In accordance with the terms of Decree 2107 of 8 October 2001, foreign citizens may only practice their profession, or engage in the occupation authorized by their visas. Also, no foreign citizen may commence work until his documentation is complete. The following types of visa are authorized for work in the University.

Resident Visa
A resident visa is held by a foreigner who is authorized to work in Colombia. He must possess an Alien ID card.

Temporary working visa
This visa is given to a foreign citizen contracted by a public or private enterprise or entity, to enter Colombia and perform work in its specialty area. If the foreign citizen holds a tourist visa or a Temporary Visitor visa, he may not earn salaries from individuals or legal entities established in Colombia, and may not engage in activities covered by other types of visa.

General Provisions
The holder of a visa valid for one day to six months, may register it in the Alien’s Department register of the Security Police (DAS).

The holder of a visa valid for more than six months must register at the DAS alien’s register, within 60 calendar days of entry into Colombia, or of the date of issue of the visa if this was obtained within Colombia. DAS will issue an Alien ID, based on the register of aliens.

Once the visa has been issued, and for the purposes of the issue of the Alien ID, the applicant must present a guarantee issued by the University in favor of DAS, to cover the expenses of return to the country of origin or last place of residence of the student and family (if any), at the end of the contract, or when the visa is cancelled, or when the alien is deported or expelled. This guarantee may be in the form of a surety, a bank deposit, or a performance bond.

All contracting employers who engage a foreign citizen must require that the foreigner to have a work visa, and inform the Security Police of the engagement within 60 calendar days of commencement of work.

Penalties
Failure to observe regulations on the contracting of foreign citizens will attach the following penalties:

From one half up to five legal minimum salaries, for being engaged in the practice of a profession or occupation other than that authorized, and for engaging in paid activities without being authorized to do so.

An individual or legal entity that encourages or abets the unlawful stay of a foreign citizen, will be fined between five and twelve minimum salaries (SMML), for each foreigner so favored.

An individual, legal entity, or public agency which contracts or gives employment to a foreign citizen, without obtaining the requirements of law, or does not advise the security police DAS of the engagement or disengagement within 60 calendar days following either of these, should be liable for a fine of 1-12 times the SMML.

Process for obtaining a working visa
The University Department or unit which is to contract a foreign member of the teaching staff, will send the human resources department a contract or request for engagement of foreign teaching staff or employees, attaching a photocopy of the passport of the person to be contracted. The Human Resources Department will process a certificate of “certificate of proportionality” within the Ministry of Labor, and draw up a form of contract so that the visa authorizing foreigner to work with the University may be issued, with an authorized signature of the Director of Human Resources. This person then receives the form of contract, the certificate of proportionality and the incorporation certificate of the University, and the certificate of delegation to the director of the department. The Human Resources Department withholds the signed contracts, so that the contracting department send them to foreign national to be engaged.

The foreign national to be engaged will process the issue of the visa which authorizes into work in the University with the Consulate or Embassy of Colombia in the country where he is located, and must collect up the documents required by the contract and ask the Human Resources Department to legalize the contract.