The measure could affect thousands of compatriots who plan to travel to that country.
News International.
The recent reestablishment of the visa for Colombians by the United Kingdom has set off alarms in several European nations. The main reason for this decision was the overwhelming increase in asylum applications, which led the British authorities to impose this requirement on compatriots who wish to travel to the country.
Now, Germany faces a similar situation, which puts the visa exemption for Colombians seeking to enter this European country at risk.
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On Wednesday, November 18, Colombian and German authorities met to discuss immigration behavior and concerns raised by the German government. This meeting was key to finding solutions that prevent Colombia from being considered for measures similar to those imposed by the United Kingdom.
Botschafterin @YadirSalazarM begleitet Vizeaußenminister @jorgerojas2022 on the Agenda des Migrationsbeauftragten @JoachimStamp mit einer 10köpfigen 🇩🇪Delegation zur Konsolidierung einer innovativen Migrationspartnerschaft und Förderung regulärer Migration und 🇨🇴 Diaspora 👇 pic.twitter.com/PAsidnaHWT
— Botschaft von Kolumbien in Deutschland (@EmbajadaColDE) December 18, 2024
The growing number of asylum applications from Colombians is causing tensions, which could lead to restrictions for those wishing to travel to Germany.
German government calls for regularized migration
Joachim Stamp, high commissioner for migration agreements of the federal government of Germany, in conversation with the newspaper El Tiempo, made a clear call to Colombians who wish to migrate to their country. According to the official, many Colombian citizens are requesting asylum without complying with the established legal requirements.
«It is essential to send this message: please do not continue applying for more asylum in Germany. If they are going to migrate, they do it through the migration law for specialized workers,” he emphasized.
According to Stamp, regular migration through established channels offers great job opportunities in Germany, and the German government is not against Colombian immigration, but rather asks that it be carried out in a legal and orderly manner.
The figures speak for themselves: in 2018, Germany received 135 asylum applications from Colombian citizens. However, in recent years, this number has increased exponentially, currently reaching more than 3,500 applications. This wave of requests has generated concern in the German government, which does not want to impose more severe restrictions like those that affected Colombians in the United Kingdom.
The German high commissioner stressed that, instead of imposing more restrictions, the government seeks to regularize migration. “We don’t want more visas, we want to regulate migration so that this works,” concluded Joachim Stamp during the interview with the aforementioned media, reiterating his support for orderly and legal migration.
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