What is the Future of the Colombia Check-MIG?

Colombia is a popular travel destination right now, because it does not require negative COVID-19 test results for entry and because most travelers don’t need a visa to Colombia.

However, there is a small but significant hitch when it comes to traveling to Colombia. One of the documents required for entry, the Check-MIG, can be hard to fill out.

Here’s what travelers need to know about the Check-MIG form before they decide to travel to Colombia.

What is the Check-MIG?

The Colombia Entry Form or Check-MIG form is required by all international travelers planning to enter the country. It is required because it reduces direct interaction time at the border.

The form’s purpose is to keep people safe from COVID-19 while still making sure that Colombia’s borders are safe and secure. The form asks all sorts of travel questions, such as which flights a traveler is arriving on and how they can be contacted while in Colombia.

This is information that immigration officials used to ask for during face-to-face interactions. Now, the form must be filled out within 24 hours of traveling to Colombia. Otherwise, travelers may not be allowed to board their flights to the country and will be denied entry, too.

Will the Check-MIG be Around Long Term?

It has been rears and the Check Mig system for Colombia is still active. Colombians may use it long-term as a means to control the health of its visitors.

This may help them curve against any future viral diseases. The truth is, we don’t know if it’s a permanent measure. As of now, it’s still a requirement and it must be done before departing. Failure to have the Check Mig can result in not being able to board the flight to Colombia.

Check Mig in 2023

The Colombia Check Mig form has undergone a transformation since its inception during the COVID-19 pandemic. While it initially focused on gathering information related to the virus, it no longer includes COVID-19 specific questions. Instead, the Check Mig now functions primarily as a passenger locator, allowing the Colombian authorities to track and manage incoming travelers more effectively. This shift reflects the changing landscape of global travel and underscores the importance of maintaining a streamlined and efficient system for monitoring visitors entering the country.

What’s Wrong with the Check-MIG?

While the Check-MIG form is a great idea in theory (and, indeed, similar ideas have been implemented around the world), it is not such a great idea in practice.

The biggest problem is that the website, which users must access to fill out their Check-MIG, does not always work. The site is buggy, working fine for some travelers and not for others.

Some of the data fields do not work, or only work part of the time. On top of that, there’s absolutely no customer service. People who have problems with the form don’t have anywhere to turn. This can put entire vacations in jeopardy. 

When people have to show proof of filing their Check-MIG before they board their flight, a buggy site with zero customer service is not what they need! Imagine having to cancel an international trip at the last minute, just because a website won’t work!

As more and more travelers experience issues with the Check-MIG form, the word is getting out about how difficult the website is to use. When these experiences spread, people are dissuaded from traveling to Colombia. Instead of having a travel boom because of COVID-19, the country could experience a travel bust!

People choose to travel to Colombia right now because it is easier than other destinations.

Since the government does not require a negative COVID test and most people don’t need visas, entering Colombia is supposed to be easier than entering some other countries. With the Check-MIG problems, though, traveling to Colombia may actually be more difficult!

What Needs to Happen with the Check-MIG?

The website for the Check-MIG needs to be fixed or replaced. It’s really as simple as that. There’s no other way around it.

The website does not work, and it definitely does not work well enough for a form that is required of all international travelers.

Until the form is updated, the Colombian government needs to provide 24-hour customer service in multiple languages for all the people struggling to fill out their form.

They may even need to implement a free service where travelers can hand over their data to someone else and have that person fill out the form for them. The only other option, until the site is fixed, is to make the Check-MIG NOT mandatory.

That way, travelers who cannot get the form to work could still visit Colombia. They would just have to have more face-to-face time at the border. Under the specter of COVID-19, this is not an ideal solution for either immigration officials or travelers.

However, it is a better option than limiting the number of people who can visit Colombia simply because the form does not work.

Getting a new, improved website will take a significant investment. However, that will be worth it when everyone who wants to enter Colombia can do so, without extra stress and anxiety.

Known Check-MIG Issues

There are a number of known issues with the Check-MIG form. Here’s what is known and any known resolutions or workarounds for the issues, too!

Problem 1: The website does not send a confirmation email, and registering again produces a “duplicate record” error.

Solution 1: Many airlines are allowing passengers to board planes based on the “duplicate record” error. However, this is not certain.

Travelers report this problem more often with the Check-MIG app rather than the website. It may be better to fill out the form online, though this option may have issues, too.

Problem 2: Some words on the form are in Spanish even when travelers indicate that they want the English version.

Solution 2: The best option is to copy the Spanish words, put them in Google Translate, and get the English equivalent. This is time-consuming, but it’s the best workaround to date.

Problem 3: The form does not recognize some flight numbers.

Solution 3: Travelers need to try to enter their flight numbers in a variety of ways. If the flight number is UA 273, they should try “UA 273”, “UA-273”, “273”, and “UA273”.

There is no guarantee that any form will work, but some travelers do report eventual success using this method.

Travelers also need to make sure that they are entering the flight number that will actually land in Colombia. If they start out on a different flight, that number will not work.

Problem 4: Some data fields do not work.

Solution 4: Travelers should try different browsers, use the app, etc. Some people find that different fields work better when accessed in different ways, though this is inconsistent.

Problem 5: The site is not easy to follow or user-friendly. 

Solution 5: There are a number of video walkthroughs available for the Check-MIG form. Confused travelers should find one of these and follow it as they fill out the form.

Conclusion

Colombia remains an attractive travel destination due to its relaxed entry requirements, the Check-MIG form presents a significant obstacle for many travelers. The form’s website is known for its technical issues and lack of customer support, which can jeopardize entire trips. To ensure a smooth travel experience and boost tourism, the Colombian government needs to address these issues by improving the website or providing alternative solutions for visitors. As it stands, the problematic Check-MIG form threatens to deter potential tourists, despite the country’s appealing entry policies.