Figuring Out Tourist Visas in Colombia; A Helpful Guide

To visit Colombia, for starters, you need what is called a tourist visa.

If you are visiting Colombia from the United States, this is simply a matter of obtaining three things:

You must have a valid United States passport active for a more significant time than you plan to stay in Colombia.

You must register your plans for your stay on Migracion. Registration includes the day that you enter Colombia and the day that you exit Colombia. You must complete your registration within 72 hours in advance of your entry or exit of Colombia.

You must have proof of your Covid 19 vaccination to fly on airlines from the United States. You will use your paper vaccination card or a copy on your cell phone to show the airline when you check in at your local airport.

As a tip, it is much better to have the paper copy handy if you must choose between the two.

If you are entering a different country, please check the current and local requirements to fly online before you fly for your specific location requirements.

As a United States citizen, you get permission to enter Colombia for 180 days in a given calendar year.

There is generally much confusion about what this means exactly.

The calendar year starts on January 1st and ends on December 31st of the same year.

For example, if you entered Colombia on January 10th, 2022, you have 180 days to use in Colombia in the year 2022.

You cannot exit the country and re-enter to obtain a new 180 days if you already stayed for 180.

Colombia permits you to visit for 180 days, and it does not matter if it is not continuous or if it is constant.

How to Extend Your Tourist Visa After 90 days

One other point of confusion for most Expats or visitors from the United States is that Migracion does not give you 180 days on your first registration.

They will give you 90 days on your first visit or less, depending on what you choose when you register.

To obtain the other 90 days when your first 90 are complete, you must re-visit the Migracion website to pay for the extra 90 days.

You can also visit the Migracion office in your local city to pay in person and get your extension of a new 90 days to complete your 180 if the Migracion website is confusing or does not function properly.

Most people encounter trouble registering on Migracion’s website to pay for the additional 90 days of a tourist visa.

If this is the case, it is a recommendation to take the time to visit the local Migracion office to register your additional 90 days.

When paying for the additional 90-day tourist visa, Migracion does accept credit cards or debit cards from United States citizens.

The current renewal cost is 103.000 COP, or USD $23.55. Check the conversion rate on the date you intend to continue your visa for the exact amounts.

Once you purchase the additional 90-day tourist visa to complete your 180 days, Migracion will stamp your passport and give you a paper you want to keep with your passport for your permission to remain in Colombia.

Other Colombian Visa Considerations

If you intend to be in Colombia longer than 180 days, you must prepare to apply for a different style of Colombian visa.

Some different visas are for Students, Marriage, Digital nomads, if you invest in Real Estate, or if you wish to relocate as an Expat.

For these styles of visas, speak with an immigration attorney to help make the process as smooth as possible.

Welcome to Colombia

In conclusion, the best thing you can do to prepare for your trip to Colombia is to prepare your details in advance.

Planning for your additional 90-day renewal with Migracion three weeks in advance will help the process go smoothly and save you a lot of stress.

I hope this helps to clear up any confusion with the tourist visa process for United States citizens who wish to visit Colombia. It is a beautiful country with kind citizens and many lovely places to visit. Safe travels!

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About the author:

Hi, I’m Charlie Naebeck — Professional Photographer and Teacher, Certified Life Coach, Writer, Artist, and Certified TESOL/TEFL English Instructor.

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