This article is general orientation, not legal or immigration advice. Colombian visa requirements change, they’re applied case by case, and the only authoritative source is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa portal. Verify everything below before making plans, and use a licensed immigration lawyer for anything consequential.
With that said, here’s the landscape, because most people arrive at this question with no idea which category they even need.
Does Colombia have a digital nomad visa?
Yes. Colombia introduced a visa category aimed at remote workers and digital entrepreneurs commonly referred to as the digital nomad visa, and formally one of the V (visitor) type visas. It exists precisely for people whose income comes from outside Colombia and who want to stay longer than tourist rules allow.
First question: do you even need it?
Many people don’t, and this is the most useful thing to understand before starting an application.
Citizens of many countries can enter Colombia as tourists without a visa. Tourist stays are time-limited per entry with a cap per calendar year, and extensions are handled through Migración Colombia. For a stay of a few weeks or a couple of months, that route is usually simpler and cheaper than a visa application.
The nomad visa becomes worth it when you want continuity: a stay that runs past what tourist rules permit, or a Colombian ID (cédula de extranjería), or the ability to sign a standard long-term lease and open a local bank account without friction.
Verify current tourist limits before travelling. They’ve changed before and the specific numbers matter for planning.
What is generally required
The usual core requirements are:
- Proof of remote income. Employment contracts, client contracts or a letter from your employer confirming you work remotely, plus bank statements showing a stable monthly income above a set threshold. The threshold is expressed in Colombian minimum salaries, which means it moves every year.
- Valid health coverage for the duration of the stay, covering Colombia.
- A passport with sufficient validity and blank pages.
- A completed application through the official portal, with a photo, the application fee and the visa issuance fee.
- A motivation letter in some cases, explaining what you’ll be doing.
For entrepreneurs rather than employees, the documentation shifts towards company registration, client contracts and evidence of the business being run remotely.
On the income threshold
Because the minimum income is pegged to Colombian minimum salaries, the figure in a blog post from two years ago is almost certainly wrong. Check the current requirement on the official portal.
What’s worth saying: the threshold is comfortably below what most full-time remote salaries look like, and it’s also well above what a month in Medellín actually costs this cost of living in Medellín breakdown gives you the other side of that comparison.
How the process usually works
- Gather documents. Translations and apostilles may be required depending on the document and its origin.
- Apply online through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal.
- Wait for review. Processing takes weeks rather than days, and the ministry may request additional documents.
- Pay the issuance fee once approved and receive the visa electronically.
- Register the visa with Migración Colombia within the required window after arrival or issuance, and apply for the cédula de extranjería. Missing this step carries fines and it’s the most commonly overlooked part of the whole process.
Applications can be filed from abroad or, in some cases, from inside Colombia. The practical advice most lawyers give is to apply from outside before travelling, to avoid your tourist status expiring mid-process.
Proof of accommodation
Applications generally ask where you’ll be staying, and a formal, verifiable address is easier to document than an informal arrangement. A monthly rental with a proper contract and an invoice gives you something you can actually attach booking an apartment in medellin colombia on a monthly contract covers both the paperwork and the first weeks on the ground.
Things people get wrong
- Assuming the nomad visa allows working for Colombian clients. It’s built around foreign-sourced income. Local work generally requires a different category.
- Ignoring tax residency. Spending more than 183 days in Colombia within a 365-day period can make you a tax resident, which is a separate question from immigration status and worth discussing with an accountant before you cross that line.
- Forgetting the cédula registration after the visa is granted.
- Relying on blog posts. Including this one. Requirements move.
Where to verify
The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa portal is the authoritative source. Migración Colombia handles entries, extensions and the cédula. For anything with real consequences, a licensed Colombian immigration lawyer is worth the fee.
Before you apply
If the long stay isn’t fully decided yet, the same sequence is: come as a tourist first, live a month in the city, then decide. Our furnished apartments medellin work on monthly terms for exactly that trial period, and the Medellín digital nomad guide covers what that first month actually looks like.
FAQ
Does Colombia have a digital nomad visa?
Yes, Colombia introduced a visa category aimed at remote workers and digital entrepreneurs.
How long can I stay as a tourist?
Tourist stays are time-limited per entry with a cap per calendar year. Verify current limits before travelling.
What is generally required?
Proof of remote income, valid health coverage and a passport with sufficient validity are the usual core requirements.
Where should I check the official rules?
The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa portal is the authoritative source, since requirements change.
Is this legal advice?
No. This article is general orientation. Immigration rules change and individual cases should be checked with a professional.
