Colombia Permanent Resident Visa Transfer 2026: October 31 Deadline
Publicado el 22 septiembre 2026
If you hold an old Colombian Permanent Resident Visa, there is an important 2026 deadline you should know about.
The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reminded foreigners who hold certain Permanent Resident Visas issued under previous immigration regulations that they must complete a visa transfer process by October 31, 2026.
This requirement does not apply to every Permanent Resident Visa holder. It specifically concerns certain permanent resident visas issued under previous immigration rules.
If you are unsure whether your visa is affected, it is important to review your visa, passport, foreigner’s ID card and immigration history.
WHO NEEDS TO TRANSFER A COLOMBIAN PERMANENT RESIDENT VISA?
According to the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the 2026 transfer requirement applies to holders of Permanent Resident Visas issued under previous immigration regulations when the visa label:
• Has lost its validity;
• Is approaching expiration; or
• Was issued with indefinite validity.
The Ministry confirmed this requirement again on September 15, 2026, and established October 31, 2026 as the deadline for the applicable cases.
This process is not directed at people who have recently obtained Permanent Resident status, unless they fall under another transfer situation established by Colombian immigration regulations.
WHY IS THE TRANSFER IMPORTANT?
The transfer updates the Permanent Resident Visa under the current immigration system.
The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also explained that the transfer is necessary for the subsequent issuance of the foreigner’s ID card, known as the cédula de extranjería, in the applicable cases.
For foreigners who have lived in Colombia for many years, this can be particularly important because old immigration documents may contain information that needs to be updated.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS?
Resolution 9316 of 2024 establishes the following requirements for the visa transfer process:
1. The applicant must meet the general visa application requirements.
2. A copy of the visa being transferred and the corresponding cédula de extranjería must be provided.
3. A Migration Colombia certificate of immigration movements must be provided.
4. The applicant must provide a document proving the activity they carry out in Colombia.
5. The applicant must provide a letter explaining the reason for the transfer.
These requirements are established by the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
WHAT IF YOUR PERMANENT RESIDENT VISA WAS ISSUED BEFORE 2000?
There is a specific rule for holders of Resident Visas issued before the year 2000 who cannot provide a copy of the original visa.
In that situation, the applicant may explain under oath why the original visa cannot be provided.
The applicant must also provide an expanded Migration Colombia movement certificate covering the year in which the visa was issued and the last cédula de extranjería issued during their stay in Colombia.
This situation is particularly important for foreigners who have lived in Colombia for many years and no longer have their original immigration documents.
IS THE TRANSFER PROCESS ONLINE?
Yes.
The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that the visa transfer process is completely virtual.
The application must be submitted through the official platform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry also recommends that foreigners complete the procedure directly and personally and be careful when sharing personal information with third parties.
CAN A LAWYER OR PROFESSIONAL HELP?
The Colombian government allows the applicant to complete the process directly.
However, some foreigners may prefer professional assistance to organize their documentation and review their particular circumstances before submitting an application.
Professional assistance can be particularly useful when:
• The visa was issued many years ago.
• The original visa is difficult to read.
• The applicant has changed passports.
• Immigration documents are missing.
• The applicant has an extensive immigration history in Colombia.
• There are questions about the required supporting documents.
• The applicant wants to review the application before submitting it.
Professional assistance does not guarantee approval. The competent Colombian authorities make the final decision.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE TRANSFER?
Once the transfer process has been completed according to the applicable requirements, the foreigner’s immigration documentation can be updated under the current system.
The Ministry has linked the transfer process to the subsequent issuance of the cédula de extranjería in the applicable cases.
For this reason, foreigners affected by the current requirement should not ignore the October 31, 2026 deadline.
WHAT IS THE DEADLINE?
For the Permanent Resident Visas covered by the current transfer requirement, the deadline is:
October 31, 2026.
The deadline was established through Resolution 9316 of 2024, and the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated the requirement on September 15, 2026.
DO YOU NEED TO TRANSFER YOUR COLOMBIAN PERMANENT RESIDENT VISA?
If you have an old Colombian Permanent Resident Visa, do not assume that the document remains sufficient simply because it says “Permanent Resident.”
First determine whether your visa falls within the cases covered by the current transfer requirement.
Check:
• The date your visa was issued.
• Whether the visa has indefinite validity.
• Whether the visa label has lost validity.
• Whether it is approaching expiration.
• Your current passport.
• Your cédula de extranjería.
• Your Migration Colombia immigration history.
If you are affected by the current rule, the deadline is October 31, 2026.
HOW MYVISA.CO CAN HELP
MyVisa.co is a private platform that provides professional assistance to foreigners dealing with Colombian immigration procedures.
We can help you review your situation, identify the documentation that may be required and organize your application before submission.
Our service is private and independent from the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The final decision on a Colombian immigration procedure belongs to the competent Colombian authorities.
Learn more:
https://MyVisa.co
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Immigration rules and administrative procedures can change. The information in this article is based on the Colombian immigration rules and official information available at the time of publication.
For official information about the visa transfer process, applicants should consult the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The official government procedure is available through the Ministry’s online platform.
Publicado el 22 septiembre 2026