Colombia · Work
Colombia Work visa M
First stay: 3 yrs
Visa M — Trabajador (Res. 5477/2022 art. 74)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Work visa M is a work route for Colombia. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Government fees
- $56 · $279
- Processing
- Up to 30 days
- First stay
- 3 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: 2 government fees listed below; decision: up to 30 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees$56 · $279
- $56Application study fee, Migrant (M) worker, paid when applying in Colombia or anywhere outside Europe and Cuba (EUR 44 (≈ $49) in Europe and Cuba).
- $279Visa issuance fee, Migrant (M) worker, paid on approval in Colombia or anywhere outside Europe and Cuba (EUR 191 (≈ $210) in Europe and Cuba).
RenewalRenewable
A new visa of the same type can be requested before the current one expires, and continuous Migrant visas add up toward the Resident visa.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
Time as a holder of this Migrant (M) visa counts toward the Resident (R) visa, which needs 5 years of accumulated time and is not automatic.
CitizenshipTime here doesn't count
Naturalisation needs 5 years of continuous domicile counted from the date a Resident (R) visa is issued (2 years if married to, partnered with or a parent of a Colombian), so time on this visa does not count directly.
ProcessingUp to 30 days
The visa authority has up to 30 calendar days to decide once the application is complete and the study fee is paid; consultations with other agencies can extend this.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Apply online: from abroad through the consulate for your country of residence, or from inside Colombia through the Bogota office if you hold regular migration status.
Presence rulesAway max 180 of 365 days
The Migrant visa ends automatically if you are away from Colombia for more than 180 consecutive days within any 365 days counted from issue.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Time on this route doesn't count toward citizenship
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Colombia
- Work rights are limited
What you'll need
What you must show2
- Employer requirement, not the applicant's: bank statements of the last 4 months showing average monthly income of at least 100 SMMLV (100 x COP 1,750,905 (≈ $550) for 2026).
- That is COP 175,090,500 (≈ $54,700) per month and applies to the sponsoring employer, not the applicant.
Documents4
- A contract-summary form signed by the employer's legal representative and the worker is required.
- An employer motivation letter covers suitability, duties, why a Colombian is not hired and direct jobs created.
- Degree or experience certificates are required for unregulated professions.
- A licence from the professional council is required for regulated professions.
What happens at day 183
How Colombia decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
3 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in any period of 365 consecutive daysPresence in Colombia, continuous or not, including entry and exit days (art. 10 no. 1)
- More than 183 days in any 365 consecutive calendar days, entry and exit days includedForeigners become Colombian tax residents by presence over 183 days; where the period spans two tax years, residence starts in the second year.
- Foreign-source income
Individuals, Colombian or foreign, who are tax residents are taxed on both Colombian-source and foreign-source income and gains and on assets held inside and outside Colombia; non-residents are taxed only on Colombian-source income.
All tax rules for Colombia Tax records checked
Full official text
For foreigners hired under an employment contract by a Colombian legal entity. Counts toward Visa R. 1 2 3 4
What you must show and pay
- A fee of $56 · Application study fee, Migrant (M) worker, paid when applying in Colombia or anywhere outside Europe and Cuba (EUR 44 (≈ $49) in Europe and Cuba). 4
- A fee of $279 · Visa issuance fee, Migrant (M) worker, paid on approval in Colombia or anywhere outside Europe and Cuba (EUR 191 (≈ $210) in Europe and Cuba). 4
Requirements
- Employer requirement, not the applicant's: bank statements of the last 4 months showing average monthly income of at least 100 SMMLV (100 x COP 1,750,905 (≈ $550) for 2026). 1 2
- That is COP 175,090,500 (≈ $54,700) per month and applies to the sponsoring employer, not the applicant. 1 2
- A contract-summary form signed by the employer's legal representative and the worker is required. 1
- An employer motivation letter covers suitability, duties, why a Colombian is not hired and direct jobs created. 1
- Degree or experience certificates are required for unregulated professions. 1
- A licence from the professional council is required for regulated professions. 1
Stay
- Visa valid up to 3 years.
- Initial permitted stay: 36 months.
- Visa validity: 36 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
Work
Work permission only for the post, employer, profession or activity for which the visa was granted.
Family
Beneficiary visas available for the principal holder's dependants.
Official sources
- Resolución 5477 de 2022 (consolidated, incl. Res. 10434 de 2023) — visa types and requirements · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Colombia · checked 2026-10-10
- Decreto 159 de 2026 — salario mínimo mensual legal 2026 (COP 1,750,905) · Presidencia / Ministerio del Trabajo de Colombia · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2026-02-19
- Tipos de Visa · Cancillería de Colombia · checked 2026-10-10
- Costos, pagos y oficinas de trámite (visa fees by category) · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Colombia · checked 2026-10-12
- Ley 2332 de 2023 (nationality law), arts. 4 and 9 · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Colombia · checked 2026-10-11
Work visa M and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work visa M | – | 3 yr | Limited |
| Internationalisation visa M | – | 3 yr | – |
| Work placement visa V | – | 1 yr | – |
| Job-offer residence Mexico | – | 4 yr | – |
| Scientist/professional permit Costa Rica | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Work visa M?
A fee of $56. Application study fee, Migrant (M) worker, paid when applying in Colombia or anywhere outside Europe and Cuba (EUR 44 (≈ $49) in Europe and Cuba). A fee of $279. Visa issuance fee, Migrant (M) worker, paid on approval in Colombia or anywhere outside Europe and Cuba (EUR 191 (≈ $210) in Europe and Cuba).
How long can I stay on the Work visa M?
Visa valid up to 3 years.
How long does the Work visa M take to process?
The visa authority has up to 30 calendar days to decide once the application is complete and the study fee is paid; consultations with other agencies can extend this.
Can I work on the Work visa M?
Limited. Work permission only for the post, employer, profession or activity for which the visa was granted.
Can I bring my family on the Work visa M?
Beneficiary visas available for the principal holder's dependants.
Does the Work visa M lead to permanent residence in Colombia?
Time on the Work visa M counts toward permanent residence in Colombia, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Work visa M doesn't count toward citizenship.
How are Work visa M holders taxed in Colombia?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Work visa M. The standard rules apply: Individuals, Colombian or foreign, who are tax residents are taxed on both Colombian-source and foreign-source income and gains and on assets held inside and outside Colombia; non-residents are taxed only on Colombian-source income. There is no new-resident exemption for foreign-source income.
More in Colombia
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 against 5 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Resolución 5477 de 2022 (consolidated, incl. Res. 10434 de 2023) — visa types and requirements · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Colombia · checked 2026-10-10
- Decreto 159 de 2026 — salario mínimo mensual legal 2026 (COP 1,750,905) · Presidencia / Ministerio del Trabajo de Colombia · checked 2026-10-10
- Tipos de Visa · Cancillería de Colombia · checked 2026-10-10
- Costos, pagos y oficinas de trámite (visa fees by category) · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Colombia · checked 2026-10-12
- Ley 2332 de 2023 (nationality law), arts. 4 and 9 · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Colombia · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.