As a New York Immigration Lawyer, I have helped over a thousand people get their Visa or Green Card to live in the United States.

I was born and raised in Italy. In 2008, I decided to continue my legal studies in the United States, so I got a student visa to attend the University of Kansas.

After more than 15 years in the United States, I feel like I need to try something new. Also, the United States has changed a lot since 2008, and this new “progressive” culture does not align well with my values.

Last year, I started traveling to Colombia. I really liked the warm weather and how strong is the U.S. dollar against the Colombian peso. I have also had a much better dating experience compared to the United States.

Colombia is one of the many countries that recently started offering digital nomad visas. It is a great opportunity for freelancers and remote workers to break from a boring routine and explore new places while keeping their job.

The are three main requirements to get a Digital Nomad Visa in Colombia.

Citizenship requirement

The first requirement is to hold a passport from a country that does not require an entry Visa to Colombia. These countries include the United States, Canada, all countries in the European Union, Russia, and all countries in South America.

Income Requirements

The second requirement is to prove receipt of a monthly salary that is at least 3 times the Colombian minimum salary, which has been set to 1,300,000 Colombian pesos for the year 2024.

As of March 2024, 3,900,000 Colombian pesos equal to (roughly) one thousand U.S. dollars.

You can satisfy this requirement by providing your last 3-month paychecks and/or bank statements. You are also required to provide a letter from your employer describing your job duties or, if self-employed, a letter explaining the work you do and your source of revenue.

Health insurance

The last requirement is to have an international health insurance policy covering accidents, hospitalizations, and repatriation expenses. After reading a few Reddit posts, I realized that the cheapest health insurance option is through Genki.

Advantages of holding a Digital Nomad Visa

A Digital Nomad Visa allows its holder to live in Colombia for up to 6 months per year. Normal tourist visas also allow up to 6 months per year in Colombia, but no more than 90 days for each entry.

The real advantage of having a Digital Nomad Visa is to gain access to the Colombian ID for foreigners, the cédula de extranjería. This document is required for basic things like opening a bank account or signing a long-term lease. Once you have your own Colombian bank account, you can buy a house or an apartment without the need of an intermediary, such as an escrow agent or an attorney.

Digital Nomad Visa application process

The Digital Nomad Visa application is relatively straightforward and can be completed without the assistance of a lawyer. Here is a direct link to the Visa application page.

Important tips:

  • You must select the Visa class V and Nomada Digital as Visa subcategory.
  • You must select the nearest Colombian consulate to you, or the Visa application will be denied.
  • You should upload all bank statements financials in a single PDF file. Please note that the total document package cannot exceed 35 pages.
  • All documents can be submitted in either English or Spanish.

Once the application is complete, you will be required to pay roughly $60 as a Visa application fee.

Processing time and Visa issuance

The processing time of the Digital Nomad Visa application is supposedly 10 business days or more. I submitted my application on a Friday afternoon, and I was shocked to see the approval notice in my email less than 24 hours later.

Once the Digital Nomad Visa application is approved, you will be required to pay roughly $190 as a Visa issuance fee.

I got my electronic Digital Nomad Visa by email a few minutes after paying the Visa fee.

Feel free to contact me for further information about the Digital Nomad Visa in Colombia and the application process.