Expert: MRZ - 9/2/2008

Question
Hola Marta,
My name is Melissa and I was born in the US to an American mother and a Colombian father. I visit Colombia as often as I can to see family and am considering moving there to work next year. I'm interested in obtaining citizenship for personal and professional reasons... Having a Colombian father, how do I go about gaining dual citizenship?

Answer
Hi Melissa,
You can have dual citizenship according to Article 96 of the Colombian constitution. You need your parents' birth certificates, notarized and obtained within the last 3 months. Also a copy of your own birth certificate, notarized and obtained within the last 3 months. Go to your nearest Colombian consulate and apply for your cedula (Colombian's official ID). You will receive a temporary ID, called a contrasena. It will take 9 to 12 months to receive your permanent ID. Once you receive your permanent ID, you can apply for your passport, also at the consulate. If you need any help obtaining the necessary documents, or you have additional questions please email us at info@colombianpossibilities.com, we will be glad to help.
Thanks