Who needs a visa (mostly: not you)
Citizens of the US, Canada, the UK, the EU, Australia, and roughly 100 countries enter Colombia visa-free for tourism. On arrival you receive a tourism entry permit, standardly 90 days, extendable through Migración Colombia to a maximum of 180 days within a calendar year. Nationalities outside the exemption list, and anyone coming to work or study, need a visa arranged in advance — check Migración Colombia's official list for your passport.
Check-MIG: the one mandatory step
Every traveler entering (and exiting) Colombia by air must complete Check-MIG, the government's pre-travel digital form, at apps.migracioncolombia.gov.co/check-mig. The essentials:
- It is completely free. This matters because look-alike third-party sites charge $50+ to file the same free form. Use only the official Migración Colombia portal.
- Timing: it opens in a window shortly before travel — file it once you're within the portal's accepted window before your flight (it won't accept submissions too far out).
- Airlines check it. Carriers ask for the confirmation at check-in and can deny boarding without it; enforcement has fluctuated, but treating it as mandatory is the only sensible policy.
- You'll need passport details, flight numbers, and your accommodation address — have the booking handy.
The single most common arrival problem isn't Check-MIG — it's onward travel. Colombia requires proof you'll leave within your permitted stay, and airlines enforce it at the departure gate. Have a booked exit ticket (flight or bus out) within 90 days, or expect trouble before you ever board.
The document checklist
- Passport — six months' validity beyond entry is the standard to meet, with at least one blank page.
- Check-MIG confirmation (QR/email), completed on the official free portal.
- Onward ticket within your permitted stay.
- Accommodation details — immigration routinely asks where you're staying; a printed or saved booking speeds things up.
- Proof of funds — rarely demanded, occasionally asked about; a bank card and coherent answers suffice.
- Vaccinations — none required for entry from most countries; yellow fever vaccination is recommended for Amazon and certain lowland national-park travel, and some onward countries require the certificate after a Colombia visit. Verify current health guidance for your itinerary.
Extending your stay
The standard 90 days can be extended once for up to 90 more via Migración Colombia (online application, modest fee), capped at 180 days per calendar year. Overstaying triggers fines that scale with the overstay — set a calendar reminder, because "I lost track" is the most common and most avoidable exit-day surprise. Longer horizons — remote work, retirement — move you into visa territory (digital nomad and pensioner visas exist with income requirements); that's a different article and a decision to research on official sources.
FAQ
Do children and Colombian citizens need Check-MIG too?
Yes — the form applies to every traveler entering by air, all ages and nationalities, including returning Colombians. One form per person.
Is there an entry fee or tourist card?
No arrival fee for visa-exempt tourists — entry itself is free, as is Check-MIG. Anyone charging you for either is a middleman or a scam.
What about land borders?
Land crossings from Ecuador are routine for travelers (get stamped on both sides). The Venezuela border region carries Do Not Travel advisories, and the Darién with Panama has no road. For air arrivals — the vast majority — everything above applies as written.