The United Kingdom will reinstate entry visas for Colombian travelers starting December 24, 2024, marking a significant retreat in bilateral relations just a month before the two nations commemorate 250 years of diplomatic ties.
Colombia’s ambassador to the UK, Roy Barreras, attributed the decision to a surge in fraudulent asylum claims by Colombian nationals. “The culture of shortcuts has cost us all,” stated Barreras from London. “A minority of compatriots abused the visa waiver, filing thousands of false asylum applications with fraudulent documentation.”
The UK had lifted the visa requirement for Colombians on November 9, 2022, allowing short-term stays of up to six months for tourism, business, and family visits. However, the reinstatement places Colombia back on a restricted list of nations requiring visas for entry.
“This decision harms the majority of honest travelers who will now have to go through the tedious process of obtaining a visa,” emphasized Barreras. The politician of President Petro’s Historic Pact coalition reiterated that Colombians will still be able to visit the UK for family, business, and tourism purposes, albeit with additional bureaucratic hurdles and additional scrutiny.
To mitigate the disruption with the end-of-year holiday season, a transitional grace period will allow those with pre-arranged holiday travel plans to enter the UK without a visa. “Those who can prove they had tickets and plans before this announcement will not need a visa. However, from today, others will have to begin the application process,” Barreras explained.
The move comes after diplomatic discussions between UK and Colombian officials, with London citing a disproportionate rise in asylum claims from Colombians compared to other Latin American countries that benefited from the visa waiver in 2022. The end of visa free travel will impact Colombia’s flagship airline Avianca that operates a daily Bogotá – London Heathrow flight.
The decision does not affect nationals of other countries granted visa-free access alongside Colombia in 2022. The decision of the UK government to reinstate visas for Colombians is the first during the government of Gustavo Petro, and ominous sign that other nations could enact stricter visa controls for Colombians.