Colombia digital nomad visa: how Americans qualify

Colombia created a visa for remote workers that lets foreigners live in the country while working for employers or clients abroad. Its formal name is Visa V Nómadas digitales, a Visitor (V) category issued by the Cancillería, Colombia's foreign ministry. For an American working remotely for a US company or US clients, it is the cleanest way to stay longer than the visitor permit allows without taking a Colombian job. This guide covers who qualifies, what you file, what it costs and what you cannot do on it.

Who qualifies

The Cancillería describes the visa as being for foreigners who want to come to Colombia to work remotely, as employees or independent contractors, exclusively for foreign companies or clients, using digital technologies. It is also open to people who want to start a digital or technology business ("emprendimiento digital").

One condition limits the applicant pool: the applicant must be a national of a country whose citizens do not need a visa for short stays in Colombia. US citizens are in that group, since Americans enter Colombia as visitors without a visa.

The income requirement

The Cancillería requires bank certifications or statements showing income equal to at least three monthly legal minimum wages (SMLMV) during the last three months before the application. Colombia sets the minimum wage by decree each year. For 2026, Decree 159 of 2026 sets it at COP 1,750,905 per month, so three minimum wages is three times that amount.

Two practical points:

• The figure is in Colombian pesos. If your income is in dollars, the threshold in dollars moves with the exchange rate, so show a comfortable margin.
• The minimum wage rises in January. Applications filed early in the year use the new figure.

Bank statements in English do not need an apostille or translation, according to the Cancillería's general rules, as long as English is an official language of the Organization of American States and the statements are legible.

Documents to prepare

The Cancillería's list of specific requirements for this visa:

1. Proof of the remote work relationship. For employees, a letter from the foreign company stating the relationship, the position, the remote arrangement and the pay. For independent contractors, contracts or letters from foreign clients. For a digital business, a description of the venture.
2. Bank statements showing the income threshold for the last three months.
3. Health insurance covering the whole stay in Colombia, with coverage for illness, accident, hospitalization, disability and death, valid in Colombian territory.

The general requirements apply as well: the online application form with a photo meeting the specification, and a passport valid for at least six months, with a copy of the biographic page. Documents issued in English other than bank statements, such as a company letter, may need an official translation into Spanish, and public documents need an apostille. Check the Cancillería's general rules for each item.

Health insurance

The policy must cover you in Colombia for the full length of the visa you request. Read the policy wording against the Cancillería's list of risks before you buy, and keep the certificate showing the dates and the territorial coverage.

SafetyWing is one provider nomads and remote workers use. Check its official site for what it covers and what it costs. Visit SafetyWing

Fees

The Cancillería charges a study fee when you file and a visa fee only if the visa is approved. Its fee page for the digital nomad visa lists USD 56 for the study and USD 183 for the visa. Fees are updated periodically, so check the current amounts before paying.

How long it lasts

The visa can be granted for up to two years. It allows beneficiary visas for family members, such as a spouse or permanent partner and dependent children, who apply with proof of the relationship.

What you cannot do

The restriction that matters most: the Cancillería states that this visa does not allow its holder to carry out work or paid activities for people or companies domiciled in Colombia. In practice:

• A Colombian client cannot hire you on this visa.
• A Colombian subsidiary of your US employer is a company domiciled in Colombia. Moving to its payroll requires a different visa.
• You can still spend money, rent, open accounts and live normally.

Because the visa is a Visitor (V) category, time on it does not count toward the Resident (R) visa by accumulated time. If you plan to settle long term, compare it with Migrant (M) categories in our overview of Colombian visas.

How to apply

Applications are filed online through the Cancillería's visa platform. Resolution 5477 of 2022 lets you apply from abroad, through the consulate with jurisdiction over your place of residence, or from inside Colombia, through the Bogotá office, if you entered legally. Filing an application does not by itself give you regular status, so keep your visitor permit valid while you wait.

The usual sequence:

1. Create an account on the platform and complete the form.
2. Upload documents in PDF.
3. Pay the study fee.
4. Respond to any requests for more documents.
5. If approved, pay the visa fee and receive an electronic visa.

After approval

Visas valid for more than three months require registration with Migración Colombia. You register and request a Cédula de Extranjería within 15 calendar days of entering Colombia with the visa, or of the date it was issued if you were already in the country. The cédula is your ID for leases, banks, phone plans and the transport cards.

Taxes

The visa does not decide your tax status. The DIAN treats you as a Colombian tax resident after more than 183 calendar days in Colombia, continuous or not, within any 365-day period, and residents are taxed on worldwide income, including salary paid from the United States. Non-residents are taxed only on Colombian-source income.

On the US side, citizens file on worldwide income wherever they live. The IRS foreign earned income exclusion allows qualifying taxpayers to exclude up to $130,000 of foreign earned income for 2025 and $132,900 for 2026, and taxes paid to Colombia can support a foreign tax credit. There is no US-Colombia income tax treaty on the IRS treaty list.

Common mistakes

• Applying with the wrong income period. The statements must cover the last three months before the application.
• Insurance that ends early. The policy dates must match the visa you request.
• Taking a Colombian client. That breaches the visa's conditions.
• Forgetting the cédula. Registration within 15 days is mandatory and missing it can result in a fine.

Common questions

Can US citizens get the Colombian digital nomad visa? Yes. The visa is limited to nationals of countries exempt from short-stay visas for Colombia, which includes the United States.

How much income do I need for the Colombian digital nomad visa? Bank statements must show income of at least three Colombian monthly minimum wages during the last three months. The 2026 minimum wage is COP 1,750,905.

Can I work for Colombian clients on a digital nomad visa? No. The Cancillería states the visa does not allow work or paid activity for people or companies domiciled in Colombia.

Does time on the digital nomad visa count toward residency? No. It is a Visitor (V) visa, and the R visa by accumulated time counts time on Migrant (M) visas.