Colombia · How long you can stay
How long can a US citizen stay in Colombia?
Short answer
No visa needed: US citizens get up to 90 days, and can extend once, to 180 days in a calendar year. Leaving and coming back doesn't reset the count.
The rules for a US passport
| Visa needed? | No, a valid US passport is enough for a visit |
|---|---|
| Days allowed | Up to 90 days per entry, and 180 days at most in a calendar year; the border officer can give fewer |
| Can you extend? | Yes, once, by up to 90 days within the 180-day cap; about $45 (150,000 pesos). Apply at least 5 business days before your stay ends |
| What you can't do | Work paid by a Colombian person or company. Remote work for a US employer is allowed, but it's taxed in Colombia |
| Overstay penalty | Deportation is possible; in special cases, such as family or medical reasons, a fine of about $420–3,340 instead Not yet verified |
| Passport validity | Valid for your whole stay: your permitted stay ends when your passport does |
Checked against the law Visa-free entry, the 90 and 180-day limits and the extension, read in the immigration rules.
Not yet verified The overstay fine range and how it's graded by days.
Still being checked Passport, health and online pre-registration rules, against the US government's Colombia page.
Good to know
- Want to stay longer? You can apply for a residence visa from inside Colombia, as long as your stay is still legal.
- At the border: you may be asked for a return ticket, where you're staying or proof of funds.
- Ask for an extension early: late requests are turned down, and you must leave when your 90 days end.
Sources (10)
Legal basis and exact figures
- Still being checked: the US State Department's Colombia page (passport, vaccination, onward ticket); yellow-fever guidance; whether Check-MIG online pre-registration is mandatory in November 2026 (2026 sources conflict).
- Law: Res 5488 de 2022 art 3 (US is item 34 on the visa-exempt list, for activities that don't generate payments in Colombia); Migración Res 3167 de 2019 arts 5, 8, 13, 14 (90-day permit, 180 days per calendar year, limited to passport validity); Res 2061 de 2020 arts 16–22 (one extension of up to 90 days, filed 5 business days ahead); Res 5477 de 2022 art 46 parágrafo (remote workers without a visa), arts 8, 13, 29 (in-country change of status).
- Overstay: Res 2357 de 2020 arts 15–16: grave infraction (deportation) unless special circumstances, then 26.31–210.50 UVT, COP 1,377,960–11,024,727 at UVT 2026 COP 52,374. Day-based grading not extracted.
- Fee: extension COP 150,000 (Res 0599 de 2026 art 1), about $45.43 at TRM 3,301.91 (13 Nov 2026). Tax on remote work done in Colombia: see the taxes guide (ET art 24 num 5).
Links
- Cancillería: Resolución 5488 de 2022 (visa exemptions), consolidated normograma text
- Migración Colombia: Resolución 3167 de 2019 (ingreso, permanencia y salida)
- Cancillería: Resolución 5477 de 2022 (visas), consolidated normograma text
- Migración Colombia: Resolución 2772 de 2026 (modifica art 14 Res 3167)
- Migración Colombia: Resolución 2061 de 2020 (trámites: cédula, PTP/prórroga)
- US State Department: Colombia country information
- Migración Colombia: Resolución 0599 de 2026 (tarifas 2026)
- Superintendencia Financiera TRM series (datos.gov.co dataset 32sa-8pi3)
- Migración Colombia: Resolución 2357 de 2020 (sanciones migratorias)
- DIAN: Resolución 000238 de 2025 (UVT 2026)
Count your days in Colombia → Entry and visas in full → The full Colombia guide →
Questions people ask
Do US citizens need a visa for Colombia?
No, a valid US passport is enough for a visit
How many days can a US citizen stay in Colombia?
Up to 90 days per entry, and 180 days at most in a calendar year; the border officer can give fewer
Can a US citizen extend a stay in Colombia?
Yes, once, by up to 90 days within the 180-day cap; about $45 (150,000 pesos). Apply at least 5 business days before your stay ends
Can I work in Colombia as a tourist?
Work paid by a Colombian person or company. Remote work for a US employer is allowed, but it's taxed in Colombia
What happens if you overstay in Colombia?
Deportation is possible; in special cases, such as family or medical reasons, a fine of about $420–3,340 instead (Not yet verified)
How long must my passport be valid for Colombia?
Valid for your whole stay: your permitted stay ends when your passport does