HELP! With Military Card Question.

Gator says on Oct 4, 2006, 09:25:

NO! His problem would come if he attempts to return to Colombia. Of course he would have to register with Selective Service in the USA.


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EdgarL says on Oct 4, 2006, 11:07:

I'm sure he's been back since then at least once. If it wasn't necessary for U.S. residency, then I'm curious why there seems to be a special effort made to get the card. Thank you, Gator, for your feedback!

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Oct 4, 2006, 11:27:

no everybody serve in the military in Colombia, the card could have been issue as a reserve, or as he was excempt (sp) of the military service.if the card was isssue as a reserve them after he turn 30 I believe he is excempt of the Army form them on . I don't think she can do much about in that respect.
to tell you the truth many people in Colombia get the military card illegaly. you can buy it if you have good conections.

engage brain before opening mouth

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DanielPaisa says on Oct 4, 2006, 11:28:

Colombian laws allow you to buy your military card if you graduate from high school as a minor. I bought mine when i got out of school, and most people do.

When you pay for the card, you get into the army reserve, but no mandatory military service will be demanded from you, unless of course they call the reservees...

i don't think he got it illegaly... sorry


Daniel, el Paisa

Daniel, el Paisa

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Oct 4, 2006, 11:31:

none of my brothers did the military service, my mum got them the card too, and my nephew is been selected for the Army but as Danielpaisa, my mum will buy him his miliotary card.

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. says on Oct 4, 2006, 12:47:

Well, He can become USA citizen but still he will have to get the military card in Colombia because he will keep being Colombian national in accord to the law 48 of 1993. Now, he can get 2nd Class military card which is the one some people with good links in the army get by buying it, I know some guys who have done it, but they have to be in Colombia at that moment. Another way is to wait until he gets 28 years old, then he will have the right to get the automatic 2nd class military card. Other chance is to say he is gay, he is crazy for militars and he loves uniforms, trust me, he will kick out strait away from the doctor’s office.

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DanielPaisa says on Oct 4, 2006, 12:51:

ooooh yeah, act gay and you will be inmediately kicked...

Daniel, el Paisa

Daniel, el Paisa

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aztec says on Oct 4, 2006, 13:55:

Will someone... ...please lay out in specfic detail how one acquires the card?

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juancegomez says on Oct 4, 2006, 15:00:

As far as I can remember right now... a)You can buy it legally, if you're not medically fit for service and/or somehow legally free from the obligation of serving.

b)You can buy it illegally, either from flexible/corrupt military people or from fellows offering stolen/fake cards, if you're fit and are legally required to present yourself for service but don't want to.

c)You also get the card after you actually complete military service, of course.

d)Possibly other ways, but those are the main ones.

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aztec says on Oct 4, 2006, 17:16:

juancegomez As I understand it then, if you are fit and eligible for service you can not legally acquire the card?

Thanks for the information.

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EdgarL says on Oct 4, 2006, 18:35:

If we are able to get a copy of his card, would there be a way to tell if it was acquired illegally as juancegomez says in (B) above? Can the Colombian military tell if it is fake?

Thank you for the great feedback!

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Gator says on Oct 4, 2006, 20:24:

Some Information If he is an American citizen he can go to the closest Colombian consulate and formally renounce his Colombian citizenship. Then he is no longer a Colombian national and will have the paper to prove it.

Art. 216 of the 1991 Constitution provides for compulsory military service. It states: "All Colombian citizens are obliged to take up arms when there is a public need for this in order to defend national independence and the public institutions. The law will determine the conditions which at all times qualifies an individual for exemption from military service and the benefits for service in them." Compulsory military service is regulated by Law No. 48 and Presidential Decree No. 2048, both passed in 1993.

Military Service:

All men between the ages of 16 and 28 are liable for military service.

Military service for those who have completed secondary education (Bachilleres) lasts for a year, for others it is two years.

Exemption military service

Individuals and Conscripts may be exempted

if they have serious physical disabilities;

if they belong to and live with an indigenous ethnic group;

if they are the only sons of widowed or separated mothers;

if they are heads of a families.

Avoiding military service

- by deferring it and avoiding call-up until passed the age of service which is 28;

by buying a military service record (for those who can afford it);

by managing to get an unfit-to-serve medical certificate.


All young men who have completed their secondary school education, regardless their age, are registered by their schools with the district commanders. Those who have not completed secondary education may be registered upon reaching the age of 18. They receive medical examinations and if declared fit, get a further examination in order to be assigned to an appropriate section of the armed forces. Then they draw lots to decide who shall and who shall not be enlisted. In practice, despite the minimum legal recruitment age of 16, military service is performed between the ages of 15 and 24.







"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

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. says on Oct 5, 2006, 00:35:

Gator To renounce to the Colombian citizenship, he has to sort out the military service before doing it, this is one of the requirement presented by the Colombian Laws. Ha cannot do that just like that, that why I did not write down that option in my coment writen above.

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juancegomez says on Oct 5, 2006, 07:52:

Aztec Basically yes, if he's fit for service and there is no legal or medical justification for his avoiding it (like those mentioned by Gator, juanpbadillo and others).

However, I'm not entirely sure, but there is the remote possibility that perhaps he may have acquired it after he was 28 though, which appears to be a legal way out, based on what has been posted here.

But I don't personally know any such cases myself in order to expand on that point.

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Gator says on Oct 5, 2006, 10:17:

Juanpbadillo? Do you happen to know what Degree that is? You may be correct but I thought the 1998 Constitution changed that.

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. says on Oct 5, 2006, 10:40:

Gator Unfortunatelly It was not changed, if you log in to the Colombian Consulate in London, it confirms what I have written. This is because the Colombian citizenship can be taken back years later, so, imaging how many Colombian males are Colombian born nationals and have double nationality, thousand, then, it would be easy for them to give out the Colombian nationality until they get 28 years old then they will be able to get it the Colombian nationality back plus free second class military card.

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