Colombia is a land of contrasts. In Colombia, you can find snowy mountains, exotic forests, beautiful beaches, and deserts. Here you can find large crowded cities as well as peaceful colonial towns. Besides all of that, the amazing hospitality that you can find in Colombia will certainly make you want to return.
Nevertheless, visiting Colombia may require a visa. Some countries, however, do not need one.
Read this article to find out more about Colombia visas.
Do you need a Colombian visa?
A visa to Colombia will be required except for the countries listed below. If your country is not listed then most likely you will have to apply for a visa. Keep in mind that you can only stay in Colombia for up to 90 days without a visa.
European Union citizens, Albanian, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazile, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Micronesia, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saint Kittens and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Suriname, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela.
Colombia visa requirements
- A valid passport – You will also need to provide a copy of your main passport page
- Biometric photographs – The requirements can be found further below
- Bank statements – This will serve as evidence that you have financial resources
- Itinerary of your flight – The itinerary must include the purpose of your trip, what you plan to do in Colombia, as well as places you are going to visit
- Accommodation evidence – Provide proof that you have found a place to stay at during your stay in Colombia
- Evidence of family relationships – This will only be required if you are visiting a close relative in Colombia and must provide evidence of the relationship you have with each other
- If you are visiting for an event, then you will need to describe the event, the agenda as well as the length of the event
- If you are visiting for business purposes you will be required to provide an invitation letter
- For students, you will require to submit evidence of registration in an educational institution
Keep in mind that additional documentation can be required from your embassy or consulate. Further below you can find more information regarding the requirements of the Colombian visa types.
Papers must all be in the Spanish language. If they aren’t you should have them translated by a qualified Colombian state translator.
Before you send them, you have to authorize your documents with an Apostille stamp. You must notarize your papers In a public notary if you are not from a state included in the Apostille Conference.
Colombia visa types
The Colombian visas are categorized as:
- Tourist visa
- Migrant visa
- Residence visa
Colombia tourist visa
A tourist visa is granted to foreigners who plan to travel to Colombia for tourism purposes. This visa is a short-term one meaning that you can not stay in Colombia for more than 90 days.
The tourist visa can be issued for leisure activities, events, airport transit, journalism, medical treatment, and more.
Colombia migrant visa
The migrant visa is granted to nationals who wish to remain in Colombia for a longer period or establish a residency, permanent or temporary.
The migrant visa is categorized in the following:
- Marriage visa of Colombia which is granted to Colombian residents’ or citizens’ spouses
- Work visa, granted to nationals who have found a job position in Colombia
- Study visa, granted to students who have been admitted to an educational institution in Colombia
- Investment visa, granted to nationals who in Colombia spend an amount of money to invest in something
- Retire visa, granted to individuals who plan to retire in Colombia and have enough financial resources to cover the expenses
- Religion visa, granted to missionary religionists
- Refugee visa, granted to people who seek refuge in Colombia
Colombia residence visa
In order to get the residence visa to Colombia you must fulfill the following requirements:
- You have continuously had a migrant visa for 4 years
- You’ve got a child with Colombian citizenship
- If you have previously given up your Colombian citizenship and intend to return, you are allowed to request for a Colombian Resident Visa.
- Have invested a certain amount of money
How to apply for Colombia visa?
A Colombian visa application can be done online through the official website. Firstly you must provide your full name, citizenship, and passport number.
Please ensure that you complete the application in 30 minutes due to its duration.
The steps to take are:
- Fill in the application form online
- Choose the type of visa you wish to apply for
- Submit a visa photo
- Submit every required document through a PDF or word file
- Pick the nearest embassy or consulate for your application to be delivered at. Unless you are applying from inside Colombia, you must pick the bureau in Bogotá of the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
- Pay the visa fees
- If the request has been approved then you will be contacted through email
- To pick up the visa you must go to the embassy or consulate or the Foreign Affairs office
Before you apply for the visa make sure to:
- Check which consulate in Colombia is closest to where you reside
- Know every required document and collect them
- Have a passport size picture ready for your visa
Note: The online application system will not be provided by all Colombian embassies. In certain instances, you will have to deliver the documentation as well as the application in person.
How much does a Colombian visa cost?
You have to pay two different fees whenever you request a Colombia visa. One fee should be paid for the process of the visa and another if the application is approved.
- Colombia Visa Initial Fee – For European countries, it can go around EUR 40 while for non-European countries it can go around $50.
- Second fee – Will vary on the type of visa as well as your nationality.
Colombia visa photo requirements
A visa photo to Colombia must meet the following criteria so your visa application can be accepted.
- A Colombia visa photo must have a size of 2.5 inches x 1.5 inches
- The photo should be in color
- Keep your head straight and look directly to the camera lens
- The photo must be a recent one
- The background of the photo must be white
- Glasses are only allowed if your eyes do not get obstructed
- Headcoverings are allowed only for religious purposes
- Dimensions of the photo must be 600DPI
- Wear something that does not create contrast with the background of the photo
If you want to create a passport photo from home then we recommend using our photo validator.
Here’s how it works: Once you upload a photo of yourself, our tools will automatically crop it to the required size and remove the background. The application will also detect any mistakes and fix them so your photo can be 100% accepted for your application.
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