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Since arriving in Ecuador, I had been confused about whether to extend my tourist stay in Ecuador for 90 days or get a Colombia tourist visa and leave Ecuador.
Note: Indians need an Ecuador tourist visa now a days.
Although a Colombia visa for Indians like me is easier to get in the Colombian embassy in Delhi, I hadn’t tried it there. I wasn’t sure whether I could get a visa for Colombia in Ecuador, but I had to give it a try.
I taught English in a public school in Quito, thanks to a program called Time to Teach Ecuador. I stayed with a local family and learnt Spanish. Things were good. And if it was up to me, this life would have gone on for long.
However, the program was an administrative mess and most volunteer teachers like me took the heat. So once I was sure that my days in Ecuador were numbered, I decided to get a visitor visa for Colombia since I was so close to it.
But before I get to that, I will brief you on things to see in Colombia.
Things to Do in Colombia
Colombia has everything, be it pristine islands or gorgeous small towns or rain forests. While a lot of tourists throng to the popular destinations like Cartagena, Cocora valley, Tayrona National Park, Medellin and the coffee country, there are so many off-the-beaten-path places in Colombia.
And if you are planning to learn Spanish in Latin America, Colombia is probably one of the best places to learn Spanish as Colombians are known to have one of the most neutral Spanish accents. And traveling in Colombia is probably the fastest way to learn Spanish.

but to see this, you might need a Colombian tourist visa
What’s your visa status?
1. Are you from a country that’s not visa-exempt for Colombia? Then you are at the right place. You need to apply for a tourist visa prior to your entry. Examples- India, China, Nigeria, South Africa.
2. Are you from a visa-exempt country? It means enter without any tourist visa and receive an entry stamp with the number of days you can stay at the immigration. Usually 90 days. Examples- USA, Canada, Philippines,EU.
Sometimes many tourists refer to this as a Colombia e visa. The thing is the visa is emailed to you in an electronic format, which you don’t need to get stamped on your passport if you are planning to stay in Colombia for less than 3 months.
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Do You Need a Visa to Go to Colombia
Citizens of many countries don’t need a visa for Colombia if the purpose of their visit is tourism or sight-seeing etc. Examples- EU countries, U.S.A, Canada, Australia, Japan etc.
Now do Indians need visas for Colombia? Yes, they do. So do the Chinese. And a lot others.
And if the purpose of the visit has to do anything other than tourism, everyone except for citizens of Mercosur countries need a visa for Colombia.
To check who needs a visa for Colombia, check this article on Colombia visa requirements and types.
Colombia Visa for Indians in India
Even if you apply from India, the Colombia visa application process is exactly the same as getting it anywhere else. You can get it from the Colombian embassy in Delhi. While you might need to show a couple more documents, everything else will be same.
Do you have a USA or Schengen Visa?
And if you are from the following countries, you will be able to enter Colombia with a USA visa or Schengen visa valid for at least 180 days from the day of your arrival in Colombia.
- India
- China
- Thailand
- Vietnam
- Myanmar
- Cambodia
- Macau
Ok, now let me tell you how to get the tourist visa for Colombia starting form the application process. Do note that the tourist visa was of type TP-11 when I got it, but is known as Visitor(V) as of now. The process is all the same.
Step 1: Apply Colombia Tourist Visa Online
Colombia has a centralized website(SITAC) where you can apply for any kind of Colombia visa online. Find out whether the country where you are applying for a visitor visa for Colombia has a consulate or embassy of Colombia.
If you go to the visa section of the website of the Colombian embassy, you will be forwarded to the website below where you would need to fill out your details. The SITAC Colombia portal would be the same no matter which country you are applying from.

Step 2: Document Checklist for Colombia Tourist Visa
Colombia visa requirements are not very straightforward. For instance, you know what they don’t tell you when applying for the Colombia tourist visa? That you should get the documentation ready before you start the application process on the portal.
Unless you upload all the documents once you start the Colombia visa application process, you wouldn’t be able to complete the process and submit it.
Here are the list of requirements for Colombia tourist visa from the official website.

As usual, I booked my refundable flight tickets on Orbitz.com. The onward flight from Quito to Bogota a couple months from the date of application of visa, where as the return flight from Bogota to Delhi with a date 5 months after the date of my arrival.
I used booking.com to make refundable reservations in different hostels starting from Bogota to Santa Marta, Cartagena and a few other places, with my stay ranging from a week to 3 weeks at each hostel. To keep things simple, I saved the reservations in Spanish.
Booking.com allows you to save the application in Spanish and it’s quite useful if you are applying for a visa for any Latin American country.
And to show ’em da money, I downloaded the statements from my HDFC bank account in India for the last 6 months. I had a balance of more than 6000 USD at that time. On top of it, I decided to scan a couple of my Credit cards and save them in PDF format.
Although they don’t mention the flight tickets and hotel reservations, you would need to upload them in the ‘additional documents’ section.
Along with all this, I also uploaded the pages of my passport that with the entry stamp from Ecuador. As an Indian citizen, I had 90 day limit in Ecuador and by that time, I had consumed 3 weeks out of it.
Step 3: Pay Colombia Visa Fees for Visa Study
Ok, this might sound super weird, but to get a visa for Colombia, you always have to pay up first for them to go through your documents. That’s how it is.
After saving the application, you need to choose the nearest consulate and the medium of pay. It’s different for every consulate. I chose Quito and then visited the consulate of Colombia in Quito with my application number.
They asked me to visit the nearest Banco de Pichincha branch with the bank account number of the embassy. I paid 52$ and went back to the consulate with the receipt.
I submitted a printout of my application along with all the documents that I had submitted online, and the original receipt. It’s not necessary to submit the physical documents but I decided to just do it anyway.
I received automated emails every time the status of your application is changed. You can check the status of your Colombia visa application on the website of the Ministry of Foreign affairs as well.
Step 4: Visa Interview & Payment of Visa Processing Fees
Once the status of your visa application moves to APPROVED or to the Interview stage (REQUIRED, for: ENTREVISTA EN OFICINA), you would receive an emails stating the same. The email would always contain the text in Spanish and then in English.
The English sometimes would contain traces of Spanish but you can make sense of it.

After a week, I received an email that my visa has been approved. Although technically there was no need for an interview in my case, I still had a short, informal one at the consulate. The interview happened in Spanish as my Spanish had improved a lot by then.
The consular officer was real nice and quite surprised with my Spanish. He asked me some generic questions like 1) Why do I want to visit Colombia? 2) What all places do I want to visit there? 3) Do I know anyone in Colombia?
I answered accordingly. Then I was asked to pay the visa processing fees (82$) in the same bank with the same account number and bring them the original receipt. I did that and then they asked me to leave my original passport there.
Step 5: Colombia Visa Stamping
After a couple of days, I received an email from the embassy that my passport was ready with the visa stamp. I received an Electronic visa in my email as well.

Celebrate with some Aguardiente. Or Canelazo.
Colombia is often ranked as the happiest country in the world. So, now that this happiness is gonna be a part of you, it’s time to listen to some Latin music and have some Aguardiente, the national drink of Colombia.

Understanding the Colombia Electronic Visa or eVisa
When your Colombia tourist visa is issued, you get an email containing the visa in Electronic format. You can use this as a backup in case you are unable to make a visit to the consulate for the visa sticker.
You can enter Colombia with a Colombia e Visa in your email without the visa sticker on your passport. Make sure to carry a printout.If your visa has been issued for less than three (3) months, you can enter, stay and leave the country showing your electronic visa, without printing it over the passport. But if it’s for more than 3 months, you need to get it printed in the Bogotá VISAS office.
And you should do that within 2 months from the date the visa is issued.
If you ask me, it’s much better to get it printed at the consulate to avoid any future mishaps. So if you got time, just do it.
Visa fees: – 134$ in total ( 52$ for study + 82$ for processing)
Visa duration :- Even though I had applied the visa for 4 months, I got it for 5 months in total. You can get it for 180 days maximum.
Visa validity :- The visa was valid from the day it was issued.
No. of entries :- Multiple
Colombia Visa Policy: F.A.Q.S
Is It Possible to Convert Colombia Tourist Visa to any other Visa?
Yes. And the good part is that you can convert your tourist visa to another visa while being in Colombia, without needing to leave the country. While I was there I converted my tourist visa to a volunteer visa for Colombia easily. Later, I got a job to teach English and converted the volunteer visa to a Colombia work visa.
Do I Need to Apostle or Translate Any Documents for a Colombia Tourist Visa?
As the official language of Colombia is Spanish, you might need to get some documents translated and apostiled to apply for the visa. You need to check with the particular consulate about the same. Although, lots of times documents in English just work fine.
A Friend in Colombia Invited me to Come to Colombia. What All Documents Do I Need For This?
If you are visiting Colombia through a tourism agency or a friend, you can get a letter of invitation from them and upload it in the documentation section. You also might need to upload a copy of their national identity card or Cedula.
How Can I Apply for a Colombia Tourist Visa if There is no Embassy of Colombia in my Country?
If Colombia doesn’t have an embassy or consulate in your country, check out the nearest consulate and ask them how to pay the fee. If you can pay it online, well and good. If not, you should make the arrangements first and then apply for the visa.
Can I Extend Colombia Visa in Colombia?
As long as you don’t exceed the maximum 180 days stay limit, you can extend your Colombian visa. So if for example, your Colombia visa duration is 120 days, then you can extend it for 60 more days.
Note that your Colombia visa extension experience can be totally different from people who enter Colombia without a visa and with a simple entry stamp on their passport. Anyone who enters Colombia as visa-exempt would simply be extending stay in Colombia, rather than an actual visa.
Is There a Tourist Visa Colombia for a Longer Duration?
You can get a Visitor(V) visa for Colombia for up to 180 days. However, it’s possible to get a tourist visa for up to 2 years as well. But, you shouldn’t try it the first time you visit Colombia. They would normally deny it.
The Visa Project quick tip:
Once you apply online, the application is valid for 30 Calendar days. If for some reason, your case takes longer than that, you go back to square one and start out with a new application and upload all the documents and pay the visa fees to study it one more time. So make sure you can get it done in 30 days.
The Visa Project’s Comprehensive Visa Series: Guides & Experiences
Visa requirements are always changing. Here on The Visa Project, they are kept up-to-date and should answer most visa questions.
And not just guides and tips, we also rely on real people’s experiences on visas, coz’ we know how much visas change based on your nationality, financial status, age, ethnicity, etc.
South America Visa Series: Experiences
- Tourist Visa for Bolivia
- Extend Bolivian Tourist Visa: A US Citizen’s experience
- Peru Visa for Indians: Peru Tourist Visa in Bolivia
- Peru Visa Extension Online
- Peru Visa Extension in Immigration Office: A US citizen’s experience
- Tourist Visa for Brazil: How I got it in Ecuador
- Ecuador Professional Visa: An Indian’s experience
- Ecuador Visa for US Citizens: Ecuador temporary residency visa
- SENESCYT Ecuador Registration : Register your degree in Ecuador
- Colombia Work Visa: Teach English in Colombia
- Colombia Tourist Visa Extension: A US Citizen’s perspective
South America Visa Series: Complete Guides
Have you applied for Colombia tourist visa?
If you applied for a tourist visa for Colombia, was the whole process smooth? Please let us know in the comments. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
This is a simple easy-to-follow article on applying for a Tourist Visa. I’m bookmarking it whenever I’m going to apply for a Visa in South America. I plan to visit South American when this pandemic is over.
Thanks Sayed. I am planning for it as well.
I have not visited Colombia yet but it is definitely on my bucket list 😇 thanks for the informative post 😅
Glad to help.
I am planning to come to Columbia after April 2021 & hopefully use my TEFL DIPLOMA to gain employment teaching English! If a company hires me on what is the longest legal length of stay! I am an American citizen? Thank you kindly for your help! My gmail is danielcm1956gmail.com !
Hi Daniel. You need to make sure is that the company that hires you, also sponsors your work visa. Many employer don’t. That being said, it’s common to get a visa for a year since the contracts are renewed every year.
Here is the article on Colombia work visa.
Hi there- I was wondering if US citizens get 180 days in a year? Or does it reset if I leave and enter Colombia again?
Hi Melissa, yes US citizens do get 180 days in a calendar year. The limit starts from the day you enter Colombia, rather than the beginning of a year. Reentering won’t reset your limit.
Hello, great post!
I have a question, I booked by return flight from Orbitz but had to cancel it within 24 hours to be refunded.
Now I have a copy of a confirmed ticket pdf, which is actually cancelled in the system (if its checked by anyone). Can you let me know if the pdf will work
The confirmed ticket can work. But if you want to play a little more safe, you can try to rent a ticket for 15 days https://thevisaproject.com/recommends/visa-reservation/
Hello, thank you.
I have to reach Colombia in the 1st week of February and hence I thought about starting the process.
Do Colombian authorities check the current status of the said ticket?
Thank you for sharing the reference, I wanted to understand if renting it for 15 days is a good idea as the Visa process may take 25-30 days?
Also, has anyone you know used their service? Thanks in advance for answering the questions, Deb!
If everything goes well, the visa process shouldn’t take more than 15 days. The idea behind renting it for 15 days is that it will have a confirmed PNR and in case anyone checks, it will be valid. If the process takes longer, you can explain them that it was a refundable reservation and you can extend them.
I have used their services and know friends who have.
Hello, thank you Deb.
I am planning to arrive Colombia in the 1st week of Feb and the Visa process from India can take up to 25-30 days.
Given that I need to submit all this while filling the online application, would this be the right time to get a fresh ticket, hotel reservations and medical insurance?
For medical insurance, what this company creates for me will still apply?
For hotel, they have some days limitation and I can try to book it externally and have them take care of ticket and medical insurance?
Colombia is open and people are traveling there. But you should definitely do the homework before traveling there. PCR test etc. And as far as insurance is concerned, we strongly recommend Safetywing. Cheap and covers lots of things including COVID, and you can extend it later. https://thevisaproject.com/recommends/safety-wing-nomad/
Hotel reservation- you can do it on Booking.
Hello, I am currently filling the form online. The documents seem to be accepted only one file per line and when I verify, it only shows the 1st document that was posted in the checklist item
Should I merge the PDF files into one document per line?
I am assuming that you are seeing the same screen that I have uploaded in the article. All the necessary documents such as hotel reservations, flight tickets should be uploaded as separate PDF files. You can upload any documents for which you don’t see an option in the additional documents section.
Hello, yes I am referring to the same checklist, but it only lets you submit one document per line. If more documents are added, it picks up the last document posted and the previous one disappears. I checked that in the next page after continuing.
For example, in the line which requires you to put a coverletter and bank statements, I wasn’t able to attach 2 documents. It would pick up the Bank statement only when checked in the next page ‘documento suporte’. Hence I merged them into one PDF which was the only option.
Same goes with the rest of the documents.
Its been a couple days I paid and applied, hope the visa is not rejected because of this. I really had no other choice and I work in technology, so I guess I checked all other alternatives.
What do you think?
I understand. Yeah, I think that should be fine. And if they need something, they will notify you to upload any other documents.
Hello, I submitted and paid on 12/29 and its been 5 working days since then. The last email I got was from ‘tramite_estado@cancilleria.gov.co’ on 12/29 itself
Which says –
“Estimado usuario,
Nos permitimos informarle que se ha registrado exitosamente el pago de la referencia 113999000011056.
Adjuntamos soporte de pago”
Wanted to know if it can take longer, and whats is the protocol if I dont hear back?
They simply want to inform you that they received your payment. What is the status now? Drop an email n ask them about it. You can also visit the embassy but not sure whether that’s possible now.
Hello, my visa was rejected. Even when all my documents were completed and I provided them all the things they asked for.
I have sent an email to check further details
Sorry to hear that Shobhit. That is strange. Did they provide any reasons?
Nothing yet, it said I can’t reapply for another 6 months.
I wanted to check if I can rather go for Ecuador and if it will be any easier to go as a tourist?
Or if its better to apply a student visa for either countries?
Hello what are the alternatives I have?
Is that easier to go for Equador, Bolivia, Surniname or another region?
I just need to meet my gf from the USA and see if we both like to live outside US
Bolivia is easy. You can also get a visa on arrival.
https://thevisaproject.com/experience/bolivia/bolivia-tourist-visa/
Thanks!
I will look into that.
I hope the process once you reach Bolivia is hasslefree?
Anything you suggest to carry/keep to avoid any issues?
I may have more questions for you in coming days 🙂
I did. Sure Shobhit.