{"id":13125,"date":"2025-03-21T18:30:15","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T23:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nexo.legal\/?p=13125"},"modified":"2026-10-29T15:15:39","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T20:15:39","slug":"colombian-residency-visa-traspaso","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nexo.legal\/es\/colombian-residency-visa-traspaso\/","title":{"rendered":"Traspaso de visa en Colombia: el plazo vence el 31 de octubre de 2026 para residentes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last updated: October 29, 2026 \u00b7 Nexo Legal Immigration Team<\/em><\/p>\n

Quick answer:<\/strong> The traspaso de visa is a mandatory transfer that Colombia’s Foreign Ministry (Canciller\u00eda) requires from holders of a Colombia resident visa<\/strong> whose visa label has expired, is about to expire, or was issued with no expiration date. The deadline is October 31, 2026<\/strong>. The procedure is done 100% online, and you need it to update your visa and to get your c\u00e9dula de extranjer\u00eda from Migraci\u00f3n Colombia.<\/p>\n

If you have been living in Colombia for years on a permanent resident visa, this is the one deadline of 2026 you can’t let slide. Below is what the traspaso de visa is, how to tell if it applies to you, and what to do with the time that’s left.<\/p>\n

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Table of Contents<\/h2>\n
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  1. What Is the Traspaso de Visa?<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Does the Traspaso de Visa Apply to You?<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Why It Matters: Your Visa Label and Your C\u00e9dula<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. How the Traspaso de Visa Works<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. What to Do If You’re Running Out of Time<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. After the Transfer: Your C\u00e9dula de Extranjer\u00eda<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Common Mistakes With the Traspaso de Visa<\/a><\/li>\n
  8. FAQ<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    What Is the Traspaso de Visa?<\/h2>\n

    In Colombia, “traspaso” means transfer. A traspaso de visa moves your existing permanent resident visa into a new visa label under Canciller\u00eda’s current system. You keep the same immigration status. What changes is the document that proves it.<\/p>\n

    This matters because a Colombia resident visa<\/strong> is the top of the immigration ladder. Unlike a Migrant (M) visa, it isn’t tied to a job, a marriage or an investment that has to be renewed every few years. That permanence is exactly why many residents forget about paperwork: they assume “permanent” means they will never have to deal with Canciller\u00eda again.<\/p>\n

    The traspaso de visa is the exception. Canciller\u00eda has made it mandatory for a specific group of permanent residents, with a hard deadline of October 31, 2026<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    If you are still working your way toward residency, our guide on how to make Colombia your permanent home<\/a> explains the full path from a first visa to the resident visa.<\/p>\n

    Does the Traspaso de Visa Apply to You?<\/h2>\n

    According to Canciller\u00eda’s official announcement of September 15, 2026, the traspaso de visa applies to holders of a Permanent Resident visa whose visa label:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Your situation<\/th>\nDoes the traspaso apply?<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Your resident visa label has expired<\/strong><\/td>\nYes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Your resident visa label is about to expire<\/strong><\/td>\nYes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Your resident visa label was issued with indefinite validity<\/strong> (no expiration date)<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    You hold a Migrant (M) or Visitor (V) visa<\/td>\nNo, this deadline is only for resident visas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    The third case is the one that catches people off guard. If your visa label never had an expiration date, it’s easy to assume nothing will ever be asked of you. That label is precisely one of the cases the traspaso de visa is meant to update.<\/p>\n

    How to check:<\/strong> open your passport (or the one where your resident visa was stamped) and look at the visa label. Find the expiration date field. If it’s in the past, coming up soon, or says the visa has indefinite validity, the deadline applies to you.<\/p>\n

    \"traspaso
    \nCheck your visa label and your documents before you start the transfer.<\/em><\/p>\n

    If you’re not sure which visa you hold, start with our Colombian visa requirements guide for 2026<\/a>, which explains each visa type.<\/p>\n

    Why It Matters: Your Visa Label and Your C\u00e9dula<\/h2>\n

    Canciller\u00eda’s announcement is direct about what the traspaso de visa unlocks:<\/p>\n