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A noncommercial collection of information about citizenship, dual citizenship and multiple citizenship
 
     

[Please refer to How to Read a Country Entry for help interpreting this material. It was produced prior to March 2001 as part of a US government report entitled Citizenship Laws of the World. The accuracy and depth of these country listings varies significantly, and some information may be incorrect. At best, this page presents only part of the story for a particular country. Additional information for this country may be available in Country Information]

COLOMBIA


CITIZENSHIP: Citizenship is based upon the Constitution of Colombia, dated July 1991, and Citizenship Law No.43, dated February 1, 1993.

BY BIRTH: Birth within the territory of Colombia does not automatically confer citizenship.

BY DESCENT: Child born in Colombia, at least one of whose parents is a citizen of Colombia. Child born in Colombia of foreign national parents, provided at least one of the parents is a legal resident of Colombia. Child born abroad, at least one of whose parents is a citizen of Colombia, and the child later establishes residency in Colombia.

BY NATURALIZATION: The following groups of persons may acquire Colombian citizenship under certain conditions: Foreign nationals must legally reside in the country for at least five years. Certain Latin American and Caribbean peoples need to reside in Colombia for one year. Foreign citizens who marry a citizen of Colombia must reside for two years.


DUAL CITIZENSHIP: RECOGNIZED.


LOSS OF CITIZENSHIP:

VOLUNTARY: Voluntary renunciation of Colombian citizenship is permitted by law. Contact the Embassy for details and required paperwork.

INVOLUNTARY: The following is grounds for involuntary loss of Colombian citizenship: A naturalized citizen commits crimes against the existence and security of the State.

Note: A former citizen of Colombia, after having renounced Colombian citizenship, will be judged and sentenced as a traitor if the person acts against the interests of Colombia in a foreign war.


ANY QUESTIONS concerning citizenship, or requests for renunciation of citizenship, should be directed to the address below:

Embassy of Colombia Consular Section

 

Colombian Embassy in Washington - dual citizenship says:

The Colombian Constitution of 1991 recognizes dual citizenship in its article 96, which is as follows:
Title III
Concerning the Population and the Territory
Chapter 1
Concerning Nationality
“Article 96. The following hold Colombian citizenship:

1. Citizens by birth:
a. Native-born Colombians, according to one of these two conditions: that the father or mother should have been natives or Colombian citizens or that, being the offspring of aliens, either of the parents was domiciled in the Republic at the time of birth;
b. The children of a Colombian father or mother who were born abroad and then became domiciled in the Republic.

2. Citizens by naturalization:

a. Aliens who apply for and obtain their naturalization card, in accordance with the law, which will establish those cases where Colombian citizenship is lost through naturalization;
b. Citizens by birth from Latin America and the Caribbean who are domiciled in Colombia and who, with the government’s authorization and in accordance with the law and the principle of reciprocity, request that they be registered as Colombians in the municipality where they reside;
c. Members of the indigenous (Indian) peoples who share border areas with application of the principle of reciprocity according to public treaties.

No Colombian by birth may be stripped of his/her citizenship. The status of Colombian citizenship cannot be lost by virtue of the fact of acquiring another citizenship. Citizens by naturalization will not be obligated to renounce their citizenship of origin or naturalization.

Whoever has renounced his or her Colombian citizenship may recover it in accordance with the law.”

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