Expert: Cesar - 7/29/2009

Question
Cesar, I was born in Colombia in 1968 but moved with my mother - a Colombian citizen at the time - to the US when I was one year old. In 1981, when my mother was naturalized as a US citizen, under US law, I also became a citizen of the US with a naturalization certificate and US passport. Since then I have also served in the US Military and have visited Colombia a few times to visit family. My last time there was in 1990. I want to visit again next year but I have heard that under some new Colombian law, since I was born in Colombia, I have to have a Colombia passport. Is this accurate? I have never considered myself to be a Colombian citizen even though technically I was one before 1981. Would Colombia require me to have a Colombian passport if I tried to travel there as a tourist using my US passport?

Answer
Dear Giovanni:

Based on what I have seen I can say that you are allowed to use your American passport to enter Colombia despite having double citizenship. You just show your passport and they will let you in. If they notice that you speak Spanish or look Colombian they may ask you if you are also Colombian. You could say that you are, but that you have never lived in Colombia and do not have a Colombian passport. They would admit you under the US citizenship, but when entering as a US citizen you are considered a foreigner for entrance purposes and you will have to renew the visa when you reach the 90 days or make a change to indicate that you have the double citizenship at an office in Colombia so that you will not be limited in your stay in Colombia. If you do not do that then you will be limited to 90 days and if staying longer you will have to pay a fee to extend your visa. All of these is my personal opinion. Colombian officials do not bother dual citizens much and understand their doubts and problems. If you have both passports they would want to see the Colombian one to check if you are being sought by the police in Colombia.

Take care,

Cesar