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Migration fines, deportation and expulsion in Colombia: what employers and foreigners risk

Last verified: 2026-10-27 · Status: Stable

Migración Colombia fines foreigners for light infractions such as late registration or overstays with special circumstances (26.31 to 210.50 UVT, COP 1.4 million to COP 11 million in 2026) and fines employers, landlords and others for moderate infractions such as unreported or unauthorised hires (105.25 to 2,631.30 UVT, up to COP 137.8 million). Serious cases lead to deportation with a re entry ban of six months to ten years, or expulsion with a ban of at least five years, and deportation cancels the visa. Visa cancellation by Cancillería requires exit within 30 days and bars new visas for one to ten years; there is no appeal against cancellation.

USD figures use the TRM (tasa representativa del mercado) of COP 3,157.94 per US dollar valid on 27 October 2026, from the official TRM series of the Superintendencia Financiera on the national open data portal (datos.gov.co). Peso thresholds use the 2026 minimum wage of COP 1,750,905 (Decreto 1469 de 2025) and fines use the 2026 UVT of COP 52,374 (DIAN Resolución 000238 de 2025). Visa fees are fixed in US dollars or euros; Cancillería sets its own peso conversion rate every four months, so peso amounts for visa fees are orientation only.

Key facts

Light migration infraction: minimum fine	26.31 UVTResolución 2357 de 2020 art. 15 (Res. 3770 de 2021), as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Light migration infraction: maximum fine	210.5 UVTResolución 2357 de 2020 art. 15 (Res. 3770 de 2021), as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Moderate infraction (employers and others): minimum fine	105.25 UVTResolución 2357 de 2020 art. 15 (Res. 3770 de 2021), as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Moderate infraction (employers and others): maximum fine	2631.3 UVTResolución 2357 de 2020 art. 15 (Res. 3770 de 2021), as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Moderate infraction maximum in pesos at 2026 UVT	137811706 COPResolución 2357 de 2020 art. 15; DIAN Resolución 000238 de 2025, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Maximum re entry ban after deportation	10 yearsDecreto 1067 de 2015 art. 2.2.1.13.1.3, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Minimum re entry ban after expulsion	5 yearsDecreto 1067 de 2015 art. 2.2.1.13.2.4, as of 2026-10-27 · in force

The rule

1. Classes of infractions and fines. Infractions are light, moderate, serious or very serious. Light infractions (foreigners' own duties: not reporting changes of address or employer, late registration, overstays with special circumstances, unpaid or unauthorised work, practising a different activity) are fined 26.31 to 210.50 UVT. Moderate infractions (duties of persons or entities linked to foreigners: hiring without migration requirements, not reporting hires or terminations within 15 days, not paying return travel, simulated contracts, landlords and hotels not reporting, refusing to show hiring records) are fined 105.25 to 2,631.30 UVT. Fines are calculated in UVT at the value in force when imposed, using a formula with time, mitigating and aggravating factors; for several employer infractions the amount can be increased by the number of foreigners involved within the cap.
Cost to do it: Light: COP 1,377,960 to COP 11,024,727 (US$436.35 to US$3,491.11). Moderate: COP 5,512,364 to COP 137,811,706 (US$1,745.56 to US$43,639.75), at UVT COP 52,374.
Example: A company that let a foreign visitor work without a work visa faces up to COP 137.8 million. / Up to about US$43,640.Resolución 2357 de 2020, Migración Colombia, values in UVT under Resolución 3770 de 2021, Art. 15, 22, 28 and 30, 2020-09-29 official text · verified 2026-10-27

2. Overstays and special circumstances. An overstay normally leads to deportation, but for nationals of visa exempt countries the authority may replace it with a fine where there is proven family unity, a special medical situation, or a current employment, foreign investment or academic programme link (the last only if the visa expired no more than 30 days earlier); the foreigner must then obtain a visa within 30 days or leave. Before proceedings open, the authority may, once, grant five business days to fix a situation, accept a voluntary departure within five days, or issue a late stay permit to someone up to 30 days over a 90 day permit.
Cost to do it: Fees for these acts are set annually by Migración Colombia.
Example: A US consultant whose 90 day permit expired 10 days ago signs an acknowledgment and gets a late permit for the rest of the 180 days. / Same.Resolución 2357 de 2020, Migración Colombia, Art. 16 and 26 (text of Res. 2945 de 2020 art. 2), 2020-09-29 official text · verified 2026-10-27

3. Deportation. Grounds include irregular entry or exit, failing to pay a migration fine or make a payment within two months, irregular stay, obtaining a visa by fraud or false statements, not changing or obtaining a visa when required, doing an activity not authorised by the entry permit, not leaving within 30 days of visa cancellation, and being fined twice in the same calendar year by the same public entity. The deportation order sets a re entry ban of six months to ten years, after which a visa from a consulate is needed. Deportation or expulsion cancels the visa.
Cost to do it: Loss of the visa; return requires a new consular visa (from US$194).
Example: A worker on a business visa found working is deported and barred for, say, two years. / Same.Decreto 1067 de 2015, Decreto Único Reglamentario del Sector Relaciones Exteriores, Art. 2.2.1.13.1.1, 2.2.1.13.1.2, 2.2.1.13.1.3 and 2.2.1.13.3.5, 2015-05-26 official text · verified 2026-10-27

4. Expulsion. Grounds include not complying with a deportation order or returning early, facilitating entry with false job offers or documents, a prison sentence in Colombia, false identity documents, and activities against national security, public order or public health. An expelled foreigner may return only with a consular visa after at least five years. Expelled foreigners who return irregularly can be referred to criminal authorities.
Cost to do it: Minimum five year ban.
Example: Same. / Same.Decreto 1067 de 2015; Resolución 2357 de 2020, Decreto 1067 art. 2.2.1.13.2.1, 2.2.1.13.2.2 and 2.2.1.13.2.4; Res. 2357 art. 15 par. 2, 2015-05-26 official text · verified 2026-10-27

5. Visa cancellation and termination by Cancillería. The visa authority may cancel a visa at any time, without appeal, for causes including expulsion or deportation, convictions, false documents, misleading statements, unauthorised activities, breach of visa obligations and unreported changes of circumstances. The foreigner must leave within 30 days and cannot apply for a visa for one to ten years, and must then apply at a consulate even if visa exempt. When a visa ends ordinarily or early, the foreigner has 30 days to leave or obtain a new visa and is considered regular during that period.
Cost to do it: No fee; long bans.
Example: An employee whose contract ends early has 30 days to leave or obtain another visa. / Same.Resolución 5477 de 2022, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Art. 111, 113, 114, 115, 116 and 117, 2022-07-22 official text · verified 2026-10-27

Class	Typical conduct	UVT	COP	USD
Light	Late registration, unreported address or employer change, unauthorised paid work	26.31 to 210.50	1,377,960 to 11,024,727	436.35 to 3,491.11
Moderate	Employer hires without requirements, late SIRE reports, unpaid return travel, landlords not reporting	105.25 to 2,631.30	5,512,364 to 137,811,706	1,745.56 to 43,639.75
Serious	Irregular entry or stay, visa fraud, unauthorised activity	Deportation, ban 6 months to 10 years	Not a fine	Not a fine
Very serious	Ignoring deportation, false job offers, prison sentence	Expulsion, ban of 5 years or more	Not a fine	Not a fine

Sanction bands in 2026 (Resolución 2357 de 2020 art. 15; UVT COP 52,374; TRM COP 3,157.94)

Worked example

A Colombian company invites a foreign specialist on visa free entry and pays them a monthly fee in Colombia for three months.
Migración opens proceedings: the company faces a moderate infraction for allowing a foreigner to work without migration requirements (up to COP 137.8 million, about US$43,640), and the specialist faces a light fine or deportation for unauthorised paid work.
Had the company obtained a V Asistencia Técnica or M Trabajador visa (US$194 or US$260) and reported in SIRE, the exposure would have been avoided.

Step by step

Audit every foreigner on site: visa type, permitted activity, employer named in the visa.
Report hires and terminations in SIRE within 15 days.
Answer Migración requests on time; refusal is itself sanctioned.
If a lapse is found early, ask about the enmienda (five business days) before proceedings open.

Common traps

Paying a fine is not optional: two months without payment is a deportation ground.
Two fines in a calendar year by the same entity is a deportation ground.
Cancellation and deportation decisions linked to visa cancellation cannot be appealed.
Fines are fixed in UVT at the time of imposition, so they rise each year.

Sources

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