Colombia offers tourist visas to citizens of many countries good for 90 days. It is possible to extend a tourist visa by 90 days for a total of 180 days. Follow our guide to extend a tourist visa that is updated for 2023.
Colombia offers instant tourist visas to citizens of many countries that are good for 90 days. These “tourist visas” are really just a stamp in your passport and aren’t really visas. And it is quite easy to extend a Colombian tourist visa to enable staying in Colombia a maximum of 180 days in a year.
There are over 90 countries, whose citizens can enter Colombia without a visa and receive a “tourist visa” stamp. The countries include Australia, Brazil, Canada Chile, Ecuador, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Peru, Russia, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States plus over 80 more countries.
However, if you are a tourist from Canada, you used to have to pay an entry fee of 201,000 pesos. But this entry fee didn’t apply to Canadians over the age of 79 or younger than 14. Also, this entry fee for Canadians was eliminated on May 1, 2019.
When you enter Colombia as a tourist, an immigration official will stamp your passport and normally write that it is good for 90 days. But this is at the discretion of the official and occasionally may be shorter.
I have lived in Medellín for several years with visas. Before this time, I had tourist visa stamps and extended these several times. This article has been updated with the online process to renew a Colombia “tourist visa” stamp. There is no longer the need to go to a Migracion Colombia office to renew a “tourist visa” stamp unless you have problems online.
Many websites incorrectly call this a “tourist visa” but it isn’t really a visa. It is a tourist permit that is just a stamp in your passport. It isn’t a visa and Colombia has many types of visas that require visa applications.
Note the above photo shows two 90-day Colombian tourist permit stamps in a passport.
However, instead of extending your tourist visa stamp, there are over 20 different types of Colombian visas. We have a comprehensive guide to Colombian visas.
How Long Can You Normally Stay as a Tourist in Colombia?
The current tourist rule is that you can stay in Colombia as a tourist for a maximum of 180 days in a calendar year (January 1 to December 31).
In addition, you can’t stay for more than 180 days consecutively, even if this is across two years. This 180 day limit is the time you actually spend in Colombia including arrival and departure days. This count isn’t the time stamped on your passport on the tourist permit stamp, it’s your actual time spent in Colombia.
For example, if you arrive on November 1, 2022 you will have to depart at the end of February 2023, even though you were in Colombia in 2023 for less than six months. But you could leave Colombia for 24 hours and come back with a “tourist visa” stamp for another 90 days in 2023, as this resets the “tourist clock”.
There is no penalty for applying early for a tourist visa/permit extension. And the 90-day visa extension is added to the day your current tourist stamp expires, not the day you apply. But there is a penalty for starting late.
How to Extend a Colombia Tourist Visa
One way to extend your “tourist visa” stamp is to simply leave the country and return with a new tourist visa. Or you can extend a tourist permit online while in Colombia.
In the past you needed to go to a Migracion Colombia office to renew a tourist permit if you are in Colombia. This is no longer the case. You can renew a Colombia tourist permit online with no need to go to a Migracion Colombia office.
In the past, Migracion Colombia rejected renewals if more than about 10 days before your tourist visa expires. But Migracion Colombia is now swamped with tourist visa extensions, so we recommend submitting two weeks in advance before your tourist visa expires.
However, many Medellin Guru readers have encountered problems applying for a tourist visa online and paying online. So, they had to go a Migracion Colombia office.
Medellin Guru partnered with a visa agency that offers the service of extending the tourist visa stamp.
The visa agency we partnered with previously helped 48 Medellin Guru readers extend tourist visas using our tourist visa extension service.
Use the Medellin Guru Tourist Visa Extension Service
What to Do If You Overstay Your Tourist Visa?
If you overstay your tourist time limit, you will have to pay a fine before leaving the country. If you overstay, we recommend that you pay the fine at the Migracion office within at least three days before your departure, so you aren’t delayed at the airport. Fines reportedly start at 1,400,000 pesos and go up, depending on how long you overstay.
If you overstay your tourist “visa” by less than six months, you can pay your fine, leave Colombian and will still be able to re-enter Colombia with a new tourist visa in the same year (as long as under the 180-day tourist rule). If you overstay by more than six months, you technically qualify for deportation and will need to leave Colombia immediately.
If you overstay you will need to go to Migracion Colombia less than 15 days before your planned departure and ask for a “salvoconducto“. This is essentially a temporary permit that allows you to be in Colombia even though your tourist visa has expired. In addition, a salvoconducto is only good for 15 days or 30. And you will need to show this to Migracion at the airport when you leave.
When you go to Migracion Colombia for a salvoconducto you need:
- Your passport
- Copy of the page of your current passport with your personal data/photo
- Copy of your most recent Colombia tourist visa stamp
- Credit or debit card to pay the fine and cost of the salvoconducto.
The salvoconducto costs 74,000 pesos and the fine starts at 1,400,000 pesos and can go as high as over 5 million pesos. But if you have overstayed for less than three months I have heard from a few foreigners the fine can be less than 2,000,000 pesos.
How to Extend a Colombia Tourist Visa Online in Medellín or Colombia
To renew a “tourist visa” stamp, you should be able to do this online here but many readers have encountered problems with the online tourist visa extensions.
First select Formulario Único de Trámites (FUT) and then Choose the “Permiso Temporal de Permanencia para Prorrogar Permanencia” option and make sure to use the Spanish version (the English version has problems).
You will be requested the following to upload your attachments in PDF format.
Migracion Colombia in Medellín told me that you need the three items below:
- Copy of the page of your current passport with your personal data/photo
- Copy of your current valid Colombia tourist visa stamp
- Proof of onward travel. This is a copy of a ticket for departure from Colombia by air or bus. And this can be a copy of a flight confirmation email. It should have your full name, dates and an itinerary showing departure from a Colombian city to a city outside of Colombia.
If you don’t have proof of onward travel, you could book a refundable ticket on Expedia that is refundable within 24 hours and print to PDF the confirmation email. Here are steps to get a refundable ticket on Expedia.
And for families there are additional requirements for children:
- Birth certificate of child
- Copy of the page of a parent’s passport with personal data/photo
PDF file sizes are limited to a total of 1 MB for the files. You can compress PDF files using the IlovePDF website. Also, you can combine PDF files into one file using CombinePDF.
If you run into problems with an online tourist visa extension, try another browser. Several readers have reported that Firefox works best.
After submitting the tourist permit renewal application you should get a response in 1 to 2 business days. If approved you will need to pay the 110,000 pesos fee. And this is free if you are from a Schengen country in Europe.
There will be instructions about how to pay in your approval email. You can pay online, at a Banco Occidente bank or at a Migracion Colombia office. Reportedly there may be some “web maintenance” issues if paying online with a credit card.
If there is a problem with your application you may be able to solve this via the phone at via toll free to 01800 0510454. In addition, you can ask for someone speaking English.
After you are approved and have paid you will receive a PDF indicating that your tourist permit has been extended. You will need to print this and keep it with your passport. And there is no need to go to the Migracion Colombia office if you are able to successfully renew online.
Some readers have shared that they submitted their tourist extension application and got an email with a “Número de solicitud”, but then never received any more emails — not a rejection nor an approval — even after a few days. In this case you will need to print off the email with your número de solicitud and go to a Migracion Colombia office.
Making an Appointment with Migracion Colombia
If you have problems renewing a “tourist visa” stamp online and can’t resolve the problem, this requires a trip to a Migracion Colombia office, which are located in every major city in Colombia.
Before going to a Migracion Colombia office, you need to make an appointment. Appointments are now required and can be scheduled online here.
Also, keep in mind that Migracion Colombia is closed on national holidays and on the weekends.
When you confirm your appointment make sure to write it down or take a photo of the confirmation page.
How to Apply for an Colombia Tourist Visa Extension at Migracion Colombia
You used to be able to apply for tourist visa extensions at Migracion Colombia offices but this is no longer an option. This is what was needed when applying at a Migracion Colombia office before the pandemic:
- Your passport
- Copy of the page of your current passport with your personal data
- Copy of your current tourist permit stamp
- Your appointment confirmation number (if you made an appointment), print it out
- Proof of onward travel. This is a copy of a ticket for departure from Colombia. And this can be a copy of a flight confirmation email. It should have your full name, dates and an itinerary showing departure from a Colombian city to a city outside of Colombia.
If you didn’t prepare copies beforehand, there is a small shop near the Migracion Colombia office in Medellín that can make copies for about 500 pesos each.
When you arrived at Migracion Colombia, you presented yourself at the counter with your appointment information, where someone will verify you have the proper documentation to extend your tourist visa. And if so, you will be told to sit and wait to be called by name by an immigration official.
You needed to pay for the tourist permit extension at Migracion Colombia with a credit or debit card. American Express and Diners Club are not accepted. Only Visa or MasterCard are accepted. The cost for extending a tourist visa increased to 110,900 pesos in 2023 or this is free if a citizen from a Schengen country in Europe.
In the past some expats have extended their tourist permits without an appointment. But Migracion now requires appointments.
New entrance to Migracion Colombia in Medellín, on Calle 19A in Belén
How to Get to Migracion Colombia in Medellín
Here is a list of the Migracion Colombia offices in the five largest cities in Colombia.
- Bogotá – Calle 100 # 11B-27
- Medellín – Calle 19 # 80A-40, Barrio Belén
- Cali – Avenida 3 norte # 50N-20
- Cartagena – Carrera 20 B # 29-18, Barrio pie de la Popa
- Barranquilla – Carrera 42 # 54-77, Barrio El Recreo
A complete list of Migracion Colombia can be found here. In Medellín, the Migracion Colombia office is located in Belén and is listed on the Migracion Colombia website with the address Calle 19 # 80A-40.
However, this address is the old entrance and the guard there will direct you to the other side of the building. The new entrance location is actually on Calle 19A and is shown in the photo above and with the red marker on the map below.
Medellin Guru’s Comprehensive Visa and Passport Series
Keep in mind a tourist stamp in your passport is not the same as a visa. If you want to stay longer, Colombia has over 20 types of visas that can permit you to stay in Colombia for over 180 days. 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
- 9 Common Colombian Visa Mistakes: How to Avoid Them
We have looked in detail at the seven most popular Colombian visas used by foreigners:
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.
Use the Medellin Guru Insurance Service
All of our Colombia visa articles were updated in 2022 and are being updated again in 2023 to ensure they are up-to-date. In addition, all visa articles on this website will be kept up-to-date as new details are disclosed.
Using a Visa Agency if Needing a Visa for Longer Than 180 Days
If you are in Colombia and not located in Bogotá and applying for a Colombia visa plus you don’t want to travel, you can use a visa agency to obtain a Colombian visa.
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.
- Bilingual team.
- Office in El Poblado in Medellín.
- Competitive price compared to other visa services.
The Medellin Guru visa service partnership was launched in March 2019. And in 47 months, 630 visas have been successfully received by clients.
Also, our visa service renewed 58 American passports in Bogotá using our passport renewal service. In addition, 47 clients extended tourist visas using our tourist visa extension service.
So, in total we had 732 clients of the Medellin Guru visa service in 47 months.
In addition, many more visas are in process – short, medium or longer term, depending on client needs.
Use the Medellin Guru Visa Service
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, videocall, 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 visa agency we partnered with offers visa services anywhere in Colombia. So, if you are located in another city in Colombia you can use this service.
The Bottom Line: How to Extend Colombia Tourist Visa (Tourist Stamp)
Colombia makes it relatively easy to stay in the country for up to 180 days each calendar year with just a “tourist visa” stamp, as the “tourist visa” or tourist permit extension, which are even easier to get than in the past as the extension can be done online.
The visa agency we partnered with has helped 47 Medellin Guru readers extended tourist visas using our tourist visa extension service but the visa agency stopped doing this.
Use the Medellin Guru Tourist Visa Extension Service
The visa processes change frequently in Colombia. If you experience something different than the Colombian tourist visa extension process outlined above, please let us know in the comments below. We intend to keep all of our visa articles up-to-date.
In addition, “How to extend a Colombia tourist visa?” is a common question asked by expats visiting Medellín. So, we included this question in our list of Medellín frequently asked questions (FAQ).
Editors note: updated on January 10, 2018 with the new method to apply online to renew a Colombia tourist permit.
Editors note: updated on August 13, 2018 with the new fee to extend a Colombia tourist permit.
Editors note: updated on February 25, 2019 with information that the Colombian entry fee charged to tourists from Canada will be eliminated on May 1, 2019.
Editors note: updated on March 6, 2019 with information about how to get a salvoconducto if you overstay your tourist visa.
Editors note: updated on April 21, 2019 with the updated fee and current information about extending a tourist visa in Colombia.
Editors note: updated on February 2, 2020 with current information about extending a tourist visa/permit in Colombia.
Editors note: updated on March 22, 2020 to recommend submitting tourist visa extensions two or more weeks in advance before expiration due to Migracion Colombia being swamped with tourist visa extensions.
Editors note: updated on March 25, 2020 with information that tourists trying to extend tourist visas may be in limbo due to the quarantine in Colombia, Migracion offices are closed and online tourist visa extensions appear that they are taking longer than in the past.
Editors note: updated on April 4, 2020 with information that tourist visa/permit extensions are temporarily unavailable, as the online system for applying for tourist extensions is offline and Migracion offices are closed.
Editors note: updated on June 10, 2020 with information that the national quarantine in Colombia has been extended to June 30 and updated information about the Medellin Guru visa service.
Editors note: updated on September 19, 2020 with information that Migracion Colombia offices reopen on September 21 with services.
Editors note: updated on October 16, 2020 with information that the online option to extend tourist visa is now available on the Migracion website.
Editors note: update on January 22, 2020 with current and updated information for 2021.
Editors note: updated on January 26, 2022 with current and updated information for 2022.
Editors note: updated on February 28, 2023 with updated information to extend the tourist stamp in 2023.
Another excellent resource article Jeff. This and taxation are the two questions we’ve asked other expats and, interestingly, gotten several answers–some of them pretty fantastical. Thanks for the straight information.
Hello
Can anyone tell me what documents a Colombian citizen needs to provide to form a civil union (common law) with a Canadian
Regards
John
Requirements possibly vary by notary, so important to ask the notary. Normally will need a registro civil, which is a Colombian document containing details of the Colombian’s birth, parents names, nationality and marital status; birth certificate of the Colombian and notarized copy of the Colombian’s cedula.
Hi Jeff,
I entered Colombia on 15/11/19 I realise I’m a day over, can I still apply online for the second 30 day permit to stay in the country?
If you are over 90 days this will require a trip to a Migracion office to sort out. Go early tomorrow.
Hello, I am a bit confused still on how long I can stay in the country. I arrived in January 2020 and stayed for 44 days. Then I left, and I have just now returned on Oct 4, 2020. Can I now stay for another 90 days as that is what was stamped in my passport, or can I only stay for 46 days without extending the tourist stamp?
You can stay for 90 days without extending. The limit is 180 days in Colombia – see our popular article about tourist visas – https://medellinguru.com/tourist-visa/
Thanks so much. That’s a relief. I was thinking if I wanted to stay past the 46 days (which would have made 90 total this year) I would have to request the extension, but now I see that just leaving and coming back has renewed? Great!
Thanks, this was a very useful article. I wish I had read it in detail though. Or maybe you could bold the text that says YOU MUST PAY BY DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD. I went only with cash and this caused quite a major problem. If you can’t pay with card, you will have to go to a bank and pay and then come back to get your stamp. Quite a hassle. Bring a card!
This is good information to know. I just completed my extension request online using Jeff’s article. Thank you so much for this. Lets hope they don’t get confused that I am a Canadian carrying a U.S. passport. I immigrated to the U.S. 26 years ago and became a citizen. I guess next I go for my Pesionado and E Cedula and hopefully Jeff can get me through that process – Marie
Is there any probability of not getting approved?
Hi Malory, I haven’t heard of anyone not getting approved for a tourist visa extension.
Hello Jeff….i want to know if this me this also apply to this E who have to apply for a real tourist Visa. I mean those countries that need tourist Visa to enter Colombia.
My second question…..a friend of mine was on a tourist Visa and has applied for a different visa but was denied ….and I want to ask if it’s possible for him to go for the tourist Visa extension.
Thanks
Hi Anthony, if you have a real tourist visa (known as V visitor visa) you have to use the visa process. The process in this article only applies for tourist visa stamps. And if in Colombia with a tourist visa stamp and denied a real visa, you should still be able to renew the tourist visa.
Hi Jeff! Thank you for the useful information. I have been trying to book an appointment online and it looks like there is no availability for the next 3 weeks. My visa ends Dec 18. Should I try showing up this week? or should I wait till a week before my visa ends to show up? I want to stay at least one more month in Colombia but tickets are too expensive to fly out to a nearby country.
Thank you,
Kayla Kelly
Hi Kayla, you should schedule the appointment a week before your tourist visa expiration. Several expats that have renewed tourist visas have told me that you won’t be permitted to schedule months or weeks in advance.
Hi Jeff – great article – thanks! Do you know whether any of this has changed since the new visa laws came into place? Specifically, is the 180 day limit still per calendar year? I heard a rumour this may have changed to 180 days in any 365 day period. Thanks!
Hi Danny, my understanding is the new visa laws only impact visas that you need to apply for and not the tourist visas that are simply a stamp in your passport when you arrive in the country.
So, the rule is you can stay in Colombia on a “tourist visa” for a maximum of 180 days in a calendar year (January 1 to December 31). In addition, you can’t stay for more than 180 days consecutively, even if this is across two years.
We plan to keep this article up-to-date as we find out any new information.
This is what I recently heard too (about the 365 days). Any new updates on this?
No updates, the rules haven’t changed.
The rule is you can stay in Colombia on a “tourist visa” for a maximum of 180 days in a calendar year (January 1 to December 31). In addition, you can’t stay for more than 180 days consecutively, even if this is across two years.
Hi Jeff – Great article, very informative! I am a UK passport holder and will be travelling to Colombia in March for a period of 5 months to volunteer. Do you think the tourist visa will work for me? With an initial 90 days then an extention to 180 days? Also will it be a problem if I book return flights from the UK (with the return flight falling outside of the initial 90 day visa period, but within the 180 day extension period?)
Hi Imran, thanks. Yes, if you are from the UK you should get 90 days for your tourist visa stamped in your passport when you enter and you can extend it while in Colombia by another 90 days. And shouldn’t be a problem with your return flight if it’s within the 180 day period.
Hi Imran. I am in a similar situation. Would you be kind enough to share your experience? Thanks
Hi, Jeff. Thanks for the important information.
I have a question about the controversing second tourism visa.
1. I applied my extention of the PIP on march and it had been pending for the Pandemia.
2. I heared that the migracion service opend. And I checked my pip process online in 23 of september. Then I found out the application has been approved.
3. I paid the extention cost in 23 of september.
4. I got a pdf in which my valid date is until July.
I dont know if this is a mistake or error. And I wonder if I have to leave anyway until end of October.
I would really appreciate if you have any idea of this.
Much thanks, Ethan.
Recommend asking the visa agency we partnered with, click on this link – https://expatgroup.co/english/visasincolombia/ and there is a chat at the bottom right of the page.
Just got off the phone with Migracion (January 2018) and apparently the information about having to go in person to extend your stay on a 90 day tourist visa / waiver is no longer correct.
According to them you can extend online and do NOT have to go to the immigration office in person unless there are problems with your extension.
Go to http://www.migracioncolombia.gov.co/ click on ‘Tramites’, then down to ‘Permiso Temporal de Permanencia’. This will take you to the following form: https://apps.migracioncolombia.gov.co/registro/public/formularioRegistro.jsf
Select:
[x] Permiso Temporal de Permanencia para Prorrogar Permanencia
And make sure you attach two documents:
1) A PDF scan of your passport photo page. I’m not sure if the visa page needs to be included as well.
2) A ticket proving that you’re leaving Colombia.
You’ll get a response within 1 business day. If you’re from a Schengen country this process is free, others may have a fee around COP 90,000 via credit card.
If there are issues you may be able to solve them by phone, rather than going in person. (+57 1 605 5454 you can even ask for an English speaker, they were very helpful.) If you do need an appointment after all be sure to call on a Thursday, as that’s when they hand out appointments for the following week.
Update: Just renewed online and it worked like a charm.
Got a PDF noting the details of the PTP5 that extends my PIP5 entry by 90 days.
Just have to print this and keep it with the passport.
Hi Dustin, thanks I confirmed with Migracion that you can renew a tourist visa online without going to a Migracion Colombia office. So, I updated the article. Also, Migracion told me you need a A PDF scan of your passport photo/data page and a PDF scan of your current tourist visa stamp.
Hi Jeff, I just scheduled an appointment to extend my visa for another 3 months. The only option that was offered that seemed to make any sense was “visa registration”. Is that correct? My visa does not expire until the end of the month but there were only two available dates so I was scheduled for a day this week. That doesn’t seem to fit with the experience people have had with not being able to schedule earlier than a week before expiration. There was no field where I could enter the date that the visa was issued. Thanks for your input!K
Hi Kim, visa registration is to register your visa you have a visa. You reportedly can’t make an appointment to extend a tourist visa until about a week before it expires. But reportedly you can now extend a tourist visa online with no need to go in person – see Permiso Temporal de Permanencia para Prorrogar Permanencia via this link: https://apps.migracioncolombia.gov.co/registro/public/formularioRegistro.jsf
I plan to confirm this and update the article.
Oh it is so great to hear that it can now be done online! I am still a little confused on what box to check. Would it be ‘Permiso Temporal de Permanencia Para Cambiar Permiso’? Thanks!
Use the “Permiso Temporal de Permanencia para Prorrogar Permanencia” option.
And it will ask for attachments – According Migracion Colombia, make sure you attach two documents:
1) PDF scan of the page of your current passport with your personal data/photo.
2) PDF scan of your current valid Colombia tourist visa stamp
If there are issues you may be able to solve them by phone, rather than going in person. (+57 1 605 5454) and you can even ask for an English speaker, they reportedly are very helpful.
I just submitted my application for the tourist visa! However I saw in the comments to also upload proof of onward ticket but I didn’t upload that just what you indicated in the article passport personal data and Colombian tourist stamps! I hope it is confirmed!
Please let me know if not confirmed and I’ll update the article. Migracion at the Belén office told me specifically that you only need the passport personal data and the Colombian tourist stamp. And I specifically asked about the proof of onward travel and they said it’s not needed.
I was approved! However you DO need proof of leaving the country in case they don’t approve you.
Here is my experience so far applying on-line. I applied over a week before expiration but only sent a copy of my passport. I forgot to send the stamp page and did not send proof of onward travel (it was not mentioned anywhere on their website). After a week, the status of my application was the same and I had not received any update. I called Migracion Colombia and was asked if I included all the required documents. He said I needed to include three documents, passport page, passport stamp, and proof of onward travel. He said to start the process over from the beginning. While doing so, I saw it mentioned specifically the passport page and stamp but not proof of onward travel.
Next, I re-submit with passport and stamp but no proof of onward travel. This time I received a prompt next day reply stating that my documentation was incomplete, I needed proof of onward travel, and also that I needed to complete the process in person at the Migracion office.
“Documentación incompleta, debe anexar tiquetes de salida y realizar el tramite de manera presencial en las oficinas de Migración Colombia, tiene hasta las 18: 00 horas del 02/02/2018 para presentar documentación.”
I really didn’t want to go into the office as I heard the wait can be several hours so I accessed my application again on-line and attached the PDF document of my proof of onward travel. The next day, I received confirmation that my application was approved and that I now needed to pay. Unfortunately every time I’ve tried to pay by credit card, I’ve received the message that the website is out of service for maintenance.
“Servicio suspendido por mantenimiento”
I spoke with Migracion again and was told to just go to the bank and pay there. I made the mistake of not asking which bank or how. I went to the BBVA bank near my house and was told that I could not pay it there but no additional information. I just noticed in this MedellinGuru.com page I’m posting on that you can pay at Banco Occidente. I’m not sure if this is the only bank this is possible but unfortunately it’s now closed for the day.
Officially my initial stay expired yesterday but I’m hoping once I can make the payment everything will go through smoothly.
Hi Josh, I was told twice at the Migracion office that you didn’t need proof of onward travel and another reader got their extension without including proof of onward travel. So, looks like they aren’t consistent, which isn’t a surprise in Colombia. Also I was told they are having problems with online payment.
I extended my visa in Santa Marta in january without showing a proof of onward travel
I renewed mine online as well. I did supplied all including onward travel. However, I only did a reservation online with Copa Airlines without having to pay upfront and it met their requirements. My only question is if I’m able to go back to Colombia since I left early because of work before my Extended Visa Expired. I had about 1.5 months left. Will I be able to return before the end of the year since I haven’t been in the country for 180 days or will the VISA expire on said date?
A tourist visa is not really a visa it is just a tourist permit stamp in your passport. When you leave it is no longer valid. And you get a new stamp when you return. The 180 day rule is how many days your are physically in Colombia.
I just returned from the Immigration Office in Belen and extended the tourist visa/permit for myself and my two kids and wanted to share my experience. I tried to start the process online and got emails right after giving us number codes and was told someone would be in touch but never heard from anyone so an expat friend of mine advised me to go to the office in person with copies of my passport info page and visa/permit page. I also booked flights to Panama on Expedia (with the plan to cancel it after I got my extension as Expedia gives 24 hours free cancellation… we actually plan to go to Peru but I haven’t yet decided when or where).
We got there late as I was waiting for a fedex and were there for 4 hours. I brought our devices and I was able to do some work and my kids played video games.
Tip: if you have kids you need to bring them plus their original birth certificates.
One frustrating things is while I had an email with proof of onward travel, showing them on my phone wasn’t good enough. So I had to leave and go to a copy center. I tried to email it from my phone to the lady at the copy center but she didn’t get it. Then I remembered I had saved it on my laptop which I had with me and I had a thumb drive. So I saved it on the thumb drive and gave it to her but she couldn’t open the document because she didn’t have Adobe to read PDFs. It’s like we’re living in 1998 here. She has a computer/copy shop but doesn’t have the ability to open a PDF using a free app from Adobe! So I went across the street to an internet cafe where I signed onto my yahoo account and printed it from there. Super antiquated. At least the immigration guy was really nice and was amazed that we’re worldschoolers and digital nomads and thinks we should write a blog ha ha! But seriously, Colombia is in the dark ages when it comes to technology. I feel like I’ve gone back in time when I was backpacking in 1998.
So we’re all good until May 3rd!! But just know that the online process to extend your visa/permit and pay online via your credit card doesn’t work!! It’s all a facade and we actually have to go back in time and do everything in person!!
Hi Lizz, thanks for commenting on your experience. Some readers have been able to renew online. But it looks like a hit-or-miss process so far with some problems Migracion needs to work out.
Hi! I just submitted the form, and like many others above, only submitted an image of my main passport page. Is it important to include the Colombia tourist stamp I received upon arrival?
I’m also 2 weeks after my 90 days – do you know if this will present a problem or have other people been able to extend to the 180 days no problem? Thanks!
Hi Jeff! So I had the same experience as Josh, except every time I received response quickly. Firstly I went to the Bogotá office and it is no longer possible to do it in person. The ONLY option is to do online if you’re in Bogotá. Secondly, I did the application at 10pm one day, and at 7am the following day I was rejected for not having an onward ticket. After this rejection, I rang the office and they confirmed this is necessary. I bought a ticket and submitted the whole thing again. In 1.5 hours I was accepted. Then I could not pay by credit card due to ‘maintenance’. I rang again and they said they did not know why it didn’t work. I got a friend to pay for me via PSE. By the following morning I received the document. It seems to me they are trying to iron out the process and what is required. However, if they respond as fast as what they did with me, there is no harm in trying without a ticket if you don’t already have one. If you have one, attach it.
Also the ticket I bought and attached was clearly bought 5 minutes before submitting my application and it was fine.
I suggest to people if it is not possible to pay by credit card due to the maintenance thing, just crack on and find another way to pay, as there did not seem to be a way for them to fix it. I think you can also print some form and go into a bank. But when my friend paid using PSE it was done in five minutes.
It cost 96,000.
Also, thanks for the great blog.
Thanks for this information!
Hi,
Thanks for sharing this information! I understand that you’re allowed up to 180 days in a calendar year and “multiple entries”. Is there a limit on the number entries back into Colombia in a calendar year?
Here is my current situation and I researching to see if this will work out for me:
End of Dec 2017 – Arrived in Colombia and received 90 day tourist stamp/visa
End of March 2018 – Fly to the states for the weekend and then returning to Colombia to extend/receive a new 90 day tourist stamp/visa
End of April 2018 – Fly to states and staying X months in 2018 – At this point I’ve stayed ~4 months in 2018 so far
X month in 2018 – Fly back to Colombia to stay for remaining ~2 months of my tourist stamp/visa in 2018
I would have roughly 2 months left in 2018 with my tourist stamp/visa at this point. Does this work or will I have any issues when I return?
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Shouldn’t have a problem. Just count the days you have been in Colombia and make sure to include arrival and departure days and make sure no more than 180 days in the year.
Hi there,
Sorry for asking a probably very silly question. I renewed my tourist stamp and it’s done to 20th March 2018. Can I go over the border that day or does it have to be day before.
Thanks
Rehanon