GUIDE TO VISITOR, MIGRANT AND RESIDENT VISA IN COLOMBIA

There are many visas available in Colombia and they are divided into 3 main categories: V – Visitor, M – Migrant and R – Resident.

Each category consists of different types of visas related with the purpose of visit: tourism, work, studies, business, health, volunteer, family and others. Other important factor is the length of stay.

There are also two special visas, that do not belong to any category – beneficiary visa and visa transfer – they will be covered by the end of this article.

Colombia offers also special courtesy visas (free of charge), that are not discussed in this article.

Let’s dive into our guide of Colombian visas.

VISITOR VISA – STAY SHORT TIME IN COLOMBIA

Visitor visas are for foreigners wishing to visit Colombia once or several times or to stay temporarily in the country without this being permanent. The visitor visa does not count towards residency.

V – TOURISM VISA

Tourism visa is for a foreigner of the countries that don’t have visa free travel policy with Colombia.

Nationals of countries that have free visa policy can enter Colombia with just a stamp in the passport.

V – STUDENT EXCHANGE, ARTS AND CRAFTS OR POSTGRADUATE STUDIES VISA

Student temporary visa is for a foreigner who will participate in an academic exchange program, art or trade training, or undertake studies different from primary, secondary or higher education undergraduate programs.

Students of Spanish language classes can apply for this type of visa.

V – BUSINESS VISA

Business visa is for a foreigner who is a worker of a foreign company and is travelling to Colombia to carry out business, market studies, direct investment plans or procedures and incorporation of a commercial company, negotiation, conclusion of contracts or commercial representation.

V – VOLUNTEER VISA

Volunteer visa is for a foreigner who wishes to volunteer in development cooperation projects or in the promotion and protection of human rights in Colombia.

V – TECHNICAL WORK (TEMPORARY SERVICE PROVIDER) VISA

Technical work visa is for a professional that will perform temporary technical services in Colombia.

V – AUDIOVISUAL OR DIGITAL PRODUCTION VISA

Audiovisual production visa is for a foreigner that wishes to produce an audiovisual or digital content in Colombia.

V – JOURNALIST VISA

Journalist visa is for a foreigner who will perform journalistic coverage in Colombia as a foreign media correspondent.

V – EVENT OR CONVENTION PARTICIPATION VISA

Event visa is for a foreigner who is going to participate in an event as a lecturer, speaker, artist, athlete, jury, contestant or logistic staff in Colombia.

V – INTERNSHIP / RESIDENCIES VISA

Internship visa is for a foreigner who would like to do work practice or internship as an academic requirement of the study program in Colombia.

V – MEDICAL TREATMENT AND COMPANION VISA

Medical visa is for as foreigner that needs a medical consultation, intervention or treatment in Colombia.

The medical visa can be given to an accompanying person of the patient undergoing medical procedures.

V – ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES VISA

Administrative procedures visa is for a foreigner to perform administrative or legal proceedings before entities or authorities in Colombia.

V – SHIP OR MARITIME RIG CREW MEMBER VISA

Crew member visa is for a foreign member of a crew or of an international carrier or fishing boat entering Colombian territory.

V- OFFICIAL OR COMMERCIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF FOREIGN GOVERNMENT VISA

Representative of foreign government visa is for a foreigner that comes to Colombia as a foreign government official or commercial representative of a foreign government, on a mission that does not imply accreditation with the Colombian government.

V – AIRPORT TRANSIT VISA

Airport transit visa is for a foreigner of a country that doesn’t have tourist free visa policy with Colombia and will be in direct transit in any of the airports of the national territory to another country.

MIGRANT VISA – BE PERMANENT AND LONG TERM FOREIGNER IN COLOMBIA

Migrant visas are for foreigners wishing to establish themselves in Colombia. The migrant category visa counts towards residency.

M – MARRIAGE VISA

The marriage visa is for a foreigner married or in a domestic partnership with a Colombian.

M – EMPLOYEE / WORKER VISA

The employee visa is for a foreigner who has been contracted as worker by a Colombian company.

M – FREELANCER VISA

The freelancer visa is for a foreigner who wishes to practice his profession or perform independent activity for Colombian companies or institutions.

M – PENSIONER VISA

The pensioner visa is for a foreigner who receives a retirement pension abroad but wishes to live in Colombia.

M – RENTIER VISA

The rentier visa is for a foreigner who receives independent periodic and passive income (annuity) abroad but wants to live in Colombia.

M – ENTREPRENEUR / BUSINESS OWNER VISA

The entrepreneur visa is for a foreigner who is a partner or owner of commercial company established in Colombia.

The investment must be higher than 100 minimum legal monthly salaries and be registered before the International Exchange Office of the Central Bank.

M – REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT VISA

The real estate visa is for a foreigner who has acquired property in Colombia.

The investment must be higher than 350 minimum legal monthly salaries and be registered before the International Exchange Office of the Central Bank.

M – RELIGIOUS VISA

The religious visa is for a foreigner who wishes to come to Colombia as a religious, missionary or religious in formation, of a church or confession recognized by the Colombian State.

M – STUDENT (PRIMARY, SECONDARY, MIDDLE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS) VISA

The student visa is for a foreigner that is enrolled in a public or private educational institution (school or high school or bachelor’s degree studies) in Colombia.

M – MERCOSUR AGREEMENT VISA

The Mercosur Agreement visa is for foreigners of South America´s countries that are part of Mercosur Agreement: a) full members: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay, b) associated members: Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Surinam.

M – REFUGEE VISA

The Refugee visa is for a foreigner who has been formally recognized by Colombian law (Decree 4503 of 2009) as a refugee.

RESIDENT VISA – HIGHEST CATEGORY VISA IN COLOMBIA FOR PERMANENT RESIDENTS

Resident visa is for foreigners who wish to become permanent residents in Colombia.

The resident visa is issued for indefinite time. The visa will expire if the holder remains abroad for minimum 2 consecutive years.

R – ACCUMULATED RESIDENCY (ACCUMULATED TIME OF PERMANENCE) VISA

Accumulated residency visa is for a foreigner who has been a holder of M visa for a certain amount of time.

Holders of marriage visa, adoption visa or Mercosur visa can apply for residency visa after 2 years.

For other M type visas the period is extended to 5 years.

R – PARENT OF COLOMBIAN NATIONAL BY BIRTH VISA

Parent of Colombian by birth visa is for a foreigner who is a biological parent to a Colombian national by birth, either because: a) one of the parents is a Colombian national or b) the parent was a foreigner domiciled in Colombia at the time of birth of a child.

R – FOREIGN INVESTOR VISA

The foreigner investor visa is for a foreigner who has registered, before the International Exchange Office of the Central Bank, direct foreign investment the amount of which is greater than 650 minimum legal monthly salaries.

R – RETURNING COLOMBIAN (FOR HAVING RENOUNCED THEIR COLOMBIAN NATIONALITY) VISA

The returning Colombian visa is for a foreigner who renounced (before 1991) his Colombian citizenship for living in another country but they want to require Colombian citizenship again.

SPECIAL VISAS IN COLOMBIA

There are two types of Colombian visas that can apply to all category of visas: visitor, migrant or resident. They are: a beneficiary visa and a transfer of visa.

The process of applying is exactly the same as for other visas, therefore they are considered visas.

BENEFICIARY VISA (V, M OR R)

The beneficiary visa is intended for foreigners who are dependents and family members (spouse and children up to 25 years) of another foreigner who has a Colombian visa (V, M or RE).

VISA TRANSFER (V, M OR R)

The visa transfer is for a foreigner who has acquired a new passport and needs to transfer current visa from old passport to new passport.

Visa transfer also apply to holders of RE visa, which label has validity period of 5 years.

At a request of its holder the visa may be renewed for equal periods through the visa transfer process.

The returning Colombian visa is for a foreigner who renounced (before 1991) his Colombian citizenship for living in another country but they want to require Colombian citizenship again.