If you want to work remotely from Medellín, settle the immigration question before choosing a long stay. A rental booking, an overseas employment contract and permission to remain in Colombia are three different things. Organizing them in the right order can save you an expensive change of plan.
Colombia has a visitor visa category for digital nomads. This guide explains the core requirements and a practical preparation process, with official links so you can check the rules against your own circumstances. It is general information, not individualized immigration or tax advice.
Who is the digital nomad visa for?
Under Article 46 of Resolution 5477 of 2022, the category covers remote digital work for foreign companies, as an employee or independent worker, and qualifying digital or IT entrepreneurship. Applicants must hold a passport from an eligible short-stay visa-exempt country or territory. It does not authorize paid work for persons or entities domiciled in Colombia.
The core evidence to prepare
The category calls for evidence of the foreign work relationship and remuneration, or an entrepreneurship explanation; bank statements showing income equivalent to at least three current Colombian monthly minimum wages over the last three months; and qualifying health insurance covering the intended stay in Colombia. The visa may be issued for up to two years, and beneficiary applications are permitted. Check the complete official requirements, including the general visa rules, rather than treating this summary as the application form.
Do not use a fixed dollar threshold copied from an old article. The rule is expressed in Colombian minimum wages. Ask a qualified adviser to confirm the applicable amount and how your evidence should demonstrate it when you apply. Currency movements and annual wage changes make a timeless USD estimate misleading.
Build a clear application folder
Before opening the application, create one folder with the current official checklist and a separate subfolder for each supporting document. Keep original files as well as the versions prepared for upload. Use names that make the document and period easy to recognize.
- Describe your work accurately. Are you an employee, an independent contractor or a business owner? Your explanation and supporting documents should tell the same story.
- Reconcile the evidence. Check that names, dates, contract details and incoming payments are consistent. If the arrangement is unusual, ask an adviser how to explain it rather than rewriting it to sound simpler.
- Review the insurance wording. Ask the insurer to identify the territorial coverage, exclusions and period in writing. A product marketed as travel insurance is not automatically suitable evidence.
- Check document formalities. Use Cancillería’s current instructions for file formats, translations and any authentication requirements that apply to your documents.
- Keep time for questions. Do not make your entire relocation depend on an assumed approval date.
These are organization suggestions, not additional legal requirements. Submit truthful information; do not alter bank statements or invent a work relationship to fit the category.
How much does the application cost?
Cancillería’s digital nomad fee page, checked September 10, 2026, lists separate study and visa charges. Check the current schedule, applicable currency, consular jurisdiction and payment instructions before paying. Translation, insurance and professional assistance, if needed, are separate costs. A payment to a third-party adviser is not the same as a government application fee.
Do not confuse immigration status with tax residence
A visa does not itself establish that you owe no Colombian tax. DIAN explains that one tax-residence test involves spending more than 183 days, counting arrival and departure days, within a consecutive 365-day period. A period crossing calendar years requires particular attention; other tests may also be relevant. See DIAN’s 2026 guidance and obtain advice on your income and home-country obligations before extending a stay.
Keep your travel dates in one record. Ask your accountant to consider the whole arrangement, including where work is performed, your contracts and any treaty issues, rather than answering only “Do I have a nomad visa?” Our remote-work budget guide is a separate starting point for everyday spending, not a tax calculation.
Plan the Medellín stay after the legal check
Once you understand the immigration route, match accommodation commitments to what you can responsibly confirm. Consider a flexible initial booking while you test the neighborhood and workspace. Ask for the final price, cancellation rules, internet details and support arrangements in writing.
A good working-month checklist includes a comfortable chair, an actual desk, suitable call privacy, laundry arrangements and a backup connection plan. Confirm your employer’s international remote-work policy too; government permission does not override company rules.
Your next steps
- Read the official category and general visa instructions.
- Confirm eligibility and resolve unusual circumstances with a qualified immigration adviser.
- Review tax and employer considerations independently.
- Prepare consistent documents before applying.
- Choose accommodation terms that fit your confirmed plans.
Everyplace can help with accommodation in Medellín, not guarantee a visa decision. Start with our guide to choosing your base, then compare availability for your dates.
Rules and sources researched September 10, 2026. Immigration decisions belong to the Colombian authorities. Recheck current official requirements before submitting or paying.