PassportSouth Africa

Trip checklist: Colombia

For South African passport holders. Last checked 5 October 2026.

Visa requirement

South Africans need to apply online for an e-visa before travel to Colombia.

Permitted stay

You can stay up to 90 days per visit, and you can apply to extend.

Before you go

  • Purpose of visit

    V visa for tourism and other short visits (business, events and so on are separate V subcategories). The tourism V visa does not allow work. No separate transit visa is needed if you stay airside.

  • How to apply

    Apply online at Cancillería's portal (tramitesmre.cancilleria.gov.co, reached via cancilleria.gov.co). You need a letter explaining the trip, 6 months of bank statements showing monthly income of at least 10 Colombian minimum salaries, health insurance, flight bookings, a 3x4 cm photo and a passport scan. Fees from 1 April 2026 (Resolución 3969 de 2026): study fee US$56 plus issuance fee US$138 (US$194 total). GSA: 10-15 working days after payment, and payment is due within 10 working days of applying. Visa valid up to 1 year.

  • Where South Africans apply

    Online. The case is handled by the Embassy/Consulate of Colombia in Pretoria: 177 Dyer Road, Hillcrest Office Park, Woodpecker Place, 2nd Floor, Hillcrest, Pretoria. Tel +27 12 362 3106, cpretoria@cancilleria.gov.co. Mon-Fri 09:00-13:00.

  • Travel insurance

    Health insurance covering accidents, illness and repatriation is a requirement of the V tourism visa application. No minimum amount is published.

  • Return or onward ticket

    Flight bookings for entry and exit are required for the visa application.

  • Proof of funds

    Bank statements for the last 6 months showing monthly income of at least 10 legal monthly minimum salaries (SMMLV).

  • Accommodation or invitation

    A letter describing the trip and activities. GSA also lists proof of accommodation.

  • Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa

    Colombia: no yellow fever certificate required on entry from abroad. Resolución 691 de 2025 only recommends vaccination at least 10 days before entry. Within Colombia, vaccination is required for travel to high-risk municipalities, and a certificate is required to enter national parks in risk zones (for example Tayrona). South Africa's own rule on return: South Africa requires a valid yellow fever certificate from all travellers over 1 year of age, South African citizens included, arriving from a yellow-fever-risk country or after more than 12 hours' airport transit in one; Colombia is on South Africa's risk list. Without it you can be refused entry or quarantined for up to 6 days. The certificate is valid for life and only counts 10 days after vaccination.

  • Arrival forms

    Check-MIG (Migración Colombia, apps.migracioncolombia.gov.co) can be filled in from 72 hours to 1 hour before travel. Free. As of 2026 it is recommended, not mandatory; Migración's own page says you can still clear immigration without it. Beware paid look-alike sites.

  • Extending your stay and overstaying

    Stay can be extended by 90 days (to 180 per year). Extensions are handled by Migración Colombia. Overstay fines: not published on the pages checked.

  • Transit

    No transit visa is needed if you stay in the international area. Leaving the airport needs a visa.

  • Confirm with the embassy

    Rules change. Check the official source before you book.

Where to apply

Research sources

  1. 1. Cancillería de Colombia: countries that require a visa (version 12 Aug 2024, filed March 2026) (Official, cancilleria.gov.co) https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/sites/default/files/atencion-ciudadano/2026-03/paises-que-requieren-visa-y-que-exigen-visa-12-de-agosto-de-2024.pdf
  2. 2. Cancillería de Colombia: Resolución 8558 de 2025 (current visa-exempt list) (Official, cancilleria.gov.co) https://cancilleria.gov.co/normograma/compilacion/docs/resolucion_minrelaciones_8558_2025.htm
  3. 3. Cancillería de Colombia: visa requirements (Official, cancilleria.gov.co) https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/tramites_servicios/visa/requisitos
  4. 4. Cancillería de Colombia: Resolución 3969 de 2026 (fees) (Official, cancilleria.gov.co) https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/normograma/compilacion/docs/resolucion_minrelaciones_3969_2026.htm
  5. 5. Cancillería de Colombia: Do I need a visa (Official, cancilleria.gov.co) https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/atencion-y-servicio-al-ciudadano/tramites-y-servicios/visa/necesito-un-visa
  6. 6. Embassy of Colombia in South Africa (Official, sudafrica.embajada.gov.co) https://sudafrica.embajada.gov.co/
  7. 7. Migración Colombia: Check-MIG (Official, apps.migracioncolombia.gov.co) https://apps.migracioncolombia.gov.co/pre-registro/en
  8. 8. Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social: Resolución 691 de 2025 (yellow fever emergency) (Official, minsalud.gov.co) https://www.minsalud.gov.co/Normatividad_Nuevo/Resolucion%20No%20691%20de%202025.pdf
  9. 9. Cancillería de Colombia: entry information and courtesy visa (Official, cancilleria.gov.co) https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/sites/default/files/FOTOS2024/INFORMACI%C3%93N%20DE%20INGRESO%20A%20COLOMBIA%20Y%20VISA%20DE%20CORTES%C3%8DA%20(1).pdf
  10. 10. DIRCO (South African High Commission, Canberra) (Other government, dirco.gov.za) https://dirco.gov.za/canberra/yellow-fever/
  11. 11. South African National Department of Health (Other government, health.gov.za) https://www.health.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DOH-Yellow-Fever-Pamphlet-1.pdf
  12. 12. World Health Organization, International Travel and Health country list (Other government, cdn.who.int) https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/documents/emergencies/travel-advice/yellow-fever-country-list-ith-travel.pdf
  13. 13. Wikipedia (Reference, en.wikipedia.org) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_South_African_citizens
  14. 14. The GSA (SA visa service), Colombia guide (Commercial, thegsa.co.za) https://www.thegsa.co.za/visa-and-country-info/2765-colombia-country-guide
  15. 15. El Cronista (Colombia) (News and guides, cronista.com) https://www.cronista.com/colombia/actualidad-co/check-mig-para-viajar-a-colombia-como-completar-el-formulario-recomendado-por-migracion/

From doineedavisa.co.za/colombia. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.