Tomás Restrepo
Partner and director of the immigration department
- Specialist in Business Law
- Has led Nexo Legal's immigration practice since 2020
For journalists and foreign correspondents
Colombia journalist visa: requirements, cost and time
The Colombia journalist visa is for you if a foreign media outlet sends you to cover a story here, or to work as its permanent correspondent.
With a visa-exempt passport, you need no visa to cover a story for 180 days or less, as long as you are not paid 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 journalist visa?
The press coverage visa lasts up to 1 year, with a stay of up to 180 days, and the permanent correspondent visa up to 2 years (Resolution 5477 of 2022, arts. 47 and 48).
Neither counts toward the resident visa (art. 90).
This is what Cancillería asks of you and of your media outlet.
- A media outlet that backs you. Its legal representative signs a letter stating your activity, how long it lasts and who pays for your stay.
- Its commitment. The outlet 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.
- A health policy. Valid in Colombia for your whole stay, for you and, if you are a correspondent, for your family. See our travel insurance →
- Only the registered activity. On the coverage visa, you cannot do anything else.
How to get your journalist 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 outlet and how long you will stay, 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 your media outlet.
You provide the passport and the health policy.
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).
If it lasts more than 3 months, we tell you how to register it with Migración Colombia and get your foreigner ID card.
You may also need
Services our journalist clients add to the visa.
Colombia journalist visa requirements: the documents
The application is filed by the legal entity responsible for you, such as your media outlet (Resolution 5477 of 2022, arts. 32, 47 and 48). This is what Cancillería asks:
- Letter from the outlet's legal representative. With the outlet's details and yours, your activity, how long it lasts, your relationship with the outlet and who pays for your stay.
- Declaration of responsibility. The outlet 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 outlet.
- The outlet's bank statements. The last 3 months. A public entity does not need them.
- Health policy. Valid in Colombia for your whole stay, covering accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospitalization, death and repatriation.
- Passport. Valid, with the page of your last entry stamp.
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 journalist visa is COP 2,091,000.
Press coverage or permanent correspondent
Press coverage visa
For short-term coverage in Colombia (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 47).
It lasts up to 1 year, and on it you can stay 180 days or less, continuous or not.
Your family cannot join you on it as beneficiaries.
Permanent correspondent visa
For working in Colombia as the permanent correspondent of a foreign media outlet (art. 48).
It lasts up to 2 years.
With the permanent correspondent visa only (art. 48), your spouse or permanent partner and your children up to 25, or of any age with a disability, if they depend on you financially, can join you on a beneficiary visa.
What happens after the visa
Toward residency
To live in Colombia long term, you need an M visa.
Questions journalists ask us about this visa
How long does the journalist 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.
I am a freelance journalist. Can I apply?
The journalist visa is filed by the legal entity responsible for you in Colombia, such as your media outlet (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 32).
If you work remotely for outlets abroad, the digital nomad visa may fit.
Can I work for a Colombian media outlet?
On the press coverage visa, you can do only the activity registered in it (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 47).
To work for a Colombian employer, you need a work visa.
Do journalists pay taxes in Colombia?
Your days decide it, not your visa.
If you spend more than 183 days in Colombia within 365, you become a tax resident, and you declare your income from Colombia and abroad (Tax Code, arts. 9 and 10).
Taxes for foreigners →
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 journalist visa expires?
To stay longer, we apply again before it expires, for the same fee.
Once it ends, you have 30 calendar days to leave Colombia or apply for a new visa (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 111).
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.
Journalist visa
Fixed fees
- Visa study feeCancillería · Nov 4, 2026USD 56
- Visa issuance, only if grantedCancillería · Nov 4, 2026USD 183
- Foreigner ID cardMigración Colombia, Resolution 0599 of 2026, art. 1 · Nov 12, 2026COP 294,000about USD 89
- Press coverage visa issuance, only if grantedCancilleríaUSD 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.