Colombia Marriage Visa 2026: Requirements, Process & How to Apply
The Colombia Marriage Visa (officially Visa M – Cónyuge de nacional colombiano) lets a foreigner married to a Colombian citizen live and work in Colombia for up to 3 years, and puts you on the path to permanent residency. This guide, written by the Expat Expert legal team in Medellín, explains who qualifies, the documents you need, how to apply online with Cancillería, and how to do it yourself with an attorney-written DIY package.
Key facts: Colombia Marriage Visa 2026
Who it is for: foreigners legally married to a Colombian citizen
Visa type: Migrant visa (M), spouse category
Validity: up to 3 years
Work: includes an open work permit for any lawful activity in Colombia
Path to residency: 3 years as a spouse visa holder makes you eligible for the Resident Visa (Visa R)
Family: economically dependent children up to age 25 (or children with a disability) can apply as beneficiaries
Where to apply: online through the Cancillería (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) website, from inside or outside Colombia
ID card: after approval you register with Migración Colombia for your cédula de extranjería
Who qualifies for the Colombian spouse visa?
You qualify if you are legally married to a Colombian citizen and the marriage is registered in Colombia. It does not matter whether you married in Colombia or abroad, but a foreign marriage certificate on its own is not enough: the marriage must appear in the Colombian civil registry (Registro Civil de Matrimonio) before you apply.
If you are not married but live with a Colombian partner, you would look at the separate permanent partner (compañero permanente) visa instead. It has different proof requirements and takes 5 years, rather than 3, to count toward the Resident Visa.
Step 1: Get married in Colombia, or register your foreign marriage
Marrying in Colombia
Most couples marry in a civil ceremony at a Colombian notary (notaría). As the foreign partner you will typically need:
Your valid passport
Your birth certificate, recently issued (notaries commonly require it within the last 90 days), apostilled and officially translated into Spanish
Proof that you are free to marry (a single-status certificate, or a sworn declaration where your country does not issue one)
If divorced or widowed, the divorce decree or the death certificate of your former spouse
Two witnesses, and an official interpreter if you do not speak Spanish
Each notary sets its own scheduling and can ask for extra documents, so confirm with your notary before you book flights.
Married abroad?
If you married outside Colombia, your marriage certificate must be apostilled (or legalized), officially translated into Spanish and then registered at a Colombian notary or consulate. That registration produces the Registro Civil de Matrimonio you need for the visa.
Step 2: Prepare the Marriage Visa documents
According to Cancillería, the main requirements for the Visa M – Cónyuge are:
Colombian marriage registration: a copy of the Registro Civil de Matrimonio issued within the 3 months before you apply.
Request letter from your Colombian spouse: signed by your spouse, requesting the visa, with their phone number, address, email and a copy of their cédula de ciudadanía.
Special power of attorney: signed by your Colombian spouse with signature recognition before a notary or Colombian consul.
Migration movement certificates: from Migración Colombia, for both you and your spouse.
General visa documents: your passport, a recent photo and, if you are in Colombia, proof of your current legal immigration status.
Cancillería can ask for additional proof of the relationship or call you to an interview, so keep evidence of your life together (photos, shared address, travel) ready.
Step 3: Apply online with Cancillería
Create your application on the Cancillería visa portal and choose Visa M – Cónyuge.
Fill in the online form and upload each document in the correct slot.
Pay the study fee. Cancillería then reviews your file.
Respond to any request for additional documents (requerimiento). The review clock pauses until you answer.
Once approved, pay the visa issuance fee and receive your electronic visa.
Government fees change and are converted at Cancillería's exchange rate, so always check the current amounts on the Cancillería website before paying.
Step 4: Get your cédula de extranjería
After your visa is issued, register with Migración Colombia and request your cédula de extranjería, the foreign resident ID you will use for banking, healthcare, leases and phone contracts. Do this promptly: Migración Colombia sets a short deadline after visa issuance.
Colombia Marriage Visa costs and fees (2026)
Cancillería sets visa fees in US dollars but charges them in Colombian pesos at its own exchange rate. Because the US dollar to Colombian peso exchange rate is volatile, the amount you pay in pesos can change from week to week, and fees are also updated periodically. The figures below are approximate, based on Cancillería's 2026 fee resolution and published rates, using roughly COP 3,200 per US dollar (October 2026).
Visa study fee: USD 56 (about COP 180,000), paid when you submit your application
Visa issuance fee: USD 204 (about COP 650,000), paid only after your visa is approved
Total Cancillería visa fees: USD 260 (about COP 830,000)
Cédula de extranjería: COP 294,000 (about USD 90), paid to Migración Colombia
Civil marriage at a notary: notary fees are regulated and commonly reported at under COP 200,000 (about USD 60), plus certified copies
Apostilles and official translations: costs vary by country and by number of pages, so budget for each foreign document
Spanish citizens are exempt from Colombian visa fees, and a few other nationalities pay reduced rates. Always confirm the current amounts on the Cancillería and Migración Colombia websites before you pay, since prices can change with the exchange rate.
Colombia Marriage Visa timeline
Notary marriage: usually a few days to a few weeks after the notary accepts your documents, depending on the notary's schedule
Cancillería review: typically up to about 30 days after you pay the study fee. A request for more documents pauses the clock until you respond.
Visa issuance: after approval, once you pay the issuance fee
Cédula de extranjería: register with Migración Colombia within 15 days of your visa being issued
Keeping your visa and moving to residency
Stay connected to Colombia: M visas can lose validity if you are outside Colombia for more than 180 continuous days within a year.
Renew before it expires: a new visa granted before the old one expires keeps your time continuous.
Apply for Visa R: after 3 years as a spouse visa holder you can apply for the Resident Visa.
Common mistakes that delay Colombian Marriage Visas
Uploading a marriage registration older than 3 months
Using a foreign marriage certificate that has not been registered in Colombia
Missing apostilles or using unofficial translations
A spouse letter that does not include all the required contact details and cédula copy
Uploading documents in the wrong slot of the online form
Can I apply for the Colombia Marriage Visa myself?
Yes. Many couples apply without a lawyer. To make that easier, Expat Expert offers attorney-written DIY packages for the Marriage Visa, prepared by our Colombian attorney, Laura Morales:
Marriage Visa DIY Package ($109): a 45-page PDF guide with every requirement, a screen-by-screen walkthrough of the Cancillería form with real screenshots, a printable checklist and the cédula steps.
Marriage Visa Guided DIY Package ($209): the guide plus a 30-minute virtual consultation with our attorney.
Marriage Visa Premium DIY Package ($319): the guide, a 30-minute consultation and a full attorney review of your documents before you submit.
Prefer to have it done for you? Contact us about full-service visa help, or compare all Colombia DIY Visa Packages.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Colombian Marriage Visa valid?
Up to 3 years. You can renew it while you remain married, and after 3 years as a spouse visa holder you can apply for the Resident Visa.
Can I work in Colombia with a Marriage Visa?
Yes. The spouse visa includes an open work permit, so you can be employed, freelance or run a business.
Do I need to marry in Colombia to get the visa?
No. You can marry abroad, but the marriage must be apostilled, translated and registered in Colombia before you apply.
Can I apply from inside Colombia?
Yes. The application is online, so you can apply from inside Colombia while your current immigration status is valid, or from abroad.
How long does approval take?
Cancillería typically decides within about 30 days of the study fee being paid. Requests for extra documents pause that clock.
Can my children get a visa too?
Yes. Economically dependent children up to age 25, or children with a disability, can apply as beneficiaries of your visa.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Requirements can change, so confirm the current rules on the Cancillería website or talk to our attorney about your situation.
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