Visas

To work in Colombia, you must have one of six types of visas:

• M-Work: work visa;
• M-Marriage: visa for married couples;
• M-Property: visa for owners of business or shares;
• V-Temporary Work Visa: short-term work visa;
• RE-Property Or Business: for permanent residents based on investment in Colombia;
• RE-Parent of Colombian: for foreigners who are the parents of a Colombian by birth;

Among the documents required for any visa are:

• Your valid passport and copies of:
• The first page of the passport;
• Previous Colombian visas (if applicable);
• Last stamp of entry or exit from Colombia (if applicable);
• Your passport size photograph with the following requirements:
• Dimensions: 3 cm x 4 cm;
• No more than 300 KB and in JPG format (for online application);
• White background;
• Made in the last three months;
• The face must be visible in full;
• Bank statements for the last six months (as proof of financial resources)
• Travel route and plane ticket
• Proof of residency/address in Colombia.

In addition, according to the specifics of each visa, you need to have additional documents, which will be listed below.

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Planning a trip can be a daunting task. Where to start? What's the first step to getting a visa? It's easy to get confused at the beginning - especially if you've never done anything like this before.

That's why we recommend using Visit World's work guides - detailed step-by-step checklists on how to get a short-term and a long-term work visa and work permit in Colombia, which contains information on the required documents, criteria and stages of obtaining a work visa and work permit. For more details, please follow the link.

M-Work: work visa

This type of visa is suitable for those who have or have found work in Colombia. This visa is a type of migrant visa, but unlike the others, its duration depends on the duration of the work contract, but not longer than 3 years.

For submission, you additionally need:

the original employment contract;

at least 3 translated and approved certificates that confirm your experience;

diploma of education, which may need to be re-registered;

depending on the position - permission or license;

a certificate of suitability of the foreigner and compliance with the contract, issued by the employer.

If you are going to work for a business, you will also need to provide a bank statement from six months prior to applying for a visa and a business income statement for the past year. The employer must certify an average monthly income of 100 times the minimum wage during the six months prior to the application, when he is a legal entity. The minimum wage in Colombia is 1,000,000 pesos per month in 2022.

If you are going to work for a natural person, then additionally you need to submit a copy of the unique tax register (RUT or ITN), data from the Chamber of Commerce and a copy of the identity card.

Although the work visa allows multiple entries, it will lose its validity if you stay outside of Colombia for more than six consecutive months.

V-Temporary Work Visa: short-term work visa

A temporary work visa for Colombia is intended for foreign workers on temporary, irregular or short-term contracts who are employed by a resident of Colombia. This temporary contract visa can also be obtained by those who do not have a contractual relationship in Colombia, but are required to provide specialized technical assistance.

A temporary work visa can be issued for a period of up to 2 years, taking into account the activities that the foreigner carries out in Colombia. Please note that a temporary work visa is a category V visitor visa.

Applicants for a temporary work visa should remember that they can only apply for a work visa if their credentials meet the requirements of the job, the visa applicant's work activities must be related to the business activities of the employer, and must employ foreign worker or foreigner for short-term technical assistance.

Therefore, among the additional documents you need:

• Original employment contract;
• A letter signed by a legal representative of the institution or company, which contains:
• Company name;
• Tax identification number;
• Identification of a foreign employee;
• Activity summary;
• A document confirming the relationship with a foreigner and qualification or experience.
• Certificate of economic responsibility for the costs of accommodation and travel of a foreigner;
• Certificate of legal existence;
• Bank statements.

M-Marriage: visa for married couples

This visa is suitable for foreigners married to a citizen of Colombia. It includes all the benefits of a work and study visa. More detailed steps are available in the Residency / Immigration department.

M-Property: visa for owners of business or shares

To obtain a Colombian investor or investment visa as a migrant, according to the 2022 minimum wage, you can buy a property for 350 minimum wages, which is equal to 350,000,000 pesos ($ 87,500). It meets the requirements for temporary residence for 1-3 years and gives the opportunity to work.

RE-Property Or Business: For permanent residents based on investment in Colombia

Please note that RE visas are permanent residency visas in Colombia. This visa is similar to M-Property, but has its own differences. According to the 2022 minimum wage, you can buy a property for 650 minimum wages, which equals 650,000,000 pesos ($162,500). Investments can be made by purchasing real estate or invesITNg in a Colombian corporation by purchasing shares equal to 650 minimum salaries.

RE-Parent of Colombian: for foreigners who are Colombian parents by birth

This visa is suitable for foreigners who are the parents of a Colombian. It includes all the benefits of a work and study visa. More detailed steps are available in the Residency / Immigration department.

💡 Advice: To ensure a successful trip to a new country, take advantage of expert advice. Our qualified specialists with legal education will help you avoid unpleasant situations during your stay abroad.

Looking for a job in Colombia

Among the job search services, the most popular are:

Computrabajo ( https://www.computrabajo.com.co/ ) is an employment portal in LaITN America. The site is in Spanish. There are less than 50,000 Colombian jobs available on the platform.

Indeed ( https://co.indeed.com/?r=us ) is a site known to most immigrants to find English and bilingual jobs. Notifies you when new opportunities appear by email.

XPATJobs ( https://colombia.xpatjobs.com/ ) was created to employ expats. Here you can also get advice on in-country employment and CV adaptation.

Many profitable jobs are available in the fields of medicine, construction and energy. English teachers are also always in demand.

All workers in Colombia, whether corporate, domestic or government, have some form of employment contract. Thus, the contractual obligations apply both to them and to their employers.

The minimum requirements for the contract are:

• Specification of services sought (employer)
• Direct provision of services (by an employee)
• Remuneration or compensation to the employee for services rendered.

A document setting out these three components can be considered a form of contract. However, formal additions may be required to form a particular type of contract or to make the agreement legally binding.

Various types of employment contracts

Open-ended contracts

An indefinite contract is a contract without a predetermined term or duration. Such contracts are effective from the date of commencement and do not expire over time. All contracts, unless otherwise stated, are contracts of indefinite duration. Terms of contract termination may be defined in the contract.

Term contracts

Fixed-term contracts are legally binding agreements between an employer and an employee that are valid for a certain period. This term is determined by mutual agreement between the make a contract party and the enter into a contract party. A fixed-term contract can last from any number of months to three years.

Service contracts

In this case, both parties do not conclude an employment contract, but only an obligation to provide certain services. A person retained under a service contract is not an employee and is not entitled to wages or any form of benefits; they are only paid a fee. However, they are also not subject to the employer, except for the provision of services provided for in the contract. Such employees have no other obligations to the employer (for example, to work according to a certain schedule or follow instructions). These types of contracts are best for consultants and independent contractors.