Living in Colombia.
30 practical guides for Americans living in Colombia, grouped by topic. Each one lists the official sources it is based on.
Daily life
Schools in Colombia for American families
How Colombian school calendars, public and private schools, bilingual and international options, and the convalidación of US grades work for American families.
Phone, internet and utilities in Colombia: getting connected
How to register a US phone's IMEI in Colombia, choose a mobile plan, get home internet and handle electricity, water and gas bills as an American resident.
Living in Colombia day to day: altitude, cafes and city rhythms
What everyday life looks like for an American in Colombia: Bogotá's altitude, coffee culture, cash and digital payments, and getting around cities.
Documents and ID
US embassy services in Colombia: passports, voting and STEP
What the US Embassy in Bogota and the Barranquilla consular agency do for Americans living in Colombia, from passports and birth reports to notarials and voting.
Your first weeks in Colombia: the registrations to do after landing
The order of paperwork after you arrive in Colombia on a visa: visa registration, the Cédula de Extranjería, the RUT tax number, banking and health.
Getting around
Getting around Colombia without a car: buses, metro and ride-hailing
How TransMilenio in Bogota, the Metro de Medellin, intercity buses, domestic flights, taxis and ride-hailing apps work for Americans living in Colombia.
Driving in Colombia with a US license: IDP, exchange and the test
How long a US driver's license is valid in Colombia, what changes once you become a resident, and how a Colombian license is issued through RUNT.
Health
Health insurance for a Colombian visa: what the policy must cover
Which Colombian visas require health insurance, what risks the policy must cover, how it fits with EPS enrollment, and the documents consulates check.
Colombia's healthcare system explained for Americans
How Colombian healthcare works: the contributory and subsidized regimes, EPS and IPS, who can enroll as a foreigner, and 2026 copayments and fees.
Housing
Renting a home in Colombia as an American
How long-term rentals work in Colombia: Law 820 leases, the ban on cash deposits, co-signers and guarantee policies, rent increases, estratos and utilities.
Medellin rentals and the estrato system explained
How Colombia's estrato classification shapes Medellín rentals: what strata 1 to 6 mean for utility bills, how to check a property's stratum, and lease rules.
Language and culture
Etiquette in Colombia: greetings, meals and everyday manners
How greetings, titles, meals, time, holidays and dealing with offices work in Colombia, written for Americans settling in Bogota, Medellin or the coast.
Learning Spanish in Colombia: courses, exams and daily practice
How Americans learn Spanish in Colombia: public courses at the Instituto Caro y Cuervo, the SIELE exam, what the citizenship exam requires, and Colombian usage.
Money
Collecting US Social Security while living in Colombia
How US Social Security works for Americans retired in Colombia: payments abroad, no totalization agreement, rules for Colombian family members, Medicare and taxes.
Cost of living in Colombia: how to budget as an American
How to build a realistic Colombian budget: rent rules, estratos and utilities, inflation data from DANE, transport, health costs, taxes and banking charges.
Opening a bank account in Colombia as an American
What Americans need to open a Colombian bank account: the cédula, proof of income, the 4 por mil tax and its exemption, and US reporting rules.
US taxes and admin
Colombian tax residency rules for Americans
When an American becomes a Colombian tax resident: the 183-day rule, how days are counted across two years, rules for nationals, and what residence means.
US taxes for Americans living in Colombia
What US citizens in Colombia still owe the IRS: filing rules, the June 15 extension, the earned income exclusion, foreign tax credits, FBAR and Form 8938.
Colombia's tax ID for foreigners: the RUT and NIT
How an American gets a Colombian RUT and NIT: who must register, why foreigners register in person or from abroad, the cost, and what the number is used for.
Visas and residency
Colombia digital nomad visa: how Americans qualify
The Colombian V Nómada digital visa explained: who qualifies, the income test in minimum wages, health insurance, fees, length and the ban on local work.
Colombia pension visa: requirements for retirees
How the Colombian M Pensionado visa works for Americans: the pension minimum, documents, health coverage, fees, limits on work and the path to residence.
Becoming a citizen of Colombia: residence and dual nationality
How Americans qualify for Colombian nationality by adoption under Law 2332 of 2023: residence years, the exam, the oath, and keeping US citizenship.
Moving to Colombia from the US: which visa or residence route fits
How the Colombian V digital nomad visa, the M pension and other migrant visas, and the R resident visa compare for US citizens planning a move.
Work and business
Working in Bogota: office culture and business etiquette
Business norms an American meets in Bogotá: greetings and titles, dress, meetings and relationship building, working hours and holidays.
Working in Colombia: local jobs, remote work and freelancing
What each Colombian visa lets an American do: a local job, remote work for a US employer, or freelancing, plus where tax and contributions are due.