Companies can hire PEP holders without restrictions

In Colombia, in addition to the different types of visas for people who want or need to enter the country, the Special Permit to Stay (PEP) was created exclusively for Venezuelan citizens.

Unlike visas, the PEP, which is granted by Migración Colombia and not by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, allows Venezuelan citizens to work and exercise unregulated trades in a legal manner, for a determined period of time, without the intention of settling permanently in the national territory.

The different natural or legal persons that have any kind of relationship with Venezuelan citizens holding the PEP, whether labor, educational, health, among others, must report it to the Foreigners Information and Reporting System (SIRE).

It should be noted, that PEP carriers, according to Resolution No. 003015 of August 18, 2017 of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, can and must be entered into the Social Protection System and, therefore, obtain the same benefits and conditions as any Colombian national affiliated to such system.

In addition, in Circular Letter 68 of August 18, 2017, the Financial Superintendency of Colombia reminded the entities subject to its supervision that "the Special Permit to Stay (PEP), accompanied by the passport or national identification document, has full validity as identification, and therefore must be admitted as sufficient documents for Venezuelan nationals to contract or open financial products and/or services in the entities supervised in Colombia."

According to Resolution 0361 of February 6, 2018, only Venezuelan nationals who meet the requirements detailed below may obtain such permit:

• To be in Colombian territory as of February 02, 2018.

• Having entered the national territory in a regular manner with a passport and through a Migration Control Post.

• Not having a judicial record in Colombia or other countries.

• Not having an expulsion or deportation measure in force.

Likewise, you must present to Migración Colombia your original passport with which you entered the country and which has the immigration stamp; and your Original Identity Card, National Identity Document (DNI) issued by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

It is important to highlight that the PEP has no cost, it may be processed until June 7, 2018 and its validity will be of 90 days, automatically extendable until completing two (2) years (although the person holding the PEP may be in Colombia for two (2) continuous years, this time has no binding character to apply for the Type R Residence Visa). Once this term has expired, the Venezuelan citizen must apply for some type of visa before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to remain in Colombian territory or leave the country, since otherwise, his/her migratory status will be considered as illegal.

Among the restrictions of the PEP are that: (i) it is not an identification document, it is a tool of the Colombian Government to regularize your stay in the country; (ii) it is not granted if the person entered with the Border Mobility Card TMF; (iii) it is not valid as a travel document for entering or leaving the national territory, since such document does not replace the passport.

Leaving Colombia and remaining out of the country for more than 90 continuous calendar days will result in its cancellation.

Exoneration of responsibility

*The information detailed in this circular is purely informative, therefore it is not binding before the competent authorities.

The PEP application may be approved or rejected according to the criteria of Migration Colombia, therefore, when an inadmissibility is presented, this entity will be in charge of indicating the moment in which you will have to leave the Colombian territory.