Colombia · Working holiday
Colombia Working Holiday
Age limit and funds needed: Ages 18–30 · COP 8.8M/mo ≈ $2,740
Working Holiday — Visa V Vacaciones y Trabajo (Res. 5477/2022 art. 52)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Working Holiday is a working holiday route for Colombia. Conditions: ages 18–30 · funds needed COP 8.8M/mo ≈ $2,740. You can stay 1 yr. Local work: casual jobs. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Processing
- Up to 30 days
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
To apply: income to show COP 8.8M+/mo ≈ $2,740; decision: up to 30 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Shown, not spentCOP 8.8M+/mo ≈ $2,740
- COP 8,754,525 a month (≈ $2,740)Bank certificate showing a 3-month average above 5 SMMLV (5 x COP 1,750,905 (≈ $550) for 2026) or the limit the agreement sets.
RenewalNot renewable
Granted only once and cannot be extended; the holder must return to their country of nationality or residence when it ends.
Permanent residenceTime here doesn't count
This visa does not allow applying for a Migrant (M) or Resident (R) visa inside Colombia.
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 applyFrom abroad
Apply through a Colombian embassy or consulate in your country of nationality.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Can't be renewed
- Time on this route doesn't count toward permanent residence
- Time on this route doesn't count toward citizenship
- Applications are made from outside Colombia, not after arriving
- Only for passports from 5 countries
- Only for ages 18–30
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The applicant is aged 18 to 30 at application.
- The applicant has not previously been on the programme.
What you must show1
- A bank certificate shows a 3-month average above 5 SMMLV, or the limit the agreement sets.
Documents4
- A commitment form is required.
- An exit ticket is required.
- A criminal-record certificate for the last 3 years is required.
- A health policy valid in Colombia is required.
Steps1
- Apply at a Colombian mission in the country of nationality.
What happens at day 183
How Colombia decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 1 year in total
- 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
Working-holiday visa for young nationals of countries that have a bilateral Working Holiday agreement with Colombia; granted once only. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
What you must show
- Income of over COP 8,754,525 a month (≈ $2,740) · Bank certificate showing a 3-month average above 5 SMMLV (5 x COP 1,750,905 (≈ $550) for 2026) or the limit the agreement sets. 1 2
Requirements
- The applicant is aged 18 to 30 at application. 1
- The applicant has not previously been on the programme. 1
- A bank certificate shows a 3-month average above 5 SMMLV, or the limit the agreement sets. 1
- A commitment form is required. 1
- An exit ticket is required. 1
- A criminal-record certificate for the last 3 years is required. 1
- A health policy valid in Colombia is required. 1
- Apply at a Colombian mission in the country of nationality. 1
Stay
- Visa valid up to 1 year; the holder may stay for the whole validity. Granted once; cannot be converted to Visa M or R in Colombia.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Visa validity: 12 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
- Not renewable according to our source.
Nationality
Nationals of Chile, France, Hungary, Mexico and Peru, the partners with a Working Holiday agreement in force with Colombia. Open to: Chile, France, Hungary, Mexico, Peru.
Work
Open work permit.
Family
Not available in beneficiary status.
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
- Acuerdo Interinstitucional de la Alianza del Pacífico para un Programa de Vacaciones y Trabajo — status of instrument · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Colombia · checked 2026-10-11
- Jóvenes colombianos ya pueden aplicar al Programa Vacaciones - Trabajo para ir a Francia · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Colombia · checked 2026-10-11
- Relaciones bilaterales Colombia-Hungría (Acuerdo de Vacaciones y Trabajo in force 16 April 2025) · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Colombia · checked 2026-10-11
- Ley 2332 de 2023 (nationality law), arts. 4 and 9 · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Colombia · checked 2026-10-11
Working Holiday and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working Holiday | Ages 18–30 · funds needed COP 8.8M/mo ≈ $2,740 | 1 yr | Casual jobs |
| Working Holiday Canada | – | 2 yr | Casual jobs |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Working Holiday?
Income of over COP 8,754,525 a month (≈ $2,740). Bank certificate showing a 3-month average above 5 SMMLV (5 x COP 1,750,905 (≈ $550) for 2026) or the limit the agreement sets.
How long can I stay on the Working Holiday?
Visa valid up to 1 year; the holder may stay for the whole validity.
How long does the Working Holiday 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 Working Holiday?
Casual jobs. Open work permit.
Can I bring my family on the Working Holiday?
Not available in beneficiary status.
Who can apply for the Working Holiday?
Nationals of Chile, France, Hungary, Mexico and Peru, the partners with a Working Holiday agreement in force with Colombia. Open to: Chile, France, Hungary, Mexico, Peru.
Does the Working Holiday lead to permanent residence in Colombia?
Time on the Working Holiday doesn't count toward permanent residence in Colombia. Time on the Working Holiday doesn't count toward citizenship.
How are Working Holiday holders taxed in Colombia?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Working Holiday. 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
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 8 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
- Acuerdo Interinstitucional de la Alianza del Pacífico para un Programa de Vacaciones y Trabajo — status of instrument · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Colombia · checked 2026-10-11
- Jóvenes colombianos ya pueden aplicar al Programa Vacaciones - Trabajo para ir a Francia · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Colombia · checked 2026-10-11
- Relaciones bilaterales Colombia-Hungría (Acuerdo de Vacaciones y Trabajo in force 16 April 2025) · Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Colombia · checked 2026-10-11
- 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.