The Ministry of Public Health and Social Protection, through Resolution 408 of 2020, suspended the entry into Colombian territory, by air, of foreign passengers who are not residents in the country as a preventive measure regarding the health emergency caused by COVID-19. The conditions of this restriction will be the following:
- The restriction will take place from March 16 to May 30, 2020, and it may be lifted before that date, or extended, according to the evolution of the health emergency.
- Foreigners who can enter Colombian territory are the following:
- Foreigners with permanent residence in Colombia: Migrant, resident or courtesy visa holders, along with their beneficiaries.
- Members of duly accredited diplomatic corps.
- Foreigners who start their flight to Colombia before March 16, 2020, and the crew of the aircraft.
- Isolation and quarantine: Persons who enter the country by air from abroad must submit to this preventive measure for 14 days, as follows:
- Colombians and foreigners with permanent residence in Colombia.
- Members of duly accredited diplomatic corps.
- Foreigners who start their flight before March 16 who voluntarily decide to be in quarantine, except those from China, Italy, France, and Spain, in which case it will be mandatory.
- As for the quarantine site, the instructions are the following:
- Colombian citizens and foreigners with permanent residence in Colombia: the quarantine site will be the chosen place of residence. It cannot be modified later.
- Foreigners that are not residents in Colombia: the foreigners must choose the accommodation and pay it with their resources. It cannot be modified later.
- Colombian immigration authorities can deny the entry of any foreigner to the Colombian territory, in which case their airline must assume the costs and will return the foreigner to the country of origin.
- Foreigners arriving in the country in an international connection must follow their course and, during the time of their connection, they must remain in a waiting area designated by the Colombian immigration authorities.
- The non-compliance with the sanitary measures will lead to a criminal penalty of four (4) to eight (8) years and successive fines of up to 10,000 monthly legal minimum wages (COP $ 8,778,030,000).