Visa M · Migrante

Spouse of a Colombian

Cónyuge de nacional colombiano(a) · Art. 67, Res. 5477/2022

The foreign spouse of a Colombian citizen, where the marriage is registered in the Colombian civil registry.

Figures verified for 2026

Peso amounts are indexed to the 2026 minimum wage () and USD equivalents are indicative — COP is the binding figure. Always confirm current figures on the official Cancillería visa portal before applying.

Headline requirement

Registered marriage to a Colombian · no income floor

At a glance

Validity: up to 3 years
Work rights: OpenOpen work permission — any lawful activity.
Cédula de extranjería: Required (within 15 days)
Counts toward residency: After 3 years
Beneficiaries: Spouse / children eligible
Issuance fee: US$230 approx.

Time outside Colombia

180 continuous days / 365 — or the M visa terminates.

Worth verifying before you apply

Issuance fee (≈ US$230) is subtype-dependent — confirm on the official cost filter.
Spouse (Art. 67) and permanent partner (Art. 68) differ in validity and years-to-residency — see the Permanent Partner visa if you are not formally married.

Getting your apostille

Planning ahead: the slowest document in this visa's checklist is the FBI background check with its federal apostille.

Do it yourself

Order the FBI check, then mail it to the US Department of State for the Apostille: An official certificate attached to a document that makes it legally valid in another country. US federal documents (like the FBI background check) are apostilled by the US Department of State in Washington, DC; state documents (like birth certificates) by the issuing state. — only official fees, but realistically 6+ weeks all-in, and the sequencing is on you. The step-by-step is in the document guide.

One hand-off through our partner

Our US apostille partner runs the background check through an FBI-approved channeler: A private company authorized by the FBI to submit fingerprints and return your background check, usually within about a day — much faster than mailing the FBI directly. The result is the same official document. (about a day) and walks it through the Washington, DC apostille — typically about 2–2.5 weeks total.

See the partner service →

We may earn a referral fee if you use our partner — it costs you nothing extra, and the choice is entirely yours. Our partner handles federal (US) documents only; state-issued documents (birth or marriage certificates) are apostilled by the issuing state.

The longer-term path

The spouse M visa has the fastest road to permanence: after 3 continuous years you can apply for the R Resident visa. Keep the relationship documented (shared address, joint accounts) — renewals and the R application revisit it. Don't stay outside Colombia more than 180 continuous days.

See what a pack unlocks

A sample of the guided journey. Every pack works like this, tailored to its visa.

Sample view

Valid passport

Bio page, with enough validity left

Background check — apostilled

The document most likely to slow you down

Each document opens into a how-to:

where to order it, the apostille step, the official Spanish translation, the freshness window it must stay inside — and the mistakes that trigger a requerimiento.

⏱ typical timing notedcost estimate noted

Proof of income

Official statements for the recent months

Annotated form walkthrough — a watermarked practice copy of the government form with every field explained. You still file the real one yourself.
Progress that follows you — checklist state saves to your account and syncs across devices.
Figures kept current — every peso threshold derives from one verified source, with citations and a last-verified date on the page.

Ready to walk the full process?

The guided journey takes you through all five stages for the Spouse of a Colombian visa — eligibility self-check, the document checklist, an annotated walkthrough of the government form, the decision window, and the steps after approval.

Start the Spouse of a Colombian journey

One-time pack · US$39 launch price (US$49 after launch) · no subscription · already purchased? It opens right up.

Common questions

Who is the Colombian Spouse of a Colombian visa for?

The foreign spouse of a Colombian citizen, where the marriage is registered in the Colombian civil registry.

How long is the Spouse of a Colombian visa valid?

Up to 3 years, subject to the authority's decision on each application.

Does the Spouse of a Colombian visa require a cédula de extranjería?

Yes. Holders must register for the cédula de extranjería with Migración Colombia, generally within 15 calendar days of the visa being issued.

Does the Spouse of a Colombian visa count toward Colombian permanent residency?

Yes. It can count toward the Resident (R) visa after 3 years of qualifying time.