Colombia Digital Nomad Visa: The 2027 Guide

Short on time? Colombia's digital nomad visa — formally the Visitor (Type V) visa, "Nómadas Digitales," created by Resolution 5477 of 2022 — lets you live in Colombia for up to two years while working remotely for foreign employers or clients. The income bar is among the lowest in the world: three times Colombia's monthly minimum wage, which in 2026 is COP 5,252,715 a month (roughly US$1,400–1,600 depending on the exchange rate). You must hold a passport from a country whose nationals can enter Colombia visa-free, work only for foreign income, and carry health insurance that covers you in Colombia for your whole stay.

The income rule — and why the peso number changes every January

The threshold is not a dollar figure. It is 3 × SMLMV (the legal monthly minimum wage), evidenced over the last three months of bank statements before you apply:

• 2026 SMLMV: COP 1,750,905 → threshold COP 5,252,715/month
• The 2027 minimum wage is set by decree in late December 2026; the threshold moves with it, automatically, every January 1.

Two practical warnings from recent applicants' experience:

1. Apply with headroom. The Cancillería evaluates your income at the exchange rate on the day it reviews your file, not the day you submit. If you sit exactly on the threshold, a bad week for the peso can sink the application. Practitioners commonly suggest evidencing at least US$1,600/month if you can.
2. The 2026 wage itself had an unusual year — the original decree was suspended by the Council of State in February 2026 and the same amount re-set by Decree 159 of February 19, 2026, remaining in force pending a final ruling. The peso amount did not change, but it is one more reason to check the live figure on the Cancillería portal the week you file.

Who qualifies

• Passport from a visa-exempt country for Colombia (the US, Canada, the UK, the EU, Australia and many others qualify), valid at least six months, in good condition with free pages.
• Foreign remote work: an employment contract with a foreign company, services agreements with foreign clients, or proof you own a foreign-registered digital/IT business. You may not work for a Colombian employer on this visa.
• Income: at least 3 × SMLMV for the last three months, from foreign sources, shown in bank statements.
• Health insurance: a hard requirement, and the most common point of friction in 2026 applications. The policy must cover you in Colombia for your entire planned stay, covering accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospitalization, death and repatriation. Ordinary travel insurance wording is frequently rejected — the policy must read as health insurance, not trip cover. (For what healthcare itself costs once you are here, see Cost of Living in Medellín.)
• No local ties the visa forbids: this is a visitor visa. It does not lead directly to residency, and time on it should be planned as a bridge — to a Migrant (M) category later, or to a defined stay.

How to apply, step by step

1. Prepare documents: passport scan, photo, employment/client proof or business registration, three months of bank statements, health insurance policy with the required coverages spelled out, and a letter (in Spanish) explaining your remote work and intended stay. Foreign documents may need apostille and official translation — confirm the current checklist on the Cancillería site.
2. File online through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cancillería) visa portal, selecting Visitante (V) → Nómadas Digitales.
3. Pay the study fee — US$52–56 under the 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 3969 of March 26, 2026 set it at US$56) — when you submit.
4. Wait for review: officially up to 30 days; in practice about 2–4 weeks for clean files. Expect document requests if insurance wording or income evidence is ambiguous.
5. On approval, pay the issuance fee — roughly US$170–230 in 2026, varying by nationality — and your e-visa is issued electronically.
6. After arrival, register the visa with Migración Colombia within 15 days if you intend to apply for a cédula de extranjería (needed for many local leases, bank accounts and contracts — see Best Medellín Neighborhoods on why landlords ask for it).

The tax line you must not cross by accident

The visa can be granted for up to two years, but spending 183 days or more in Colombia within any 365-day period generally makes you a Colombian tax resident on worldwide income. Many nomads therefore plan their physical presence — some guides describe a 180-day-per-calendar-year presence pattern for this visa — but the safe statement is the arithmetic one: track your days, and take Colombian tax advice before your first 183-day window closes. A cheap visa with an accidental worldwide-tax residency attached is not cheap.

Nomad visa vs. tourist stamp: which do you actually need?

Honest advice: if you are coming for three to six months to see whether Medellín suits you, the tourist route is simpler and cheaper. The nomad visa earns its paperwork when you want a year-plus base, a local lease in your own name, and certainty instead of extension appointments.

FAQ

Can I work for Colombian clients on the nomad visa? No. Income must originate outside Colombia. Working locally requires a work-authorized visa category.

Can I bring dependents? Beneficiaries can be attached under the general visa rules, with additional income and documentation — confirm the current requirements on the Cancillería portal, as this is an area where checklists change.

Does the nomad visa lead to residency or citizenship? Not by itself. It is a visitor visa; it does not create a direct path, though it can help you plan a later move to a Migrant (M) category.

Where should I base myself? Most nomads start in Laureles and a growing number settle in Envigado or Sabaneta in year two — the neighborhood comparison and rents are in Best Medellín Neighborhoods and Cost of Living.

This article is information, not legal advice: visa rules and fees change — verify on the Cancillería portal before filing.