There are two general types of visas you can get to immigrate to Colombia - M (Migration) and R (Resident). Among the migratory ones there are:
- Retirement visa;
- Annuity (stable receipt of finances from sources outside Colombia);
- Business owners;
- Refugees;
- Marriage;
- Religion;
- Beneficiary.
A Colombian resident visa is issued to foreigners who meet one of the following requirements:
- You have held a migrant visa continuously for at least four years;
- You have a Colombian child;
- You regain your Colombian citizenship. If you have previously renounced your Colombian citizenship, you can apply for a Colombian resident visa if you wish to return;
- You are investing a significant amount of money in Colombia;
- You are a child (under 25) or an official partner of another resident;
Learn more about each type of visa here - https://www.colombiavisas.com/colombia-visas/
A Colombian resident visa is issued for five years and can be extended.
The price for issuing a visa can be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/tramites_servicios/visa/costos-medios-pago-oficinas-atencion
Execution
To obtain a visa, you can use the guide on the Ministry's website and apply online https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/tramites_servicios/visa or contact the nearest Embassy.
Before applying:
Find out which Colombian consulate is closest to where you live. It can be in your country or in a neighboring country. All representations of Colombia in the countries of the world: https://tramites.cancilleria.gov.co/ApostillaLegalizacion/directorio/misionesExterior.aspx
- Contact the embassy/consulate for their specific requirements and documents to submit.
- Be sure to make electronic copies of the necessary documents (the documents must be in PDF format).
- Make sure you have a 3 x 4 cm electronic visa photo with a white background.
You must apply for a Colombian visa through the online service available at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia - https://tramitesmre.cancilleria.gov.co/tramites/enlinea/solicitarVisa.xhtml
Enter your name, nationality and passport number to start the application process. Make sure you finish filling in 30 minutes or the session will end. Your next steps are:
- Fill out the online form for a visa to Colombia. Answer the questions carefully and truthfully. The questions are about your nationality, the purpose of the visit, the address in your country and the address where you will be staying in Colombia, whether you have had any previous visas issued or rejected for Colombia, etc.
- Select the type of visa you are applying for.
- Attach an electronic copy of the visa photo.
- Attach PDF files of all required documents.
- Select the Colombian consulate where you want to apply.
Note: If you are applying from Colombia, you must select the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) office in Bogotá as the place to submit your visa application.
- Choose a payment method for your Colombia visa.
- You will be notified by email of the status of your visa application. If your application is approved:
- Contact the Colombian Consulate or Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Bogotá to obtain a visa.
Important - not all Colombian consulates offer the online application service. In some cases, you may need to submit the documents and application in person at the Colombian consulate.
After arriving in Colombia
Once you have received your Colombian visa, you must visit the local immigration authorities (Migración Colombia) to register your stay. You must do this within 15 days of entering the country. If you are already in Colombia, register your stay within 15 days of receiving your visa.
If you stay for more than three months, you will receive a foreigner's identity card (Cedula de Extranjeria) after registration.
Family reunion
For family reunification, a Colombian beneficiary visa is assigned. It is intended for relatives or dependents of a foreigner who holds a Colombian migrant (M) visa, or a resident (R) visa, or several types of V visas.
The Colombian beneficiary visa costs the same as the main sponsor visa.
Who has the right to family reunification?
The following categories can become a sponsor for a recipient of a visa-beneficiary:
- Residence visa;
- Type M visa;
- Visa type R;
Type V visa with the following activities:
- Journalistic coverage or press correspondent;
- Temporary work visa under a contract (under a contract with a corporation or an individual);
- Intra-corporate work visa;
- A foreign government official or commercial representative of a foreign government.
Conditions that must be met for family reunification in Colombia
The visa recipient's relationship must be proven. The most common valid relationships that meet the visa requirements are husband, wife, common-law partner, children under 25. Parents and disabled dependents of family members are double-checked. All foreign documents cannot be older than 90 days at the time of presentation for a visa.
- Marriage or civil union (common law) married, as well as the proper legalization of the document.
- There is a civil union certificate, as well as proper legalization of documents.
- Husband\wife's passport (must have more than 2 blank pages and more than 6 months before expiration (Venezuela's expiration date is exempt)).
Documents
The documents required to obtain a visa to Colombia depend on the category of your sponsor's Colombian visa. Here is a general list of required documents for all types of visas:
- A birth certificate issued less than 90 days prior to the time of submission of documents, as well as proper legalization of documents. You must carry a certified and translated birth certificate from the country in which you were born.
- Visa Application Letter – Both parents must sign the visa application form unless one parent has certified guardianship documents (acta de potestad), the death certificate of the other parent, or if only the mother is on the birth certificate.
- In order to obtain a child visa, the permission of both parents to stay in Colombia is required
Time limits
The length of stay on the beneficiary visa and the limits of days per year are the same as for the main visa holder.
Rights and obligations during family reunification
With Beneficiary visas, no employment benefits are granted to visa holders, which means Beneficiary visa holders are not allowed to work in Colombia, but they can study in Colombia.
A Colombia Beneficiary Visa allows multiple entry and exit from Colombia, but it loses its validity if the visa holder stays outside of Colombia for more than six consecutive months.
Medical Insurance
If you decide to live in Colombia, you need to take out a public health insurance plan called Entidades Promotoras de Salud (EPS). All legal residents of Colombia must log into the EPS system. Expats can opt out, but they must show proof of coverage through another health plan. Those who must agree must pay 12.5% of their gross monthly income to EPS. For those working for a Colombian company, this amount drops to about 4%, as the employer pays the rest.
EPS is managed by various insurance companies including SURA, Comfenalco and Coomeva. The EPS program is available to all residents at a low cost. The system has a three-level payment system. These benefits cover co-pays for lab tests, diagnostic imaging, specialist visits, and medications. Surcharge rates are approximately $1, $4.25, and $11.15. For those without health insurance, out-of-pocket costs for a doctor's consultation start at $50.
Each patient chooses which EPS-registered company they want to have as their insurance administrator.
Design
EPS coverage is only available to legal residents and citizens. After receiving your cédula (identity card), you can register in EPS. First, you need to choose an insurance administrator and submit an application to him. Once approved, your coverage will begin immediately. The Cédula is all you need to make an appointment.
In addition to the basic EPS health insurance system, there are many additional plans that expats can purchase. They act as additional private insurance. With these plans, you're entitled to faster service at higher-end properties. Not all add-on plans are available to all patients.
How can I extend my permit?
The R visa does not need to be renewed, as it is a permanent visa.
Residence permits in exchange for investment (when opening a company/firm/business)
In the case of buying real estate or investments, you can get an emigrant or resident visa, depending on the amount of the deposit.
To obtain a Colombian investor or investment visa as a migrant
According to the minimum wage for 2022, you can buy a property for 350 minimum wages, which corresponds to 350,000,000 pesos ($87,500 USD). This visa allows temporary residence for 1-3 years.
Obtain a Colombian investor or investment visa as a resident
According to the 2022 minimum wage, you can buy a property for 650 minimum wages, which equals 650,000,000 pesos or $162,500 USD. Investments can be made by purchasing real estate or investing in a Colombian corporation by purchasing shares equal to 650 minimum salaries.
Residence permits in Colombia as a pensioner
The Colombian Pensionado visa is for those who wish to retire in Colombia. It is valid for 3 years, and after 5 years it can be converted into a residence permit, thus obtaining a permanent residence.
The visa costs US$175 and you will need to earn 3 times the minimum monthly salary to qualify for the visa. The minimum wage in Colombia is 1,000,000 COP in 2022, which is roughly $250 USD per month. Hence, your minimum monthly pension payment should be 3,000,000 COP or more, which is approximately 750 USD. Your monthly pension payments must be certified and legalized correctly to be accepted by the Colombian government. There is no possibility to receive additional payments in Colombia.
How to issue a pension visa:
- Photocopy of the first page of your valid passport with your biographical details. Photocopy can be color or black and white;
- Entry or exit stamp;
- A photocopy of a previously issued visa (if available);
- Pension certificate - a letter or certificate issued by the government, a public or private company (private pensions are more difficult to approve than public pensions), a foreign legal institution or a diplomatic or consular representation of the country where the foreigner receives the pension. This letter or certificate must state that the applicant receives a monthly pensionable income of at least three times the current statutory minimum monthly wage.
- Passport photo – digital visa photo, white background, maximum size 100 KB, jpg file. No earrings, no hats, no white shirts.
Visa processing takes approximately 1-3 days. Once you have received your visa and entered Colombia, you have 3 weeks to get your cedula (national identity card) at the Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad, which are located in all major cities. You will need to present 4 more passport photos as part of the processing system.
Nationality is a legal, political and emotional connection between a person and the state. The presence of Colombian citizenship is not lost by the fact of acquiring another citizenship.
What is naturalization?
This is a concession made by the Colombian government in a sovereign and feasible manner to grant Colombian citizenship to foreigners by obtaining a birth certificate or registration resolution, as the case may be.
For this, the foreigner must meet the requirements established by Law 43 of 1993, amended by Law 962 of 2015, and carry out the procedure online, through the Unified Procedure System for Citizens - SITAC.
Who can apply?
An important condition for the citizenship process is that the foreigner resides in Colombia and has a permanent residence visa (re) as owner or beneficiary.
The period of residence in Colombia is calculated from the date of issuance of the residence visa as follows:
- foreigners from Latin America and the Caribbean - one (1) year;
- citizens of Spain - two (2) years;
- Foreigners not from Latin America and the Caribbean - five (5) years from the date of issuance of the aforementioned visa; If the foreign national is married or has a de facto marital union with a Colombian citizen, or has a Colombian child, the period of residence will be reduced to two (2).
If a foreign national does not have a resident visa (owner or beneficiary) and has another type of visa, they should not apply to study the Colombian naturalization process.
Documents
To apply for Colombian citizenship, you must prepare an official application addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs requesting Colombian citizenship, stating the reasons for the request, and including the following information:
- The name, number of the foreigner's identification card, profession, country of origin and current citizenship of the applicant;
- City and address of residence in Colombia;
- Reasons for appeal;
- Last address before you became a resident of Colombia;
- Express permission for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to request police and tax checks and other relevant information from the relevant authorities;
- If the interested party has children under his/her care, he/she can request that citizenship be extended to the children; for this, he/she must provide evidence of the civil status of minors, who must have extended citizenship. Such a petition must be submitted jointly by both parents. If only one parent has custody, this situation must be properly accredited.
In addition, it is necessary to provide:
- A certified photocopy of a valid identity card of a foreign resident and a resident visa.
- A relevant document issued by the relevant authorities of the country of origin, confirming the place and date of birth, or a photocopy (certified by a notary) of the relevant page of a valid passport containing the above information. If the applicant does not have such a document, a birth certificate or birth registration document may be submitted instead. This document must be legalized by the Colombian consul, whose signature must be verified by the Office of Legalization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or have an apostille issued by the appropriate authority in the country of origin of the petition, as the case may be.
- Accreditation of the applicant's profession or occupation by means of a certificate issued by the applicant's employer.
- If the applicant is self-employed, he/she must submit a copy of the Unified Tax Registration (Registro Único Tributario - RUT), income statement and withholding certificate, if applicable.
- If the applicant is a partner or owner of a commercial enterprise, a certificate from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, issued not more than six (6) months before the date of application, indicating the corporate purpose of the company, as well as the Tax Identification Number (NIT).
- If the applicant is financially dependent on another person, it is necessary to submit a statement confirming this fact, signed by a relative, spouse or permanent partner.
- Confirm basic knowledge of Colombia's political constitution, history and geography, as well as the Spanish language. The tests will be given in the appropriate office of the governor.
The documents you attach to your application must be legible and uploaded to the system in PDF format, the photo must be uploaded in JPG format.
All documents indicated by the system as mandatory must be attached.
Documents issued abroad must be properly apostilled in accordance with the provisions of the Hague Convention on the abolition of the requirement of legalization of foreign or duly legalized government documents.
Any document in a language other than Spanish must be accompanied by an appropriate official Spanish translation and the translator's signature must be duly legalized or apostilled.
Execution
To start applying, you need to fill out an electronic application https://tramitesmre.cancilleria.gov.co/tramites/enlinea/solicitarNacionalidad.xhtml
You can also use the additional explanation - https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/sites/default/files/FOTOS2020/tramite_adopcion_nacionalidad_en_linea_web.pdf
If you encounter technical problems while filling out the electronic format or uploading scanned documents to the Comprehensive Civil Procedure System - SITAC, you can request administrative assistance at http://pqrs.cancilleria.gov.co/ .
Remember that your immigration documents (immigration ID and passport) must remain valid throughout the Colombian citizenship process.
Keep in mind that the Colombian Special Administrative Division of Migration may make a visit to the foreigner's place of residence, so it is very important to update the contact information in a timely manner.
Tests
The foreigner must prove knowledge of the Political Constitution, Geography and History of Colombia, as well as Spanish, if it is not their native language. The knowledge tests, which are designed, practiced and qualified by the Assessment Committee, are assigned by the Government of the foreigner's place of residence.
A foreigner who intends to obtain Colombian citizenship is preparing for the exams.
A foreigner who has completed a high school or university, such as a bachelor's degree, graduate degree, master's degree, doctoral degree, in Colombia will be exempt from taking the knowledge exams. For this, you need to provide a copy of the certificate or diploma of the relevant education.
There is also a book for preparation - https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/sites/default/files/FOTOS2020/cartilla_virtual_de_estudio_minext_2021_final-version.pdf
Duration of the procedure
According to the Act, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has no deadline to respond to a request for Colombian citizenship by naturalization.
The duration of the process of obtaining Colombian citizenship through naturalization depends on the submission of complete documentation for its appropriate verification, as well as on the preparation and receipt of information sent by the subjects.
The internal citizenship task force may call the alien in at any time during the process for an interview.
How much does it cost to apply for naturalization?
700,000 COP
Colombia