Step-by-Step Instructions and Real Document Examples
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Step 1: Determine Eligibility
Before applying, ensure you meet the basic requirements:
Remote Work: You must have a contract with a foreign company or be self-employed with clients outside of Colombia.
Income: Demonstrate a stable monthly income equivalent to at least three minimum wages in Colombia (~$900 USD as of 2024).
Health Insurance: Obtain health insurance valid in Colombia for the duration of your stay.
Step 2: Gather Required Documents
Collect the necessary documents:
Be the holder of a passport issued by one of the countries or territories exempt from short-stay visas, according to Resolution
Letter in Spanish or English, issued by one or more foreign companies for which the applicant provides services, indicating the type of relationship and the type of remuneration received by the applicant. If there is a contract with such a company, provide it, or demonstrate that you are a partner or co-owner of a company abroad and provide a letter indicating that you work for the company remotely.
For entrepreneurs: Present a motivational letter explaining your entrepreneurial project and the financial and human resources you currently have or aspire to have for your venture.
Demonstrate, through bank statements, having minimum income equivalent to three (3) Minimum Legal Monthly Wages during the last 3 months. 908,526 Colombian Pesos (COP) per month as of January 2022.
Health insurance policy with coverage in Colombian territory against all risks including accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospitalization, death, or repatriation, for the intended duration of stay in the country.
Step 3: Complete the Visa Application Form
The study, processing, and issuance of visas are carried out entirely online. The electronic visa will allow its holder to enter, stay, and leave the national territory and to approach the immigration control authority to request a foreigner's ID card, where applicable. A label will be printed to be stamped in the passport when the Visa and Immigration Authority deems it necessary. Notwithstanding that the application is submitted online, the Visa and Immigration Authority may require the physical presentation of the original documentation.
Fill out the online visa application form on the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. Provide accurate information and upload the required documents.
Goverment Application Guide (Spanish): https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/visa-linea
Step by Step Tutorial:
*Please click to open and be able to zoom in*
If you are outside of Colombia, when completing your application form, choose the Colombian Consular Office closest to your current country of residence from the options menu, or the third country where you have temporary or permanent residency. If there is more than one Colombian consulate in your country of residence, select the one closest to your place of residence.
If you are in Colombia and have regular immigration status, when completing your visa application form, select "BTA. Visas" from the options menu.
Attach the required documents to the visa application form on the SITAC platform in PDF format, and a photograph in JPG format with a maximum size of 300 KB.
Supporting documents, other than valid and current passports or travel documents, must have an issue date no more than three (3) months before the application is submitted.
The submission of illegible, altered, incomplete, ambiguous documents, or those that may be misleading, may result in the rejection or denial of the visa application.
Any document issued abroad must have an apostille or legalization and an official translation into Spanish if it is not in this language, except for the exceptions expressly contemplated in Article 21 of Resolution 5477 of 2022. "Article 21. Formality of Documents from Abroad: Unless expressly provided for in this resolution, any document created or issued abroad must have an apostille or legalization, depending on the issuing or certifying authority, and an official translation into Spanish if it is not in this language. Paragraph: Bank certifications or statements may be presented without an apostille or legalization and without an official translation into Spanish if their content is in one of the official languages of the Organization of American States (OAS) and can be clearly understood in all its parts by the Visa and Immigration Authority."
Please be aware of communications received at the registered email address, especially if your application is requested (additional information required - incomplete) by the Visa Authority. You may be granted up to 10 calendar days to fulfill this request, during which you must attach the requested additional information or documents through the SITAC platform. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the in-admission or denial of the application. If your application is in process and you are requested to provide additional documentation, please do not send additional documents via official mail. These documents must be uploaded to the SITAC platform.
Make sure the documents you submit do not have password protection, if they do you must remove it in order to be able to submit the application.
Document Examples:
Passport Photo
1.Passport
Submit on the SITAC platform a copy of the main page of the passport or equivalent document, with a minimum validity of six (6) months at the time of the visa application, in good condition, where the personal or biographical data of the holder are recorded.
2. Passport Stamp
If you are in Colombia with regular immigration status, submit a copy of the passport page containing the most recent entry stamp into the country or equivalent entry authorization issued by the Special Administrative Unit of Migration Colombia, or a safe-conduct pass to demonstrate your regular stay in the territory.
3. Immigration Status
If you are a national exempt from a short-stay visa (List A) and are applying for your visa in a state other than your country of nationality, you must submit a copy of the document that, in accordance with the immigration regulations of the country you are in, proves your regular stay. Nationals from countries not exempt from a short-stay visa who are applying for a visa in a country other than their country of nationality must submit a copy of the document that proves their immigration status as a resident.
4. Passport exempt from short term visa
Document(s) proving you are national of a country exempt from a short-stay visa (List A)
5. Employement Letter
A letter in Spanish or English, issued by one or more foreign companies for which the foreigner provides services, indicating the type of employment relationship and the type of remuneration the applicant receives. If there is a contract with the company, submit it, or demonstrate that you are a partner or co-owner of a company abroad, along with a letter indicating that your work for the company is performed remotely.
*Please click to open and be able to zoom in*
*If you are self employed you can upload a blank pdf in this section.
6. Self Employement Letter
In the case of entrepreneurs, present a motivation letter explaining your entrepreneurial project and the financial and human resources you have or aspire to have for your venture. I have provided 2 examples:
Example letter from the owner when there is no accountant
Example letter when one is a partner-owner
*Since I'm employed I uploaded a blank pdf in this section.
7. Bank Statements
Demonstrate through bank statements that you have a minimum income equivalent to three (3) Current Legal Monthly Minimum Wages (SMLMV) during the last 3 months. (COP 3,480,000 per month, June 2024)
*Please click to open and be able to zoom in*
8. Insurance
Health insurance with coverage in the national territory against all risks in case of accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospitalization, death, or repatriation, for the intended duration of your stay in the country.
*Please click to open and be able to zoom in*
*Genki Referral Link:
The Visa and Immigration Authority may verify your judicial records online using the Colombian National Police database and other databases it has access to, or it may require you to present a criminal record certificate from your country of nationality or residence.*
Helpful Websites:
*How to get the US FBI Background Check Certificate:
https://expatgroup.co/english/visas-and-migration/how-to-get-the-us-fbi-background-check-certificate/
*Step by step to get the FBI Background check from Colombia
PDF Compressor:
PDF Password Removal:
Join PDF's:
How to check file sizes:
Step 4: Payment
Before submitting the application, you must pay the application fee of around $52 on the website. The payment can be made using a credit card or per the specified payment options provided during the application process.
(June 2024)
Step 5: Wait for a decision
After submitting your application for the digital nomad visa, you must patiently await a decision. The processing time for the visa application is typically around 30 days, although it may vary. To stay informed about the status of your application, it is recommended to regularly check the online portal or reach out to the relevant authorities for any updates.
Step 6: Pay the visa fee
You must pay the visa fee upon approval of your Colombia digital nomad visa. The approval notification will specify the fee amount, once the visa fee has been paid, your Colombia digital nomad visa will be delivered electronically within ten days.
If the electronic visa contains errors, you must request corrections within fifteen (15) calendar days after issuance. If this deadline has passed, you will need to request a visa transfer.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Taxes in Colombia:
Digital nomads, as non-residents, are not required to pay income tax in Colombia since they are not considered tax residents. Non-resident foreigners only need to declare income tax if their earnings originate from a national source or from inheritance acquired within the country, such as real estate.
However, it's important to note that if you work as a digital nomad in Colombia and establish a coworking space, you must declare the income generated from this space, even without being a resident, due to having a permanent establishment.
Additionally, foreign nationals who stay in Colombia for more than 183 days a year are considered tax residents and must declare all their income from both domestic and foreign sources.
Processing Time:
When the process of document review and verification requires consultations with other entities, the response time may exceed the stated period. If you are in Colombia, you must ensure that you remain in regular immigration status for the entire duration of the processing of your application, whether under a valid visa, a safe-conduct pass, or a stay permit.
Cedula Appointment Timing:
The 15-day period to schedule your cedula appointment begins from the date you enter Colombia on your visa, not from the date your visa is approved. For instance, if your visa is approved in February and you move to Colombia in May, your 15-day window starts the day you enter the country. If you apply while already in Colombia, the 15-day countdown begins on the approval date, as you are already present in the country. It is advisable to time your appointment scheduling around your arrival date to ensure everything aligns smoothly.
Visa Denial:
The Visa and Immigration Authority will make a decision on your application by authorizing the issuance of a visa, requesting more information or the presence of the applicant, rejecting the application, or denying the visa. A rejection ends the process without prejudice to submitting a new application. If the issuance of a visa is denied, you must leave the country within thirty (30) calendar days following the denial and cannot submit a new application within six (6) months of the rejection, which must be done from your country of nationality or legal permanent residence.
Additional Visa Payment Information:
The issuance of visas for Ecuadorian nationals will be free of charge; the fee for the application review will be twenty-three (23) Euros if applied for in Euro territory and Cuba, and thirty (30) United States Dollars if applied for in the rest of the world.
The fees for the issuance of Visitor visas authorized for crew members of vessels, as well as their application review, will be exempt for those members of fishing vessels whose activities take place in the areas around San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina.
The issuance of visas for nationals of Japan and the Republic of Korea will be free of charge; the application review fee will correspond to the Class and/or Type of the requested visa.
For nationals of the Republic of Peru who settle in the Amazon and Putumayo river basins, visas will be free of charge; the application review fee will correspond to the Class and/or Type of the requested visa.
The issuance of Visitor or Migrant visas authorized exclusively for activities within an academic training program will be free of charge for nationals of the Republic of Bolivia; the application review fee will be twelve (12) Euros if applied for in Euro territory and Cuba, and sixteen (16) United States Dollars if applied for in the rest of the world.
The application review fee for Visitor or Migrant visas requested exclusively for activities within an academic training program will be twelve (12) Euros if applied for in Euro territory and Cuba, and sixteen (16) United States Dollars if applied for in the rest of the world. The fee for visa issuance will be seventeen (17) Euros if applied for in Euro territory and Cuba, and twenty-one (21) United States Dollars if applied for in the rest of the world.
The fees for the application review and issuance stages of the visa for Spanish nationals will be free of charge.
Conclusion:
Navigating the process of applying for a digital nomad visa can seem daunting, but with the right guidance and resources, it becomes much more manageable. By following the step-by-step instructions and using the provided document examples, you can confidently embark on your journey as a digital nomad.
If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to leave a comment below. I'd love to hear about your experiences and help you along the way.
Safe travels and happy nomading!
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