Amid growing uncertainty over the production of passports in Colombia, appointments for the issuance of these documents have skyrocketed, generating an unprecedented crisis in the offices responsible for this service. The situation has reached a critical point, causing long waits and an overflow in the service provided to citizens.
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Recently, Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo exposed the magnitude of the problem in an interview with Blu Radio. According to Murillo, passport offices have seen an impressive increase in the number of daily applications, going from handling about 3,000 appointments to more than 10,000. This significant increase has overwhelmed available resources and led to a chaotic situation in the service.
Murillo also revealed that a significant portion of the appointments, approximately 50%, end up in the hands of unscrupulous agents who monopolize the available spaces, leaving many citizens without the possibility of scheduling an appointment to obtain or renew their passport. “They are unscrupulous people who hoard them,” The Minister of Foreign Affairs stated, stressing the difficulty this represents for those who urgently need the document.
To address this crisis, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken steps to improve the situation. In particular, It has been decided to extend the opening hours in two of the most congested offices in Bogotá: the northern headquarters, located at 19th Avenue No. 98 – 03, and the central headquarters, at 12th Street C No. 8 – 27. From now on, Both offices will be open from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm, one hour longer than the usual schedule. This extension seeks to alleviate demand and provide greater opportunity for citizens to carry out their procedures.
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Colombian passport
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The cost of issuing a passport in Colombia varies depending on the type of document. The ordinary passport costs 136,000 pesos, while the executive passport is issued for 244,000 pesos. These prices may be an additional factor affecting accessibility for some citizens.
To request an appointment in Bogotá, the process is carried out through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ online portal. Citizens must enter the following link (https://tramitesmre.cancilleria.gov.co/tramites/enlinea/agendamiento.xhtml).
It is important to note that appointments in the capital are enabled one day in advance starting at 5:00 p.m. For example, to schedule an appointment for Friday, citizens must access the portal on Thursday starting at 5:00 p.m.
In the departments, the appointment request process is handled through the corresponding governorates, which may vary in terms of availability and specific procedures.
Passport
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The current crisis reflects a combination of factors, including high demand and the presence of intermediaries that further complicate access to appointments. The government’s response to this situation is a tentative measure to mitigate the impact on citizens and improve access to the service.
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