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Once a foreigner receives a Migrant (M) or Resident (R) visa or a few types of Visitor (V) visa, some family members of this foreigner become eligible for a Colombia beneficiary visa. Follow our guide to obtain a Colombia beneficiary visa, updated for 2024.

The Colombia beneficiary visa is intended for foreigners who are economic dependents and family members of another foreigner with an M or R visa or a few types of V visa.

Several questions have been received from Medellin Guru readers about visas for relatives. So, we now cover the Colombia beneficiary visa.

As a general rule, spouses and permanent companions, children under 25 years of age or older, when they have a disability that prevents them from being economically independent, may apply for the beneficiary visa.

For example, if a foreigner receives a Migrant investor visa, his/her spouse, children (under age 25) become eligible for a Colombia beneficiary visa.

All the M and R visas listed in our article about Colombia visas are eligible  to obtain a beneficiary visa. Also, the Visitor (V) visas in the following categories are eligible for beneficiary visas:

In addition, the Colombia beneficiary visa is relatively easy to get. However, holders of a beneficiary visa are not permitted to work in Colombia.

Colombia changed its visa rules, which went into effect on October 21, 2022.

Has the visa process changed in Colombia due to the new Resolution 5477?

According to ExpatGroup, the visa agency we partnered with, tells us that with the new resolution, the government has introduced new application requirements, in addition to having eliminated some visas, such as the M student visa, and changed the category, for example, the R type visa for Colombian child, it is now M category.

The visa agency we partnered with has helped many foreigners obtain visas during the pandemic including retirementmarriagestudentinvestment and resident visas.

Applying for a visa
Applying for a Colombia beneficiary visa

How to Apply for a Colombia Beneficiary Visa

You can apply for a Colombia beneficiary visa online. In addition, you can obtain Colombian visas at Colombian consulates around the world. In the U.S., Colombia has consulates located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, Newark, New York, San Francisco, and Washington DC.

The Colombian visa process is fairly easy as it’s done online. You can apply for a Colombia visa online here. This application will require scans of all required documents in PDF files plus the photo in jpg format. In addition, a detailed guide for applying online is found here.

Visas in Colombia are issued by the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores. Since the coronavirus, all visas are issued electronically, so you do not have to travel to Bogota for the stamp.

I successfully obtained three Colombian visas that I applied for my own in the past that were good for a total of five years. But the biggest challenge with doing a Colombian visa yourself is not benefiting from the experiences of a visa agency, which has processed hundreds of visas and knows exactly what is needed for each type of visa.

Also another big benefit of using a visa agency is that they help you gather all the information and documents necessary for the student visa application. The cost of the service includes immigration advice, visa application, visa registration, and application for a foreigner identification card.

So, for my latest visa received in 2018, a Colombia resident visa, I used a visa agency. And I found the experience painless and now highly recommend using a visa service over doing a Colombia visa application yourself. The bottom line is with a visa agency you are less likely to run into problems and you can avoid a trip to Bogotá.

Medellin Guru Visa Service

The visa agency we partnered with has helped 1.893 Medellin Guru reader


Celebrate expatgroup.co's
6th anniversary

Enjoy up to 40% OFF on your selected visa service

by sending a video and a written review.

Claim Your 40% OFF*Valid until January 31st

Documents Required for the Colombia Beneficiary Visa

Documents required for the beneficiary visa include:

  • Photo

    Passport-style face photo with a white background, 3 cm width X 4 cm height, maximum 300 kb jpg file size for online application.

  • Passport

    Photocopy of the first page of your passport with a minimum validity of 6 months where your personal data is displayed.

  • Passport stamp

    Photocopy of the page of your passport with the last stamp of entry or departure of Colombia is located.

  • Colombian ID

    Copy of the visa and cedula de extranjeria of the principal holder of which you wish to be a beneficiary.

  • Relationship Certificate

    Authentic copy of the Act or Civil Registry certifying kinship or marital certificate with the main holder. If this is a foreign document, it must be apostilled and official translated into Spanish.

  • Letter

    Written communication signed by the principal visa holder applying for the beneficiary visa and making a declaration of dependence and economic responsibility for the expenses inherent to the trip and/or stay of the beneficiary in the national territory.

  • Visa

    If you’ve had a previous Colombian visa, a photocopy of this visa.

Medellin Guru Insurance Service

Medellin Guru partnered with an insurance agent to offer Colombian insurance services to foreigners including health insurance, auto insurance, homeowners’ insurance, travel insurance and life insurance.​

Is It Mandatory to Provide a Criminal Background Check for a Colombian Visa?

Criminal background checks have long been mandatory for retirement and rentista visas in Colombia. However, starting in 2024, this requirement expanded to include digital nomad visas, and in 2025, it has broadened further to cover nearly all visa categories. Applicants from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom are among the most impacted, but these changes are increasingly affecting foreigners from all nationalities.

ARTICLE 26. CONSULTATION OF JUDICIAL OR CRIMINAL RECORD. The Visa and Immigration Authority may verify online the judicial record of the visa applicant in the database of the Colombian National Police and other databases to which it may have access, or require the applicant to submit a record from his country of nationality or residence.

Treat this requirement as essential when applying for a Colombia Visa. It’s important to understand that even if your visa application does not explicitly require a Background Check, you must provide one immediately if requested by the Chancellery. The government is committed to ensuring the safety of both locals and foreigners, and it’s crucial to align with their efforts. Being proactive about this documentation will strengthen your application process.

For U.S. citizens or individuals who have recently lived in the United States, obtaining an FBI Background Check remains a critical step. Fortunately, expatgroup.co offers services to assist with this process, simplifying compliance with these updated immigration requirements. No matter your specific situation, the most important factor is ensuring that your fingerprints are taken correctly in Colombia.

 Using a professional service guarantees accuracy and comfort, allowing you to confidently meet this crucial requirement and avoid potential delays in your legal and personal processes.

FBI Background Check Service

  • Filling out the FBI form
  • Fingerprinting (Medellín)
  • International shipment to USA
  • FBI criminal record certificate
  • Authentication of the certificate through a public notary in the USA
  • Apostille certificate
  • Official translations into Spanish

Using a Visa Agency to Obtain a Colombian Visa

If you are in Colombia, you can use a visa agency to obtain a Colombia visa. A visa agency can handle the online application and ensure you have the required paperwork.

Medellin Guru has partnered with what we believe is the best visa agency in Medellín to offer Colombia visa services. Features of this service include:

  • Online chat – get visa questions answered fast.
  • Online quotes – get immediate visa quotes.
  • Office in El Poblado in Medellín.
  • Competitive price compared to other visa services.
medellin guru visa service

Successfully Approved Visas

1
after launching our partnership with expatgroup.co

 

Through this service we have helped

1
Medellin Guru readers with their immigration processes

Digital Nomad

0

Retirement

0

Marriage

0

Beneficiary

0

Permanent Partner

0

Investment

0

Student

0

Resident

0

Business

0

Tourism

0

Rentist

0

Work

0
114
American Passports Renewed
117
Tourism Stamp Extension

We reviewed all the Colombia visa agency services in Medellín and found one agency that offers a more efficient visa service with more features and more comprehensive communications including online chat, WhatsApp, video call, email and phone plus a low price and a convenient office in El Poblado.

Our visa partnership is an affiliate relationship (like the Amazon affiliate program). If you use our visa partner, Medellin Guru receives a small commission and you support the website. This is at no additional cost to you. The price remains the same whether you use a button or affiliate link on this website or not.

Furthermore, the partner visa agency offers visa services anywhere in Colombia. So, if you are located in another city in Colombia, you can use this service.

Medellin Guru Visa Service

The visa agency we partnered with has helped 1.893 Medellin Guru reader


Celebrate expatgroup.co's
6th anniversary

Enjoy up to 40% OFF on your selected visa service

by sending a video and a written review.

Claim Your 40% OFF*Valid until January 31st
New entrance to Migracion Colombia in Medellín, on Calle 19A
New entrance to Migracion Colombia in Medellín, on Calle 19A

Getting a Colombian Cedula

After you have successfully received your Colombian Visa you normally have a maximum of 15 calendar days to register your visa with Migración Colombia to get a Cedula de Extranjeria (Colombian ID for foreigners). Or if you received your visa at a consulate, you will have 15 calendar days after you arrive in Colombia to register your visa.

Especially relevant, it is very important to register your Colombian Beneficiary visa within the allotted time frame. If not, you will be liable for a big fine of up to seven times the minimum monthly salary in Colombia. The minimum salary in Colombia is $1,300,000 COP per month in 2024. So, the fine is up to 9,100,000 COP pesos in 2024.

Due to being photographed and fingerprinted this must be done in-person at a Migración Colombia office.

To register your visa and apply for a cedula this must be done at one of the Migración Colombia offices. You can find Migración Colombia offices in major cities in Colombia.

  • Barranquilla – Carrera 42 # 54-77, Barrio El Recreo
  • Bogotá – Calle 100 #11B-27
  • Cali – Avenida 3 norte # 50N-20
  • Cartagena – Carrera 20 B # 29-18, Barrio pie de la Popa
  • Medellín – Calle 19 #80A-40, Barrio Belén (the entrance is on the other side of the building on Calle 19A)

A complete list of the Migración Colombia offices is found here. In addition, we have a guide to applying for a Cedula Extranjeria in Colombia.  

Dual citizenship is possible
Dual citizenship is possible

Dual Citizenship

After having an migrant (M) retirement visa for five years you are eligible to receive a resident (R) visa. And after having an R visa for five years you can apply to become a citizen of Colombia.

Also, you won’t have to give up your existing citizenship. Colombia permits dual-citizenship, as does the U.S. and many other countries.

Once you become a dual citizen with Colombian citizenship, you will no longer need to deal with visas anymore. Also, you will be able to travel to a few counties as a Colombian citizen without a visa such as Russia, which require a visa for U.S. citizens.

Also, if you have Colombian citizenship, this benefits you with the Mercosur trade block. Nationals of Member States (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) and Associated States (Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) do not need a passport or visa to travel around the region, with only a national identity card required. 

In addition, the Mercosur Agreement grants the right to residence and work for citizens with no requirement other than nationality. Citizens of the Member States and Associated States that are part of the agreement enjoy a facilitated procedure for applying for a residence visa, as long as they have a valid passport, birth certificate and a negative certificate of criminal record.

To become a citizen, Colombia requires a citizenship test, just like the U.S. does. You will be required to pass a test related to Colombian history, geography and the constitution. Also, a basic Spanish oral test is required. Those who have a bachelor’s degree from a Colombian university or are over 65 years old are exempt from these tests.

Medellin Guru's comprehensive visa and passport series

The Colombian visa changes that went into effect in October 2022 were significant. So, on the Medellin Guru site, we have a comprehensive series of visa articles that are kept up-to-date and should answer most visa questions. These articles include:

We have looked in detail at the nine most popular Colombian visas used by foreigners:

  1. Digital Nomad Visa
  2. Retirement visa
  3. Marriage visa
  4. Investment visa
  5. Business Visa
  6. Resident visa
  7. Work visa
  8. Student visa
  9. Visitor visa

Also, we have looked in detail at three additional Colombian visas, which are less popular for foreigners:

In addition, we have a guide to Colombia tourist visas and how to extend a tourist visa. Also, we have a guide to renewing U.S. passports in Colombia and a guide to obtaining a Colombian passport.

Furthermore, we provide information about travel insurance that meets the insurance requirement for Colombian visas. And we have a guide to how apply for a cedula extranjeria in Colombia and a guide to using notaries in Medellín and Colombia. Finally, Medellin Guru has partnered with a visa agency to offer Colombia visa services.

All of our Colombia visa articles are up to date (2024) and constantly receive updates in 2025.

Obtaining a Colombia visa
Obtaining a Colombia Visa

The Bottom Line: Obtaining a Colombia Beneficiary Visa

Colombia’s beneficiary visa is relatively easy to obtain, with minimal documentation required. However, the beneficiary visa requires a relative to first acquire a Migrant (M) or Resident (R) visa or certain types of Visitor (V) visa.

Colombia’s visa costs are lower than those in many other Latin American countries. Additionally, the Colombian visa process is relatively fast and streamlined, with online applications.

The visa agency we have partnered with has assisted numerous Medellin Guru readers in obtaining various visas, including beneficiary visas.

Medellin Guru Visa Service

The visa agency we partnered with has helped 1.893 Medellin Guru reader

Editors note: updated on February 28, 2023 with updated information regarding new visa rules. 

Editors note: updated on June 28, 2023, with new images.

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