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I'd like to visit Colombia for tourism but my situation is not straightforward.

  • I'm a legal Permanent Resident of the USA (Green Card holder).
  • I have US Refugee Travel Document (this is my only 'Passport').
  • My country of citizenship is Gambia.
  • My US permanent residency was through an Asylum(refugee) so I cannot possess/carry a Gambian passport. Hence the only 'passport' I have is the US Refugee Travel Document.

I'm not sure if I'm required to have a Colombian visa or not for a visit.

I was trying to apply for a visa online anyway but I get two questions that are confusing: Passport Number along with Nationality next to each other. This looks like it wants the passport number of the nationality I put in the Nationality box. Well, the issuer of my travel document is different from my nationality. So I can't even begin the application. I think I fall in some category. See image. Any ideas?? passport number / nationality

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On the site below, Travel document as Passport type is being offered.

So check if on the application if there is also a Passport type field. [answered: there is none]

Use the number of the Travel document for the Passport Number and select your nationality as stated in the Travel document.

Since you must submit the Travel document with the visa application, they will see what type of document it is.

Do I need a Visa? | Cancillería

  • Nationality: Gambia
  • Passport type: Travel document
  • Trip purpose: Tourist

returns

VISITOR VISA - TYPE V: for the foreigner wishing to visit Colombia once or several times or to stay temporarily in the country without this being permanent.

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  • Nope, there is no 'passport type' field. See image: imgur.com/a/9StwMuc
    – Mo Fatty
    Commented Nov 4, 2019 at 7:20
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    @MoFatty Since you must submit the document with the application, they will see what type of document it is.
    – Mark Johnson
    Commented Nov 4, 2019 at 7:27
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Any use or disclosure of your country-of-origin citizenship (Gambia) is a very very bad idea, and you should not do that without first speaking to a US attorney versed in immigration and asylum matters.

The reason is that asylum was granted based on your convincing the US authorities that you were at risk in Gambia. Using your Gambian passport or stating publicly your Gambian citizenship, however, is an acknowledgment of the authority of Gambia over you, and your submitting to its protection.

This, in turn, will be seen by the US authorities as your statement that you no longer are in danger from Gambia. You run the real and significant risk that your asylee status and green card will be revoked. You can read more in this thread. Even worse, if you have trouble overseas, you might be deported not to the US but instead to Gambia.

Talk to a lawyer in the US before going any further with this.

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    "stating publicly your Gambian citizenship, however, is an acknowledgment of the authority of Gambia over you, and your submitting to its protection." No. Publicly stating your citizenship is not submitting to its protection. Whether he is a Gambian citizen is not his choice, but is decided solely by Gambian law. Even if he doesn't want anything to do with Gambia, has never been to Gambia, doesn't consider himself Gambian, etc., he is a Gambian citizen if Gambian law says so, and if asked about his nationality, the only truthful answer is Gambian. That is a fact of law.
    – user102008
    Commented Nov 4, 2019 at 17:14
  • @user102008 I don't disagree with your statements. If the OP travels by showing a Gambian passport, however, he risks being seen by immigration authorities as relying on Gambia. The OP may put himself in that situation if s/he declares Gambian citizenship in a visa application. Doing so while in asylee status should only be done after receiving advice from counsel.
    – DavidRecallsMonica
    Commented Nov 4, 2019 at 18:52
  • Agreement that the OP must not use his Gambian passport, and he clearly realizes that. However, he is still a Gambian citizen, unless the Gambians have revoked his citizenship, in which case he would be stateless.
    – Andrew Lazarus
    Commented Nov 4, 2019 at 19:48
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    After getting approved for asylum, my attorney did tell me I should NOT have anything to do with Gambia that gives me protection in the name of Gambia. No resources, no benefits, no protection from the Gambia as an asylee in the US. However, I guess we never discussed what I should say when asked about my citizenship. I'll ask my attorney this question. @david you sound like you know what your're talking about, but I find it hard to swallow if I can't even say I'm a Gambian by citizenship when filling out documents/forms. I certainly cannot say US. This question comes up quite often
    – Mo Fatty
    Commented Nov 5, 2019 at 7:51
  • Should I delete this post then? Or at least edit it and change the wording about my citizenship? I certainly don't want to get in trouble with immigration over something like this. How could I word this then to let people know my relationship with Gambia without mentioning citizenship? Perhaps "I was born and raised in Gambia"?
    – Mo Fatty
    Commented Nov 5, 2019 at 8:04

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