The mobile unit "Colombia closer to you", a "novel consular service", had a "total success" in Lanzarote, where it moved last week and where it served in four days to more than 2,000 people. In addition, it managed 1,560 procedures for Colombian citizens in Arrecife, which represents "one of the greatest receptions of this service in Spain to date", according to the consul of Colombia in the Canary Islands, Divia Cepeda Rojas, promoter of the arrival of this mobile office to the capital of Lanzarote.
Colombians residing in the easternmost islands of the Canary Islands had the opportunity not only to request documents such as passports, citizenship cards, and other essential procedures to travel or manage papers in Spain, but also received personalized advice on legal, social, migratory and consular assistance. Likewise, information was provided on return and pension plans.
The service in the unit "Colombia closer to you" was scheduled from Wednesday afternoon to Saturday at noon, but "considering the high demand the services were extended until Saturday night." "More than 500 citizens were attended without an appointment," they point out from the consulate.
The ambassador of the Republic of Colombia in Spain, Orlando Sardi de Lima, and the highest responsible of the consulate of Colombia in the Canary Islands, Divia Cepeda Rojas, thanked the Arrecife City Council for the assignment of the Civic Center. The consul positively valued "the support of all the institutions of the island for the good progress of the mobile consulate and the development of the different integration programs that allow the best reception of Colombians and foreign population in general".
According to the consul, "the Colombian Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs intend to satisfy the needs of document procedures and promote a greater rapprochement with its nationals abroad." In the Canary Islands live about 21,798 Colombians, of which about 5,646 reside on the island of Lanzarote and more than 3,000 in Fuerteventura.
