What you should know if you want to travel as a tourist to the United Kingdom without a visa

The Government of The United Kingdom announced the change of the visa regime for reasons of tourism for Colombiansso as of November 9, nationals will be able to enter that country without needing a visitor’s visa.

(How much does it cost to travel to the United Kingdom from Colombia in 2022?)

“The national government values ​​and greatly appreciates this decision, which puts Colombia at the level of the strategic partners of the United Kingdomand recognizes it as a sign of trust in Colombia, its nationals and its institutions,” the Colombian Foreign Ministry detailed in a statement.

(The British message on the elimination of tourist visas for Colombians that you should take into account)

The United Kingdom, one of Colombia’s main partners, has provided unrestricted support to the country during the implementation of the 2016 peace agreement, as well as significant contributions to the protection of the environment, in particular the Amazon.

“This relaxation in the British visa regime further consolidates and strengthens bilateral relations between both countries, as it will significantly boost tourism, trade, culture, among many other components of the intense and rich bilateral agenda,” he said. the Colombian government.

For its part, George Hodgson, British Ambassador to Colombia He stated that he is “glad” “to be able to share the United Kingdom with even more Colombians”.

“Without a doubt, the elimination of visitor visas – a process in which we have been working for a long time – marks a great step in our bilateral relationship. We hope to see an increase in the number of Colombian visitors in the United Kingdom very soon”, affirmed the ambassador, who in a chat with EL TIEMPO gave details about the decision.

How was the process between the United Kingdom and Colombia to reach this agreement?

We have been working on this process for several years, and we appreciate the cooperation and commitment of different governments, ambassadors and officials who have made it possible.

What factors did the United Kingdom take into account to eliminate the tourist visa for Colombians?

It is a rigorous process where different entities of the British government evaluate different criteria, both the opportunities and the risks to reach a decision. Clearly, we are very happy that in the case of Colombia it was a positive decision.

What are the expectations that the United Kingdom has with the decision to eliminate the visa for Colombians?

For us, it is a great pleasure to be able to share our country with more Colombians than ever before. We have a great offer in the United Kingdom in tourist, cultural and commercial topics. We also know that we have a large Colombian community based in the United Kingdom and we are glad that now it will be easier for their loved ones to visit them without so many paperwork. We hope to see an increase in the number of visitors from Colombia, but beyond that, we want to strengthen the ties between our two countries.

Since when did this visa removal process start?

We have spent several years reviewing the possibility of eliminating visitor visas – it is not a decision that we can make from one day to the next – and we insist on taking the necessary time to study the case of Colombia well. Therefore, today is a great day for both Colombia and the United Kingdom.

How will both countries benefit?

There are many mutual benefits beyond the simple fact of being able to travel without formalities to the United Kingdom for tourist reasons. We are fortunate to have a daily direct flight to London, which greatly facilitates movement between our two countries, and hopefully today’s announcement will encourage the expansion of air connections. In addition to that, with this change, we are opening the doors to new business opportunities in various sectors, something that generates greater prosperity. And of course it gives us the opportunity to strengthen our ties and exchanges in tourism, culture, sports and other areas.

What are now the next points on the bilateral agenda between Colombia and the United Kingdom?
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The UK and Colombia have a close relationship that has spanned almost 200 years where we work on various shared priorities from peace and human rights, to protecting the environment and combating climate change, and promoting bilateral trade opportunities. We continue advancing our rich bilateral agenda given that there are many opportunities now supported by all the benefits that this great news about the elimination of visitor visas brings us.

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