How to Apply for the Colombia Digital Nomad Visa

Last verified: 2026-08-05 against Resolución 5477 de 2022, arts. 21, 32 and 46.

The single document that decides most Colombia nomad visa applications is a letter from your foreign employer or client, and Cancillería accepts it in English with no certified translation. Article 46(2) requires it to state only two things — the type of relationship and the type of remuneration. A copy-paste template is in Step 2 below. The rest of the application is online through the Cancillería portal, with decisions typically inside 30 days.

Step 1 — Prepare income documentation

Gather the last 3 months of bank statements showing consistent monthly deposits above the COP 5,252,715 (~$1,400) threshold. Article 46(4) tests ingresos — income arriving — not the balance sitting in the account, so a large lump sum will not carry an application with thin deposits. If your earnings usually sit on Stripe, PayPal, Wise or Deel, withdraw three months of them to a bank account before you start; platform balances do not show as deposits.

Bank statements need no apostille and no Spanish translation when they are in Spanish, English, French or Portuguese — the parágrafo to article 21 exempts them explicitly.

Step 2 — Get the employer or client letter

Article 46(2) asks for a "Carta en español o en inglés" from one or more foreign companies you provide services to, stating el tipo de vínculo (the type of relationship) and el tipo de remuneración (the type of remuneration). That is the whole requirement — no notarisation, no prescribed wording, no translator. If you also hold a contract with that company, attach it alongside the letter. If you are a partner or co-owner rather than an employee, prove the ownership and supply a letter confirming you work for the company remotely.

Freelancers: the article says "una o varias empresas extranjeras", so letters from several clients are acceptable and are the normal route when no single client reaches the income floor.

Employer letter template (English — submit as-is)

[Date]

To: Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Colombia — Grupo Interno de Trabajo de Visas e Inmigración

Re: [Your full name], passport [number], [nationality]

To whom it may concern,

[Company legal name], a company registered in [country] under registration number [number] with registered address at [address], confirms that [your full name] provides services to this company as [an employee / an independent contractor / a consultant] under a [permanent / fixed-term / rolling services] agreement in force since [start date].

[He/She/They] is remunerated by [monthly salary / hourly rate / per-project fee / monthly retainer] of [amount and currency] per [month / hour / project], paid by bank transfer to [his/her/their] personal account on approximately the [Nth] of each month.

All work is performed remotely. [Company legal name] has no domicile, branch, or commercial establishment in Colombia, and [your full name] performs no work for and receives no payment from any person or entity domiciled in Colombia.

[Signature]
[Name], [Title]
[Company] — [email], [telephone]

The closing paragraph is not required by article 46, but it answers the visa's one substantive restriction — no paid work for anyone domiciled in Colombia — before a reviewer has to ask. Make sure the figure in the letter matches what your statements actually show; a mismatch between the two is the most common substantive rejection, and no amount of translation fixes it.

Step 3 — Obtain certified Spanish translations (only where still required)

Far fewer documents than most guides claim. The letter (art. 46(2)) and the bank statements (art. 21 parágrafo) are both exempt. What still needs apostille plus certified Spanish translation under article 21 is your employment contract, and any civil-registry documents for dependants — marriage and birth certificates. Use a traductor oficial from Cancillería's approved list; $30–80 per document, 1–2 weeks including notary.

Step 4 — Secure initial accommodation proof

Book at minimum a 2-week hotel or rental reservation in Colombia for the initial stay. This is sufficient for the visa application; full 2-year housing arrangements come later.

Step 5 — Purchase health insurance

Coverage valid in Colombia for the full 2-year visa term. International policies (Safetywing, Cigna, IMG) or Colombian providers (Sura, Colsanitas) both work. Must cover medical emergencies and repatriation. Cost: $50–100/month.

Step 6 — Create Cancillería online account

Go to www.cancilleria.gov.co and register. Navigate to "Visas" → "Visa V" → "Nómadas Digitales." The portal is available in English and Spanish.

Step 7 — Complete the application form

Fill in:

• Personal information (passport data, contact details)
• Intended address in Colombia (initial hotel or rental)
• Purpose of stay (digital nomad / remote work)
• Expected duration (2 years default)
• Employment/self-employment information

Step 8 — Upload documents

Required:

• Passport bio page (color scan)
• Recent passport photo (3×4 cm, white background, digital)
• Bank statements (last 3 months) — as issued, no apostille or translation
• Employer or client letter, Spanish or English, stating relationship type and remuneration type
• Employment contract / client agreements, where they exist (apostilled and translated if not in Spanish)
• Written statement of the activity you intend to carry out in Colombia (art. 31(1))
• Health insurance policy
• Accommodation proof

Step 9 — Pay the application fee

Fee approximately $223 USD, paid by credit card through the portal. Non-refundable.

Step 10 — Wait for decision (~30 days)

Colombia Cancillería processes in 30 calendar days for most applicants. You will receive email notifications as the application progresses. If additional documents are requested, respond promptly — the clock resets but each extension adds delay.

Step 11 — Receive the digital visa

Upon approval, you will receive the visa electronically as a PDF document. Print copies and keep the digital version accessible for travel. The visa is valid for immediate entry to Colombia.

Step 12 — Register in Colombia upon arrival

Within 15 days of arrival in Colombia:

• Obtain a Colombian foreigner ID (Cédula de Extranjería) from Migración Colombia.
• Register your address and biometric data.
• Fee: ~$70 for the Cédula.

Step 13 — Register tax residency (if applicable)

If you anticipate becoming Colombian tax resident (staying 183+ days in any 365-day period), register with DIAN (Colombian tax authority) and obtain a RUT (tax ID). Your Colombian CPA, if engaged, handles this step.

Timeline at a glance

Common rejection reasons

• Income below 3× minimum wage threshold in any of the last 3 months — Cancillería does not average across the three.
• A letter missing one of the two required elements. Article 46(2) names the type of relationship and the type of remuneration; letters that confirm employment but never describe how you are paid are incomplete.
• Letter and bank statements that disagree on the amount or the payment rhythm.
• Insufficient health insurance — article 46(5) lists seven risks (accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospitalisation, death, repatriation); travel policies routinely omit maternity or repatriation.
• Prior immigration violations in Colombia — overstays, overstay-related deportations.

Sources

• Resolución 5477 de 2022, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores — art. 46 (Visa V Nómadas digitales: letter in Spanish or English, the two required letter elements, contract and partner/co-owner variants, 3 SMMLV over 3 months, seven insurance risks, 2-year validity); art. 21 parágrafo (bank statements exempt from apostille and translation in any OAS language); art. 31(1) (applicant's own written statement of intended activity); retrieved 2026-08-05.