The visa for religious in Colombia is perfect for those foreigners who are interested in traveling to Colombia as a religious or missionary of a church or religious entity recognized by Colombia.
The visa you should apply for is the M visa, which is valid for three years.
General requirements
There are documents required for all visas. These are:
- Valid passport or travel document. It must be in good condition and with free space for visa.
- Copy of the main page of the passport or travel document. The purpose of this is to have the biographical data of the person.
- If you are in Colombia, you will have to prove that you are in regular migratory status in the country and show the last entry stamp, exit stamp or safe-conduct, depending on your case.
- If you are outside the Colombian territory and intend to apply for the visa abroad, you will have to attach a copy of the document that proves your regular stay in that country.
- Recent document type photograph, 3x4cm, in color, with white background and front view. It must be in JPG format and weigh no more than 300 KB.
To take into account:
- The documents must be dated less than 3 months before the application is filed. This applies to all documents except identity and travel documents.
- Foreign documents must have an apostille or legalization.
- The documents must have an official translation into Spanish when they are not in Spanish. The translation must be apostilled or legalized.
- The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs may request judicial background information.
Specific requirements
Additionally, if you come as a religious or missionary, you will have to attach to the application:
- Document certifying the recognition and legal representation of the congregation, order or religious corporation. This certification must be issued by the competent Diocese or Archdiocese or the Ministry of the Interior.
Checklist of requirements
The documents that you must have for the presentation of the visa application for religious in Colombia are:
| Original passport |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Copy of the main page of the passport | |
| Document showing the regular stay | |
| Photography | |
| Certificate of recognition and legal representation of the religious entity. | |
Costs of visa application for religious in Colombia
There are two costs to apply for a religious visa in Colombia.
First, a payment corresponding to the cost of the study must be made. This payment must be made at the time of filing the application and may vary depending on the place where the application is made.
If the procedure is done from Europe and Cuba the cost is €40.00 and if it is from Colombia and the rest of the world the cost will be US$52.00.
If you are an Ecuadorian national, the cost is €23.00 if you apply in Europe and Cuba and US$30.00 in the rest of the world.
For Spanish nationals there is no cost for the study of the application.
Second, when the process is approved, a fee must be paid for the cost of issuing the visa.
If this value is paid in Europe and Cuba the cost is €177.00 and if it is in Colombia and the rest of the world it is US$230.00.
For nationals of the Republic of Peru who settle in the Amazon and Putumayo river basins, Ecuadorians, Spaniards, Japanese and Koreans, the visa is free of charge.
Methods of payment
There are different alternatives to make the payment:
- In public attention offices, which can be located in Bogotá and abroad in the Colombian consulates.
- On the chancellery’s web page with PSE or VISA and MasterCard credit cards.
- SERVIBANCA ATM located in Colombia.
- Branches of Banco GNB Sudameris.
Duration of the procedure
The duration of the process depends on the two moments of the process: when the application is made and when the e-visa is issued.
In the first instance, the application is filed and then payment must be made. The visa authority has up to 5 working days to issue a concept. However, this term may be up to 30 calendar days when additional information is required.
In the second instance, the authority has up to 3 working days to issue and send the e-visa.
Visa application for religious in Colombia through web page
A faster and more convenient way to apply for a visa is through the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. To do this, log on to www.cancilleria.gov.co. Then, you will have to identify the “procedures and services” and “visa” options to finally enter “online visa application”.
It is advisable to read the previous indications and then fill in the personal data as they appear in the passport. The “application registration number” box will be filled in with the application number that was sent to the e-mail, when it was a previously registered application. If this is a first time application, this part is left blank.
At the end of the form, the system will assign a number that you will receive in your e-mail.
Next, you must choose one of the options shown in the drop-down menu in each box, for example: type of visa, type of application, etc. It is important that no box is left blank.
Afterwards, you must continue to complete all the requested information with truthful information and avoiding typing errors.
A recent document type photograph, in color, with white background and front view, in JPG format and weighing a maximum of 300 KB, must be attached below.
After this, the supporting documents are uploaded in order, as listed. Remember that the documents required are those required for the type of application and must be in PDF format.
Finally, you must select the office where you will apply for the visa study and choose the means of payment.
It is important to check the e-mail address, since there you will receive the application number and all the notifications concerning the process.
If I am outside Colombia, can I apply for a visa?
The application for a religious visa in Colombia can be made online through the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You may also contact a Colombian consulate.
Can I work with this visa?
Persons who are granted the type M visa for their religious or missionary status are not allowed to work in the national territory.
At Servicio Legal, we have lawyers with expertise in Immigration Law We offer you the legal advice you need for the visa process for Religious in Colombia.