How long can you stay in Colombia without a visa? This is one of the most popular questions foreign nationals ask when planning a visit to a Latin American country.
Colombia is an amazing country with the world's second highest rate of bio diversity. The culture is rich, jarks back to ancient indigenous civilization, and the people are warm and friendly. Regarding food, Colombians have an extensive collection of largely local cuisines with a selection of foreign dishes incorporated into their menu list. When you add the lovely beaches to the mix, you will understand why many tourists love to visit Colombia.
How Long Can You Stay In Colombia Without A Visa?
To enter Colombia, you need a Colombian visa unless you are from a visa exempt country. Citizens from visa exempt countries can stay in Colombia for up to 90 days without a visa. Should they wish to spend more time beyond the 90 days, they will need to apply for another 90 days extension. So in total, eligible foreign nationals can stay in Colombia for a maximum period of 180 days.
Who Needs A Visa To Enter Colombia?
Foreign nationals who are not from visa exempt countries cannot enter Colombia without a visa issued by the government. But there are different visas and documents.
Schengen Resident Permit: A resident permit or visa issued by the US, China, India, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Macau qualifies you for a short stay of 90 days in Colombia if you can present the permit at the point of entry. Those who present this document will be issued a permit to enter the country, valid for 180 days from the arrival date.
Tourist Visa: The tourist visa is the other type of short term visa that foreign nationals from non tourist exempt countries can apply for. The visa is also valid for 180 days and allows the holder to stay in Colombia for 30 -90 days, depending on the validity of their migrant visa.
Transit: The transit visa has the shortest validity of three days. This visa is for those who want to make brief stops and rest a while in Colombia before continuing their journey to their final destination. However, those transiting through the airport without plans to enter Bogota don't need a transit visa. Note that Cubans and Palestinians do not qualify for a transit visa but they can approach the immigration office for a waiver.
How To Apply For a Colombia Visa?
If you are not from a visa exempt country and you'll like to apply for a Colombian tourist visa so you can visit Colombia for a vacation, you don't need to go to the Colombian consulate in your country; you can apply for a tourist visa online using VisaHQ. Here are the simple steps to take to apply for Colombian visas.
Log onto VisaHQ to access the visa application form
Select your country of citizenship and Colombia as your destination
Select "Tourist visa" as your preferred visa of choice
Fill out the application form with accurate information
Attach all relevant documents in their proper fields
Submit the form for processing
Kindly note that you must pay a nonrefundable visa fee before submitting the form for processing. This fee is paid using a credit or debit card so ensure that the card contains accurate information before you submit the form: Once it is submitted, errors can be corrected.
Colombia Visa Requirements
Here are the documents you must submit alongside the completed application form for vetting.
Passport: You must submit a valid passport. The passport must have at least 6 months of validity and contain nothing less than 2 blank pages. You must also provide other passport information like the date of issue and the expiry date. Applicants must scan and upload the bio-data page.
Passport Photographs: 2 recent 3x4 passport-sized photograph. The photographs must be colored on a white background.
Health Insurance: Applicants must upload a health insurance certificate showing medical coverage
Email Address: An email address is required to receive the visa when approved. Applicants must present only emails that they can access.
Credit or debit card: A card is required to pay the visa fee online.
A tourist visa takes 3-5 days to process after the application form is submitted. Ensure that you only provide valid and accurate information and documents to avoid delays. The use of wrong information and documents may lead to outright rejection.
For longer-term visas like business visas, work visas, or study visas, visit the Colombian consulate in your country to apply.
Now that you know how long can you stay in Colombia without a visa, you don't need to waste time if you are not from a visa exempt country. Visit VisaHQ to submit your visa application today.