dual citizenship

Gator says on Sep 29, 2005, 07:46:

You Questions is Not Real Clear But Here Goes... Your dual citizenship requirement would meane permanant residence and a residency requirement in both Colombia and the USA. Both require an almost uninterrupted residence in the countries of interest, with the exception of brief absences. Both the U.S. and Colombia do cut the wait for citizenship AFTER gaining permanent residence, from five years to three in the USA and from five to two in Colombia if you are married to a citizen of the respective countries..

Citizenship in Colombia had no real advantage for me so I stuck with permanent residency. Any Colombian citizenship problems (none so far) can be handled by Mrs. Gator who is a Colombian citizen.

Here is what is required:

This is the government site of MRE http://www.minrelext.gov.co/Servicios/extranjeroNOhispano.asp

Citizenship non--HISPANIC FOREIGNERS
NON-HISPANIC foreigners who request citizenship will be able to present this request before the Department of Foreign Affairs.
NOTE:

The Law 43, 1993, requires, in order to obtain citizenship, you be domiciled in Colombia for 5 years continuous immediately previous to the date of application if you are NOT married with Colombian national, or for two years if married with Colombian citizen. Understand that a foreigner is domiciled when he/she has a RESIDENT'S VISA. The time is counted from the date the visa was granted.
To fulfill the requisites established in the Law 43 and Decrees 1869 of 1994, the following documents will have to be furnished.:

1. Letter to the Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, in which you request Colombian citizenship and containing:

a) Name, document of identity, fatherland and current nationality of the petitioner.
b) City of domicile and direction of the residence.
c) What are the reasons the request is based.
d) Declaration of his last domicile before having established residence in the country.
e) Authorization to request certificate from the Administrative Department of Security(DAS) to the Department of Foreign Affairs, a criminal records check or of good conduct.
f) If the petitioner will have children in his custody, he/she can ask to extend the citizenship to them. The request will have to be done jointly. Permission is required from divorced spouse.
3. A suitable document sent by competent authority of his fatherland, in which the date is verified and place of birth or authenticated photocopy of the current passport. to credit the above mentioned circumstance. Also furnish birth certificate or civil record of birth in accordance with the article 259 of the Code of Civil Procedure, that is to say, authenticated by the Consul of Colombia
4. Certificate of good conduct observed for interested his fatherland or the last country different from Colombia where it has resided for five (5) years.
5. Certification of military situation in the fatherland, by means of a certification, unless you are over 50. If under the age of 50 COLOMBIA MILITARY SERVICE WILL APPLY UPON BECOMING A CITIZEN. It would up to you to prove you are exempt from military service.
6. Authenticated photocopies of the last two income statements or certificate of retention(employment) you are a dependent worker or certification of income by a public book-keeper.(CPA)
7. If you are self employee as a professional or owner of a business in Colombia a certificate from the Chamber of Commerce about the business, or a written declaration from the person or spouse where there is a question of economic dependency.
8. A basic knowledge of Castilian(Spanish), of the Political Constitution of Colombia and a general knowledge of Native History and Geography of Colombia. There is a test. There are exceptions to this requisite for those who verify to have obtained graduate's title or to have a university education in Colombia.
9. Civil record of marriage if married with a Colombian
10. Record of birth of any Colombian children.
11. Six (6) photos 4x5

It is important to remember that all photocopies must be authenticated by notary. The documents sent from another country must be authenticated by Colombian Consul. The documents must include the stamp of Apostille, in accordance with the “ convention on abolition of the requisite of legalization for public foreign documents ”. Finally, any document that is in a language different from Spanish will have to be translated officially.

Be aware that, in accordance with article 11 of the Law 43 of 1993, if six months passes and you do nothing to complete the process it will be presumed that you no longer have interest in acquiring Colombian citizenship.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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