Tomás Restrepo
Partner and director of the immigration department
- Specialist in Business Law
- Has led Nexo Legal's immigration practice since 2020
For professionals hired on a temporary contract
Colombia service provider visa: requirements, cost and time
The Colombia service provider visa is for you if a company in Colombia hires you for temporary work under a services, work or labor contract.
The company has to show average monthly income of about USD 53,030 or more (COP 175,090,500 in 2026).
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 service provider visa?
The service provider visa lasts up to 2 years (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 54).
It does not count toward the resident visa (art. 90).
This is what Cancillería asks of you and of the company that hires you.
- A contract with dates. Cancillería's contract summary form, with the start and end dates of your contract.
- The company's reasons. A letter about your suitability, your tasks, your training and why it does not hire a Colombian for the job.
- The company's income. Bank certifications in its name for the last 6 months, with a monthly average of the minimum or more.
- Your qualifications. Your degree, apostilled and translated, or work and experience certificates.
- Health insurance. With coverage in Colombia for your whole stay. See our travel insurance →
- Only that job. You can work only in the position, entity, profession or activity the visa was granted for.
What you must prove in 2026
Set by Cancillería · these are not our fees
- Company's average monthly incomeCOP175,090,500 or moreabout USD 53,030 · 100 minimum wages, last 6 monthsSource: Cancillería, Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 54, num. 4
Minimum wage in 2026: COP 1,750,905. It changes every January, and the threshold moves with it. Source: Decree 1469 of 2025 (the transitional Decree 159 of 2026 kept the same amount).
Checked on November 12, 2026.
How to get your service provider visa in 4 steps
The documents set the pace, so we ask for the slowest one first.
We check the company and contract
We confirm your contract, the company's income and your profile, before anyone gathers anything.
If it does not qualify, we explore other ways for you to live in Colombia.
We gather the documents with you
Most of them come from the company: the contract form, its letter and its bank certifications.
You provide your degree or work certificates, and your health coverage.
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).
Then we tell you how to register it with Migración Colombia and get your foreigner ID card.
You may also need
Services our service provider clients add to the visa.
A case we see often
- The contract
A professional got a services contract from a Colombian company.
He was in Colombia as a visitor, with only a few visitor days left that year.
- The slow step
The FBI background check can take up to 4 weeks.
So it was requested first, before paying the visa fees.
- The deadline
The application was filed weeks before his permitted stay ended.
His stay while the application was pending had to be planned too.
Visitor days run out.
What takes longest goes first.
How many visitor days do you have left this year? Write to us and we will plan your steps around that date. →
Colombia service provider visa requirements: the documents
This is what Cancillería asks for the service provider visa (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 54):
- Contract summary form. The format Cancillería publishes, with the start and end dates of your contract.
- Motivation letter from the company. Your suitability, your tasks, your training and why it does not hire a Colombian.
- The company's bank certifications. In its name, for the last 6 months.
- Your degree or experience. Your degree, apostilled and translated, or work and experience certificates.
- Health insurance. With coverage in Colombia for your whole stay. See our travel insurance →
- Passport. Valid, with the page of your last entry stamp.
If the company is in mining or energy, Cancillería checks its mining title with the National Mining Agency.
If a Colombian state entity, an international organization, an embassy or a mixed-economy company hires you, a letter from its legal representative is enough (art. 54).
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 service provider visa is COP 2,091,000.
What happens after the visa
Toward residency
Time on this visa does not count toward the resident visa (R) (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 90).
To live in Colombia long term, you need an M visa.
Your family
If they depend on you financially, your spouse or permanent partner and your children up to 25, or of any age with a disability, can join you on a beneficiary visa.
Questions contractors ask us about this visa
How long does the service provider 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.
What is the difference between the service provider visa and the work visa?
The difference is the type of contract.
With a services contract, you work as an independent contractor: you pay your own social security, and you can have several clients (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 54).
With an employment contract, the company is your employer and pays the benefits the law requires. That is the work visa (M), and its time counts toward the resident visa (arts. 74 and 90).
I work remotely for a company abroad. Is this my visa?
No. The service provider visa is for work you do in Colombia under contract (art. 54).
If a company abroad pays you to work remotely, the digital nomad visa may fit.
My profession is regulated in Colombia. Do I need a permit?
Yes, if your profession requires one in Colombia: the visa does not replace the rules of each profession (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 16).
Article 54 also asks for your degree, apostilled and translated, or your work and experience certificates (num. 5).
We check which permit your profession needs, and from which council, before you file.
Do I need to join Colombian social security?
Yes. As an independent contractor, you pay your own social security in Colombia.
For your health, article 54 also asks for insurance with coverage in Colombia for your whole stay (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 54, num. 6).
Can I add another client or employer?
Yes, if the work is related to the activities in your visa: you request a visa transfer and report the activities to Migración Colombia and the Ministry of Labor (Resolution 5477 of 2022, art. 105).
If you add an employer, that does not extend your visa.
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 service provider 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.
Service provider 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
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.