Real-estate Investor Visa
Purchase a Colombian property worth at least 350x SMMLV (about USD 153,000). A 650x SMMLV property (about USD 285,000) skips you straight to R.
cancilleria.gov.co before applying. Always work with a licensed Colombian immigration attorney.
Best for: Foreigners buying property in Colombia at or above the threshold. Most applicants buy in Envigado, Sabaneta, or Laureles to hit the floor without overspending for El Poblado.
Required documents
- Passport (6+ months remaining)
- Passport-style photo (4x5cm white background)
- Property purchase deed (escritura publica)
- Form 4 registration with Banco de la Republica confirming the foreign investment
- Property valuation matching or exceeding the threshold
Government fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Study fee (paid at submission) | USD $54 |
| Visa issuance fee (paid on approval) | USD $290 |
All Cancilleria fees are payable by credit card during the online application.
How to apply
- Gather documents. All foreign-issued documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, pension letters) must be apostilled in the country of issue and translated into Spanish by a translator registered with the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Relations.
- Create an account at
visas.cancilleria.gov.co. - Start the application. Select this visa type. Upload PDFs (max 2MB each, readable scans, not phone photos).
- Pay the study fee by credit card.
- Wait for review. Processing is typically 5 to 30 business days. You may receive a requerimiento (request for more documents). Respond within 30 days.
- Pay the issuance fee once approved.
- Download the visa PDF. It arrives by email. Print it.
- Register with Migracion Colombia within 15 days, and apply for your cedula de extranjeria. In Medellin, Migracion is at Calle 19 #80A-40 in Belen.
After you are approved
Once your visa is granted, you have 15 days after entering Colombia (or after approval if applying in-country) to:
- Register with Migracion Colombia (the RNE · registro de extranjeros). Free.
- Apply for your cedula de extranjeria. The fee is set annually by Migracion and sits in the 220.000 to 235.000 COP range in 2026. Card arrives in 10 to 15 business days.
Path to residency (R)
After 5 years on M Investor, apply for R. If you purchased at 650x SMMLV or more, you qualify for R directly.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting to register the purchase with Banco de la Republica via Form 4 before applying
- Property valuation BELOW the threshold once the COP/USD rate moves (USD figure shifts with TRM)
- Selling the property before the visa term ends (the investment must remain registered)
Have questions about your situation?
Chat with Catalina, our concierge. She can answer follow-up questions and connect you with a Medellin-based immigration attorney when you are ready to apply.
WhatsApp CatalinaWhen you are ready to apply
We work with a Medellin-based immigration attorney who is bilingual and reliable. He handles the application end-to-end, including the appointment at Migracion. Mike has used his services personally.
Attorney details available on request · contact us via WhatsApp or email.
Last updated: 2026-05-26. The 2026 SMMLV (Colombian minimum monthly wage) is 1.750.905 COP. All income floors on this page are multiples of that figure.