Entering Colombia for a short-stay

Travelling to Colombia
shutterstock.com
Updated by Anne-Lise Mty on 18 September, 2017

Foreigners visiting or moving to Colombia should research all the requirements well in advance of travel. For a short-term stay, a passport is sufficient for most. The majority of visitors to Colombia will arrive by air, and there are regular international flights into the bigger cities including Bogotá, Cartagena, Medellín, Cali, and Barranquilla.

Basic requirements for entry

All travellers must have a passport valid for six months from the date of entry. Customs officials may ask to see a return ticket to provide proof of an exit date. A customs form will be issued upon arrival and requires the address of the residence or hotel.

Visa information for temporary visitors

Citizens of more than 80 countries, including the U.S. and the European Union, are automatically permitted entry into Colombia and granted a tourist visa for 90-days. To see a list of countries which do or do not require a visa, visit Colombia's government tourism page.

Tourist visas may be extended for a second 90-day period as long as the request is made before the initial 90-day period expires. This request can be made at a Migración Colombia office for a fee of 92000 COP (approximately $30USD/£23GBP). Find out more about long-term visas in our 'Visa' article.

Important:

Any foreigner arriving with a visa valid for more than three months is required to register it at a Migración Colombia office within 15 days of arrival in Colombia. Those not registering within this time will face fines which must be paid in order to exit the country.

Vaccinations

A Yellow Fever vaccine is required for certain travellers and is advisable for others. The vaccine is required for those coming from Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Angola. To avoid issues with domestic travel, the Yellow Fever vaccine is strongly recommended for travellers visiting the following departments:

  • Antioquia
  • Chocó
  • Norte de Santander
  • Magdalena
  • Amazon

Good to know:

Bogota, Cartagena, and Medellin are not high-risk areas for Yellow Fever.

Travellers should provide documentation in the form of WHO International Certificate of Vaccination. The vaccine should be administered at least 10 days before travel to Colombia.

Useful links

Migración Colombia (Immigration Department)
Colombian embassies abroad
Government sponsored visitor's guide

We do our best to provide accurate and up to date information. However, if you have noticed any inaccuracies in this article, please let us know in the comments section below.