Colombia Digital Nomad Visa: Documents, Apostille and Requirements

Who may apply

The category is intended for nationals of countries exempt from Colombian short-stay visas who work remotely for foreign companies or run their own digital enterprise whose clients and income come from abroad. The key limit to understand is that this visa does not authorize paid work for a person or company domiciled in Colombia. If your situation mixes remote work for clients abroad with some income sourced from Colombia, confirm with the Cancillería whether the Visa V is still the right category or whether another one applies.

The digital nomad Visa V can currently be granted for a validity of up to two years. The exact duration is decided by the immigration authority for each application.

Employment letter, contract and income

The letter may come from one or more foreign companies and should clearly explain the type of relationship (employment or contractual), the type of compensation and the fact that the work is performed remotely. When a written contract exists, attach it along with the letter. If the applicant is a partner or co-owner of a company abroad, they can demonstrate that status and provide a letter explaining that they perform their work for that company remotely.

The applicant must show minimum income equivalent to three (3) SMLMV (Colombia's monthly legal minimum wage) during the last three months, backed by the corresponding bank statements. We don't recommend publishing a fixed dollar equivalent, since it changes with the minimum wage and the exchange rate; verify the current figure before gathering documents, never assume it from an older guide.

If applying as a digital entrepreneur

In addition to the general requirements, applicants applying as a digital entrepreneur must submit a motivational letter explaining the entrepreneurship project and the financial and human resources they have or expect to have to develop it.

Health insurance and beneficiaries

The insurance policy must have coverage in Colombia for accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospitalization, death, or repatriation during the intended period of stay.

The digital nomad Visa V allows visa applications for beneficiaries of the main applicant. When a spouse, permanent partner, or children are included, the family relationship must be proven with the corresponding documents, and foreign public documents must meet applicable apostille or legalization and translation formalities. Check well in advance which records each beneficiary needs, since pulling civil records from different states or countries can take longer than the rest of the file.

What needs an apostille and what does not

Not all documents in the file are treated the same. The letter from the foreign company specifically required for the digital nomad Visa V may be submitted in Spanish or English, per current regulations. Bank statements are submitted as proof of income for the last three months. However, when foreign public documents are submitted, for example civil birth or marriage records to prove beneficiaries, the apostille or legalization and translation formalities required by Colombian regulations must be reviewed. Don't automatically apostille employment letters, contracts, or bank statements without first verifying whether the application actually requires that formality.

Do you need the visa for stays under 90 days?

Not always. People from visa-exempt nationalities can perform remote work for a foreign employer during an authorized stay without processing the digital nomad Visa V, as long as they don't receive payments from Colombian companies and respect the applicable immigration limits. The initial stay can be up to 90 days and, under the regulation, can be extended up to a maximum of 180 continuous or non-continuous days in the calendar year. The Visa V becomes especially relevant when seeking a longer authorized stay, up to the term granted by the Cancillería within the two-year maximum.

Recommended order for assembling your file

1. Confirm the exact minimum income of 3 SMLMV in force as of your filing date, since it is recalculated each year based on the minimum wage.
2. Gather the foreign company letter (one or more) or, if applicable, the motivational letter for your entrepreneurship project.
3. If one exists, attach the employment or services contract.
4. Request bank statements from the previous three months reflecting the required minimum income.
5. Arrange health insurance with coverage in Colombia for accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospitalization, death, or repatriation for the entire stay.
6. If including beneficiaries, obtain and apostille or legalize the necessary birth or marriage records with enough lead time.
7. Check which foreign public documents need an apostille or legalization and translation before filing.

How it differs from other immigration categories

It is common to confuse the digital nomad Visa V with other categories that also allow long stays in Colombia, such as investor visas, ordinary work visas or rentier visas. Other immigration categories may apply when there's an employment relationship or paid activity in Colombia, investment, passive income, or another immigration basis. The difference shouldn't be reduced only to where the money comes from. If you also intend to provide paid services to Colombian clients, work for an entity domiciled in Colombia, or carry out another activity different from the one authorized, check whether you need a different visa category. Check with the Cancillería or an immigration advisor which category fits your situation before filing, because applying under the wrong category can mean starting the process over.

If the application is challenged or denied

If the authority requests additional information, respond exactly within the deadline and instructions indicated in the notification. Don't assume resending the same document will resolve the observation: identify what requirement the authority considers insufficient. Foreseeable problems can include income that doesn't clearly demonstrate the required minimum, incomplete employment letters, policies with insufficient coverage, or family documents lacking the required formalities.

Official source

Resolution 5477 of 2022: Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cancillería)