We provide a comprehensive Colombia visa guide that shows how to get a Colombian visa with all the possible options and tips for getting a visa in Colombia. There are many posts and articles in English found on the Internet with out-of-date information about Colombian visas.
Colombia completely changed its visa rules in October 2022 but there are still literally hundreds of posts and articles found on the Internet that still have old Colombian visa information. Even some of the Colombian visa agencies have outdated information on their websites that cover the old TP visas. If a post or article talks about TP visas has completely out-of-date information.
Medellin Guru has received hundreds of visa questions over the past two years. So, we now have a comprehensive series of up-to-date visa and passport articles to answer your visa questions.
But even with our series of visa articles, we receive over 100 questions about Colombian visas monthly. As a result, we published this comprehensive Colombia visa guide with tips for getting a Colombian visa that should answer many frequetly asked questions.
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Claim Your 40% OFF*Valid until January 31stColombia Visa Guide: Colombian Visa Types
According to Resolucion 5477 (Resolution 5477), Colombia changed its visa rules. Now, in Colombia exists just three types:
Visitor (V)
Migrant (M)
Resident (R)
There are currently 25 different categories of visitor visas, in addition to other courtesy visitor visa. Moreover, there are 14 different categories of migrant visas and finally 4 categories of resident visas.
Has the visa process changed in Colombia due to the new Resolution 5477?
According to expatgroup.co, 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 categories and types, for example, the R type visa for Colombian child, it is now M Type.
Colombia Visa Guide: Migrant (M) Visas
There are 14 different conditions (categories) of Colombian M visas:
This visa legalizes the staying for foreign spouses, fostering family unity under Colombian law.
For foreigners who have a common-law relationship with Colombian citizens.
Be a Colombian national’s father, mother or son by adoption.
Be a Colombian national’s father or mother by birth granting foreign parents the opportunity to nurture their roots in Colombia.
Be a national of one of the States party to the “Agreement on Residence for nationals of Mercosur, Bolivia and Chile”
For nationals of any of the States party to the “Andean Migratory Statute”.
Be recognized as a refugee in Colombia according to the current regulations.
Have permanent employment in Colombia or long-term, by virtue of a labor relationship or contracting of services rendered with natural or legal person domiciled in Colombia.
Have constituted or acquired participation in the capital stock in a commercial company valued at least 100 times the minimum monthly wage in Colombia.
Have qualification or expertise to practice a profession independently. This is similar to the former TP-13 visa.
Receive a pension for retirement. A pension must be at least three times the minimum monthly wage in Colombia.
For foreigners with a master’s degree, doctorate or postdoctoral training in basic or applied sciences, engineering, mathematics and related fields, whose profiles are in line with the priorities required by the country in its internationalization plans.
Have registered foreign direct investment in real estate for at least 350 times the minimum monthly wage in Colombia (350 SMMLV, or 455.000.000 COP approximately) or have invested at least 650 times the minimum monthly wage in Colombia (650 SMMLV, or 845,000,000 COP approximately) in a colombian company.
For foreigners who the Colombian State has granted stateless status.
More Details about Colombia M Visas
The biggest change for M visas compared to old TP visas is that many of the new M visas could be valid for up to three years. But a new change in Resolution 5477 is a requirement of Health Insurance for visas including the retirement visa.
Many Medellin Guru readers have asked about health insurance needed for visas. We reviewed many options and now we offer a relatively inexpensive travel insurance policy that meets the health insurance requirement for Colombian visas with our partner Assist Card.
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Some Migrant visas will have an open work permit, which allows visa holders to carry out any lawful work activity in Colombia. So, if you have a marriage visa you can work in Colombia.
The M Type work visa or practicing professional can only work for the specific position, entity, or profession for which the visa was granted. The M Type business visa holder can only work for the company in which they are a partner or shareholder.
Furthermore, if you leave Colombia for more than six consecutive months with a M Type visa, the visa expires and is no longer valid.
Colombia Visa Guide: Resident (R) Visas
The Colombia resident visa (R Type visa), which in Colombia is essentially the same as the previous RE (resident) visa. There are four categories of R visas according with the new Resolution 5477:
Returning Colombian – In some cases, Colombians living in other countries were required to renounce their Colombian citizenship when becoming citizens of their adopted countries.
Has held a M visa category continuously and uninterrupted for two, three, or five years, according to visa type. For example, if it is retirement needs five years, but if it is a marriage visa, only three.
For Venezuelan citizens under the Temporary Protection Status for Venezuelan Migrants.
For those foreigners who belong to the FARC-EP and who have completed the process of laying down their arms.
In addition, if you depart Colombia for more than two years with an R Type visa, the visa will expire and become invalid.
Colombia Visa Guide: Visitor (V) Visas
The Colombian visitor visa (V Type visa) can be granted for 25 different activities as follows:
Carry out direct transit in one of the airports of Colombia and destined for a third country.
Visit Colombia for leisure, tourism, or cultural interest purposes.
Participate in an academic exchange program, advance training in art or trade, or undertake different studies such as Spanish classes or in a primary, secondary, or undergraduate higher education program.
Conduct business management, including business negotiations, market studies, plans or procedures of direct investment and constitution of commercial society, negotiation, conclusion of contracts, or commercial representation.
Attend medical consultation, intervention, or treatment.
Carry out administrative and/or judicial proceedings before entities or authorities in Colombia.
Enter and work in Colombian jurisdictional waters as a boat crew member or offshore platform.
To carry out seasonal agricultural work under programs established by the government.
Participate in an event as a lecturer, exhibitor, artist, athlete, jury, contestant, or logistical staff.
To work in a religious ministry or as a missionary of a spiritual entity duly recognized by the Colombian State.
To enter and remain in the country as a volunteer or student in religious training or to conduct theological studies in an institute or church organization.
Volunteer in development cooperation projects or in the promotion and protection of human rights.
Perform audiovisual production or digital content.
Working remotely for foreign companies from Colombia.
Stay temporarily as a foreign media correspondent.
Perform journalistic coverage or stay temporarily as a foreign media correspondent.
To provide technical assistance to a legal entity in Colombia.
Hold a position in a Colombian branch of a company with a presence abroad, by virtue of inter-corporate transfer of personnel.
Coming as a foreign government official or foreign government trade representative, on a mission that does not imply accreditation to the Colombian government.
Visit Colombia under holiday-work programs agreed by Colombia with other States through treaties in force.
For internship activities in companies established in Colombia.
To work temporarily in Colombia under a contract to render services, work, or labor.
For productive, innovative, or research activities oriented to the adoption or adaptation of technologies that complement or develop products, processes, or services that contribute to strengthening the country’s competitiveness.
For foreigners who receive a periodic and variable income from a creditable legal source.
Cases and circumstances not provided for in Resolution 5477, on an exceptional basis and upon assessment by the Visa and Immigration Authority.
In addition, there are other additional categories of courtesy visas where a V Type visa may be issued. For example, one category of courtesy visa is for artistic, technical and foreign production personnel who enter Colombia for projects of production and filming of foreign cinematographic works.
A V Type visa may be valid for up to two years, considering the activity proposed by the foreigner.
How to Apply for a Colombian Visa
You can apply for a Colombian 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.
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.
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Is a Lawyer Required for Visa Services in Colombia?
The simple answer is NO. In Colombia, a lawyer is not really needed for most visa services. The application forms are relatively straightforward and the process and documents required are pretty well-defined.
Lawyers are typically only needed in complex immigration cases in Colombia. And lawyers are not really needed for most visas that are relatively straightforward like digital nomad visa, student visa, retirement visa, marriage visa or resident visa.
So, several visa agencies in Colombia exist that specialize in providing visa services at lower costs than the law firms.
We previously looked at visa agencies in Medellín and Colombia. You can find visa agencies in several cities in Colombia.
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What Colombia Visa Services are Offered?
Each of the visa agencies and law firms in Colombia generally offer similar Colombia visa packages that typically include:
- Virtual or in-person meeting with agency or law firm to discuss your visa application.
- Provide a list of documents required for your visa.
- Initial review of documents for your visa.
- Provide templates for some required documents.
- Review your visa application to ensure maximum probability of approval.
- Apply for your visa online.
- Visa registration and cedula application – assist with documents and schedule appointment with Migracion.
In addition, visa agencies provide additional services including translations and helping to get documents notarized and apostilled.
What are the Colombia Visa Fees?
It is also important to understand that the fee paid to visa agencies is not the total Colombian visa cost.
There are also goverment fees paid to the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores) for the visa application, such as study fees and issuance fees. You may need to pay other fees as translation fees, notary fees, apostille fees, document fees and delivery charges. Also, you must pay the foreigner ID fee to Migración Colombia to get the Cédula de Extranjería. Fees for a visa typically include:
- Visa service fee which is the fee paid to a visa agency or law firm for visa services. This can range from about $160 to $2,000 depending on the company used.
- The government study fee is paid as part of the original application and is usually $66 for most visas.
- The government visa issuance fees vary depending on your nationality, the type of visa or category. This is paid after your visa is approved.
- Translations are required for documentation needed for a visa that is in a language other than Spanish and you should use a translator certified by the Colombian government.
- Notary fees are required for most visa applications. And notarizations are certifications by an official notary that verifies the identity of a person signing a document.
- Apostilles are used to validate documents from other countries to be used in Colombia.
- Delivery services may be needed for your visa application to deliver documents needed for your visa application.
- There is a charge of 267,000 Colombian pesos for a cedula that is required after you receive your visa. We have a separate guide to obtaining a cedula.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Colombian Visa and Cedula?
The time required to receive a Colombian visa varies. The following are some approximate times for the different steps in the visa process when using a visa agency:
- Gather all the required documents including notarizations, apostilles and translations (if needed) – one day to four weeks.
- Submit the online visa application – most visa agencies do this within 24 hours after receiving all the required documents.
- Receive visa approval from the Colombian government – this can take one week, 30 days, or longer if an other documents are required.
- Register visa and apply for cedula – this should be done within 15 days.
- Receive cedula – this typically take 5 to 10 calendar days.
So, the total time to obtain a Colombian visa and cedula typically is from one to two months. However, this can take longer, particularly for complex application processes. We recommend you ask experts to help make the process fast and effective. Click on the green button bellow and we redirect you with our reliable partner expatgroup.co.
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Claim Your 40% OFF*Valid until January 31stIs 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
Colombia Visa Guide: Visa Tips
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.
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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.
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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
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:
- Colombia Visa Guide: Ultimate Guide How to Get a Colombian Visa
- How to Obtain a Colombian Visa with Up-to-Date Info – an overview of all the Colombian visas
- Popular Colombian Visas for Foreigners: Which Visa is the Most Popular?
- Coronavirus Impacts on Colombian Visas and Tourist Visas
- Visa Agencies: A Guide to Visa Agencies in Medellín and Colombia
- 9Common Colombian Visa Mistakes: How to Avoid Them
We have looked in detail at the nine most popular Colombian visas used by foreigners:
- Digital Nomad Visa
- Retirement visa
- Marriage visa
- Investment visa
- Business Visa
- Resident visa
- Work visa
- Student visa
- Visitor visa
Also, we have looked in detail at three additional Colombian visas, which are less popular for foreigners:
- Rentista visa (annuity visa) – for foreigners with a fixed income
- Beneficiary visa – for relatives of visa holders
- Expertise visa – for professionals
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.
The Bottom Line: The Ultimate Colombia Visa Guide – How to Get a Colombian Visa
Medellin Guru has received hundreds of visa questions over the past two years. So, we now have a comprehensive series of up-to-date visa and passport articles including this Colombia visa guide that should answer most questions. Also, we partnered with a visa agency that can answer your visa questions.
Colombia has many visa options for foreigners who wish to stay in Colombia for a longer period than the 180-day maximum per year as a tourist.
In addition, obtaining a Colombian visa is relatively easy with fewer documents required than many other countries. Also, the visa costs in Colombia are lower than in many other countries in Latin America. Furthermore, the Colombian visa process is streamlined with online applications and is relatively fast.
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