Tomás Restrepo
Partner and director of the immigration department
- Specialist in Business Law
- Has led Nexo Legal's immigration practice since 2020
For event guests and organizers
Colombia events visa: requirements, cost and time
The Colombia events visa is for you if you take part in a business, cultural or academic event, as a speaker, artist, athlete, organizer or participant.
With a visa-exempt passport, you need no visa to attend for 180 days or less, as long as you receive no salary in Colombia.
Handled by Tomás Restrepo, partner and director of the immigration departmentReviewed on November 9, 2026
4.8 on Google · 251 reviews
Do you qualify for the events visa?
The events visa lasts up to 1 year (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 41).
On it, you can stay in Colombia 180 days or less in each 365-day period, continuous or not.
Time on it does not count toward the resident visa (art. 90).
This is what Cancillería asks of you and of the entity that backs you.
- Your role at the event. Speaker, exhibitor, participant, artist, athlete, judge, contestant, organizer or logistics staff, at a business, cultural or academic event.
- An entity that backs you. The company or entity responsible for you in Colombia files the application, with a letter from its legal representative.
- Its commitment. The entity takes responsibility for your expenses and your return, and reports any change to Cancillería.
- Its legal papers. If it is a foreign private company, its certificate of existence and legal representation.
- Its bank statements. The last 3 months, unless it is a public entity.
- No work. The events visa does not let you work in Colombia.
How to get your events visa in 4 steps
The documents set the pace, so we ask for the slowest one first.
We check if you need it
We confirm your passport, your event and your dates, before we ask you for any document.
If you need no visa, we tell you so.
We gather the documents with you
Most of them come from the entity that backs you.
We file your application
We file it online, whether you are in Colombia or abroad.
Cancillería studies it and decides.
We follow your application to a decision
Once it is approved and you pay the issuance fee, your electronic visa arrives by email within 10 business days (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 101).
You do not need to register with Migración Colombia or get a foreigner ID card (art. 118).
You may also need
Services you can add to your events visa.
A case we see often
- The request
An organizer asked us about visas for guests coming to an event in Colombia.
The event was about 6 weeks away.
- The check
We reviewed the list of guest nationalities.
Some could enter without a visa. Others needed a visitor visa before traveling.
- The outcome
The organizer felt there was not enough time for the visas.
They decided not to invite guests who needed one.
An event has a date.
The visa has to arrive before it.
Do you know which of your guests need a visa? Send us the list of nationalities and we will tell you who needs one. →
Colombia events visa requirements: the documents
The application is filed by the legal entity responsible for you, such as the company or institution that invites you (Resolution 5477 of 2022, arts. 32 and 41). This is what Cancillería asks:
- Letter from the entity's legal representative. With the entity's details and yours, your activity, how long it lasts, your relationship with the entity and who pays for your stay.
- Other guests it has backed. The same letter lists the other foreign nationals the entity has backed.
- Declaration of responsibility. The entity covers your travel and stay, commits to your return and reports any change. Signed by hand with a fingerprint, or before a foreign authority with an apostille.
- Certificate of existence and legal representation. For a foreign private entity.
- The entity's bank statements. The last 3 months. A public entity does not need them.
- Passport. Valid for 6 months or more when you apply, with the page of your last entry stamp (art. 24).
How recent each document must be, the apostille and the translation depend on your case.
At Nexo Legal, in Medellín, Tomás Restrepo, partner and director of the immigration department, gives you the exact list for your case, reviews each document and files your application. Our fee for the events visa is COP 2,091,000.
What happens after the visa
Your stay
You can enter and leave Colombia as many times as you want while the visa is valid (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 27).
Keep in mind that you cannot extend your 180 days in Colombia on this visa (art. 41).
If your nationality needs a visa, you cannot switch to an M or R visa from inside Colombia (art. 29).
Toward residency
To live in Colombia long term, you need an M visa.
Your family
This visa does not allow beneficiaries (art. 41).
If your family travels with you, each of them needs their own visa, unless their passport is visa-exempt.
Questions event guests and organizers ask us
How long does the events visa take?
Cancillería has up to 30 calendar days to decide once the application is complete and the study fee is paid (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 13).
It can take longer if Cancillería consults other entities.
Do I need a visa to attend a conference or event in Colombia?
Not always.
With a passport from a visa-exempt country, you need no events visa if you stay 180 days or less and receive no salary in Colombia (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 41).
If a university or research institution invites you as a visiting professor, speaker or researcher, the same exemption applies to you (art. 41).
If your nationality needs a visa, we file the events visa before you travel.
See the list of countries →
We are organizing an event with delegates from several countries. Can you handle their visas?
Yes. We first check each delegate's nationality, because those with a visa-exempt passport may need no visa (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 41).
For the others, the company or entity responsible for them in Colombia files each application (art. 32).
Can I be paid for my talk or performance?
The events visa does not let you work in Colombia (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 41).
If you come without a visa, the exemption for visa-exempt passports also requires that you receive no salary in Colombia (art. 41).
My application was declared inadmissible. Can I apply again?
Yes. After an inadmissible decision, you can file a new application (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 98).
A refusal is different: you leave Colombia within 30 days and wait 6 months before applying again (art. 99).
If we handle your visa, the second application carries no professional fees: we review what led to the decision and fix it before we file again.
Can I stay in Colombia while it is processed?
You need to stay in the country where you applied until Cancillería decides: in Colombia if you applied from here, or abroad if you applied from there.
In Colombia, your status has to stay regular the whole time, with a valid visa, a stay permit or a safe-conduct (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 13).
We check your dates before filing, so your permit does not run out midway.
What happens when my events visa expires?
Once it ends, you have 30 calendar days to leave Colombia or apply for a new visa (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 111).
If you come back for another event later, we file a new events visa.
Don't see your case?
Tell us about it. In a free 15-minute call, we assess it and send you a proposal.
In-depth questions? 1-hour consultation: COP 400,000 (about USD 121).Outside what we do? We refer you to someone who does.
Visa and document costs, besides our fees
They go to Cancillería, Migración Colombia and the document issuers.
Events visa
Fixed fees
- Visa study feeCancillería · Nov 4, 2026USD 56
- Visa issuance, only if grantedCancillería · Nov 4, 2026USD 183
Apostilles and translations
For documents issued abroad
- Apostille of a U.S. state document, such as a pension letterUSD 160
- Apostille of a U.S. federal document, such as the FBI checkUSD 180
- Certified translation into Spanish, per pageUSD 15
We do not process apostilles ourselves.For U.S. documents, we can refer you to a company that does, at these prices.Elsewhere, each document is apostilled in its own country, and the price varies.
Your proposal adds them up for your case, together with our fees.
Who handles your case
Your visa is handled by the firm's immigration area, led by Tomás Restrepo.
- 3partners lead the legal, tax and immigration areas
- 22professionals in corporate, private, employment, intellectual property, immigration and tax law
- Medellínour own office
What our clients say
4.8
Based on 251 reviews
Google
Maria Isabel SNovember 12, 2026
Great human quality, the team was always there to solve all my questions. 100% recommend it
Nikola Tarasiuk CorreaOctober 26, 2026
Great service! Tomás who was taking care of my case was very responsive and helpful with every step of the process. Highly recommended :)
Kent MennemSeptember 17, 2026
Nexo Legal provides great services. They are extremely responsive and efficient! Highly recommended.
Joshua HarrisSeptember 14, 2026
They have been super helpful with me through multiple rounds of figuring out my visa and paying taxes. Nexo is who I go to for all my legal needs
Ken KanouseSeptember 6, 2026
I have used Nexo Legal for filing mine and my wife's Colombian income taxes the past 3 years. While I am retired and Colombia doesn't tax my retirement income, the filing still needs to be done. Each year the tax accountant requests the necessary information early so they can be filed accurately on time. They are very easy to work with, and I'd recommend using them for all you accounting and legal needs.
Chris HumphreyAugust 20, 2026
I’ve trusted Tomas and Nexo team on multiple visa applications and would highly recommend them when considering your next legal needs
daniela sanchezAugust 4, 2026
Great experience atty Tomas was very helpful in walking me through every step of the way and keeping me calm and stress free . I would highly recommend this firm with my eyes closed 🙂
Mark HarringtonJuly 31, 2026
Tomas handled my wife's visa application very professionally and was always available to address any questions or issues. Five stars
Arthur WalstonJuly 29, 2026
This was my first time working with The Nexo Firm. I have nothing but high regards for this Firm and specially for Tomas Restrepo. Tomas helped me with my visa process and communicated with me on the progress from start to finish. Plus, his English is very good so there is no language barrier. So, if your traveling aboard and you need help with the visa process, I highly recommend The Nexo Firm and Tomas Restrepo!
Shivaya GuraveJuly 22, 2026
Camila recently helped me obtain my RUT tax registration then did the necessary paperwork and filed my Colombian tax for 2025. Fast, reasonable price, in flawless English. I highly recommend her and Nexo Legal.
nicca louisJuly 7, 2026
All the way from NJ, USA this firm helped me revolve matters in Columbia so fast! I'm appreciative and glad I got the chance to work with them because I would still be fighting this legal battle if I did it on my own!
LilyJuly 6, 2026
Camila was a great accountant to work with and made filing taxes in Colombia as a digital nomad super easy! Thank you
See all 251 reviews on Google →
Client stories on video
What will happen after you fill out this form?
After you send the form, our team reviews your case and a specialist contacts you, usually within the hour during business hours, to clarify details and outline the next steps.
Nexo Legal is a private law and accounting firm, not a government office. Visa decisions are made by Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cancillería) and tax matters are decided by the DIAN; no lawyer can guarantee the result.