Becoming a Digital Nomad in Colombia: The Essentials to Get Started

Settling in Colombia while working remotely means choosing the right stay regime, understanding what your visa allows, and knowing when you become a tax resident. This article gives you the main conditions, rough orders of magnitude, and pitfalls to avoid, from planning your move to actually settling in. It stays focused on the essentials on purpose: each step deserves a closer look based on your own situation.

The essentials at a glance

• Holders of a French passport can enter without a visa for up to 90 days, with a return ticket^[1].
• The digital nomad visa (visa V) is for people who work remotely for clients or employers abroad^[2].
• You must prove, with bank statements, an income of at least 3 monthly minimum wages over the last 3 months^[3].
• The visa is granted for two years at most^[4].
• It does not allow any paid activity for a person or company based in Colombia^[5].
• Beyond 183 days of presence within 365 consecutive days, you generally become a Colombian tax resident^[6].
• Health insurance covering Colombia is mandatory for this visa^[7].
• If your visa exceeds three months, apply for your cédula de extranjería within 15 days^[8].
• Don't sign a long-term lease from abroad: rent a furnished place first^[9].

Choosing your stay regime: visa-free entry or digital nomad visa

Holders of a French passport can enter Colombia without a visa^[1]. You must show a return ticket or a ticket to a third country, and complete the online Check-Mig form before boarding^[1][2]. The stay is 90 days at most, extendable on site by another 90 days, within the double limit of 180 continuous days and 180 days in the calendar year^[1]. This regime suits exploring the country, not settling in.

Warning: a tourist entry does not allow any paid work, including remote work for a foreign employer^[8].

To settle in, the visa V “Nómadas digitales” is aimed at foreigners doing remote work or telework for companies in other countries, and at entrepreneurs who want to set up a digital or ICT project of interest to the country^[5]. It can be requested for the principal holder's dependents^[3]. It is valid for two years at most^[4].

Requirements and file for the digital nomad visa V

The central requirement is financial: you must demonstrate, with bank statements, income equal to at least three legal monthly minimum wages over the last three months^[3]. The 2026 minimum wage is set at COP 1,750,905, which puts the monthly threshold at COP 5,252,715^[8]. The threshold follows the annual adjustment of the minimum wage: check the amount in force when you apply^[10].

The file also includes health coverage. Resolution 5477 makes comprehensive health insurance mandatory for most long-stay visas, including the digital nomad visa. The policy must cover hospitalization, emergencies and medical repatriation, and remain active for the entire duration of the visa^[7]. Entrepreneurs add a letter explaining their project, along with the financial and human resources needed^[5].

The application is made online on the website of the Cancillería, Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Plan at least 30 minutes to complete it^[4]. Notifications arrive by email; avoid giving an institutional address or a third party's address^[4]. You do not need to go to the Bogotá visa office unless summoned by a notification sent by email^[4].

Working status: employee of a foreign company or freelancer

The digital nomad visa allows remote work for clients or employers abroad, without being paid by a Colombian company^[2]. Whether you are an employee or a freelancer, the rule is the same: you cannot carry out any paid activity for companies or individuals based in Colombia^[5].

Remote workers who provide their services to companies based outside Colombia do not fall under the standard work visa, but under the digital nomad visa (type V)^[11]. Working for a Colombian employer requires a different visa: the system then relies largely on sponsorship by a Colombian employer, and changing employers means submitting a complete new application^[11]. The details on status for working remotely are covered in a dedicated article.

Taxes and Tax Residency

Colombian tax residency is triggered by a presence of more than 183 calendar days, continuous or not, within any period of 365 consecutive days^[6]. Both the arrival and departure days count toward the total^[2]. If your stay spans two tax years, residency takes effect from the second one^[6].

The visa changes nothing in this calculation: a remote work visa tells you nothing about your taxes, and this is the most common mistake^[10]. In fact, there is no specific tax regime for digital nomads in Colombia: they are subject to the ordinary national taxes^[12].

Once you are a resident, you are taxed on your worldwide income; non-residents are taxed only on their Colombian-source income^[6]. The income tax schedule is progressive, ranging from 0% to 39%^[13].

On the French side, keeping a home or family in France may be enough to remain a French tax resident^[10]. A tax treaty between France and Colombia has been in effect since January 1, 2023^[2]. Taxation has serious consequences: have your situation confirmed by a tax advisor specializing in international mobility^[14].

Health and Insurance: Visa Insurance, EPS, Private Medicine

Visa insurance and the public system are two different things. To obtain the visa, you must show proof of comprehensive insurance^[7]. Once in Colombia, holders of a legal residence visa and a cédula de extranjería can enroll in the public EPS system^[7].

The public system can involve long waiting times for certain specialist consultations; many expats and locals choose private health insurance for faster services and more coverage options^[13].

As for vaccines, none are mandatory to enter Colombia from Europe^[7]. Yellow fever, however, is strongly recommended, and sometimes required, for tropical and forested regions such as Amazonas, Caquetá, Guainía, and Putumayo; it should be administered at least ten days before traveling to these areas^[7]. It is not required in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, or Cartagena^[7]. Check with your doctor that your vaccinations are up to date before you leave^[1].

Arrival Steps: Cédula de Extranjería, RUT, Bank Account, Phone

If your visa covers more than three months, you must register it with Migración Colombia and obtain a cédula de extranjería within 15 days of your entry, or within 15 days of approval if you are already in the country^[8]. Don't let this deadline pass: non-compliance can lead to fines of up to seven times the monthly minimum wage^[11].

This foreigner's identity card is issued to principal visa holders or beneficiaries of a visa valid for more than three months^[15]. It is needed, among other things, to sign a long-term lease or subscribe to a residential internet plan^[8].

To open a local bank account, you must present your cédula, proof of income and, sometimes, a minimum deposit^[13]. While waiting for your cédula, fully digital banks such as Nequi or Nu Colombia let you open an account instantly^[16]. eSIMs work in Colombia, so you don't have to look for a local SIM card when you arrive^[10].

Housing: Where to Look, Furnished Rentals, Leases and Guarantors

The common-sense advice: don't sign a long-term lease remotely, before you have even seen the city^[9]. Rent a furnished place first, for example a short-term monthly rental, while you arrive, scout neighborhoods and understand the market^[9]. Coliving, which is booming in Medellín and Bogotá, and the apartaestudio, the Colombian studio apartment, suit newcomers well and avoid the hassle of a guarantor^[9].

The lease is usually for one year, renewable, and the rent is often exclusive of administración, the building maintenance fees, which must be added^[9]. The security deposit is generally one month's rent^[13].

The real obstacle for a foreigner is the codeudor, a Colombian guarantor who owns property, a requirement from many agencies^[9]. Alternatives: rental insurance (fianza), several months paid in advance, or private rentals and furnished places, which most often do without one^[9].

Cost of Living by City

Here are rough figures from practical guides, to be cross-checked before you build your budget. A single person can live comfortably on $1,000 to $1,500 USD per month, rent included, in Medellín, or $700 to $1,000 USD in smaller cities^[17]. A one-bedroom furnished apartment in the expat-favored neighborhoods of Medellín (El Poblado, Laureles) rents for $400 to $800 USD per month^[17].

The gap is wide between local rents and furnished rentals aimed at foreigners: a locally rented apartment in Laureles can cost half the price of the same furnished rental listed on Airbnb-style platforms^[18]. A menú del día lunch (soup, main dish and juice) costs about $4 USD^[18].

Internet, eSIM and Coworking

In major cities, fiber from Claro and Tigo delivers 200 to 500 Mbps for $20 to $30 USD per month, and most furnished rentals in Medellín and Bogotá include it^[18]. Prepaid mobile data is affordable and widely available in large metropolitan areas^[19].

Quality varies by neighborhood and building: evaluate internet at the neighborhood level, not just the city level^[19]. Test the speed before you rent, and plan a backup: a prepaid SIM with hotspot enabled before your first workday^[19]. Also keep a backup coworking space for critical deadline days^[19].

Cities and Regions: Medellín, Bogotá, Caribbean Coast

Medellín attracts remote workers and digital nomads with its steady, mild climate and its tech ecosystem^[6]. El Poblado suits an "easy" expat experience, while Laureles offers a more local vibe^[20].

Bogotá, perched at 2,600 meters, has cool temperatures year-round, around 14 °C; Medellín, at 1,500 meters, enjoys near-constant warmth^[21]. Bogotá offers the broadest and most international rental market, with the highest rents in its sought-after residential neighborhoods^[6].

On the Caribbean coast, Cartagena and Santa Marta offer a relaxed tropical lifestyle^[21], with temperatures of 28 to 35 °C^[21]. Cali remains more affordable, while Cartagena has a tighter real estate market driven by tourism^[6]. Smaller cities such as Bucaramanga, Pereira and Santa Marta are 30 to 50% cheaper than Medellín or Bogotá^[17].

Transportation: Overview and Return

Domestic flights connect the major cities, and an intercity bus network serves virtually every city and village^[22]. In town, Bogotá has TransMilenio, which requires the Tu Llave card, rechargeable and available at the stations^[22]. Medellín relies on the metro and the Metrocable, and Cali on the MIO^[23][22].

Uber, DiDi and InDriver operate in a legal gray zone but are considered safer than street taxis^[23]. Details on getting around are covered in the article "Getting Around Colombia".

Language, Integration and Community

The official language is Spanish, and conversational proficiency is nearly essential for administrative procedures, daily interactions and local integration^[21]. Outside large companies and tourist areas, English is still not widely spoken^[21]. The Alliances Françaises in Bogotá, Medellín and Cali offer Spanish courses tailored to newcomers^[21].

A regular coworking routine, language classes and language exchanges help you build a network. Avoid taking part in political demonstrations, which can escalate, and publicly commenting on domestic politics^[21]. For a foreigner, taking part in local political activities, rallies or demonstrations is in fact illegal^[24].

Pitfalls, Scams and Points of Caution

Visa and Work

• The digital nomad visa does not allow any paid activity with a person or company based in Colombia^[3].
• A stay without a visa is capped at 180 days per calendar year, extensions included^[1].

Paperwork and Income

• A mistake in the online form leads to the application being rejected and the fees paid being lost: check every detail^[4].
• Each month submitted must meet the threshold on its own; an average over several months is not accepted^[10].
• The threshold changes with the minimum wage: the decree setting it for 2026 was suspended in February, then the suspension was lifted in July, while the annulment lawsuit continues^[2].

Taxes

• Beyond 183 days, you generally become a Colombian tax resident, digital nomad visa or not^[10].
• Also check your home tax residence: keeping a home in France can keep you a French tax resident^[10].

Housing

• Administration fees are often added on top of the rent^[9].
• Many apartments are rented without an equipped kitchen^[9]; unfurnished units are often delivered without even light fixtures or taps^[20].

Safety

Dating apps are often used by criminals to spot and lure foreigners traveling alone: once trust is established, the victim is drugged with scopolamine or another incapacitating substance, then robbed or abducted, and these drugging incidents have led to fatal overdoses^[24].

Use ATMs located inside banks, shopping centers, or other public places, and only during business hours^[24]. Keep your phone out of sight on the street and use Uber or DiDi at night^[18]; do not resist a robbery^[18].

Check travel advisories from your country before you leave (in France, the Colombia page on France Diplomatie, which also offers registration for the Ariane thread^[1]), as well as Hello Mira alerts.

Steps, in order: from plan to settling in

• Check your eligibility and gather your bank statements for the last 3 months along with health insurance that covers Colombia.
• File your online application with the Cancillería, reviewing every detail before you pay.
• Complete Check-Mig before your flight and book a furnished place for the first month.
• Register your visa and apply for the cédula de extranjería within 15 days.
• Open a bank account, starting with a digital one if the cédula is delayed.
• Choose a neighborhood, test the internet speed, then look for a more long-term rental.
• Count your days in the country to track the tax residence threshold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you work remotely on a simple tourist stamp?

Sources disagree: one states that no form of paid work is permitted on a simple tourist entry, including remote work for a foreign employer^[8]; another mentions, for nationals of countries exempt from short-stay visas, a regime provided under Article 46 of Resolution 5477, without payment from a Colombian company^[2]. Do not work remotely without a visa until you have checked with Migración Colombia exactly what your entry permits, since sources disagree on this point^[2].

Does the digital nomad visa lead to permanent residency?

No: to settle long term, you then need to switch to an M visa^[10].

Can my spouse come with me?

Yes, applications are possible for the main applicant's dependents^[3]. The spouse files their application after the main applicant has obtained the visa^[2].

How long does it take to get the cédula?

Timelines vary by period. One source mentions two to four weeks after visa approval^[7]; check the current timeline with Migración Colombia.

Is a French bank card enough?

For daily expenses, a digital account such as Nequi or Nu Colombia can help out before you get your cédula^[16]. See the section on arrival procedures.

Go Further

This article gives you the essentials to decide and avoid mistakes. It does not detail the visa and arrival steps one by one, the budget line by line, or how to choose a neighborhood: these points require going further before you settle in for real. For taxes, rely on a tax advisor and on the Colombian tax authority, the DIAN.