Explaining the Colombian Passport

Have you ever wondered what a Colombian passport is, what it looks like, and how it works? In this article, we’ll cover the basics of the Colombian passport, including what it is, how to get one, and what benefits it can offer.

What is a Colombian Passport?

The Colombian passport is a document issued by the government of Colombia that allows its holder to travel internationally. To be eligible for a Colombian passport, you must be a citizen of Colombia. If you’re not a Colombian citizen but have a valid visa, you can apply for a tourist passport.

A Colombian passport is brown and has the Colombian coat of arms on the front cover along with the words "Republica De Colombia." There are 32 pages included in the passport, with 31 of those being available for stamps.

The first page of the passport includes a statement from the government of Colombia, stating that "The Government of Colombia requests all national and foreign authorities to allow the bearer of this passport to move freely and in case of need to afford such help and assistance as may be necessary."

The second page features all of the details of the passport holder, including:

• Picture: A picture of the passport holder
• Type of passport: The specific kind of passport issued to the holder
• Country code: Listed as COL for Colombia
• Passport number: 8-digit number and letter code that identifies the passport holder
• Surname: Last name
• Given names: First name
• Nationality: Original nationality of the passport holder. This will show as "Colombiana" if the person was born in Colombia.
• Date of birth: The date the person was born
• Place of birth: The city and country in the person was born
• Sex: Listed as Female or Male
• Personal number: A 12-digit number that is used to identify the passport holder
• Date of issue: The date the passport was issued
• Date of expiration: The date the passport will expire
• Authority: The office or official authenticating the passport
• Holder’s signature: The passport holder’s signature

The rest of the passport pages are used for stamps when traveling. 

What Are The Different Types Of Passports Available?

The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that there are five different passports currently available to citizens of Colombia, including:

Regular Passport: This is the most basic passport provided for citizens of Colombia. This passport includes 32 pages and is valid for 10 years, and is machine-readable.

Machine Readable Executive Passport: This passport is available to those Colombian citizens who have a diplomatic mission in another country. This passport is valid for 10 years and consists of 48 pages.

Border Passport: A border passport is a passport that is issued to Colombian citizens in Venezuela, Peru, Panama, Ecuador, and Brazil through diplomatic missions. This type of passport is only valid for travel between the country in which it was issued and Colombia. It is valid for ten years and contains 28 pages.

Emergency Passport: This passport is issued to citizens of Colombia when they need to immediately travel for some type of emergency and cannot wait for a standard passport. It’s valid for seven months and contains eight pages. This type of passport can be requested at the same time that a regular machine-readable passport is applied for.

Exempt Passport: This passport is specifically for Colombian citizens who are working on some type of diplomatic mission abroad with a country that has signed a "memorandum of understanding" with Colombia. This passport is only valid for 30 days and is meant to be used to travel to Colombia or a Colombian consulate.

What Can You Do With A COL Passport?

A Colombian passport can be used for a number of different things, including:

• Traveling internationally
• Applying for a visa to another country
• Working in another country
• Studying in another country
• Living in another country 

How Strong Is The Colombia Passport?

The Colombian passport is ranked 27 for power. With a COL passport, the holder is able to travel to 80 countries without a visa, 45 countries with a visa upon arrival, and 70 countries with a visa applied for in advance. 

How Do You Get A Colombian Passport?

In order to get a Colombian passport, citizens must go through the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There are multiple offices located in Colombia including Bogota, Barranquilla, Cali, Medellin, Santa Marta, Pereira, Leticia, Arauca, Turbaco, Tunja, Manizales, Florence, Yopal, Popayan, Quibdo, Valledupar, Neiva, Villavicencio, Grass, Mocoa, Armenia, and San Andres.

In order to apply, citizens will need to present their original cedula ciudadanía or ontraseña with photos and fingerprint, make a payment of 144,000 pesos, and create an online appointment. Once at the appointment, citizens will need to bring all their paperwork and identification, along with the second payment of 115,000 pesos for a standard 32-page passport. Once confirmed, they should be able to pick up your passport within 1-5 business days.

How To Renew Your Colombian Passport

In order to renew a Colombian passport, citizens will need to take the following steps:

• First, citizens will need to find the closest Colombian embassy if they’re abroad or at the Colombian Ministry Of Foreign Affairs if they’re currently in Colombia. Next, you’ll need to either make an online appointment or call directly to schedule it.
• Next, you’ll need to bring three photographs of yourself along with two copies of the first page of your passport and a copy of your Cédula de Ciudadanía Colombiana.
• Arrive at your appointment and present all of the collected information to the agent.
• You’ll be prompted to pay the renewal fee and fill out the passport renewal form.
• Once approved, it can take anywhere from 1 to 10 business days to receive your new passport.

What To Do If I Lose My Colombian Passport?

If a citizen loses their Colombian passport, they’ll need to take the following steps:

• First, citizens should report the lost passport to the local police station. They will give a document stating that it has been lost.
• Next, they’ll need to go to the Colombian consulate or embassy if abroad or the Ministry Of Foreign Affairs if they’re in Colombia.
• They’ll need to show their police report, cedula de ciudadanía, and fill out a form called "Declaración Juramentada," which is a lost passport affidavit.
• After that, the citizen will be given a new passport after paying a reissuing fee.

Conclusion

The Colombian passport is a powerful document that allows holders to travel to many different countries without a visa. If you’re a Colombian citizen, make sure you know how to apply for, renew, and replace your passport so that you can take advantage of all the opportunities it provides.