Colombia's Retirement Visa (M Pensionado): 2026 Requirements

The visa is for a foreigner who has a steady monthly income from a pension paid by a government or by a private pension fund.¹²

It's a migrant (M) visa, not a visitor visa. It's valid for up to 3 years, it doesn't allow you to work in Colombia, and it doesn't let you join the Colombian social security system, except under a bilateral or multilateral agreement. (same sources)

The pension certificate must show a lifetime monthly pension of at least 3 monthly minimum wages (3 SMLMV).¹

The 2026 minimum wage is COP 1,750,905 a month³, so the 2026 bar is COP 5,252,715 a month (3 × 1,750,905). At the official exchange rate (TRM) of COP 3,174.67 per US$ in force on Oct 19, 2026, that is about US$1,655 a month.⁴ The dollar figure moves with the exchange rate; the peso figure is the one that counts.

Two things can move the bar:

• The 2026 minimum wage decree is still under review by the Consejo de Estado. On Oct 9–10, 2026 the Labor Ministry said COP 1,750,905 remains in force (Portafolio, Oct 10, 2026, press report).
• A new minimum wage applies from Jan 1, 2027. If you apply after that date, the bar will be 3 times the 2027 figure.

Article 77 asks for four things: a pension certificate, criminal records, a medical certificate and health coverage, on top of the general visa requirements.

• Pension certificate. It must show a lifetime monthly pension of at least 3 SMLMV, issued by the competent authority, apostilled and translated. Instead, it can be issued by the diplomatic or consular mission of the country that granted the pension.
• Criminal record certificate from the authority of every country where you lived in the last 3 years, apostilled or legalized, and officially translated into Spanish if it isn't in Spanish.
• Medical certificate showing you are physically and mentally fit (aptitud psicofísica), from a Colombian doctor or from the health authority of your home country.
• Health coverage: proof that you have health coverage in Colombia, or a policy that covers you in Colombia against all risks of accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospitalization, death or repatriation, for your whole planned stay. See health insurance for visas.

Sources: Res. 5477/2022, art. 77; Cancillería, Visa M Pensionado.

Cancillería adds that bank certificates and statements can go without an apostille or official translation if they're written in one of the official languages of the Organization of American States and the visa office can read them clearly.²

On top of these, every visa application has general requirements: the online form, a recent color photo on a white background, and a passport valid for at least 6 months. Documents other than the passport must be issued no more than 3 months before you apply.¹⁵

Source: Cancillería, Migrante – Pensionado fee page. The page shows "10/06/2026" as its posting date.

Fees last checked Oct 19, 2026, 5:32 PM ET, on the Cancillería fee page. If the official page says something different, the official page is right.

How the process works, according to Cancillería:

1. Fill in the online visa form on Cancillería's site and upload your documents as PDFs and your photo as a JPG (max 300 KB). If you're outside Colombia, choose the consulate nearest your country of residence. If you're in Colombia with a regular status, choose "Oficina en Bogotá".
2. Pay the study fee within 10 calendar days of creating the application. If you don't, the application is treated as withdrawn.
3. Cancillería has up to 30 calendar days to decide once the application is complete and paid.
4. If the visa is approved, pay the visa fee within 10 calendar days.

Source: Cancillería, ABC de visas.

• Work. The visa "no permite trabajar en territorio nacional".¹
• The Colombian social security system. Holders can't join it, except where a bilateral or multilateral agreement says otherwise. (same source)
• Long absences. An M visa ends automatically if you're out of Colombia for more than 180 continuous days within each 365 days counted from the date it was issued.⁶

Yes, as beneficiaries, if they depend on you financially: your spouse or permanent partner, children up to age 25, and a child of any age with a physical or mental disability.²

• Cédula de extranjería. Visas longer than 3 months require registering with Migración Colombia and getting a cédula de extranjería, within 15 calendar days of arrival or of the visa being issued in Colombia.⁷ See our cédula guide for the deadline and the 2026 fee.
• Residence. After 5 years as an M Pensionado holder, you can apply for a resident (R) visa for accumulated time.¹
• Taxes. Your visa doesn't decide your tax status. Days in Colombia do. See tax residency: the 183-day rule.

Article 77 doesn't set a minimum age. What it asks for is a lifetime pension of at least 3 SMLMV.¹