Corporate immigration in Colombia: visas, timelines and process for companies

Last updated: February 2026

Colombia requires advance immigration planning for corporate assignments: visa type, documentation, response times and local registration. This guide summarizes the step-by-step process (company and employee), an indicative timeline and a practical checklist so HR can start cases with fewer back-and-forths and clear follow-up.

If your company is planning relocations, you can review our local coverage and operations in Colombia.

What HR needs to start a case

To initiate an immigration case in Colombia, we recommend that HR define (ideally in a single email or document):

• Employee’s citizenship and destination city in Colombia

• Role / activities to be performed and estimated start date

• Assignment duration (≤ 90 days / 6–12 months / +12 months)

• Whether the employee will relocate with dependents (spouse/children)

• Type of employment relationship (local contract / international assignment)

• Internal Legal contact for document approvals (if applicable)

 If you already have this information, the team can validate the visa strategy and prepare the document checklist from day one.

Visa types in Colombia: quick guide for corporate transfers

In Colombia, visas are grouped into three main categories (V, M and R). For HR and Global Mobility teams, the key is not memorizing categories, but selecting the right pathway based on the assignment purpose, duration and employment relationship.

V Visa (Visitor)

• Use: short-term stays for specific activities (meetings, short projects, technical support, etc.).

• Before starting: define the exact purpose of the trip, actual duration and whether there will be locally paid activities.

  
  

M Visa (Migrant)

• Use: medium-term assignments and/or when there is a local employment or contractual relationship.

• Before starting: define role/activity, destination city, hiring/sponsorship model and available corporate documentation.

  
  

R Visa (Resident)

• Use: long-term residence scenarios (less common for standard corporate assignments).

• Before starting: confirm whether permanent residence is truly required rather than a temporary assignment.

  
  

To validate the correct visa and prepare a case-specific document checklist, learn more about our Immigration service.

Step-by-step process

Step 1: Define the visa strategy (1–3 days)

Confirm activities, duration, work location and dependents. Select the target visa type and prepare the document checklist.

Step 2: Document checklist and validation (3–10 days)

Collect employee and corporate documents (as applicable) and validate with Legal.

Step 3: Online application and study fee payment (same day)

Submit the application, upload supporting documents and pay the study fee.

Step 4: Authority review / additional requests (variable)

The authority may request additional information or an interview. Maintain a shared tracker with next steps and responsibilities.

Step 5: Approval, final payment and issuance

Once approved, payment and issuance windows should be completed promptly to avoid expiration.

Step 6: Local registration upon arrival

The visa must be registered within the official timeframe (see next section).

Official timelines and how to plan the schedule

Once the study fee is paid, the authority may take up to 30 calendar days to issue a decision. If additional documents or an interview are requested, the timeline may extend.

Stage	Responsible	Typical duration	Common risk	How to mitigate
Case definition	HR + Holistic	1–3 days	Missing basic information	Use minimum input checklist
Document preparation	Employee + Company	3–10 days	Incomplete documents	Pre-review and single checklist
Submission and payment	Holistic / Employee	1 day	Upload errors	Double validation before submission
Authority response	Authority	Up to 30 days	Additional requests	Tracker and 24–48h response
Local registration	Employee	As per deadline	Missed deadline	Automatic reminders and arrival guide

Visa registration and initial procedures in Colombia

Upon arrival, visa registration must be completed within official deadlines.

Visa holders (and beneficiaries) with visas valid for more than 3 months must register with Migración Colombia within 15 calendar days.

• If the visa was issued in Colombia: the deadline runs from the issuance date

• If issued abroad: the deadline runs from the date of entry into the country

Procedure	Responsible	Recommended timing
Visa registration	Employee	Within 15 calendar days
Foreign ID card (Cédula de Extranjería), if applicable	Employee	After registration
Local data/contact updates	Employee	During onboarding

We recommend scheduling the registration from day one (in parallel with local onboarding) to avoid administrative delays later.

To support arrival and local onboarding (housing, orientation and initial support), explore our Destination Services.

Planning corporate transfers to Colombia?

At Holistic, we support HR and Global Mobility teams with end-to-end corporate immigration: visa strategy definition, document checklist, milestone coordination and clear progress tracking so employees arrive with a structured and predictable experience. Contact us to evaluate your case.

Frequently asked questions

1. What information does HR need to start a case in Colombia?

Six key data points are enough: citizenship, destination city, role/activity, tentative start date, assignment duration and dependents. This allows us to define the visa strategy and document checklist.

2. How long does the authority take to respond?

After the study fee payment, the authority may take up to 30 calendar days. If additional documentation or an interview is requested, the timeline may be extended.

3. How do the company and employee coordinate during the process?

We work with a shared tracker including milestones, responsibilities and next steps. HR receives clear updates on status, pending items and risks.

4. Can dependents be included?

Yes. Requirements vary depending on the visa type and profile. We recommend defining this at the beginning to avoid rework.

5. What happens if the employee’s start date changes?

The immigration and relocation timeline should be adjusted immediately to avoid affecting issuance windows, registration deadlines or onboarding planning.

6. Do you also support the arrival process?

Yes. Destination services can be coordinated in parallel so the employee arrives with a structured housing and settling-in plan.

Related resources

• Corporate visas in LATAM and Spain: requirements, timelines and processes (Guide 2026)

• Corporate housing in Colombia (Guide 2026)

• How long does a corporate relocation take?

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