Hundreds have visa appointments cancelled amid US-Colombia fallout

A dispute between the United States and Colombia over repatriation flights led to strained relations between the two countries, with visa appointments at the U.S. Embassy in Colombia being canceled overnight. This incident nearly sparked a trade war between the two nations.

Many Colombians arriving at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá received letters from local staff stating that their appointments had been canceled because "the Colombian government refuses to receive repatriated Colombian nationals." Colombian citizens, like most non-U.S. citizens, require visas to travel to the United States for tourism, business, or other purposes.

In Colombia, it typically takes up to two years to secure a visa appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá. The embassy has also been processing visa applications from neighboring Venezuela in recent years. Visa applicants arriving at the embassy expressed frustration with the new restrictions, which mean they may have to wait several more months for a new appointment.

"President Petro is not representing our interests," said Elio Camelo, a U.S. visa applicant from Cali who traveled to Bogotá for his appointment. "There is a lot of uncertainty about what will happen next," said Mauricio Manrique, whose Monday morning appointment was canceled. He had traveled from Popayán, 600 kilometers south of Bogotá, for his appointment.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro posted on X on Sunday morning that he would not allow two U.S. Air Force planes carrying deported Colombians to land in the country, after having previously approved the flights. Petro also shared a video showing another group of deportees reportedly arriving in Brazil in shackles. He stated that Colombia would only accept repatriation flights after an agreement was established with the U.S. to ensure "dignified treatment" for deported migrants.

U.S. President Donald Trump responded on Truth Social, calling for a 25% emergency tariff on Colombian goods exported to the U.S., and stated that he would revoke the U.S. visas of Colombian government officials, while goods from the South American nation would face stricter customs inspections. Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department said it would halt issuing visas to Colombian nationals until repatriation flights resumed.

On Sunday evening, tensions eased after negotiations between the two countries. The White House said in a statement that Colombia had allowed repatriation flights to resume and had "agreed to all terms of President Trump," including the arrival of deportees on military aircraft. In the past, most Colombians deported from the U.S. arrived on charter flights organized by U.S. government contractors.

The White House said that the tariffs on Colombian exports would be shelved, but added that visa restrictions on Colombian officials and enhanced customs inspections would remain "until the first plane carrying Colombian deportees successfully returns." The U.S. State Department has not responded to requests for comment regarding the resumption of visa appointments.

According to a Commerce Department report, more than 1.6 million Colombians legally traveled to the United States last year. The report stated that the U.S. is the preferred destination for Colombians traveling abroad.