Colombia's Visitor Visa (Type V): when an American actually needs one
A U.S. passport already gets you up to 180 days a year in Colombia. The V visa covers longer stays for remote work, study or medical care, but it's a visitor status, so the clock toward residency never starts.
The V is Colombia's umbrella visitor visa, covering tourism, study, remote work, medical treatment and more under one letter. Most Americans only need it once six visa-free months a year stop being enough.
Before you apply
Your passport already covers six months
Americans get 90 days on arrival, and Migración Colombia can add 90 more, up to 180 days per calendar year. Colombia's visa rules also let remote workers from visa-exempt countries do their jobs on that entry permit, as long as no Colombian company pays them.
- Fill in the free Check-Mig form 1 to 72 hours before your flight
- Ask for the extension before your first 90 days run out (the fee was COP 136,000 in 2024)
- Overstay, and the fine has to be paid before you're allowed to leave
- Dual U.S.-Colombian citizens enter and leave on their Colombian passport
The V visa in four figures
180 days
Visa-free time per calendar year
90 on arrival, plus a 90-day extension
2 years
Longest V visa, for nomads or students
The tourism V tops out at 1 year
$1,375
Nomad income floor, per month
COP 5,252,715, three 2026 minimum wages
30 days
Official decision window
Clean files often come back in about 5 business days
Choose your V
Match the V to where your money comes from
Paid from outside Colombia: the digital nomad V
Up to two years of remote work for foreign employers or clients, or to start a digital or tech venture. You show three months of bank statements at three times Colombia's minimum wage (COP 5,252,715 a month in 2026, about $1,375 at early-2026 rates), a letter from the foreign company, and all-risk health insurance valid in Colombia. Paid work for anyone based in Colombia is off limits.
Studying: the student V
Up to two years, from trade courses to university. Only postgraduate students may work, capped at 20 hours a week, and more than 90 days outside Colombia ends the visa automatically.
Here for treatment: the medical V
Up to one year, and it can't be extended from inside Colombia.
Just visiting
The tourism V runs up to a year and bans work. Americans rarely need it, since the entry permit covers the same trips.
Aged 18 to 30
The working holiday V only applies to nationalities with an agreement in force. We couldn't confirm one for Americans, so ask the Cancillería before counting on it.
Visitor Visa (Type V)
For short-to-medium term stays (up to 2 years). Does not count toward residency. Includes Digital Nomad Visa for eligible countries (minimum income requirement). Tourist Visa not required for US citizens (90 days visa-free, extendable to 180 days/year). Student Visa available for those enrolled in recognized institutions, with possible part-time work for graduate students.
- Processing time
- ~15 days
- Timeline
- Up to 2 years
- Difficulty
- Easy
About that data card
Our list says "Recent 3x4 cm photograph with white background." Colombia's regulation asks for a recent color digital photo with a white background, uploaded with the online form, and names no size. The 15-day processing time is optimistic too: the Cancillería gives itself up to 30 calendar days. The rest of the document list depends on which V you file for. Nomads, for example, need bank statements, a letter from the foreign company and health insurance.
The process
From online form to Colombian ID
File online, from anywhere
You apply on the Cancillería's website. If you're already in Colombia legally, say on your visa-free entry, you can file with the Bogotá office without leaving.
Pay twice
A study fee of about $52 to $55 when you apply, kept even if you're turned down. After approval comes an issuance fee that varies by category: one Colombian law firm lists COP 508,200 (about $132 at early-2026 rates), and other guides quote more for the nomad V. The e-visa arrives within about 10 business days of paying.
Register within 15 days
A visa longer than three months means a cédula de extranjería for everyone 7 and older, within 15 calendar days of arriving or of the visa being issued. In 2026 it costs COP 294,000 (about $76 at early-2026 rates). Skip it and you risk fines and trouble at renewal time.
- Health insurance that doesn't cover the whole visa period
- Documents missing an apostille
- A photo without a white background
Pick a base
Where V visa holders tend to land
Medellín
Eternal spring
The expat capital. El Poblado and Laureles for walkable, English-friendly streets, Envigado and Sabaneta for better value. A metro, a real tech scene, and 72-degree days.
Bogotá
Capital at altitude
A capital of eight million at 8,660 feet, cool and gray more often than not, with a colonial quarter climbing toward Monserrate and a restaurant scene that outclasses the rest of the country. On Sundays the city closes a hundred kilometers of road to cars. Traffic and street crime are the daily costs.
Cartagena
Walled Caribbean city
A walled colonial city on the Caribbean, with balconied streets inside the ramparts, Getsemani's nightlife next door, and beach islands an hour out by boat. It is hot and humid every month of the year, tourist crowds are constant, and you choose your neighborhood with some care.
Santa Marta
Oldest city, wildest coast
The oldest surviving city in Colombia, founded in 1525, with Tayrona's jungle beaches east of town and the world's highest coastal mountain range climbing behind it to over 18,000 feet. Minca sits up in those hills for cooler air. The city itself runs hot, hard-edged, and touristy in parts.
The limits
What a visitor status won't do
Here's the catch: no day on a V visa counts toward residency. Colombia only counts Migrant (M) visas held three continuous years, or a Resident (R) visa.
The good news is that the rule stopping V holders from switching to an M inside Colombia applies only to nationalities that need a visa to visit, and Americans don't.
Your calendar matters for taxes as well. More than 183 days in Colombia within any 365-day window, entry and exit days included, makes you a Colombian tax resident. The IRS still taxes your worldwide income, and the foreign earned income exclusion needs 330 full days abroad in 12 months.
People who can help with the file
MOOD Travel Abroad Services
Colombia Relocation & Visa Services
MOOD Travel Abroad Services handles Colombia relocation and visa paperwork, and helps with finding a place to live.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
Hunter Schultz is a healthcare coach who helps people moving abroad understand their coverage and care options.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
ExpatInsure sells global health insurance for people living outside the U.S.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
MyExpatTaxes files U.S. tax returns for Americans living in other countries.
Questions Americans ask about the V visa
Can my spouse and children come on my Colombian digital nomad visa?
Yes. The regulation allows beneficiaries on the digital nomad V, and Colombian lawyers say that includes spouses, common-law partners and dependent children under 25. Everyone 7 and older on a visa longer than three months needs their own cédula de extranjería within 15 days.
How much does a Colombian V visa cost?
There's a study fee of about $52 to $55 when you apply, not refunded if you're refused, then an issuance fee after approval that varies by category. One Colombian law firm lists COP 508,200 (about $132 at early-2026 rates); guides quote more for the nomad V. Visas over three months also need a cédula de extranjería, COP 294,000 in 2026.
Can I switch from a V visa to a Migrant (M) visa without leaving Colombia?
For Americans, generally yes. The rule barring V holders from switching to an M or R visa inside Colombia applies only to nationalities that need a visa for short visits, and U.S. citizens don't. People in regular status can file with the Cancillería's Bogotá office.
Can I work remotely in Colombia without a visa?
Yes, within limits. Colombia's visa regulation lets remote workers from visa-exempt countries, including the U.S., work on their entry permit as long as no Colombian company pays them and they stay within 90 days, extendable to 180 days per calendar year. Staying longer takes the digital nomad V visa.
How long does a Colombian V visa take?
The Cancillería has up to 30 calendar days to decide. Complete applications are often decided in about 5 business days, and the e-visa follows within about 10 business days of paying the issuance fee.
Does time on a Colombian V visa count toward residency?
No. Colombia counts only Migrant (M) visas held at least three continuous years, or a Resident (R) visa, as proof of residence. Time on any V visa, including the digital nomad V, doesn't count toward residency or citizenship.
Will I owe taxes in Colombia on a V visa?
It depends on your days, not your visa. More than 183 days in Colombia within any 365-day period, counting entry and exit days, makes you a Colombian tax resident. The U.S. still taxes your worldwide income, so you keep filing with the IRS either way.
Do Americans need a visa to visit Colombia?
No. U.S. citizens get up to 90 days on arrival and can ask Migración Colombia for a 90-day extension before the first 90 days run out, for a maximum of 180 days per calendar year. Fill in the free Check-Mig form 1 to 72 hours before your flight.
Is Colombia the right fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see how Colombia compares on cost, climate, safety and the visa you'd qualify for.