Citizenship in Colombia
Naturalisation timelines, tests, and dual nationality
Naturalisation by adoption is available after a qualifying period of resident status — commonly around five years, reduced to roughly two for those married to Colombians or with Colombian children — and requires an examination covering Spanish, history, geography and the constitution. Colombia permits dual citizenship.
| Ordinary requirement | Commonly around five years holding a resident visa source |
| Reduced requirement | Commonly around two years for spouses and parents of Colombians |
| Examination | Spanish language plus history, geography and constitution |
| Dual citizenship | Permitted |
| Latin American and Caribbean nationals | Shorter qualifying period under constitutional reciprocity provisions |
Who qualifies
The constitution distinguishes nationals by birth from nationals by adoption. Naturalisation is the second route, and it is built on residence: the applicant must have held the resident visa for the qualifying period and been domiciled in the country.
Nationals of other Latin American and Caribbean states, and of Spain, benefit from shortened periods under reciprocity arrangements written into the constitution, which is why published timelines differ between applicants of different nationalities.
The examination
- A Spanish component, assessing the ability to speak, read and write the language.
- A knowledge component covering Colombian history, geography, the constitution and civic organisation.
- Exemptions exist in defined circumstances, including for applicants over a stated age and for those who completed secondary or higher education in Colombia.
- The examination is administered in Spanish, and preparation material is published by the foreign ministry.
Dual nationality and the oath
Colombia does not require renunciation of a previous nationality, and Colombians who naturalise elsewhere do not lose Colombian nationality. Whether the other nationality survives is a question for the other country's law rather than Colombia's.
The process concludes with an oath and the issue of the naturalisation resolution, after which the new national registers for the Colombian identity card and passport.
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Official sources
Checked against these pages in September 2026. Fees and processing times change without notice — confirm before you act.