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guns

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jhdvll
  5/27/2022 09:21 EST

Retiring and moving to Colombia from USA. Can I bring my handguns and legally register them in Colombia to conceal carry and for personal protection?

WhoaNellie
  5/27/2022 09:59 EST

No, you cannot bring your firearms.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Colombia.html

Click on Local Laws & Special Circumstances. "Colombian law prohibits tourists and business travelers from bringing firearms and ammunition into Colombia. "

Even as a resident, a foreigner cannot legally have a firearm according to this:

https://medellinguru.com/colombia-gun-laws/

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JasonKlien
  5/27/2022 10:51 EST

Yea sure and not only is it relatively easy to obtain you can also get access to long guns, automatic and large caliber.

Seriously would you have a tougher time trying to find a unicorn.

flgolfer50
  5/27/2022 11:11 EST

I don't think so. but it would be better to check with the authorities than this forum. maybe someone here can direct you to the proper government official. I don't know who you would contact

Medic53
  5/27/2022 11:36 EST

You will not be able to "bring" your guns to Colombia. It is very difficult to own a gun there. Probably not impossible but you will need local help to do it. (lawyer and palm greasing) Others probably know more about it than I do.

Paco23
  5/27/2022 13:09 EST

Short answer is no.

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Paco23
  5/27/2022 13:13 EST

The only people with guns here are the criminals. That’s usually what happens with laws that restrict gun ownership.

Honestly I don’t think Colombia could handle the population owning firearms like in the US. The rule of law is not strong enough to enforce/encourage responsible ownership.

SkyMan
  5/27/2022 15:09 EST

Paco...Agreed 400% Colombia is a country with a great number of laws...but very few are actually enforced. That's why some of us call it locolombia.

yolatengo
  5/27/2022 16:46 EST

"Honestly I don’t think Colombia could handle the population owning firearms like in the US. The rule of law is not strong enough to enforce/encourage responsible ownership."

That's a peculiar statement, especially given recent events.

Jimbeam7
  5/27/2022 18:51 EST

There is no way for an individual to bring in any kind of firearm to colombia. However Whoe is mistaken about forigners owning a handgung. I purchesed a fully licensed handgun. The permit to own must be renewed every three years. Very expensive to do and in hindsight not worth it.

mtbe
  5/27/2022 21:32 EST

Yes, foreigners can have guns... Cannot bring them in though.

License is required and cost, last time someone told me, was about $3 million pesos....although I know of several Colombians that have guns without...local police know about them and understand they have them for protection.

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Vikingo
  5/28/2022 19:00 EST

Basically you can have an unregistered handgun, shotgun or rifle in Colombia but, you can't take it out of your home, don't shoot or injure an intruder or let anyone know you have one who might turn you in, because in every one of those events you end up in jail and it will take a small fortune to bail you out.
Obtaining rounds is an other huge problem because legally you can't.
Plus there is the possibility the person who sold it it to you might blackmail you down the road when he is hurting for money, or someone has been killed in the past with that gun and the police can identify it with a ballistic test. All of this makes an unregistered gun pretty well unusable.

Vikingo
  5/28/2022 19:47 EST

One solution would be to purchase and carry legally! a 'Pistola Traumatica' which shoots hard rubber bullets (Balas de goma), pepper loaded bullets (Balas pimiento) and blanks. Zoraki is the best brand.
All of them including the ammo made in Turkey and most are under US$200.
https://articulo.mercadolibre.com.co/MCO-524383669-pistola-traumatica-zoraki-914-9mm-salva-rafaga-goma-_JM?searchVariation=174067058551#searchVariation=174067058551&position=23&search_layout=stack&type=item&tracking_id=b96ebb93-8390-48b8-bade-3d5e0d7e66c5

Many sporting-good stores carry them too. You can even get 12 gauge rubber slugs, legally.
Problem is there usually is no time to get to your gun as the criminals use the element of surprise and approach you from behind with a gun or knife when you least expect it and many had military or rebel training.
That brings us back to using this gun for home defense or don't leave home with anything you don't want to part with, willingly. Or let me spell out my way; no large amounts of cash, a late model iPhone, a gold-chain, expensive watch or ring. or high-end tennis-shoes or a leather jacket. Maybe you lose even your newly acquired Zoraki if he is faster than you are.

HappyExCanuck
  5/28/2022 20:50 EST

There's quite a few steps involved to carry this weapon around 'legally'

https://noticias.caracoltv.com/colombia/tiene-un-arma-traumatica-esto-es-lo-que-debe-saber-para-legalizar-su-porte-y-tenencia

HappyExCanuck
  5/28/2022 21:04 EST

Actually, it looks like they are illegal;

https://www.ciudadregion.com/nacional/listo-decreto-que-prohibe-uso-de-armas-traumaticas-en-el-colombia

Vikingo
  5/28/2022 21:04 EST

Indumil is your only legal source to obtain a real firearm.
https://www.infodefensa.com/texto-diario/mostrar/3122224/indumil-pone-venta-pistola-pietro-beretta-81fs-cheetah-mercado-colombiano

I imagine you may as well double the amount above for necessary permits, a personal investigation and a certified gun course.
Indumil https://www.indumil.gov.co/ prefers to give permits to a person who has a valid need to carry a gun, like a jewelry store owner, restaurant owner, lives on a secluded finca or someone who owns a gas station, in short people who handle a lot of money or seriously need protection, not so much to someone who displays his wealth (to Colombian standards) or walks the streets in the middle of the night after having a few drinks. You might also need character witnesses, but by the end of the day a convincing personality helps, also sufficient Spanish and a membership in a gun club, about 100.000 pesos annually (Club deportivo de tiro).
There are certain times when carrying a firearm is not allowed at all even with all licenses in place due to high homicide rates in Colombia.
I believe 2020 was such a year. Not sure if it still in effect.

Vikingo
  5/28/2022 21:32 EST

@HappyExCanuck, it is true, many armed robberies have been committed with a traumatic pistol, as you can hardly tell the difference. There has been an outcry to prohibit them all together by certain politicians but those guns are still being sold legally, with a permit of sorts. This may be a good time to get one as they may be restricted to gun club members in the future who practice with those rubber bullets extensively.
Our new president may have his own ideas about those guns.

Vikingo
  5/28/2022 21:43 EST

There is a world of difference whether you defend yourself with a traumatic gun you legally purchased or with an illegal firearm you bought from someone on the street. That would get you jail time no matter the circumstances. And for a gringo it would get very expensive to get out.

Vikingo
  5/29/2022 10:10 EST

After looking at the latest legal aspects regarding traumatic weapons in Colombia a new law was introduced in January of 2022 called ‘Ley de Seguridad Ciudadana’ (law for the citizens security) which also addresses traumatic weapons. Therefore the law of Sept. 2021 that was mentioned in the article by Happy Canuck has been overruled.
Traumatic weapons are legally called ‘Armas menos letal’ (less lethal weapons) and they are now on a par with real firearms and require registration at an Indumil (Industria militar) location where you fill out an application and special markings are applied to the gun and the owners personal data is registered. A current timeframe for the registration is allowed of one year it seems? Sellers of traumatic weapons are also required to submit the buyer’s data to Indumil.
According to this years law, carrying of any weapon with few valid exceptions, lethal or less lethal is currently prohibited, even if they are fully registered and the permits are suspended.
It appears due to their relatively low prices and accessibility to less responsible masses much abuse took place when carrying, like taking them to shopping centers, stores, concerts or ball games, even on transit buses, all of which was always prohibited and resulted in confiscation by the thousands of guns and also in heavy fines.
Here is a video on the subject, but in Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbJsUYCWg68
So this is Colombia’s current law on firearms, which may change again with a new administration in place. The possibility of an 18 year old deranged kid buying a high capacity military style assault rifle for example is highly remote, but we will never know what is available on the street from former and current rebel arsenals.
There is however a situation with thousands of illegal handguns on the street, usually belonging to gang members and other criminal elements, guns that came from illegal rebel groups during the last 60 years. Little by little the police are collecting them though when they make arrests.

Vikingo
  5/29/2022 10:21 EST

This dude converted dozens of traumatic guns into real firearms to earn a living.
It didn't go over well.:

https://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/cali/capturan-a-hombre-que-convertia-armas-traumaticas-en-letales-663442

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