Frequently Asked Questions: Colombia for Foreigners
Short, sourced answers for foreigners who visit, live in or invest in Colombia. Each answer links to the full guide and to the official source where relevant.
About Colombia Untold
What is Colombia Untold?
Colombia Untold is an independent bilingual guide for foreigners who travel to, live in or invest in Colombia. It publishes plain-language guides on visas, immigration, tourism, health insurance, property and expat life, and links each news item to its official source. Standalone pages are also available in Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Chinese, Japanese and Russian.
Is Colombia Untold an official government site?
No. It is an independent publisher. The rules are set by Colombian authorities such as Cancillería and Migración Colombia, and every guide points you to them so you can confirm your case.
Is the information legal advice?
No. The guides are general information based on public regulations and official announcements. For your specific case, confirm with the official source or an authorized professional.
Visas and residency
What is the deadline to transfer a permanent resident visa?
According to Cancillería, foreigners holding a permanent resident visa granted under earlier regulations must complete the mandatory transfer before October 31, 2026. It is required for Migración Colombia to issue the cédula de extranjería. Read the full guide →
Is the visa transfer done online?
Yes. Cancillería states the process is fully virtual and recommends doing it directly, without intermediaries, to protect your personal data. Read the full guide →
What is the cédula de extranjería?
It is the identity document for foreigners with long-term regular status in Colombia. It is used for banking, contracts, health affiliation and many notarial procedures. Read the full guide →
How much do I need to invest for the Colombian investor visa?
This site's 2026 guide, based on the 2026 minimum wage, lists 350 SMMLV (about COP 612.8 million) for the real estate route and 100 SMMLV (about COP 175.1 million) for the company or partner route. The amount is calculated with the minimum wage in force when you apply. Read the full guide →
Does the investor visa need a Banco de la República registration?
Yes. Both investor routes require foreign investment registration, and Cancillería asks for the resulting extract. Read the full guide →
What are the income requirements for the digital nomad visa?
The guide reports net income of at least 3 SMMLV (about COP 5.25 million per month) in each of the last three months, with no averaging, earned from clients or employers outside Colombia. Read the full guide →
When do I need a visa instead of tourist status?
When you want to stay beyond the authorized tourist period, or to work, study formally, invest or reside, or if your nationality is not visa-exempt. Read the full guide →
Do visa runs work in Colombia?
Not as a plan. Officers assess intent to stay, and repeated exits and returns with the same address and purpose can lead to a refused entry or a shorter stamp. Read the full guide →
Is Colombia becoming stricter with foreign visitors?
In practice, controls and status-verification operations are more visible in 2026, but the 90-day visa-exempt entry for most Western nationalities and the V, M, R visa framework have not changed. Read the full guide →
Tourism and entry
How long can I stay in Colombia as a tourist?
Visa-exempt nationalities can generally stay up to 90 days, extendable in many cases up to 180 days within a year. Extensions are not automatic. Read the full guide →
What is Check-Mig?
It is Migración Colombia's pre-arrival electronic form. It is not a visa and does not grant stay by itself; fill it in before boarding. Read the full guide →
Do I need travel insurance to visit Colombia?
International travel insurance is strongly recommended for tourists, although it is not always checked at immigration. Read the full guide →
Health insurance
Is travel insurance enough for a Colombian visa?
Usually not. Most long-stay visas require a medical assistance plan that expressly covers accidents, illness, hospitalization, disability, maternity, repatriation and death for the full visa term (Resolution 5477). Read the full guide →
When can I join the Colombian EPS?
After you obtain the visa and the cédula de extranjería. The EPS does not replace the visa medical plan. Read the full guide →
Property and money
Can a foreigner buy property in Colombia?
Yes. There is no general nationality restriction for urban residential or commercial property; border and national-security zones are exceptions. Foreign investment registration with the Banco de la República is part of the process. Read the full guide →
Which value counts for the real estate investor visa?
The value on the public deed, and the property must be in the applicant's sole name. Read the full guide →
Staying informed
Where can I read the latest news for foreigners in Colombia?
In the News section, where each item explains what changes, who is affected, what it means for a foreigner and what to do, with a link to the official source. Read the full guide →
How can I contact the team?
Use the contact page or the WhatsApp button on the site. Read the full guide →
Official sources: Cancillería · Migración Colombia · Banco de la República. General information, not legal advice.