(Updated May 2025)
Colombian Visa Services: Get It Right the First Time
Skip the headaches and rejections. Here’s how we make the Colombian visa process faster, smoother, and successful.
Looking to live in Colombia part-time or full-time? You’ll need a visa—and the process can be confusing, frustrating, and unforgiving. Typos get you rejected. Wrong documents? Denied. Miss a step? You could lose time, money, or even your legal status.
I’ve been helping foreigners successfully obtain Colombian visas for over ten years. With my team, we guide applicants through every step—from document prep to the final approval—saving you stress and costly mistakes.
Below, I’ll explain how Colombia’s visa system works and how we can help.
🇨🇴 Types of Colombian Visas
As of 2022, Colombian visas fall into three categories:
- Visitor (V) Visa – For short stays, tourism, business, volunteering, internships, and digital nomads.
- Migrant (M) Visa – For those with ties to Colombia, work contracts, investments, pensions, or professional qualifications.
- Resident (R) Visa – For long-term residents, spouses, parents, or those who’ve held certain M visas for 2–5 years.
🛂 Who Needs a Visitor Visa?
If you’re from the U.S., Canada, the UK, EU, Australia, or most Latin American countries, you can enter Colombia for up to 90 days without a visa. But if you plan to stay longer—or your country isn’t on the visa-free list—you’ll need to apply for a Visitor (V) visa.
Visitor visas can cover a wide range of activities including:
- Tourism or cultural visits
- Business meetings or market research
- Studying, internships, or volunteering
- Medical procedures
- Journalism or digital content creation
- Working as a digital nomad
- Accompanying someone with medical or legal procedures
🧳 Migrant (M) Visa Options
These are valid from 1 to 3 years and require stronger documentation. You may qualify for an M visa if you:
- Are married to a Colombian citizen
- Are the parent of a Colombian child
- Have a Colombian employment contract or freelance income
- Invest in Colombian real estate or business
- Receive a foreign pension
- Belong to Mercosur or Andean countries
- Are a religious worker or refugee
Investment thresholds for M visas:
- Business: 100 x Colombian monthly minimum wage
- Real estate: 350x or 650x (depending on type)
🏡 Resident (R) Visa Options
A Resident (R) visa offers permanent status. You may qualify if you:
- Are a returning Colombian citizen
- Have held an eligible M visa for a certain number of years
- Are the spouse or parent of a Colombian national
- Are a long-term resident under Mercosur or Andean agreements
R visas usually require a longer application timeline and a higher degree of accuracy in documentation.
📄 Visa Application Process
All Colombian visa applications are processed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bogotá—or by Colombian consulates abroad. Applications are commonly rejected due to:
- Spelling errors
- Incorrect or missing documents
- Documents not apostilled or properly translated
We help you avoid these issues by reviewing everything in advance and handling the process for you.
📇 Get Your Colombian ID (Cédula de Extranjería)
If your visa is valid for more than 3 months, you’re eligible to apply for the Cédula de Extranjería, Colombia’s official ID card for foreigners. Once your visa is approved and issued, visit your nearest Migración Colombia office to request your cédula. It currently costs $280,000 COP and is essential for tasks like opening a bank account, signing contracts, and accessing local services.
🧑💼 Work With an Expert – Here’s How We Help:
- Full review and organization of required documents
- Assistance with apostilles, translations, and legalizations
- Application submitted and tracked on your behalf
- Cédula de Extranjería application included
- Support through interviews (spousal visa)
- Help with visa extensions, Salvoconductos, and regularization
We’ve helped hundreds of foreigners secure Colombian visas successfully—even when they’ve previously been rejected.
💵 Visa Service Pricing
We work with fixed rates depending on your visa type:
| Service | Price (USD) |
|---|---|
| Consultation (first step) | $100 |
| Visitor visa assistance | $500 |
| Migrant visa assistance | $500 |
| Resident visa assistance | $800 |
| Cédula application only | $100 |
| Extensions / Salvoconductos / Migratory Certificates | $150 |
Additional official costs include:
When applying for a Colombian visa, be prepared for the following additional government and documentation costs:
- Visa study fee: $16–54 USD (varies by visa type)
- Visa issuance fee: $52–400 USD (based on the specific visa)
- Document apostille and official translations: Prices vary depending on your country and the number of documents required
These fees are paid directly to the Colombian government and relevant service providers and are separate from our visa assistance pricing.
⏱️ Timeline
Expect about 30 calendar days from submission to receive your electronic visa. If your visa is valid for over 3 months, you are also eligible for a Cédula de Extranjería—your Colombian ID.
⚠️ Health Insurance Requirement
As of 2020, all visa applicants must provide private health insurance that meets Colombian requirements. Travel insurance is not accepted.
The policy must include coverage in Colombia for the full length of your intended stay, and must protect against all major risks. Officially, you must:
Provide a health insurance policy with coverage throughout Colombian territory against all risks in the event of accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospitalization, death, or repatriation, for the entire duration of your intended stay in the country.
If you are renewing a visa, make sure your EPS (public health contribution) is active and properly reported based on your income.
📞 Ready to Start?
Let’s take the stress out of your Colombian visa process. Contact me directly:
Yessika Marin
📱 WhatsApp: +57 315-556-0314
📧 Email: jessy@calicapital.com
📲 Instagram: @calicapital
We handle applications across Colombia or from anywhere in the world.