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The M type – Retirement Visa is one of Colombia’s most special and recurring visas. Probably, based on statistics, most applications are for American citizens; because of this, Colombia has become an increasingly great place to spend your retirement years.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued Resolución 5477, which updates the regulations and procedures for the different types of Colombian visas. In October 2022, these changes came into effect. See the new requirements below if you want to apply for your Retirement Visa.
For more than 40 years, the International Living newsletter has been the best reference for choosing paradises abroad, where the slogan is «Live better, for less.»
What does “International Living” say about Colombia?
According to International Living’s Global Annual Retirement Index 2024, Colombia ranks tenth among global destinations for foreign retirees.
Among the advantages of retiring in Colombia, you can find the following:
Easy to get a Pensioner Visa
Low costs and quality health assistance
Warm and welcoming people
Why Medellín is one of the best cities to retire in Colombia?
First, Medellín is a charming city and one of the jewels of the Official Tourism Site of Colombia. Due to its climate and people, it has been known for decades as “the city of eternal spring.” Besides, Medellín offers all its visitors a significant cultural, gastronomic, landscape, and fun experience.
Medellín: The city of flowers
In the article “The city of flowers”, International Living explains Medelln’s lifestyle. Most noteworthy is that Medellín has a comfortable temperature that does not require heating or air conditioning, low humidity, and an insect-free environment.
It also mentions the advantages of having a pioneering transport system: Sistema Integrado de Transporte del Valle de Aburrá (SITVA), its cosmopolitan air, which includes universities, museums, theaters, restaurants, and sports centers, among others, and its world-famous festivals.
Besides, in the blog we find a standard example about the cost of living in Medellín, a proposal of 10 interesting things to do in the city, information on whether Medellin is a safe place to live, and other interesting details for foreigners who are thinking about choosing Medellín as their retirement place.
To sum up, for these reasons and more, Medellín is at the top of the places to retire in Colombia. You can find other details in this popular Medellin Guru article: «12 Reasons Why Medellín is a Top Foreign Retirement Location».
What about the cost of living in a city like Medellín?
In the above-mentioned Medellin Guru article, Jeff talks about his ex-pat experience with a family of three that lives very well on a monthly budget of less than $1,200 USD. Thanks to the exchange rate in Colombia, life has become increasingly cheaper in Medellín in terms of US dollars.
However, if you want to know more information about the reality of the budget to live in Medellín according to your particular case, we invite you to review the following articles:
- Medellín Cost of Living for a Couple with 3-Year History: Jeff an expat from the U.S. married to a Colombian shares their cost of living in Medellin
- Expat Cost of Living in Medellín for a Single Woman: Stephanie is an expat from the U.S. who moved to Medellín years ago. She shares her cost of living as a single woman living in the city
Why get a Colombian retirement visa?
Obtaining a Retirement Visa in Colombia will allow you to enjoy a magical paradise at a low cost. The retirement visa is one of the easiest and fastest visas to process. It takes about one month to approve your visa and Colombian ID card for foreigners (Cédula de Extranjería).
With the cédula de extranjería, you can open bank accounts and obtain a driver’s license, among other benefits. Remember that this is a visa to stay legally in Colombia. Still, as per the current legislation, you are not permitted to work in Colombia or become affiliated with the Colombian EPS system with this visa.
Also, you can enter and exit Colombia without any problem, but to keep your visa valid, you mustn’t stay outside of Colombia for more than 180 continuous days on the same departure. The retirement visa can be issued for one to three years, and you will always have the option to renew it. You can finally become a permanent resident when you accumulate five continuous years with this kind of visa.
What are the new requirements, according to Resolución 5477, for applying for a retirement visa?
To apply for a Retirement Visa, it is necessary to meet the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requirements based on the new Resolution Resolución 5477 of 2022. So, you will need to have the following documents:
Requirements for applying for a Retirement Visa
Passport and proof of legal permanence:
Passport with at least 6 months validity and 2 blank pages and the proof can be a copy of tourism stamp (or extension), a valid visa or a Cédula de Extranjería.
Recent digital photograph:
3x4 cm, white background, without accessories or glasses, fully facing the camera, neutral expression, and ears uncovered.
Apostille and translation:
expatgroup.co offers additional apostille service USA. and official translation so that you can apply for the Retirement visa without any inconvenience.
Updated Psychophysical Medical Certificate
Physical and Mental Certificate, issued by the medical authority of the home country and/or residence.
Health Insurance Policy
The insurance must coverage Colombia and fullfill all the requirements for visa (all risks and repatriation). You can get it online at this link.
Certificate of criminal, or police record
From the home country and/or the country in which you have resided for the last three (3) years.
Get your FBI Background Check from Colombia with us!
At expatgroup.co, we help you obtain your FBI Background Check from Colombia quickly and securely for your visa application. Click the button and get the digital background check certificate for U.S. citizens, including fingerprinting, apostille, and translation services.
Costs, validity, and restrictions
Apply for your Retirement visa with expatgroup.co
If you want to minimize the risks, increase your chances of success, and have professional assistance during the whole process of your Colombian visa as a retired person, you can hire the services of a specialized agency. At expatgroup.co, we are an interdisciplinary team with more than 10 years of experience in services for foreigners, including the complete Colombian visa process.
Get a quote now
We offer expert guidance on immigration processes, business opportunities, housing, and investment, ensuring you have all the resources for a successful and smooth transition to life in Colombia.
Comments
Share your experience or question.
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52 Responses
Hello,
I am keen to apply for Retiree Visa
Thanks and Regards
Anish
Hello 🙂 Excellent! You are in the right place. We will send you all the information to obtain the retirement visa. You can also contact us through the following link if you want: https://wa.me/18507714928?text=transfer%20Johanna%20. See you soon!
Hola,
Do you have to be 65 to get Retirement Visa?
thanks
Hi, David,
To apply for the Retirement Visa, it is not necessary to have a specific age, the basic requirements are:
-Pension certificate showing an income higher than three minimum salaries
-Medical insurance policy
If you want to start your process, do not hesitate to contact the leading agency in immigration and legal services in Colombia contact us at +19547993692
Concerning the retirement visa, what if you can’t show a pension but have cash saved in your bank account? Enough to live on for the rest of your life? Can you get a retirement visa based on wealth?
Hello Rob, thank you for writing to us, as the pension certificate is a necessary requirement to be able to apply for the Retirement visa it would not be possible. However, you can apply for other types of visas such as investment or business visas.
Book an appointment with one of our experts to guide you on the best way to get your Colombian visa
https://expatgroup.tech/book-an-appointment/
Can one starts the process while still in the Us?
I hope you are doing well, Piero. Of course, first I inform you that currently the visa application is suspended until October 24, but we can start the process by gathering the documents and leaving them ready once they can be applied again.
My previous m visa expired about 18 months ago and I have been outside colombia since then. When I reply for another one will they accept the old proof of pension docs and translation or do they go stale?
Hi, Gerry, thank you very much for writing to us. No, when applying, you must have updated documents and remember the new requirements. Contact us, and we will help you step by step to apply for your Colombian visa.
I received some information that retiree visa applications are currently frozen. Is that true? If it is possible to proceed, I would like to get a quote for TOTAL costs. I have my documentation prepared except for apostille. Thanks in advance.
Hi, Ronald. I hope you are doing great! It is correct. Currently, the visa application is suspended by the government, but we can advance the documentation study so that everything is in order when the platform is enabled again.
I have been living in Colombia in the past…Things have changed for getting an M type visa…What is a psychophysical certificate? How do I get it?
Also, how do I get a criminal history record from the Colombian authorities?
Hello, if a person obtains this Retirement visa, must the person pay tax on their foreign pension? I have read that the Colombian will charge 35% on all foreign pensions, but this seems a little extreme. Thank you
I currently hold a retirement visa and cedula. I also have EPS insurance.
Do the new rules prohibit me from having EPS insurance?
I used your service for my Retirement Visa and found it to be excellent. I will need to renew it next year. Is that process any different than the original Retirement Visa?
I am going to retire early next year. I also own property in Medellin that was bought for more than COP 650,000,000 (which was the minimum for investment visa earlier). I plan to apply for a visa next year and am wondering which would be best for me, retirement visa or investment visa. Is one more difficult to get than the other and is there a benefit for one over the other? Thanks!
Good morning, Richard, nice to greet you. When starting the process of renewing your visa, you must have a Health insurance policy to comply with the new requirements of Resolution 5477.
Hello, thank you very much for writing to us. Either of the two visas is a great option. Still, before giving you a specific answer, we would have to study your case and verify, for example, if the purchase of the house was made correctly and if, on the other hand, you meet all the requirements to apply for a pensioner visa.
I advise you to make an appointment with our experts so we can advise you on which is the best visa for you. https://expatgroup.tech/book-an-appointment/
Hello, George, I hope you are doing well. As such, the visa renewal process has changed due to new requirements that pensioners must meet. For example, you must present a health Insurance policy, a background certificate, and a certificate of mental and physical health. We will gladly advise you so that you can have a successful process.
Hello, George, I hope you are very well. As such, the visa renewal process has changed due to new requirements that pensioners must meet. For example, you must present a health Insurance policy, a background certificate, and a certificate of mental and physical health.
Are taxes to be paid to Colombia on foreign pensions while living retired in Colombia?
My retirement visa expires in January. I have been in Colombia almost a year.
Can I get a medical exam in Bogotá for immigration instead of flying back to the USA – saving me time in waiting for an appointment, getting the medical exam translated and apostilled.
I have my current Colombian Police certificate from October using my cedular number. Is this sufficient for my police check ?
Hi, Tinku. Either option is viable if you meet the requirements. Therefore, I advise you to book a consultation with our experts to guide you through the process and help you verify the best visa for you.
Hello, Geoff. A pleasure to greet you. Initially, the new Resolution indicates that you will be required to take the country of residence exam, meaning that you can start the application by presenting this exam, but taking into account that the Colombian government may request a medical certificate from your country of origin.
Hello, there are several reasons for foreigners to pay taxes, on the one hand, if they own property, and on the other, if they bring money into Colombia. I invite you to consult with an accounting expert. Regards
Hello, Dre. is a certificate where the physical and mental condition of a person is recorded. You can get it from your general medical. the criminal record of Colombia can be downloaded from the following link https://antecedentes.policia.gov.co:7005/WebJudicial/antecedentes.xhtml
p.s. Please note that even if you are a resident of Colombia, the Colombian government may request these documents from your country of origin.
Hi, Al, at the moment we have no information that the Colombian government is going to tax foreign pensions. In this case, I advise you to consult with your accountant.
Hi, Craig! We know that to apply for renewal, you must have an insurance health policy. We must wait for future indications from the government related to eps. We will be attentive to inform you.
Hi, I am getting ready to move back to Colombia at the end of year around the 30th of December. I lived in Colombia for over 8 months during lock down in 2021. I am wondering if I need to police report for all the countries I have lived in. USA, Mexico, Colombia, Ukraine, Albania. lived in all for a time. I am living in Mexico now on a tourist visa. Also I see that insurance is required, I turned 76 this year so may not get insurance. I keep a $1,000 in bank to fly back to USA if I get sick or have problems. Have great insurance in USA but it only covers that country.
Hello, Donald. As stated in article 5477, the records must be issued from the country where you have been residing for the last three (3) years with the formalities of apostille or legalization and translation. In this case, you could present the background of the countries where you have resided in the last 3 years. On the other hand, the health insurance policy must have coverage in Colombia and cover all risks. Age is not a problem, we currently have alliances with two of the best insurance companies so that you can comply with this visa requirement https://expatgroup.tech/medical-insurance/travel-insurance/
Hi, I am going to move to Colombia on the 30th of December. I just turned 76 this year, have lived in USA, Mexico, Colombia, Ukraine and Albania, I am now living in Mexico. I not sure if I can get insurance at my age. I have great insurance in USA but it does not care to any other country. So I just leave around $1,000 to fly home if something happens. So can I get a retirement visa.
Hello, will a DUI from 12 years ago prevent me from immigrating to Colombia?
Good morning, Dave, although for some types of visas the Colombian government requires a criminal record for the last three years, it is at the discretion of the Colombian government to approve or not the visa. It is always a good idea to try to apply and comply with all application requirements to increase your success.
I’m exploring options to retire outside of the US. Does Resolution 5477 prevent expat retirees from buying into EPS? Many retirees may not qualify for private insurance due to age or pre-existing conditions.
Hi, Julia, it is correct according to Resolution 5477 if you apply for a Retirement visa you will not be able to access eps, that is why it’s necessary to have a Health Insurance
Hi
Can I apply for a pension visa in Columbia?
Do I have to stay in Columbia while the application is being processed?
Can I add my wife as part of the application?
Hello, Sebastian. I hope you are doing well. To apply for the Colombian Retirement visa, you can do it in Colombia or from the country of origin. If you do it from Colombia, you must ensure that you have the estimated time for the visa process (we advise two months). On the other hand, if the visa is approved, you can apply for a beneficiary visa for your wife.
We will be glad to help you in your process; don’t hesitate to get in touch with us
Hello,
Could you clarify something for me? Article 77 of resolution 5477 says the following:
1,) Demostrar que cuenta con cubrimiento de salud en Colombia, o
2.) con póliza de salud con cobertura en el territorio nacional contra todo riesgo en caso de accidente, enfermedad, maternidad, invalidez, hospitalización, muerte o repatriación, por el tiempo previsto para su permanencia en eI pais;
This a case of either or, or one or the other.
To me, enrolling in EPS, demonstrates that a persona has health coverage in Colombia. In other words, to me, EPS meets the requirement “Demostrar que cuenta con cubrimiento de salud en Colombia”.
So my question is: Where in Resolution 5477 does it say EPS doesn’t qualify for the renewal of a pensioners’ visa?
Thanks
I need to contact with your expart staff.
I’m in Colombia.I want pencion visa apply in Colombia .
Please contact to
kensaijo17@gmail.com
Thank you ,
Good morning Ken. Thank you very much for choosing to start your process with us. We are very happy to hear from you. During the day, your assigned agent will contact you to provide you with all the step-by-step instructions so you can successfully obtain the M-type retirement visa.
Hello, Barley greetings. Thank you for writing to us. In the Resolution, you will find the validity that says, “This visa will not allow its holder to affiliate with the Colombian Social Security System” (Está visa no le permitirá a su titular afiliarse al Sistema de Seguridad Social colombiano), which refers to the eps. For the moment, those who are going to renew or apply for the visa for the first time will not be able to affiliate with the Colombian eps. For this reason, it is necessary to have health insurance that complies with what is described in the Resolution: coverage throughout Colombia against all risks, including death, repatriation, etc.
Hello,
My husband has a M visa as my spouse and it’s valid until June. I can’t find any information about how to renew his visa. What’s the process to renew the M visa?
Hello, Ana, best regards. Actually there is no such renewal as it is a process that is done from scratch, we invite you to contact us to help you and your husband to carry out this process of Colombian visa. https://wa.me/19547993692 https://expatgroup.tech/visa-services/visa-m-type-marriage/
I have only been back in the US for two years, and the country I was in before is nearly impossible to get such documents from. Does this mean I cannot get a retirement visa for Colombia?
Also, what do I have to do to get a psychological certification? Do I have to see a psychiatrist here before I travel to Colombia? Is there some kind of document from my regular medical doctor that will suffice? If so, what exactly must the doctor include?
Good morning, Mr. Jeff. We understand that the new requirements may seem very difficult to obtain; as indicated in the resolution, it is important to attach the criminal record of the country where you have resided for the last 3 years (if you do not have this document, it will be a very complex application). On the other hand, physical and mental tests can be done with your trusted doctor. To solve all your doubts so that you can start a successful process, we invite you to schedule an appointment with our experts, we will help you. https://expatgroup.tech/book-an-appointment/
I have so many questions. I am a US citizen and planning to apply for a retirement M visa for Colombia. I can print out the PDF file from Social Security showing my monthly benefit but there are no signatures on it. I have no idea how to get a mental health statement or a criminal background check or from whom. I see that I can buy health/travel insurance through Assist Card but do I pay for an entire year even though after I receive the visa and the cedula card I am then eligible for Colombias health insurance? I plan to apply when I return to Colombia in the Fall of 2023. Approximately how long does this process take to receive the M Retirement visa. I was in Bogota in January & February this year (58 days) and when I return in October I want to receive the retirement visa so I do not need to leave at the end of the 90 days I am allowed as a tourist.
I have also read that at the moment, even AFTER I receive the retirement visa and the cedula card, I am now NOT eligible to receive Colombian national health care. There seem to be a LOT of conflicting information
I am in the beginning steps to apply for a retirement visa. I can get a Benefit Verification letter from the US Social Security Administration but there is no signature as is shown in the sample document on your website.
Good afternoon, John. We hope that you are doing well. If there’s no signature on the letter, it could work as long as an official entity has issued it and it shows the amount of income you make with your retirement payment. If you need any help throughout your process, you can book an appointment with us; we will be happy to help you! https://expatgroup.tech/book-an-appointment/
Good afternoon, John. Thanks for leaving us all your questions. One of our specialists is going to contact you soon to help you walk through your process. Have a great rest of your day!
Hi, can you become a citizen of colombia after staying in the country for a certain amount of years on a retirement visa? And if yes, how many years does one have to be in colombia till being able to ably for citizenship? I am 49 and retired btw. Am I eligible for a retirement visa at this age? Thank you.
Hi David! Thank you for your comment and for being a part of the expatgroup.co community. If you have all the required documentation and you are retired, then you’re eligible for a retirement visa. Also, with this visa you can accumulate time to apply for the residency in Colombia. if you need professional advisory, please follow this link: https://expatgroup.tech/book-an-appointment/
Have a great day!