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Visas and residence in Colombia: visitors, staff, investors and permanent residence

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Last verified: 2026-10-26 · Status: Changing

Colombia has three visa types, visitor (V), migrant (M) and permanent resident (R), set by the Foreign Ministry in Resolución 5477 de 2022, while Migración Colombia controls entry, registers foreigners and fines employers. Nationals of 100 listed countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, the EU states and Argentina, enter visa free for up to 90 days, extendable to 180 days in a calendar year, but may not work for pay. Staff need an M worker visa (US$260 in 2026), investors qualify with registered direct investment above 650 minimum wages (about COP 1,138 million or US$360,000), and five years on most M visas lead to permanent residence.

USD figures use the TRM (tasa representativa del mercado) of COP 3,158.43 per US dollar, valid 24 to 26 October 2026, from the official TRM series on the national open data portal (datos.gov.co). Visa fees are set in US dollars and euros by the Foreign Ministry; peso amounts for them are orientation only.

Key facts

Visa free stay per entry (tourism or business permit, PIP)	90 daysResolución 3167 de 2019 (Migración Colombia) art. 14, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum visa free stay per calendar year, including extension	180 daysResolución 3167 de 2019 art. 14, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Fee for extending a visa free stay (PTP), 2026	150000 COPResolución 0599 de 2026 (Migración Colombia), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Nationalities exempt from a visa for short stays	100 countriesResolución 5488 de 2022 art. 3 lit. A, text of Resolución 12189 de 2026, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum time to decide a complete visa application	30 calendar daysResolución 5477 de 2022 art. 13, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Visitor (V) visa fee, study plus issuance, 2026	194 USDResolución 3969 de 2026 art. 4, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Migrant (M) visa fee, study plus issuance, 2026	260 USDResolución 3969 de 2026 art. 4, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Resident (R) visa fee, study plus issuance, 2026	239 USDResolución 3969 de 2026 art. 4, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum validity of the M worker visa	3 yearsResolución 5477 de 2022 art. 74, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Employer average monthly income required for an M worker visa, 2026 (100 minimum wages)	175090500 COPResolución 5477 de 2022 art. 74; Decreto 1469 de 2025, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Registered foreign direct investment above which the M investor visa is available, 2026 (650 minimum wages)	1138088250 COPResolución 5477 de 2022 art. 79; Decreto 1469 de 2025, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Minimum real estate value for the M investor visa, 2026 (350 minimum wages)	612816750 COPResolución 5477 de 2022 art. 79; Decreto 1469 de 2025, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Minimum company capital for the M business owner visa, 2026 (100 minimum wages)	175090500 COPResolución 5477 de 2022 art. 75; Decreto 1469 de 2025, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Minimum monthly income for the digital nomad visa, 2026 (3 minimum wages)	5252715 COPResolución 5477 de 2022 art. 46; Decreto 1469 de 2025, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Years on an M worker, business owner or investor visa before permanent residence	5 yearsResolución 5477 de 2022 art. 90 (text of Resolución 10434 de 2023), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Deadline to register with Migración Colombia after entry or visa issuance	15 calendar daysDecreto 1067 de 2015 art. 2.2.1.11.4.1, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Deadline for employers to report a foreign hire or termination in SIRE	15 calendar daysDecreto 1067 de 2015 art. 2.2.1.11.5.1 par. transitorio; Resolución 2357 de 2020 art. 3, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Cédula de extranjería fee, 2026	294000 COPResolución 0599 de 2026 (Migración Colombia), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum fine for an employer immigration infraction	2631.3 UVTResolución 2357 de 2020 art. 15, as amended by Resolución 3770 de 2021, as of 2026-10-26 · in force

The rule

1. Visa free short stays. Nationals of the 100 states listed in Resolución 5488 de 2022, as replaced on 4 September 2026 by Resolución 12189 de 2026 (which added Israel), may enter without a visa for short stays. The list includes Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea and every EU member state; China and India are not on it. Migración Colombia grants a Permiso de Ingreso y Permanencia (PIP) at the border, for tourism and business meetings up to 90 calendar days, and keeps count so that PIP and its extension (Permiso Temporal de Permanencia, PTP) never exceed 180 days, continuous or not, in the same calendar year. A PIP is for stays without intent to settle and without profit; paid work needs a visa.
Cost to do it: No fee for the PIP on entry. The PTP extension costs COP 150,000 (US$47.49) under Migración Colombia's 2026 fee schedule (Resolución 0599 de 2026).
Example: A US executive spends 90 days in Bogotá from January to March, then extends for 90 more days by paying COP 150,000; any further visit that calendar year needs a visa. / About US$47.49 for the extension.Resolución 5488 de 2022, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, as amended by Resolución 12189 de 2026; Resolución 3167 de 2019, Migración Colombia, Res. 5488 art. 2 and 3 lit. A (text of Res. 12189 art. 4); Res. 3167 art. 12 to 14, 2022-07-22 official text · verified 2026-10-26 · changed: Resolución 12189 de 2026 (31 August 2026, Diario Oficial 53.614 of 3 September 2026, in force 4 September 2026) repealed Resolución 8558 de 2025 and rewrote the exempt list, adding Israel after diplomatic relations were restored.

2. Three visa types and how long processing takes. The Foreign Ministry (Cancillería) issues visitor (V), migrant (M) and permanent resident (R) visas. Every application is filed online with a passport valid for at least six months; supporting documents must be no older than three months, and foreign public documents need an apostille or legalisation plus an official Spanish translation (bank statements in an official OAS language are exempt). The authority has up to 30 calendar days to decide once the file is complete and the study fee paid, and longer if it consults other agencies. Only V visas create no domicile; three continuous years on M visas, or an R visa, prove residence with intent to stay. A national of a country that needs a visa who entered on a V visa cannot switch to M or R from inside Colombia.
Cost to do it: 2026 fees (Resolución 3969 de 2026 art. 4), study plus issuance: V US$56 + US$138 = US$194; M US$56 + US$204 = US$260; R US$56 + US$183 = US$239; visa transfer US$56 + US$56 = US$112. Tourist and airport transit V visas pay US$52 at issuance. Stamp tax is not included. Spanish nationals pay nothing; nationals of Japan and Korea pay only the study fee.
Example: An M visa at US$260 is about COP 821,192 at the TRM of COP 3,158.43. / US$260 per M visa.Resolución 5477 de 2022, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Diario Oficial 52.103, 22 July 2022), in force 90 days after publication, Art. 13, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 29 par.; art. 124, 2022-07-22 official text · verified 2026-10-26

3. Hiring a foreign employee: the M worker visa. A foreigner hired by a company under an employment contract applies for a Visa M Trabajador, valid up to three years. The employer signs the Cancillería contract summary form, writes a motivation letter explaining the role, the candidate's qualifications, why a Colombian is not hired and how many direct jobs the company has, and shows bank certificates or statements for the last four months with average monthly income of 100 minimum wages. Regulated professions need a licence from the professional council. The work permit covers only that job and employer. For temporary work under a services, works or labour contract there is a V visa (Prestador de Servicios), valid up to two years, which requires six months of employer statements at the same 100 minimum wage average and health insurance. Business visitors on a V Negocios visa (up to two years, at most 180 days in each 365) may negotiate, set up a company and sign contracts but may not work.
Cost to do it: Visa fee US$260 for M or US$194 for V (2026). The employer income test is 100 minimum wages a month, COP 175,090,500 (US$55,435.93) at the 2026 minimum wage of COP 1,750,905 (Decreto 1469 de 2025).
Example: A subsidiary hiring a foreign engineer must show average monthly income of at least COP 175,090,500 over the last four months. / About US$55,436 a month of employer income.Resolución 5477 de 2022, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Art. 35 (V Negocios), art. 54 (V Prestador de Servicios), art. 64 and 66 (M general), art. 74 (M Trabajador), art. 82 and 120 (employer duties), 2022-07-22 official text · verified 2026-10-26

4. Investor and business owner visas. A foreigner who has made foreign direct investment registered with the Banco de la República above 650 minimum wages, or bought real estate in their own name worth at least 350 minimum wages with the purchase registered as foreign direct investment, may obtain a Visa M Inversionista for up to three years. The investment must be kept for the whole term, changes must be reported at once, and health cover in Colombia is required. A foreigner who founded or bought into an operating company with at least 100 minimum wages of paid in capital, or registered foreign investment of that amount, qualifies for a Visa M Socio o Propietario, also up to three years, with a work permit only in that company; shares bought on the secondary market do not count, and renewals require proof of activity (tax returns, social security, ICA payments). The old resident investor visa no longer exists: the M investor visa leads to residence after five years.
Cost to do it: Investment thresholds at the 2026 minimum wage of COP 1,750,905: more than COP 1,138,088,250 (US$360,333.54) of direct investment; COP 612,816,750 (US$194,025.75) of real estate; COP 175,090,500 (US$55,435.93) of company capital for the business owner visa. Visa fee US$260. Banco de la República registration of the investment is a separate exchange step (see fx/fx-and-capital-controls).
Example: An investor who channels COP 1,200,000,000 into a Colombian SAS through the foreign exchange market and registers it clears the 650 minimum wage test of COP 1,138,088,250. / About US$379,935 invested against a threshold of about US$360,334.Resolución 5477 de 2022, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Art. 75 (M Socio o Propietario), art. 79 (M Inversionista), art. 84 (duty to report changes), 2022-07-22 official text · verified 2026-10-26

5. Digital nomads. Nationals of visa exempt countries who work remotely for foreign companies, or start a digital content or IT venture, may obtain a V Nómadas Digitales visa for up to two years with beneficiaries. They must show income of at least three minimum wages a month over the last three months and full health insurance, and may not work for or be paid by any person or company domiciled in Colombia. Remote workers may instead stay visa free under a PIP for 90 days, extendable to 180 days in the calendar year, as long as no Colombian company pays them.
Cost to do it: Visa fee US$194 (V, 2026). Income test: three minimum wages, COP 5,252,715 (US$1,663.08) a month in 2026.
Example: A remote software developer paid COP 6,000,000 a month by a US company meets the COP 5,252,715 test. / About US$1,900 a month against a threshold of about US$1,663.Resolución 5477 de 2022, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Art. 46 and its parágrafo, 2022-07-22 official text · verified 2026-10-26

6. From migrant to permanent resident. A Visa R por tiempo acumulado requires continuous time as an M visa holder: five years for workers, business owners, independent professionals, pensioners, investors and permanent partners; three years for spouses of Colombians; two years for Mercosur and Andean migrants and parents of Colombians. Time counts only if each new visa was issued before the previous one expired; a salvoconducto does not give continuity, and meeting the time does not guarantee the visa. The R visa gives an open work permit (except pensioners), must be transferred every five years and lapses after two consecutive years abroad. An M visa lapses automatically after more than 180 continuous days abroad within each 365 day period.
Cost to do it: R visa fee US$239 (2026); transfer every five years US$112.
Example: A manager who arrived on an M worker visa in November 2026 and renews on time can apply for R in November 2031, paying US$239 (about COP 754,865). / US$239 for the R visa, then US$112 every five years for the transfer.Resolución 5477 de 2022, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, art. 90 as amended by Resolución 10434 de 2023, Art. 65, 86, 87, 88 and 90 (text of Res. 10434 art. 76); art. 9 par., 2023-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-26 · changed: Resolución 10434 de 2023 (28 December 2023) rewrote art. 90, adding the stateless migrant category to the accumulated time table.

7. Registration, ID card and employer reporting. Holders and beneficiaries of visas valid for more than three months must register with Migración Colombia within 15 calendar days of entry (or of visa issuance in Colombia) and obtain a cédula de extranjería; V Turismo, Negocios, Tripulante and Eventos visa holders are exempt. Anyone who hires, contracts or admits a foreigner for an activity that generates a benefit must check the visa and cédula and report the start and the end of the relationship through the SIRE platform within 15 calendar days. Visa holders with an open work permit must report any change of activity within 15 days. On termination, the employer must pay the return travel of the foreigner and family within 30 calendar days. Employer failures, including hiring without the right visa or not reporting within 15 days, are moderate infractions fined between 105.25 and 2,631.30 UVT; a foreigner's registration failures are minor infractions fined between 26.31 and 210.50 UVT; working outside the permit can lead to deportation.
Cost to do it: Cédula de extranjería COP 294,000 (US$93.08); immigration movement certificate COP 89,000 (US$28.18) (Resolución 0599 de 2026). Fines at the 2026 UVT of COP 52,374: employer COP 5,512,364 to COP 137,811,706 (US$1,745.29 to US$43,632.98); foreigner COP 1,377,960 to COP 11,024,727 (US$436.28 to US$3,490.57).
Example: A company that forgets to report a foreign hire in SIRE risks a fine of at least COP 5,512,364. / At least about US$1,745, and up to about US$43,633.Decreto 1067 de 2015 (Decreto Único Reglamentario del Sector Relaciones Exteriores); Resolución 2357 de 2020, Migración Colombia, as amended by Resolución 3770 de 2021; Resolución 5477 de 2022, Decreto 1067 art. 2.2.1.11.4.1, 2.2.1.11.4.4, 2.2.1.11.5.1 (and parágrafo transitorio), 2.2.1.11.5.7, 2.2.1.13.1.2; Res. 2357 art. 3 and 15 (moderate infraction 26); Res. 5477 art. 118 (text of Res. 9316 de 2024) and art. 119, 2015-05-26 official text · verified 2026-10-26

Route	Who it is for	Key requirement	Validity	Work	Counts toward residence (years)	Rule
Visa free entry (PIP)	Business meetings, due diligence, short visits by exempt nationals	Passport of a listed country; no paid work	90 days, up to 180 days per calendar year	No	No	Res. 5488 art. 3; Res. 3167 art. 14
V Negocios	Visitors needing a visa, or exempt nationals needing longer stays	Personal or company sponsorship letter	Up to 2 years; at most 180 days in each 365	No	No	Res. 5477 art. 35
V Prestador de Servicios	Temporary contractors	Contract summary form; employer income 100 minimum wages (COP 175,090,500)	Up to 2 years	Only that job	No	Res. 5477 art. 54
V Nómadas Digitales	Remote workers of foreign companies	Exempt nationality; income 3 minimum wages (COP 5,252,715) a month	Up to 2 years	Not for Colombian payers	No	Res. 5477 art. 46
M Trabajador	Employees of a Colombian company	Contract summary form; employer income 100 minimum wages	Up to 3 years	Only that job	5	Res. 5477 art. 74 and 90
M Socio o Propietario	Founders and partners	Paid in capital or registered investment of 100 minimum wages (COP 175,090,500, about US$55,436)	Up to 3 years	Only in that company	5	Res. 5477 art. 75 and 90
M Inversionista	Investors	Registered FDI above 650 minimum wages (COP 1,138,088,250, about US$360,334) or real estate of 350 minimum wages (COP 612,816,750, about US$194,026)	Up to 3 years	Not stated in art. 79	5	Res. 5477 art. 79 and 90
M Migrante Mercosur	Nationals of Mercosur Residence Agreement states, including Argentina	Passport, criminal record certificate for the last 3 years	2 years, granted once	Open	2	Res. 5477 art. 71 and 90
R (accumulated time)	Long term M holders	Continuous M visas for the required years	Transfer every 5 years	Open		Res. 5477 art. 86 to 90

Main routes for investors, executives and staff (Resolución 5477 de 2022; amounts at the 2026 minimum wage of COP 1,750,905 and TRM COP 3,158.43)

Item	Fee	Approx. other currency
V visa (study US$56 + issuance US$138)	US$194	COP 612,735
V tourist or airport transit visa (issuance)	US$52 plus US$56 study	COP 341,110 total
M visa (study US$56 + issuance US$204)	US$260	COP 821,192
R visa (study US$56 + issuance US$183)	US$239	COP 754,865
Visa transfer (study US$56 + issuance US$56)	US$112	COP 353,744
Cédula de extranjería	COP 294,000	US$93.08
Extension of visa free stay (PTP)	COP 150,000	US$47.49
Salvoconducto	COP 88,000	US$27.86
Certificate of immigration movements	COP 89,000	US$28.18

2026 government fees (visa fees: Resolución 3969 de 2026, paid in US dollars outside the euro zone; Migración Colombia fees: Resolución 0599 de 2026, in pesos)

Worked example

A US company forms a Colombian SAS and sends a US national as country manager. The manager first enters visa free (the United States is on the exempt list) for up to 90 days to sign incorporation documents and open accounts, which is business activity without pay in Colombia.
The parent capitalises the SAS and registers the investment with the Banco de la República. The manager is then hired by the SAS and applies online for a Visa M Trabajador: the SAS signs the contract summary form and motivation letter and must show average monthly income of 100 minimum wages (COP 175,090,500, about US$55,436) for the last four months. A newly formed SAS has no four month income history, so check this test before fixing the start date.
Costs for the manager: M visa US$260 (about COP 821,192), cédula de extranjería COP 294,000 (US$93.08). Within 15 days of the start of work the SAS reports the hire in SIRE. If the manager personally owns at least COP 175,090,500 of the SAS's paid in capital, the M Socio o Propietario visa is an alternative.
After five years of continuous M visas the manager can apply for an R visa (US$239), which gives an open work permit.

Step by step

Check nationality: if the passport is on the exempt list (Res. 5488 as amended by Res. 12189 de 2026), short business trips need no visa; otherwise apply for a V visa before travel. Allow for the 180 day calendar year cap.
Pick the long stay route from the table: M Trabajador for employees, M Socio o Propietario for founders, M Inversionista for investors, V Nómadas Digitales for remote workers.
Gather documents: passport valid at least 6 months, documents issued within the last 3 months, apostille or legalisation and official translation for foreign documents, employer or investment evidence (Banco de la República registration for investors).
File online with Cancillería, pay the US$56 study fee within 10 calendar days of the payment reference, and expect a decision within 30 calendar days of a complete file; pay the issuance fee once approved. Stay in regular status while the application is pending if in Colombia.
Within 15 calendar days of entry or issuance, register with Migración Colombia and request the cédula de extranjería (COP 294,000).
Employer: report the hire in SIRE within 15 calendar days of the start of work, and again within 15 days of termination; pay return travel within 30 days of termination.
Renew each M visa before the previous one expires to keep continuity; apply for R once the required years are met; transfer the R visa every 5 years.

Common traps

Working on a visa free entry or a V Negocios visa: business meetings are allowed but paid work is not, and doing an activity not authorised by the permit is a ground for deportation (Decreto 1067 art. 2.2.1.13.1.2).
Switching inside Colombia: a national of a country that needs a visa who entered on a V visa cannot change to M or R from within the country (Res. 5477 art. 29 par.).
Letting a visa expire before the next is issued breaks continuity for permanent residence; a salvoconducto does not count (Res. 5477 art. 9 par. and 90 par. 2).
Long absences: an M visa lapses after more than 180 continuous days abroad within each 365 days, and an R visa after two consecutive years abroad (art. 65 and 88).
Investor visa without exchange registration: the investment must appear in a Banco de la República certificate in the investor's own name; real estate must be held exclusively in the investor's name (art. 79).
Business owner visa through listed shares: shares bought on the secondary market do not qualify (art. 75 par.).
Digital nomads paid by Colombian clients: the nomad visa bars paid activity for persons or companies domiciled in Colombia (art. 46).
Missing SIRE reports: not reporting a foreign hire or termination within 15 days is a moderate infraction fined 105.25 to 2,631.30 UVT (COP 5.5 million to COP 137.8 million in 2026).
Fees are in US dollars or euros and exclude stamp tax.

Sources

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