For founders or partners in an operating commercial company. Qualifying paid participation is distinct from passive purchases on the secondary stock market.
Work only for the company in which you are owner/partner [Cancillería]
General requirements
Apply to Cancillería through its official visa portal, not to Migración Colombia as the visa-issuing body. Select the correct purpose and consult the consolidated Resolution 5477, including its amendments. [Cancillería]
Provide a recognized passport normally valid for at least six months, the identity page, a current visa photograph in the portal’s accepted format and the requested application information. Where filing from Colombia, establish lawful immigration status and supply required entry or current-visa evidence. [Cancillería]
SMLMV means the Colombian statutory monthly minimum wage in force. Financial multipliers use the wage applicable when the application is filed; old fixed US-dollar amounts are not legal thresholds. Do not add an unsupported exchange-rate conversion. [Cancillería]
Check documents, signatures and financial records for consistent names and dates. The authority may request further evidence or an interview; a submitted application does not guarantee approval or authorize activities beyond current permission. [Cancillería]
Category-specific requirements
Provide a letter identifying company name, address, NIT, principal activity and direct employment created. Establish formation or acquisition of participation in the relevant commercial company. [Cancillería]
Prove registered paid capital participation or qualifying registered foreign investment of at least 100 SMLMV at filing, with bank statements. For companies with shares, supply a public accountant’s share-composition certificate stating your registered and paid capital/asset interest. [Cancillería]
For second and subsequent visas, demonstrate continuing economic activity and solvency using the preceding three months of bank statements and applicable tax returns, social-security payments, lease or industry/commerce tax receipts. Do not misstate this renewal-specific checklist as universal for every new company. [Cancillería]
Maintain the qualifying shareholding during validity. Secondary-market share purchases do not support this visa. Mining/energy companies require the applicable mining title; regulated activities have separate professional conditions. [Cancillería]
Dependants and document formalities
All five categories allow applications for eligible beneficiaries, subject to the regulation’s definition and evidence. Establish marriage/partnership or parent-child relationship, dependency where relevant and the principal visa; a family member is not automatically approved. Beneficiaries may not work. Article 93 covers spouse/permanent partner and economically dependent children under 25; qualifying older disabled children require assessment. Provide the principal’s support/health undertaking and six-month average bank statements or employment certification; validity cannot exceed the principal’s. [Cancillería]
Foreign public documents require apostille or legalization and official Spanish translation where required under Article 21. The digital-nomad company letter may be in English or Spanish under Article 46; that exception does not waive formalities for unrelated civil documents. [Cancillería]
For minors, confirm birth, custody and parental authorization requirements. If using a representative, provide the applicable authority. Health coverage and Colombian social-security affiliation are category-specific; pensionado has a special affiliation restriction subject to treaties. [Cancillería]
Where the category requires a comprehensive policy, it must cover Colombia for the intended stay against accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospitalization, death or repatriation. Article 75 does not itself prescribe that policy; check applicable obligations separately. [Cancillería]
Five application steps
Assess the visa class, nationality restrictions, permitted activity and current SMLMV factors before buying assets or travelling. [Cancillería]
Gather general and category evidence, authenticated foreign documents and the required insurance; prepare files in the visa portal’s current format. [Cancillería]
Complete the official online application through Cancillería and pay the current study charge as instructed. Retain the application number and receipts. [Cancillería]
Monitor requests and respond within the communicated deadlines. If authorized, pay the issuance charge and review the visa’s dates, category and restrictions; no fixed decision time is promised. [Cancillería]
After issuance, comply with applicable visa registration and cédula de extranjería duties through Migración Colombia. Keep financial evidence and coverage current; renew in time and report material changes when required. [Cancillería]
Costs and cautions
Cancillería sets study and issuance charges; amounts can change by nationality, location and current tariff. Confirm the official assessment. Insurance, certificates, translation, investment capital and individually quoted assistance are separate; no Colombia payment package is offered. [Cancillería]
Article 90, amended in 2023, lists five years of qualifying M status for these investor, business-owner and pensionado categories. Continuity requires the next visa to be granted before the previous one expires; a salvoconducto does not bridge time. Valid preceding visas, movement records and continuing conditions must be proved; meeting time alone does not guarantee R approval. V rentista and V digital-nomad visas do not count as these M categories. Naturalization is a separate process, never automatic. [Cancillería]
Informational editorial guidance, not legal advice. Translations are not independently lawyer-reviewed. Cancillería decides applications; no visa, processing time, tax benefit or citizenship result is guaranteed.
