Colombia spouse and partner visa (M Cónyuge)

The spouse category is for foreigners married to a Colombian who intend to live with their spouse in Colombia. A marriage celebrated abroad must first be registered with the Colombian civil registry, because the visa requires an authentic copy of the Colombian marriage record (registro civil de matrimonio) issued no more than three months before the application.

The permanent partner category is for foreigners in a de facto marital union with a Colombian. The union is proved with a public deed, court decision or conciliation record declaring it, issued within the last three months, and the formalisation date must be more than one year before the visa application. When applying at a consulate, a document valid under the law of the place where the union was declared is accepted, with the formalities required for foreign documents.

The Colombian spouse signs a letter requesting the visa for the foreign spouse and declaring that they actually live together, giving a contact phone number, physical address and email, with a simple copy of their citizenship card (cédula de ciudadanía). The foreigner also needs a special power of attorney, with signature recognised before a notary or a Colombian consul, authorising the foreign partner to apply. Both spouses submit certificates of their migratory movements issued by Migración Colombia. The Visa Authority may ask for extra evidence of the relationship or call the couple to an in-person, virtual or telephone interview.

Pay the USD 204 issuance fee within ten working days of approval and receive the e-visa by email. Within 15 calendar days of entry, or of issue if you are already in Colombia, register with Migración Colombia and request the cédula de extranjería. The M visa lapses automatically after more than 180 continuous days outside Colombia within any 365-day period.

Both categories carry an open work permit that lets the holder carry out any lawful activity in Colombia, subject to the rules for regulated professions. The holder may request beneficiary visas for dependent children up to 25 and children with a disability.

For permanent residence, the Cancillería's table for the resident visa by accumulated time requires three years as holder of the M spouse visa and five years as holder of the M permanent partner visa. The description of the spouse visa on the same page mentions five years, so confirm the period that applies to you before filing. When applying for the resident visa, the Colombian spouse must again sign a letter confirming that the relationship and cohabitation continue.