Colombia establishes PEP for representatives of Venezuelan minors
The government of Colombia issued a decree by which the Special Permanence Permit for Legal Representatives or Custodians of minors was created, which will begin to be implemented in the coming months, reported this Friday the Chancellery.
The mechanism will allow the representatives or custodians of the more than 270,000 Venezuelan children and adolescents who are in Colombia and who already have a Temporary Protection Permit (PPT) to regularize their immigration status.
The Colombian Foreign Ministry explained in a statement that with this permit they will be able to access the financial and social services offered by the State, particularly health and education.
Also process driver’s licenses and professional cards, as well as validate professional titles, all of the above without prejudice to other requirements required by national entities.
In accordance with the decree, the issuance of the PEP-TUTOR will be in charge of Migration Colombia.
Requirements for the Special Permanence Permit
The minimum requirements to apply to obtain this permit are: to be the legal representative or custodian of girls, boys and/or adolescents holding a PPT valid as of December 31, 2023, not to have any measure of expulsion, deportation or current financial sanction and not being the holder of a PPT or a valid visa in any class or category.
The Foreign Ministry recalled that the decree complies with the order of the Constitutional Court that through a ruling urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Migration Colombia to incorporate the differential approach and the prevention of violence, including gender-based violence.
Likewise, it constitutes another step in the State’s commitment to the socioeconomic integration of the migrant population in the region and the protection of the rights of children and adolescents in Colombia.
Colombia heads the list of countries receiving Venezuelans, with 2.85 million people who migrated from the neighboring country.
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