Colombia pension visa: requirements for retirees

Colombia's pension visa, formally the Visa M Pensionado, is the standard route for retirees who want to live in Colombia on a pension. It is a Migrant (M) visa, so it is meant for people who intend to settle, and time on it counts toward permanent residence. For Americans, US Social Security retirement benefits are a pension granted by a state, which is exactly what the visa asks for. This guide covers the income rule, the documents, the fees and the limits.

Who the visa is for

The Cancillería describes the M Pensionado as the visa for a foreigner with constant monthly income from a pension granted by a state or a private pension fund. It allows the holder to accumulate time toward the Resident (R) visa after a minimum of five years as holder.

The pension minimum

The Cancillería requires a certification of a lifelong monthly pension of no less than three monthly legal minimum wages (SMMLV). The minimum wage is set each year by decree. For 2026, Decree 159 of 2026 sets it at COP 1,750,905 per month, so the pension must be at least three times that amount in pesos. Because the minimum wage changes every January, recalculate the threshold for the year you apply and use the exchange rate on the day you prepare your documents, leaving a margin for currency movements.

The pension must be lifelong ("vitalicia"). A temporary annuity or a pension that ends at a set date does not meet the wording.

Documents

The specific requirements published by the Cancillería:

1. Pension certificate. A certification of the monthly lifelong pension in your favor, issued by the competent entity, apostilled and translated, or issued by the diplomatic or consular mission of the country where you obtained the pension. For Social Security, Americans usually request a benefit verification letter from the SSA and have it apostilled by the US Department of State.
2. Criminal record certificates from the authority of every country where you lived during the last three years, apostilled or legalized and officially translated into Spanish. For the US, that is the FBI identity history summary with a State Department apostille.
3. Medical certificate of psychophysical fitness, issued by a Colombian authority or by the health authority of your country of origin.
4. Health coverage in Colombia, or a health policy valid in Colombia covering accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospitalization, death and repatriation for the planned stay.

The Cancillería adds that bank certifications or statements can be filed without apostille or translation if they are in an official language of the Organization of American States, such as English, and are clearly legible.

The general requirements apply too: the online form with a photo, and a passport valid for at least six months with a copy of the biographic page. If you are applying from inside Colombia, include your entry stamp or entry record.

Fees

Each visa has a study fee paid when the application is filed and a visa fee paid only if it is approved. The Cancillería's fee page for Migrante Pensionado lists USD 56 for the study and USD 279 for the visa. Fees are reviewed periodically, so confirm them on the Cancillería site when you apply.

What the visa allows and what it does not

• Validity: up to three years, renewable while you meet the conditions.
• Work: not allowed. The Cancillería states the visa does not permit work in Colombia.
• Social security: the Cancillería states the visa does not allow its holder to join the Colombian social security system, except under bilateral or multilateral agreements. That is why private health coverage is central for pension visa holders.
• Family: you can request beneficiary visas for a spouse or permanent partner, children up to age 25 who depend on you, and children with a physical or mental disability.

Absences and continuity

Two rules affect retirees who split time between countries:

• An M visa automatically loses validity if the holder is outside Colombia for more than 180 continuous days within each 365 days counted from issuance.
• For the R visa by accumulated time, the Cancillería counts continuity only when each new visa is granted before the previous one expires.

If you plan long visits to family in the US, count your days.

After approval

Register the visa with Migración Colombia and request your Cédula de Extranjería within 15 calendar days of entry, or of the visa issue date if you received it in Colombia. The card is your ID for banks, leases and health providers.

Taxes and Social Security

The Social Security Administration's Payments Abroad Screening Tool tells you whether your retirement, disability or survivor payments continue indefinitely outside the United States, stop after six consecutive calendar months, or face country-specific restrictions. Run it for Colombia before you move. There is no US-Colombia totalization agreement.

Colombian tax residence depends on days in the country, not on the visa. The DIAN treats a person as resident after more than 183 calendar days, continuous or not, within any 365-day period, and residents are taxed on worldwide income. The United States keeps taxing citizens on worldwide income, and there is no US-Colombia income tax treaty on the IRS treaty list. Plan your tax position before you settle.

A practical sequence from the US

1. Request the SSA benefit letter and the FBI identity history summary.
2. Send both for a State Department apostille.
3. Arrange the medical certificate and health coverage.
4. Have the documents officially translated into Spanish.
5. File online with the Cancillería, choosing the consulate for your US residence or the Bogotá office if you are already in Colombia.
6. Once approved, register the visa and request the cédula within 15 days.

Common reasons applications are delayed

Applicants who prepare the following carefully tend to avoid requests for more information:

• Apostille timing. Apostilles are issued by the State Department for federal documents such as the FBI summary, and by the secretary of state of the issuing state for state documents. Allow time for both.
• Translations. Translations must be official translations into Spanish. Translate the apostille page as well.
• Name consistency. The name on your passport, pension letter, criminal record and health policy should match exactly, including middle names.
• Health policy wording. Check that the policy states coverage in Colombia and lists the risks the Cancillería names, including repatriation.
• Photo. The online form rejects photos that do not meet the specification. Use a recent photo on a white background.

Renewing

Because the visa lasts up to three years, plan the renewal well before it expires. Filing the new application in time matters for the R visa: the Cancillería counts accumulated time as continuous only when each visa is granted before the previous one expires. Update your pension certificate, criminal records and health coverage for the renewal, and keep copies of every visa you hold, since you will list them when you apply for residence.

Common questions

How much pension do I need for the Colombian pension visa? A lifelong monthly pension of at least three Colombian monthly minimum wages. With the 2026 minimum wage of COP 1,750,905, the threshold is three times that amount.

Does US Social Security count as a pension for this visa? The visa accepts pensions granted by a state or a private pension fund. Social Security retirement benefits are a state pension; applicants use an apostilled SSA benefit letter as the certificate.

Can I work on a Colombian pension visa? No. The Cancillería states the M Pensionado visa does not allow work in Colombia.