Colombia · Citizenship
Colombia citizenship for Americans: how many years, and can you keep US citizenship?
Short answer
About 10 years for a retiree: about 5 years to reach permanent residence, then 5 more on it. Colombia lets you keep your US citizenship.
The rules
| Timeline | About 10 years for a retiree: 5 on the pension visa, then 5 on permanent residence |
|---|---|
| Dual citizenship | Yes: you don't have to give up your US citizenship. Dual citizens enter and leave Colombia as Colombians. |
Checked against the law The 5-year clock, absences, exams, dual citizenship and fee, read in the nationality law.
Not yet verified Whether every part of this timeline is confirmed at the official source, including the 2-year route.
Good to know
- 5 years on permanent residence: the clock starts the day your resident (R) visa is issued; earlier visas don't count.
- Shorter clock, 2 years: spouses or partners of Colombians and parents of Colombian children Not yet verified
- Few absences: a year or more abroad before you apply breaks the clock.
- Exams: the Constitution, history, culture and geography, plus Spanish if it isn't your first language. Over-60s are exempt.
- Fee: about $245 (808,558 pesos).
- Not automatic: the government decides each application and can refuse it.
Sources (3)
Legal basis and exact figures
- Clock: Ley 2332 de 2023 art 9: a Residente (R) visa when applying and throughout, and 5 continuous years of domicile immediately before applying, counted from the R visa issue date. M-visa years don't count, so M Pensionado (5 years to R, Res 5477 art 90) plus 5 on R is about 10 years.
- Reduced to 2 years: spouses or permanent partners of Colombians, parents of Colombian children, or reciprocity with the country of origin (US reciprocity not established; a court-ruling note on this paragraph wasn't read).
- Absences and exams: leaving for 1 year or more before applying interrupts domicile (art 9 par 2). Exams on the Constitution, history, culture and geography, plus Spanish if not native (art 13); exempt over 60 or with a Colombian secondary or university degree. Oath before inscription (art 21). Discretionary (art 6).
- Dual nationality: no renunciation required (art 28); dual nationals enter and leave as Colombians (art 34). The US side isn't assessed.
- Fee: COP 808,558 (Res 3969 de 2026 art 10), about $244.88 at TRM 3,301.91 (13 Nov 2026).
Links
Citizenship in Colombia, in full → The full Colombia guide →
Questions people ask
How many years until I can become a citizen of Colombia?
About 10 years for a retiree: 5 on the pension visa, then 5 on permanent residence
Can I keep US citizenship if I become a citizen of Colombia?
Yes: you don't have to give up your US citizenship. Dual citizens enter and leave Colombia as Colombians.