Oct) or if these dates are fully booked. Have you had any readers who have successfully booked an appointment?

      Also, the visa service you recommend will they also be ale to assist with the tourist extension?

      • Hi Lisa, some readers yesterday were able to book appointments yesterday.

        Also, yes the visa agency we recommend can help with the tourist visa extension, click here – https://expatgroup.co/english/visasincolombia/

      • Success. Got my appointment online at migracion colombia to renew my expired resident cedula after inputting and uploading my resident visa and passport page and obtaining my verification number. Got my appt for Oct 1 as all Sept dates are fllled. The process is fairly simple but uploading requires pdf format or system will reject the entry. Good luck to all of you.

    12. Hi Jeff,

      There was no mention here about whether the online renewal for tourist visas (like last year) is still available or if in person appointments are currently the only way to renew?

      Thanks

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