A bilateral reunion between the Vice Ministers of Tourism in Portugal and Colombia resulted in an agreement to shorten the time in which Colombians can get a Portuguese visa to 72 hours, reports national media.
The 72 hour visa is expected to replace what currently takes one to two weeks, and intended to ease travel for Colombians as visa restrictions have been cut back, or are in the process of being cut back, for Colombians in the United States and Europe.
MORE: US begins process of visa waiver for Colombians: Santos
MORE: European union takes step to ratifying Colombia visa waiver
This announcement comes in the wake of TAP Portugal, the European country’s national airline, announced a new route from the Portuguese capital of Lisbon to Colombian capital Bogota. The recent route was one of the deciding factors in the Portuguese Vice-Minister of Tourism’s easing of the restrictions, according W Radio.
MORE: Portugal’s state airline launches new direct route between Bogota, Lisbon
Since July 1, TAP Portugal will have four direct flights a week from Portugal’s capital Lisbon, to Bogota using 268-seat A330-200 aircraft.
More than 14,000 bookings were already made for the new TAP route in the end of March, according to the airline.
TAP Portugal is one of several airlines that recently announced new routes to the South American capital. Earlier in 2014 Avianca announced direct flights between London and Bogota, and on Monday this week, Spain’s Iberia airline announced that the company will be expanding its weekly flights between Madrid and Colombia’s capital.
Sources
- Portugal agilizará entrega de visados para colombianos que viajen a ese país (W Radio)
- Portugal acelerará visas para colombianos (Portafolio)
