Registering my child in order to obtain citizenship

lpdiver says on May 14, 2008, 21:08:

Curious mind want to know. We may well move there in a few years anyway.

t

"cook some rice!"

Brians says on May 15, 2008, 04:52:

none and as a matter of fact probably best advised to not do it and wait until she is over 18.

Peter (Moderator) says on May 15, 2008, 04:56:

As far as I know, benefits are: she can more easily visit Colombia, and she can also easily move to Colombia. Drawbacks: none that I know of. What other nationality does she have?

Poor but snappy

Brians says on May 15, 2008, 05:12:

First Peter she can't get a cedula until 18. If she enters Colombia she legally needs to enter as a Colombian under her Colombian passport. What if they travel down together and then he wants to go home. Well if ither one leaves the country without the other parent then you will need paperwork. That is a huge issue. Last thing you ever need is to have to go home early and wife stays for a few more days. Then suddenly you need to run around have documents signed. Also what if marriage breaks up and she splits with baby. I am not a lawyer but I would imagine fighting over custody of a Colombian national is a bit more complicated. I guess for a girl the army issue/risk at 18 is not a reality. My question is exactly what are the benefits?? None that I can think of. She can obtain citizenship at 18 or whenever she wants so why do it now. Just a can of worms.

Gator says on May 15, 2008, 06:28:

No drawback that I know off-as long as a divorce, God forbid, took place in the USA, likely no real problems-Divorce in Colombia problems likely.

Here is what she can recive in Colombia: The National Vital Statistics Registry (Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil) will issue a birth certificate (registro civil de nacimiento) for children from birth to 7 years of age; then she would receive an identity card (tarjeta de identidad) for minors from 7 to 18 years of age. When she turns 18 she will be able to receive the citizenship card (cédula de ciudadanía) for adults. This can be done at a consulate in the USA but takes a lot longer.
Being a female the military will not come into play.

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

Peter (Moderator) says on May 15, 2008, 06:35:

We got our daughter Colombian citizenship at 6 months old. The main reason is that we figure we might as well have her set up with all the passports and citizenships she might need. Plus I like the thought of her being a Colombian citizen, it gives me a feeling of not loosing that heritage. I haven't looked into the "travel with 1 parent paperwork" issue.

Poor but snappy

Peter (Moderator) says on May 15, 2008, 06:39:

So, benefit of registering:

- She can enter Colombia as a citizen with her Colombian passport and stay as long as she wants, no need for the 6-month stay maximum that regular tourists have.
- She can be more aware of her Colombian heritage.
- If she ever wants to go live in Colombia, it'll be slightly easier for her (no need to get her citizen papers done anymore).
- She can show off her citizen-of-the-worldness to her friends ;)

Drawbacks:

- if she enters the country with both parents as a Colombian citizen, and then 1 parent leaves, additional paperwork may be needed before the other parent can leave with her. I think you could address this by just entering on her other nationality's passport, although she's legally obliged not to.

Poor but snappy

Peter (Moderator) says on May 15, 2008, 06:41:

There might be more benefits like: if someone in Colombia decides to make her the recipient of a inheritance for example, it might be easier to do if she's a Colombian citizen too. But I'm not sure at all about this - just thinking...

Poor but snappy

Brians says on May 15, 2008, 06:47:

I also think it is there are benefits of titleing assets in the children's names. I have to look more into this but if you have enough assets in your name the tax rates are pretty steep. Thus moving assets into children's names can save on marginal tax rates.

I really think that the negatives far outweigh the positives when she can just apply anytime for citizenship. I see gator's point but I read a horror story somewhere (can't remember) were they were having difficulty getting the child back to the USA because child was citizen and father could not be located. The details escape me and I don't know if there were other circumstances but to me that is a problem I never want to deal with.

Peter (Moderator) says on May 15, 2008, 06:48:

In the end, there are really no strong pro's or cons (since she can always request the citizenship later herself, and apart from when she wants to actually live in Colombia, there are not many strong pros or cons), so I guess it's a matter of personal preference. Me for one, I am quite happy that my little girl is a Colombian as well.

Poor but snappy

Brians says on May 15, 2008, 06:56:

Peter we are all citizens of the world:)

angelcanada says on May 15, 2008, 08:24:

I am a Colombian and Canadian citizen, you better doit because she will need to have it when she goes to school and you will need it if you are planing to put her on a EPS medical program. I have a dougther , she is Canadian and I did registrate her. Now she is Canadian/Colombian. It is better for her to have doble natoanality...doit you will not regret it.

MY NAME IS ANGEL. I AM COLOMBIAN AND LIVED IN CANADA AND THE USA FOR 18 YEARS. I RETURNED TO MEDELLIN AND WOULD LIKE TO OFFER SERVICES AS INTERPRETER/ ESCORT AND DRIVER. I CAN ALSO HELP IN FINDING SHORT TERM APT. RENTALS.

angelcanada says on May 15, 2008, 08:26:

If you live i Medellin or other city, you will need somebody in Bogota, is the only place they will doit, or I know an ofice here in Medellin will doit for you without going to Bogota.

MY NAME IS ANGEL. I AM COLOMBIAN AND LIVED IN CANADA AND THE USA FOR 18 YEARS. I RETURNED TO MEDELLIN AND WOULD LIKE TO OFFER SERVICES AS INTERPRETER/ ESCORT AND DRIVER. I CAN ALSO HELP IN FINDING SHORT TERM APT. RENTALS.

dwmte7 says on May 15, 2008, 08:44:

lp....not sure where she was born, but if she's a us.citizen born abroad in colombia, you should have dealt with all that rubbish (offices, people, paperwork, etc) at the time of her birth. if she's born in the u.s. it's a subject i've not dealt with. soooooo. if she is a u.s. citizen born abroad, shewill need a colombian passport just to enter the country as it is stated in her u.s. passport that she was born in colombia. in that case it's outta your hands.

dw

dwmte

Mononoke28 says on May 15, 2008, 09:20:

I'm with Peter. We want our niece to have Colombian citizenship but the whole permission slip thing to leave the country is what's stopping my sister because you never know. We will then try to tell her how important it is for her to have it and let her get it when she turns 18.

I have both citizenships, US and Colombia, and I'm quite happy with them.

Diana

docwilliam says on May 15, 2008, 17:06:

Dual citizenship means that you can represent either countries in the Olympics (cool).

I have both of my kids in school, in Colombia and we all have tourista visas. As someone else, on this site once mentioned "most things in Central and South America are negotiable"

"There's no time to panic"

Mononoke28 says on May 16, 2008, 08:02:

I'm thinking that if I'm on vacation and they start attacking all Colombians, I can just lie and say I'm an American. If they end up kidnapping all gringos and I can easily say I'm Colombian.

Very stealthy foh sho. =D

Diana

lpdiver says on May 19, 2008, 17:44:

mono...She is born in the USA. I was too. I also have passports from Aruba, Belize, and Panama. I see benefit so far for her to have Colombian passport until I am spending time there.

t

"cook some rice!"

docwilliam says on May 19, 2008, 18:37:

lpdiver...that is so cool! Wish I had all those passports.

"There's no time to panic"