Rentista Visa

Best for: Foreigners with stable passive income (rentals, dividends, royalties) or freelancers with foreign clients earning at least 10x SMMLV monthly.

Income requirement

The 2026 floor is 17.509.050 COP per month (about USD $4,380 at current TRM). This is 10x the Colombian minimum monthly wage (SMMLV), which the government adjusts each January.

Accepted income sources

• Rental income from real estate
• Dividend income
• Royalties
• Freelance income from foreign clients (contractor-structured)
• Annuity / private retirement income

Does not qualify

• Salary from a Colombian employer (use M Work)
• Direct employment (W-2 / T4) from a foreign company (better fit: V Nomad)

Required documents

• Passport (6+ months remaining)
• Passport-style photo (4x5cm white background)
• 6 months of bank statements showing the income at or above the threshold
• CPA letter signed by a licensed Colombian contador publico OR a licensed foreign accountant with their license number and apostille
• Supporting contracts: lease agreements, dividend statements, client agreements
• Travel health insurance

Government fees

All Cancilleria fees are payable by credit card during the online application.

How to apply

1. 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.
2. Create an account at visas.cancilleria.gov.co.
3. Start the application. Select this visa type. Upload PDFs (max 2MB each, readable scans, not phone photos).
4. Pay the study fee by credit card.
5. Wait for review. Processing is typically 5 to 30 business days. You may receive a requerimiento (request for more documents). Respond within 30 days.
6. Pay the issuance fee once approved.
7. Download the visa PDF. It arrives by email. Print it.
8. 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.

Dependents

Spouse and children under 25 in school ride on the main visa with no additional income requirement.

Path to residency (R)

After 5 years on M Rentista, apply for R. Time on M is cumulative across renewals.

Common mistakes

• CPA letter from a non-Colombian accountant without a license number and apostille
• Trying to use direct employment income as Rentista (it's not, that's V Nomad)
• Bank statements showing income BELOW the threshold for any month in the 6-month window

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.