Colombia Forum

cafetero
Joined 2015
Posts: 2328

6 years ago

Three steps to Retirement Visa

6 years ago

As mentioned in the other thread, the retirement visa process seems confusing. The laws changed in December 2017 and we are still adjusting to the new requirements and procedures.

The web pages like MedellinGuru are using outdated information from before December 2017 AND they are flat wrong that you need an apostille.

You do not need an apostille to get a retirement visa in Colombia.

US Embassies in Costa Rica, and Dominican Republic seem to be farther up the food chain than the US Embassy in Bogota. If a situation comes up that Bogota can't handle then it is referred to Costa Rica or Dominican Republic. For example if you don't feel out the Proof of Life document every other year and the Social Security declares you dead then you have to go through the US Embassy Costa Rica to get re-instated.

However, to get a Retirement Visa in Colombia can all be done in Bogota.

Step 1: Take your Social Security Benefits letter to the US Embassy in Bogota to get it translated and stamped certified.

Go online to

https://co.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/notaries-public/

to get an appointment.

You or your agent have to go in person and you have to pay $50USD to US Embassy Bogota.

Step 2: Once you receive your translated and stamped certified letter from US Embassy Bogota then you can apply for the 3-year retirement visa at the Ministry of Foreign Relations in Bogota. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores MRE

Go online to http://www.cancilleria.gov.co/tramites_servicios/visa/requisitos

to fill out the form to apply for the visa.

You will need a photograph and copy of your passport and copy of your benefits letter, nothing else. Scan these into the application.

MRE will tell you if you are approved to come to Bogota to have your visa application studied. They will tell you when to come to Bogota

At the MRE office in Bogota you first pay for the Visa Study which is $50USD. Pay at the kiosk in the MRE.

Then they will approve your visa application and you pay the Visa fee at the same kiosk in the MRE.

Then they will give you your Visa stamp in your passport.

Step 3: Within 15 days go to Migracion Colombia in your city to apply for the Cedula, which is the national ID card. You must apply before 15 days or pay a huge fine.

Go online to Migracion Colombia to request an appointment for your cedula. Go there at the appointed day and time and show them your new Visa in your passport and your blood test. You can get the blood test at any labratory on the street and it will cost about 20,000 cop.

Migracion Colombia will help you fill out the application and do the fingerprints and photograph.
They will stamp your new Cedula number on a page in your passport.

You can pay the fee, about 150,000 cop with a credit or debit card, or you can go to their bank and deposit cash in their checking account. They do not accept cash a the Migracion Colombia office.

Two weeks later return to the Migracion Colombia office to pick up your new cedula ID card.

Hope this helps.

William Russell

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