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The point is that Colombia requires a Colombian born person to enter and leave Colombia on a Colombian passport.
After futher consultation with our attorney in Colombia, I found out the folowing information. If the child does not plan on visiting COlombia until after age 28, the child (an adult 29 or over) can then apply for a Cedula and a Libreta Militar from the closest consulate and recieve them after paying specific fees. Colombia will not force anyone over the age of 28 to fulfill their military service. SO -- there is just that 10 year window -- from 18-28 that is the concern. We never thought about not travelling to Colombia as we go every other year, and so we wanted to make sure our kids would be up-to-date on all of the requirements, including military service.
The attorney also felt that the child could at 18 go to the consulate and inform them that he 1. was adopted by US parents and 2 doesn't speak Spanish and therefore should be exempted from military service. There is -- at this point -- no special rules regarding adopted children serving in the military, but there is a great deal of discretion by officials abroad to issue the Libreta Militar -- so the potential is that you could get it without any problems. This would likely not work in our personal case because my DH is Colombian and my kids DO speak Spanish. You could also send a letter to a consulate and ask about how to have your adopted child keep COlombian citizenship without having to fulfill the military obligation and see what they say.
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entropy -- you are right -- I am sure that there are adoptees that don't want to go back. And I am a bit passionate about Colombia. So sorry! :)
No worries! I am too!
We're talking our daughter around age 7. Of course, We are big on travel. She's not quite 5 and she's already visited 5 countries BESIDES the USA and Colombia.:airplane:
I have a question regarding the military requirement. Does Colombia have a statute for conscientious objection? We plan to raise our child as a pacifist and hope he/she will not want to join the military. To hear that Colombia would require service if he/she returned between certain ages is a little scary for me.
I would recommend that you write a letter to the Colombian consulate that has jurisdiction over your state and express your concerns. Ask them if there are any laws that would preclude your child from military service.
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Fabulous.
So my 25 YO ADD son, adopted in 1986, who put his US passport thru the wash (several times) and then lost it, has to keep track of his Colombian passport?
I don't even know where it is!
Wonderful. Just wonderful.
The Constitution changed in 1991 and the laws went into effect in 1995. He is exempt -- born 1986. However, if he wants to claim his Colombian citizenship -- he can.
This is all so interesting ...........
Our daughter, adopted at age 12 from Colombia in 2003, entered and exited Colombia on a US passport in 2005 when we returned for a vacation there. We had no problem whatsoever.
Most countries that consider children adopted by Americans as continuing to hold citizenship in their birth countries do not officially recognize the children's American citizenship or accept the notion that they are dual citizens.
In other words, the child can't simply get a visa in his/her American passport, if American citizens normally require visas to enter a country, and can't simply flash his/her U.S passport at the airport if Americans are permitted to enter without one. From the foreign country's perspective, the child is a Russian or Colombian, or whatever, and not an American or dual citizen at all.
A child adopted from Colombia must show a passport from his/her birth country to "re-enter" his/her country, just as any Colombian citizen who goes on a trip outside his/her birth country needs to show a Colombian passport in order to be readmitted to his/her homeland.
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sak9645
Most countries that consider children adopted by Americans as continuing to hold citizenship in their birth countries do not officially recognize the children's American citizenship or accept the notion that they are dual citizens.
In other words, the child can't simply get a visa in his/her American passport, if American citizens normally require visas to enter a country, and can't simply flash his/her U.S passport at the airport if Americans are permitted to enter without one. From the foreign country's perspective, the child is a Russian or Colombian, or whatever, and not an American or dual citizen at all.
A child adopted from Colombia must show a passport from his/her birth country to "re-enter" his/her country, just as any Colombian citizen who goes on a trip outside his/her birth country needs to show a Colombian passport in order to be readmitted to his/her homeland.
i'm just curious how'd they know the child was adopted from that country especially if their names were changed once they came to the US?
DrLaura
Because their US passport lists their place of birth.
ahh....i never noticed that before. :) learn something new everyday! thanks for the info.
Does anyone know what the latest requirements are for traveling to Colombia with adult children. Our 29-year-old twin sons have now expressed interest in visiting their birthplace and we want to make sure there are no pitfalls in travelling there.
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