Article January 30, 2021

Dating Services in Colombia: What You Need to Know

For foreigners seeking romance in Colombia through dating services in Colombia, there are several resources available to help you find that special someone. Whether you’re interested in a potential long-term partner or a passionate fling, Colombian dating services can significantly speed up your search.

However, before your first encounter, you should follow a few important rules and tips. Additionally, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with the best dating apps available in Colombia. With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of dos and don’ts for dating Colombians, along with some useful tips to help you make a great first impression.

First, let’s look at Colombia’s most popular dating apps.

Dating apps in Colombia

Tinder

Tinder is by far Colombia’s most popular dating app. Swiping right remains one of the easiest ways to find dates across a variety of ages and preferences in both Colombian cities and small towns.

If you’re looking for something casual at first and aren’t motivated to begin a serious relationship, Tinder is your best bet for matching Colombians with similar intentions.

Bumble

Bumble is used by many Colombians to find long-lasting love. The platform is set up so that women have to message first when matching, and only have 24 hours to do so. Many Colombians – irrespective of gender – like this model as it encourages more meaningful engagement with their matches to foreigners.

If you’re planning to stay in Colombia for the medium to long term and want to make a real connection with a Latino or Latina, you could do worse than getting a Bumble account.

Colombian Cupid

Colombian Cupid has been purpose-built to match Colombian women with their ideal foreign man, and vice versa. If you’re a man looking for your perfect Latina partner, Colombian Cupid has over 2 million singles using its platform. It boasts a range of service features that tailor your results to what you’re looking for in a Colombian girlfriend or future wife.

Speed dating in Colombia

If you’re not into using technology and want to start the dating process face-to-face, speed dating events are alive and kicking in Colombia’s big cities.

Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and Barranquilla all have regular speed dating nights that attract a blend of Colombian and foreign singles to come and seek romance. Depending on your level of Spanish and the type of speed dating event you attend, you can ask to be placed with bilingual or partially English-speaking Colombians so that your 5-minute conversation is of decent quality.

Helpful tips for dating Colombians

Learn the language

Knowing some Spanish goes a long way if you are serious about finding love or simply charming a Colombian. Independent of your date’s gender, attempting to speak Spanish shows that you’re both interested in immersing yourself in Colombian culture and properly getting to know them.

It might make the first few encounters awkward, but trying out some Spanish phrases and questions will go a long way. On the whole, Colombians are very patriotic, so slipping in a few Colombian phrases will get you big brownie points.

Beware of timekeeping

This might be an unfair stereotype, but I’ve heard enough anecdotal evidence of this to fill a book: Colombians, generally speaking, are fashionably late to many events.

If you like to be on time or see lateness as a sign of rudeness, prepare yourself for potential disappointment. And it’s best not to bring up your annoyance on the first date. Remember that your customs are different from your dates’. Who knows, their more laissez-faire approach to timekeeping could become an endearing quality in the future.

Speak highly of Colombia

As I said above, Colombians are patriotic. Every day at 6 am and 6 pm, the national anthem spills out from Colombian radio stations, while flags and emblems of national pride are plastered across buses, buildings and homes.

If you have concerns about Colombian culture, it’s best to keep them to yourself or express them diplomatically. For instance, many foreigners find Colombian food unappealing. Sharing negative opinions unprompted may come off as offensive, as Colombians are sensitive to outside perceptions due to the country’s recent history.

Learn the dating customs

This is by no means true in every case, but certain chivalrous traits still exist within Colombian dating. For instance, it’s not uncommon for men to pay for dinners and date activities. Also, it’s not uncommon for straight foreign men to meet their Colombian date’s family within their first few dates.

As I said, this isn’t true for everyone. However, it’s important to establish boundaries before going on your first date. This way, each of you is aware of what the other is comfortable and not comfortable with.

Signing off

Dating in Colombia is an exciting experience. The best way to get the most out of potential Colombian romance is to embrace new norms and use the range of dating services available.

If you’ve already found love and are looking to stay in Colombia, expatgroup.co is a specialist in helping foreigners get R-type and M-type Marriage visas. If you need help getting either of these visas, book an appointment to speak to one of our consultants today.