The role of community leaders in the regularization process of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia

Executive Summary

• Colombia is the main destination of Venezuelan migrants. In 2021, the Colombian government decided to regularize their immigration status through the Temporary Statute of Protection for Venezuelans (ETPV in Spanish).

• The regularization process has three steps: i) an identification and characterization of the migrant in the government’s online Venezuelan Migrant Single Registry (RUMV in Spanish); ii) a face-toface biometric registration; and iii) the issuance and delivery of the Temporary Protection Permit (PPT in Spanish).

• Finding and characterizing Venezuelan migrants is a major challenge. They are a population in constant movement, frequently lack access to the internet and mass media, and often distrust government authorities and other actors.

• Despite these challenges, the Colombian government has carried out the regularization process at a speed that is unique in the world.

• Innovations for Poverty Action Colombia identified that community leaders have played a fundamental role in the regularization process.
  Their role has been so important that the regularization process seems to have advanced more quickly in those areas where the leaders have a stronger presence.

• Among the main tasks of community leaders are collecting, disseminating information, and providing technical assistance with the regularization process.

• Leaders have been able to take advantage of various communication channels depending on the circumstances of each community and capitalize on other programs and resources for the well-being of migrants.