Users of SIRE Notification System Experiencing Technical Issues
December 9, 2019
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At a Glance
- Host companies in Colombia cannot submit required notifications of foreign nationals’ start or termination dates due to technical issues on Migración Colombia’s online platform, SIRE.
- Specifically, the system is incorrectly auto-populating foreign nationals’ visa expiration dates within the notification, which users are unable to edit.
- In order to ensure the submitted notifications are accurate, host companies and foreign nationals are advised to wait until it is absolutely necessary to file the notification within the 15-day period to allow time for the system issue to be fixed.
The issue
Users of Migración Colombia’s online notification platform SIRE (Sistema Integrado de Registro de Extranjeros) are not currently able to add a foreign national’s correct visa expiration date due to technical issues when submitting mandatory government notifications regarding the hiring or termination of foreign nationals.
Background
- Notification requirement. Employers in Colombia must notify the government of the start and end date of a foreign national’s employment in Colombia within 15 calendar days of their date of hire or termination through the SIRE online system. Employers who do not complete this process on time may be subject to financial penalties.
- Cause of technical issue. Migración Colombia recently implemented a resolution replacing previous entry permit categories with three new types of Entry Permits which required updates to the SIRE online system. According to Migración Colombia, the technical issues are a result of these updates.
Impact
Host companies and foreign nationals are advised to wait until it is absolutely necessary to file the notification within the 15-day period in order to allow time for the system issue to be fixed. As a result, foreign nationals who are switching employers may have their start date with the new employer delayed by a few days as they will not be able to submit a new visa application until their termination notification is complete.
Looking ahead
Fragomen is monitoring the SIRE platform and following up with Migración Colombia. Fragomen will report on any relevant developments and contact affected clients with case-by-case advice.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
