That awkward dance through airport immigration, unsure exactly how to answer “business or pleasure” seems to be drawing to a close for digital nomads. Each new week brings new countries either proposing or enacting digital nomad laws designed to attract remote workers with money to spend.
As long as you’re not taking local jobs away, country after country is now happy for you to spend your hard earned cash in theirs.
With so many options, the question is where? There are plusses and minuses to many digital nomad programs from taxation to to travel flexibility, but one country makes it so easy you hardly have to think at all.
As a truly beautiful and highly affordable option, it’s hard to sleep on Colombia for an extended “work anywhere” getaway. Here’s everything you need to know if you want in on this emerging destination.
Colombia And Digital Nomads
Colombia isn’t shy in its love for digital nomads and remote workers. Anyone who has confirmable income over $684 USD per month, and doesn’t require a visa to enter the country can stay for up to 6 months, drama free.
Yep, 180 days a year of joy without any added paperwork at all! You just can’t work for a company in Colombia, or anything which could be misconstrued for doing so. That should be easy enough for most remote workers. Hear it from the Colombian Gov in plain English…
Digital nomads, remote workers and digital entrepreneurs of nationalities that do not require a short-stay visa, established by Resolution 5488 of 2022 , may enter without a visa and remain in Colombia with an Entry Permit granted by the immigration authority, in accordance with the current norm; provided that their stay in the country does not generate payments from Colombian companies and their period of stay does not exceed 90 days, which may be extended up to a maximum of 180 continuous or discontinuous calendar year days.
Government of Colombia
Staying Longer
Many people fall in love with Colombia and decide just 180 days a year might not quite be enough. With so much to see inside the country, from major cities like Medellin and Bogota, to coastal gems of Santa Marta and Cartagena, you really can’t go wrong.
If you think you might fall into that category and like the idea of average monthly living costs as low as $881 per month, including rent in a major city, you’ll likely want to snag a DNV. As you may have cleverly guessed, it stands for digital nomad visa.
Again, you won’t need a digital nomad visa if you plan to stay less than six months in a year, but if you want hassle free entry for up to two years at a time, you’ll need the following…
- a Passport from a visa-free country for entry into Colombia
- a letter from a foreign employer stating your position; or summary of roles and incomes for entrepreneurs or contractors.
- three months of bank statements showing at least $684 per month
Basically, with living expenses typically under $1,000 per month including rent, which is lower than many Americans, Europeans and others may spend just on rent alone there is a lot to love here. And that’s before you get into the welcoming people, cafe culture, culinary delights and access to broader South America.
If you’ve been looking to start a remote work adventure somewhere, it’s hard not to say vamos when someone mentions Colombia.
Please cover Harry and Megan
Where is that picture taken? The colorful one by gustavo9907.
I don’t know, but the reliefs on the walls remind me of Guatape.
Guatape
Hi Gillian. That’s La Candelaria a old Colonial district of Bogota. It’s very nice.
Yeah, go make life harder for Colombians who make local currency!
Or… go create new jobs in more cities as people experience a country and new things open…
Great article, Colombia is an undiscovered gem.
First, I’m curious as to how digital nomads who don’t take any money from companies within the country make life harder for the locals? Digital nomads will be bringing their own money and spending it locally, seems to me that’s adding to the local economy.
My second question would be if this Visa would be accessible to retirees with verified incomes over the required amount? Again, not taking any work from locals, just bringing new money in.
Seems a win/win on all sides to me.
You must’ve not traveled much. Over the past 10 years anti-nomad or anti-long-term-tourist sentiment has risen across the world in my experience, as such travelers (myself included) take up accommodations (usually apartments or AirBnbs) that would otherwise be rented long-term and cheaper to locals. So locals get priced out as they can’t compete with “first world money” and business is business so local landlords raise rental prices due to higher demand from higher-earning foreigeners, or the landlords switch their long-term rentals that would otherwise go to localsl..into AIrBnbs for tourists that literally earn 5x, crowding out locals monetarily (price for rental) and availability-wise (number of apartments available for long-term rental vs. AirBnbs).
If someone qualify for Digital Nomad Visa, Can he take his family with him as well?
Swap your employment to self employed/freelancer set your partner up as a employee
Who’s going to know as long as three months bank statements prove your paying a wage
No mention of health insurance requirement for digital nomad visas. Also, their presence in Colombia does contribute to inflationary pressure. Last year, 1 USD was about 4000 COP, this year 5000 COP. Other factors at play, sure, but it doesn’t help the average Colombian who doesn’t otherwise benefit from or work directly with digital nomads.
And last year 1 British Pound bought a lot more abroad than it does today. No digital nomads made that happen, so it’s ridiculous to single out a currency change as due to nomads.
Let’s not forget that people fail to appreciate how many sectors actual benefit from travel. If a plane full of people land, people think of airport workers, taxis, hotels. But when these people need goods, food, clothes, urban transportation, services and virtually everything else, that traveler benefits people who you may not initially consider. Plus, if costs rise, eventually free markets tend to mean that wages rise to compensate.
Hey Gilbert,
Thanks a ton for this great article. It was a great source of inspiration for me. Greetings to all wayfarers
Cheers
Frank
Colombia is a great destination… obviously people judge it negatively thanks to Netflix.
It is a country with better roads and infrastructure than many countries here in the European Union.