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🇨🇴 Digital Nomad Visa (V type)
Colombia digital nomad visa for Americans
The Digital Nomad Visa (V type) lets you live in Colombia while you keep working for clients or an employer outside the country. Income needed: ~$1,400/mo (3x min wage, COP 5.25M (about $1,400 a month). Length: Up to 2 yrs.
🛂 Open to applications 🧾 Heavy tax South America
The visa in numbers
📊 At about $1,400 a month, Colombia's bar is higher than 2 and lower than 39 of the 42 open nomad visas with a set income minimum. Compare all nomad visas →
Requirements and details
| 🛂 Visa | Digital Nomad Visa (V type) |
| 💵 Income needed | ~$1,400/mo (3x min wage, COP 5.25M → rises yearly; it was ~$900 in 2023-24, so older blog posts understate it) ≈ $1,400 a month in US dollars at current rates |
| 💳 Fees | ~$220-235 total govt fees + cédula (foreigner ID card) |
| ⏳ How long it lasts | Up to 2 yrs |
| 🔁 Renewal | Reapply |
| 📍 Where you apply | Online → fully remote application (easiest process in the hemisphere) |
| 📆 Time you must spend there | V nomad visa: lose it if outside Colombia 180+ continuous days |
| 🏠 Path to permanent residency | DNV (V): no. M-visas: yes → R (resident) after 5 yrs |
| 🧾 Tax | 183 days in any 365 → tax resident on worldwide income → the trap with a 2-yr visa 🔴 Heavy · Worldwide income · top rate 39% |
| 📝 Good to know | Online application (Cancilleria); NO income averaging → every single month must clear the bar; denials up in 2025-26, clean documentation matters |
| 📄 Documents |
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Not working remotely? The passive-income route
Pensionado (M) / Rentista: Pension ~$900/mo; Rentista ~$3,000/mo passive. M visas lead to residency.
Can the income bar cover life in Colombia?
All-in monthly cost for one person (everyday living costs plus a 1-bedroom city-centre rent), from the cities we cover.
| City | All-in / month | Income bar covers it |
|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇴 Bogotá | $1,344 | 1.0× |
| 🇨🇴 Medellín | $1,644 | 0.9× |
| 🇨🇴 Cartagena | ≈$1,844 | 0.8× |
Data last updated · Source: Curated immigration research (confidence: high)
Colombia nomad visa: common questions
How much income do I need for Colombia's digital nomad visa?
~$1,400/mo (3x min wage, COP 5.25M → rises yearly; it was ~$900 in 2023-24, so older blog posts understate it). That's about $1,400 a month in US dollars at current exchange rates.
How long does the Digital Nomad Visa (V type) last, and can I renew it?
Up to 2 yrs. Renewal: Reapply.
Where do I apply?
Online → fully remote application (easiest process in the hemisphere).
What documents do I need?
Passport, ~$900-1k/mo income proof (3 months bank statements), remote work letter/contracts, health insurance. Requirements vary by consulate, so check the current list before you book an appointment.
Can it lead to permanent residency in Colombia?
DNV (V): no. M-visas: yes → R (resident) after 5 yrs.
Will I pay tax in Colombia as a digital nomad?
183 days in any 365 → tax resident on worldwide income → the trap with a 2-yr visa. As an American you also stay taxable by the IRS on your worldwide income wherever you live; the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and foreign tax credits usually stop you paying twice. Compare taxes abroad for Americans.