Question 1

How long can I stay in Colombia without any visa?

Accepted Answer

Nationals of visa-exempt countries (about 100, including the US, Canada, UK, EU, Australia, and Japan) receive 90 days on arrival, extendable in-country to a hard cap of 180 days per calendar year. The counter resets January 1. Complete the free official Check-Mig registration before boarding.

Question 2

Does the digital nomad visa lead to residency?

Accepted Answer

Generally no — it's a V (visitor) category, and V-visa time doesn't accumulate toward the R resident visa. It's excellent for one to two years of legal remote work, but people settling long-term usually transition to an M category (marriage, investment, pension, work) to start the residency clock.

Question 3

What income do I need for the retirement (pensionado) visa?

Accepted Answer

A lifetime pension of at least 3× the Colombian minimum wage per month — COP 5,252,715 in 2026, roughly USD 1,400 depending on the exchange rate. The pension certification must be apostilled and officially translated. The threshold resets every January with the minimum wage.

Question 4

How does the real-estate investment visa work?

Accepted Answer

Buy Colombian property worth at least 350× SMMLV (COP 612,816,750 in 2026, ~USD 161,000), hold it in your own name, and — critically — register the purchase funds with the Banco de la República as foreign direct investment when the money enters Colombia. That registration is very hard to fix retroactively and the visa filing depends on it.

Question 5

When can I become a permanent resident?

Accepted Answer

The R visa requires five continuous years on qualifying M visas — reduced to two years for spouses/permanent partners of Colombians and parents of Colombian nationals. Large registered foreign investments (650× SMMLV) can qualify directly. The R visa is valid five years and renewable, but extended absences from Colombia can forfeit it.

Question 6

Are the income and investment numbers on this page guaranteed?

Accepted Answer

No — they are SMMLV multiples that reset every January (and the 2026 figure is under litigation with a transitional decree possible). The multiples themselves come from Resolución 5477 and are stable; the COP values move. Always verify the operative figure on cancilleria.gov.co in the week you file.

Colombia visa types

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Not sure which visa you need?

Work visas

Work Visa (Visa M — Trabajador)

Study visas

Student Visa (Visa V — Estudiante)

Family visas

Retirement Visa (Visa M — Pensionado)

Passive Income Visa (Visa M — Rentista)

Marriage / Permanent Partner Visa (Visa M — Cónyuge o Compañero Permanente)

Visit & tourism

Visa-Exempt Entry (Permiso de Turismo)

Digital Nomad Visa (Visa V — Nómadas Digitales)

Other

Real Estate Investor Visa (Visa M — Inversionista Inmobiliario)

Business Investor Visa (Visa M — Inversionista / Empresario)

Resident Visa (Visa R)

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