Colombian visa fees are set by Cancelaria and updated periodically. Here is an honest breakdown of what each part of the process actually costs in 2026, including the expenses that don't show up in official fee schedules.
Official Cancelaria fees (2026 approximate)
All visa applications have two fee components:
- Application fee: Approximately $52 USD, paid at the time of submission. Non-refundable — if your application is rejected, you do not get this back.
- Issuance fee: Paid only after approval. Varies by visa type and duration.
Approximate issuance fees by visa type:
- V visas (Visitor, including V-DN digital nomad): ~$177 USD
- M visas (Migrant): ~$177-252 USD depending on duration
- R visa (Resident): ~$252 USD
Cedula de extranjeria
Any foreigner with a Colombian visa valid for 90+ days must obtain a cedula de extranjeria (CE) within 15 days of arriving. The CE registration fee is approximately $16 USD, paid at a Migracion Colombia office in person. The CE is your Colombian ID document — used for banking, leases, SIM cards, and all official processes.
Total out-of-pocket by visa type
- V-DN (Digital Nomad): ~$229 USD + $16 CE = ~$245 USD (self-filed, no translations)
- M-CA (Spouse/Partner): ~$229-304 USD + $16 CE = ~$245-320 USD
- M-IN (Investment): ~$304 USD + $16 CE = ~$320 USD
- M-EI (Business Owner): ~$229-304 USD + $16 CE = ~$245-320 USD
- R (Resident): ~$304 USD + $16 CE = ~$320 USD
Document preparation costs
- FBI background check (US applicants): $18 + channeler fee ($25-95) + apostille ($20) = approximately $60-130 USD
- Apostilles (other documents): $5-50 per document. Budget $20-30 each.
- Certified Spanish translations: $30-80 per document. Budget $100-300 USD for a typical application.
- Colombian attorney fees (if using one): $200-700 USD for standard applications, $500-1,500+ for investment/business owner visas with company formation.
Realistic total costs by scenario
- V-DN self-filed, no translations needed: ~$250-300 USD
- V-DN with background check and translations: ~$450-600 USD
- M-CA self-filed with all documents in order: ~$500-700 USD
- M-CA with attorney: ~$700-1,100 USD
- M-IN with attorney (not including the investment itself): ~$800-1,500 USD
- M-EI including company formation and attorney: ~$1,500-3,000 USD
Processing timelines
- V category visas (V-DN, V-TU): 2-4 weeks
- M-CA (Spouse/Partner): 3-6 weeks
- M-IN and M-EI: 4-8 weeks
- R visa (Permanent Residency): 4-10 weeks
Do not plan travel to Colombia around an assumed visa approval date. Delays are common and there is no expedited processing option for most applicants.
What rejection costs
If your application is rejected, you lose the $52 application fee and the time spent gathering documents. Documents with expiration dates (recent background checks, fresh title certificates) may expire and need to be obtained again. If you receive a requerimiento and fail to respond within the allotted time, the application is automatically rejected. Respond to all Cancelaria communications immediately.