2026 Ultimate Guide: Should You Renew, Apply For, or Transfer Your Resident Visa in Colombia?
2026-05-22
If you are an expat living in Colombia and your goal is to settle down long-term, the Resident Visa (Type R) is likely on your radar.
At our firm, Colombian Passport, we frequently receive requests from clients who want to "renew" their Resident Visa. However, there is a key legal detail you must know: Resident visas are not normally renewed.
They are usually approved for 5 years (if issued after 2022) or indefinitely (if issued before 2022). Therefore, the natural next step is not a renewal, but applying for citizenship or doing a visa transfer (traspaso).
To clear things up, we have identified 3 main scenarios you might find yourself in. Discover which one is yours and what you need to do next:
Scenario 1: From Migrant (M) to Resident (R) Visa by Accumulated Time
If you currently hold a Type M Visa (whether as a Spouse, Pensioner, Permanent Partner, or Investor) and have lived in Colombia long enough, you are ready to make the leap to permanent residency.
What do you need to know? Depending on your specific category, the law requires you to have held your visa continuously for 2, 3, or 5 years.
The key document: You will need a Certificate of Migratory Movements (Certificado de Movimientos Migratorios) issued by Migración Colombia to prove you haven't lost continuity (i.e., not having been out of the country for more than 180 continuous days).
The ultimate proof: You must prove with documents (bank statements, tax returns, letters from your spouse) that the conditions that granted your initial visa are still valid today.
Scenario 2: Mandatory Transfer (R Visas issued before 2022)
If you obtained your Resident Visa before 2022, you have an important deadline on the horizon.
According to Resolution 9316 of 2024, the Colombian government requires you to update your document. You must complete a "visa transfer" (traspaso de visa) process before October 2026. If you fail to do so, you could face immigration status issues or difficulties entering and leaving the country.
Scenario 3: Strategic Transfer for Citizenship
Congratulations! You already have your Resident Visa and meet the time requirements to apply for Colombian citizenship.
However, the citizenship process can take anywhere between 6 and 12 months. During this entire time, the law requires you to maintain a valid visa. In this case, what you need to do is a visa transfer to ensure your legal status covers you while the government processes your Colombian passport.
How much does it cost and what is the process like?
Whether you are applying for the first time or doing a transfer, the process is done through the Colombian Government's online platform, SITAC.
Official Government Costs (Approx.):
Visa Study Fee: $54.00 USD (Paid upon application).
Issuance Fee: $400.00 USD (New applications) or $54.00 USD (Transfers).
Foreigner ID (Cédula de Extranjería): $294,000 COP.
Note: You must also factor in extra costs for background checks (e.g., FBI Background Check), apostilles, and official translations.
Government Timelines: Once you submit your application, the government has 30 days to review your case. They can approve it, reject it, or issue a requirement (for which you will only have 10 days to respond).
Why consider an Immigration Lawyer?
Although you can do the process on your own, the government platform is not exactly user-friendly. A mistake in interpreting the requirements can easily result in an inadmissibility. This means losing the study fee ($54 USD), apostille fees (approx. $160 USD), and, most importantly, wasting up to 3 months of your time.
At Colombian Passport, we combine cutting-edge technology (AI to evaluate your documents flawlessly) with the human touch of Senior attorneys. If the government deems your case inadmissible, we will reapply without charging you any extra legal fees.
Ready to take the next step? If you want us to evaluate your immigration history and design your exact strategy, schedule a consultation with Camila Ocampo. The consultation fee ($80.00 USD) will be fully deducted from the total service cost if you decide to hire us for your process.
Book your consultation here: