Colombia Threatens To Impose Visa Requirements On British Tourists & Visitors

Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced the implementation of a visa for UK travelers that wish to visit Colombia in response to the decision taken by the UK government to reintroduce the visa restriction for Colombian nationals.

The United Kingdom issued an order to implement the visa requisite for all Colombian travelers starting from November 26. This decision was taken by the UK government due to the “significant and sustained increase in Colombian nationals who have traveled to the UK for purposes that are not permitted under the Immigration Rules for Visitors, such as to live, work or claim asylum in the UK.”

As of mid-January, no visa measures have actually been imposed on British subjects.

The embassy revealed the latest statistics showing the trend related to the asylum requests “rising from 2, 4 and 7 in the first 3 quarters in 2022, to 105 in quarter 4 of 2022. There were 211, 176, 173 and 294 asylum claims in the 4 quarters of 2023, and there have been 227 and 241 asylum claims in the first 2 quarters of 2024. This compares to 19 asylum claims in 2019, 11 in 2020 and 6 in 2021. There have been more asylum claims per quarter in 2023 and 2024 than in the entire 10 years preceding the visa lift.”

Roy Barreras, Colombian ambassador for the UK recognized, in interview with El Tiempo, the problem created for those who abuse the asylum requests and create this unpleasant situation. “A minority of compatriots, as we have warned for months, abused the ease of visa-free travel and have harmed the majority with the irregular practice of applying for false asylum with false documents that have skyrocketed by thousands the applications for these irregular asylums in the United Kingdom.”

Si el Reino Unido ha restablecido la necesidad de visas para el pueblo colombiano, tengo que decir que por el principio de la reciprocidad, el gobierno colombiano pedirá visas a los y las ciudadanas británicas que quieran venir a Colombia https://t.co/btr4exz8ND

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) November 26, 2024

The move would likely hurt Colombia more than the UK

The announcement by Petro didn’t fit well with opposition senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, senator and presidential candidate for the Centro Democrático Party, criticizing the attitude of the government. According to him, the decision to request a visa from UK citizens will affect tourism activity and the investments in the country: “This will close the door to investors and hit hard the tourism industry.”

Another senator from the opposition party, Maria Fernanda Cabal, also criticized the decision to implement a visa for UK visitors. As Uribe Turbay, she blames Petro for his lack of capacity to govern. “He doesn’t build anything; he fights and isolates Colombia. How many fewer investors and tourists   due to this absurd measure?”

As of mid-January, no visa measures have actually been imposed on British subjects, according to both Colombia’s Foreign Relations Ministry and the British Embassy. Travelers are advised to contact appropriate government agencies for updated advice.

Headline photo: Colombian foreign minister Gilberto Murillo (left) discusses with the Colombian President Gustavo Petro (right). (Source: Chancellery web page)