Colombia’s Foreign Ministry signed a six-page decree last week, which refined current immigration laws to address refugees, and reaffirmed the government’s power regarding the “entry, stay, and departure of foreigners.”
The decree laid out the definitions of temporary visa types as well, including a visa type for those seeking asylum in the country.
With regard to cases of refugees, the new law states that once one’s status has been approved, the individual in question will be eligible to work with a visa lasting up to five years.
This creation of this decree was perhaps prompted by a story earlier in the month concerning six Cuban refugees who refused to board their connecting flight back to Cuba from Bogota.
MORE: Ball is in Colombia’s court regarding airport ‘refugees’: UN
The document, published on radio station Caracol Radio’s website, states that “the entry, stay and departure of foreigners shall be governed by the provisions of this decree,” reaffirming the state’s and Foreign Ministry’s ultimate authority on matters of immigration.
Sources
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Gobierno regula ingreso y permanencia de extranjeros en Colombia (Caracol Radio)
