If you plan to work, study, retire or incorporate a company in Colombia, there are specific visa categories with which you should familiarize yourself. Colombia work visa requirements may vary depending on the type of employment and length of stay, so it is crucial to gather the necessary documentation and meet the specific criteria associated with each type of visa in Colombia. This guide provides an overview of the primary visa categories and details the general requirements for foreign nationals seeking to be employed in Colombia.
Key Takeaways: Colombian Work Visas
| What are the three main categories of Colombian visas? | 1. Visitor Visa (Type V) 2. Migrant Visa (Type M) 3. Resident Visa (Type R) |
| Which one is a work permit? | The Migrant (M) visa is the most common category for work permits. |
| What is required to apply for a visa? | All documents must be provided depending on the type of visa, i.e. there are types of visas that require all the documents of the foreign applicant duly authenticated and apostilled from the country of origin. |
| Does a work visa allow me to work for anyone? | A work visa is tied to a specific employer and contract. |
The 3 Main Categories of Colombian Visas
Expert Tip: Choosing the Correct Visa Subcategory
From our experience, the most critical step in the application process is correctly identifying the specific subcategory of visa you need, especially within the Migrant (M) category. The Type M visa has numerous subcategories for different situations (e.g., for having a Colombian spouse, for being a student, for being an investor, and for having a work contract).
Applying under the wrong subcategory is one of the most common reasons for rejection. We strongly advise clients to work with an immigration expert to analyze their specific circumstances and ensure they apply under the precise subcategory that matches their qualifications and the purpose of their stay.
1. Visitor Visa (Type V)
- Purpose: For short-term, temporary activities. This includes tourism, business meetings, market studies, and short-term technical assistance. It generally does not permit a formal employment contract.
- Duration: Varies, but typically granted for up to two years with stays of no more than 180 days per year.
2. Migrant Visa (Type M)
- Purpose: For individuals who intend to establish themselves in Colombia for a longer period. This is the main category for work visas, as well as for investors, students, and those with a Colombian spouse or child.
- Duration: Typically granted for up to three years. Holding this visa for a certain period can be a pathway to residency.
3. Resident Visa (Type R)
Duration: Grants permanent residency status.
Purpose: For individuals who have met the requirements to establish themselves permanently in Colombia. This is typically obtained after holding a Type M visa for several years, or through a significant investment.
Key Government Bodies
The primary authority for visas is the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, also known as the Cancillería), which processes and issues all visas. Once in Colombia, all visa holders must register with the immigration authority, Migración Colombia, to obtain their foreign ID card (Cédula de Extranjería).
What are the requirements for an investor visa in Colombia?
- In the case of Foreign Direct Investment, provide a communication issued by the Department of International Exchange of the Bank of the Republic. This should say that the registration of the foreign direct investment is greater than 650 times the minimum monthly legal wages at the date of filing the application.
- In the case of investment in real estate, the interested party must provide a Certificate of Tradition and Freedom of the real estate. The title of ownership must be exclusively in the name of the foreigner, for a minimum value equivalent to 350 legal monthly minimum wages as of the date of the date of presentation of the application, and communication issued by the Department of International of the Banco de la República (Bank of the Republic) showing the registration of the foreign direct investment for the purchase of real estate in the name of the foreigner applying for the visa.
- Demonstrate using bank statements for the last three months prior to the visa application, and economic solvency to remain in the country.
- Demonstrate that the applicant has health coverage in Colombia, or a health policy with coverage in the national territory against all risks in case of accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospitalization, death or repatriation, for the time foreseen for their stay in the country.
What are the requirements for a business visa in Colombia?
Submit a communication signed directly by the legal representative of a business, clearly containing the following information:
- Legal representative acting on behalf of the legal entity, clearly containing the following information:
- Full identification of the legal person indicating the NIT in case of being incorporated in Colombia and contact information. Colombia and contact information.
- Complete identification of the foreigner.
- Letter from the legal representative of the legal entity supporting the application, stating the activity that the foreigner intends to carry out in Colombia and its duration. This communication must also include the details of other foreign nationals whom the company or legal entity has supported.
The legal person must also undertake before the national government to guarantee the return of the foreigner to his/her country of origin or to inform if the foreigner remains irregularly in the national territory. - Explanation of the relationship or type of link with the foreigner for whom the visa is requested and of the special qualification or expertise of the foreigner, if any.
- Declaration of economic responsibility for the expenses inherent to the travel and stay of the foreigner in Colombia, in which the legal person also assumes the commitment to inform the Visa and Immigration Authority immediately of any changes in the conditions for which the visa was granted, to guarantee the return of the foreigner to his/her country of origin.
This declaration must be signed by hand and fingerprinted, or before a foreign competent authority in which case it must be apostilled or legalized.
- Full identification of the legal person indicating the NIT in case of being incorporated in Colombia and contact information. Colombia and contact information.
- When the legal entity supporting the application is private and incorporated abroad, When the legal entity supporting the application is private and incorporated abroad, it must provide a certificate of existence, incorporation or legal or legal incorporation and representation or the document that takes its place, with the formalities foreseen for the presentation of the foreign documents foreign documents set forth in this resolution.
- Proof of economic solvency of the legal entity by means of bank statements corresponding to the three (3) months prior to the application.
Colombian residency visa
It is important to mention that temporary visas are the best option if the visa applicant has no desire to permanently reside in Colombia. Should the applicants have a long-term plan to stay in Colombia, they should apply for an R visa instead. Foreigners who have held an M visa for at least five uninterrupted years are eligible to apply for an R visa.
Foreigners are also eligible for this visa if they have a parent of a Colombian nationality or when the foreigner is Colombian by adoption or by birth. R visa holders are authorized to exercise any legal work in Colombia. This visa is issued for five years and has an approximate cost of US$391.
FAQs on visas in Colombia
According to our experience, these are the most common questions we receive.
1. What are the types of visas for Colombia?
In Colombia there are four types of visas:
- Visitor Visa (V).
- Courtesy V type visa.
- Migrant Visa (M).
- Permanent Resident Visa (R).
2. What is an investor visa called in Colombia?
Migrant Visa (M) – Investor.
3. What is a business visa called in Colombia?
Visitor visa (V) – Business.
4. How can I get a working visa in Colombia?
M Worker Visa allows foreigners who aspire to work in Colombia with a legal entity by means of an employment contract. It should be noted that the visa regulations must be thoroughly reviewed to determine all the requirements that a company must comply with in order to request a foreign employee.
5. Who can sponsor a working visa in Colombia?
The company must be duly incorporated in Colombia.
6. Do you need a visa to buy property in Colombia?
It is not necessary, the purchase of a property can be done by means of a passport, and at the moment of formalizing the purchase in the governmental entities, you must request a visa as an investor in Colombia.
7. What needs to be provided in order to commence the visa processing service in Colombia?
All documents must be provided depending on the type of visa, i.e. there are types of visas that require all the documents of the foreign applicant duly authenticated and apostilled from the country of origin.
8. What is the most common type of work visa?
The most common work visa is the Migrant (M) visa, specifically the subcategory for individuals with a valid employment contract with a Colombian company.
9. Can I work on a tourist visa?
No. It is illegal to perform any remunerated work in Colombia while on a tourist permit. You must have the appropriate work visa.
10. What is a “Cédula de Extranjería”?
This is the Colombian Foreign ID Card. After a work visa is approved and stamped in your passport, you have 15 days to register with Migración Colombia to obtain this card, which is your official identification document in the country.
11. Can my visa sponsor be a foreign company?
No, a work visa must be sponsored by a legally established and domiciled company in Colombia. The company must provide its legal documents as part of the visa application to prove it is a legitimate employer.
Biz Latin Hub can help you obtain all types of visas in Colombia
At Biz Latin Hub, our multilingual team of visa processing and company formation specialists is available to help you oversee your market entry and receive your business visa in Colombia in the shortest time possible. With our complete portfolio of back-office support, including legal, accounting, and recruitment services, we can be your single point of contact for doing business in Colombia or any of the other 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean where we are present.
Contact us now for a free quote or to discuss your commercial needs.
Or read about our team of expert authors.
