Colombians to begin visa-free EU travels on Dec. 3

(Photo from Flickr/Prensa Santos Presidente)

MEXICO CITY—Colombian citizens will be able to travel to the European Union without a Schengen visa starting Dec. 3, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced.

On Monday, the European Council of Ministers approved the signing of an intergovernmental agreement with Colombia, alongside Pacific island-nations, on waiving short-stay visas.

“I appreciate Italy’s support to eliminate the Schengen visa: since December, Colombians can go to Europe without a visa,” Santos tweeted Tuesday after meeting with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

Santos announced a state visit to Brussels in early December to sign the visa-free regime agreement with the European Union, according to the Colombian presidency’s website.

The visa-free regime affects 22 EU member states, as well as non-Schengen members Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania.

Colombian citizens will also be able to travel visa-free to non-EU members Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein.