As a general rule, workers who move abroad are subject to the Social Security legislation of the country where they are working.  However, if this is a temporary transfer, they can remain under Spanish legislation under the terms and requirements given below:

It is only applicable to Spanish and Colombian workers

Initial move

For employees who work for a Spanish company and are sent to work temporarily in Colombia and for workers who are self-employed in Spain and temporarily move to Colombia to work, the corresponding transfer certificate should be applied for at the Provincial Directorate or Administrative Office of the Treasury General of the Social Security.

Application form

The company or self-employed worker must make the application using form TA.200 "Application to remain under Spanish Social Security legislation - Initial expatriations" together with the certificate E/COL.1(Cert.), filled out in triplicate.

The form issued by the local Provincial or Administrative Office certifies that the worker continues to be subject to Spanish Social Security legislation during his or her stay in that country and therefore is exempt from Colombian Social Security contributions.

Period of authorisation 

The maximum length of time for the transfer is three years.

Ordinary extension

If employees or self-employed workers must extend their stay in that country for more than the initial three years, the employer or worker must apply three months before the end of the authorised period for an extension to remain under Spanish Social Security legislation from the General Sub-Directorate for Affiliation and Special Procedures of the Treasury General of the Social Security.

Application form

The application for an extension must be made using form TA.202 "Application to remain under Spanish Social Security legislation in accordance with the terms of art.17 of EEC Regulations 1408/71 and other extensions of Bilateral Agreements".

The maximum length of time for the extension is three years.

Other transfers

The Provincial or Administrative Offices of the Social Security Treasury General.

Are the bodies with the power to authorise transfers for:

• Itinerant personnel of air transport companies with headquarters in Spain who work in both countries.
• Salaried workers who work on board a ship with the Colombian flag but who are paid by a company or person domiciled in Spain.
• Spanish workers who are resident in Spain and work for a mixed fishing company constituted in Colombia and on a boat flying the Colombian flag

The authorisation is issued on form E/COL.1(Cert.), "Certificate of applicable legislation". The company must fill out this form in triplicate, together with form TA.200.

General Sub-Directorate for Affiliation and Special Procedures.

For the transfer of:

• Spanish civil servants sent to Colombia, excluding the personnel of Diplomatic Missions and Consulates.
• Those sent on missions of cooperation,

the General Sub-Directorate for Affiliation and Special Procedures will issue form E/COL.1(Cert.) for the full duration of their stay, upon the request of the Public Body, company or worker. Together with this form, filled out in triplicate, they must also have application form TA-200.

For the transfer of:

• Spanish citizens who work in Spanish Diplomatic Missions or Consular Offices in Colombia and
• Personnel in the private service of representatives of these Missions or Offices who are Spanish citizens

who opt for Spanish Social Security legislation, the General Sub-Directorate for Affiliation and Special Procedures of the Treasury General of the Social Security will issue form E/COL.3(Cert.) ,"Exercising the right to an option", in triplicate, for the duration of their transfer, at the request of the Public Body or the worker.

Other exceptions

Applications for other exceptions are processed by the General Sub-Directorate for Affiliation and Special Procedures of the Treasury General of the Social Security.

The company or self-employed worker must make the application on form TA.202 "Application to remain under Spanish Social Security legislation under |art.  17 of EEC Regulation 1408/71 and other extensions of Bilateral Agreements".

Once the Columbian Social Security system has given its consent, the General Sub-Directorate for Affiliation and Special Procedures of the Treasury General of the Social Security will issue form E/COL.2(Cert.), certifying that the worker continues to be subject to Spanish Social Security legislation for the authorised period.