Figures verified 7 October 2026 · Applies to: 2026 thresholds
Colombia’s investor visa thresholds are set in monthly minimum wages (SMMLV), not in fixed peso or dollar amounts. In January 2026 the minimum wage rose 23%, to COP 1,750,905, the largest increase in decades. Every investor threshold moved with it. Much of what is online still quotes 2025 figures, which are now too low.
The 2026 thresholds
| Visa | Threshold | COP (2026) | ≈ USD | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M: partner or owner of a company | 100 SMMLV | 175,090,500 | 54,400 | 3 years |
| M: investor (real estate) | 350 SMMLV | 612,816,750 | 190,600 | 3 years |
| M: investor (foreign direct investment) | 650 SMMLV | 1,138,088,250 | 353,900 | 3 years |
| V: digital nomad (income, not investment) | 3 SMMLV per month | 5,252,715 / month | 1,630 / month | 2 years |
USD figures use the 7 October 2026 exchange rate (COP 3,216.01) and are rounded. Because the threshold is in pesos, the dollar amount moves with the exchange rate.
A common mistake: the 650 SMMLV “residency” figure
Many sites describe 650 minimum wages as the investment needed for an R (resident) visa. It isn’t. Since Resolution 5477 of 2022, there is no direct investment route to the R visa. The 650 SMMLV figure is the foreign-direct-investment route into the M visa. The R visa is reached by other routes, the main one for investors being five years of accumulated time on an M visa.
Time on the V (digital nomad) visa does not count toward the R visa. M visa time does.
A deadline this month
Resolution 9316 of 2024 extended the deadline for transferring (traspaso) R visas granted under the pre-2022 rules to 31 October 2026. If you hold an older R visa and haven’t dealt with this, speak to an immigration lawyer now.
The investment has to be registered
Investor visas depend on investment that is properly registered as foreign investment. That happens when the money enters Colombia through an authorised exchange intermediary and is declared as foreign investment (canalización). Money brought in another way generally won’t count, and may leave you unable to take it out later. Read registering foreign investment before you wire anything.
For property buyers, the purchase itself is foreign direct investment. See buying property in Colombia as a foreigner.
Your visa doesn’t decide your taxes
Immigration status and tax status are separate. Colombian tax residency depends on days present: more than 183 days in any rolling 365-day period. It does not depend on which visa you hold. An investor on an M visa who spends most of the year in Colombia becomes a tax resident, taxable on worldwide income. One who visits occasionally may not. See the 183-day rule.
Once you are resident, expect obligations such as the annual return, the foreign assets declaration and potentially the wealth tax.
Company owners: the 100 SMMLV route
The M visa for partners or owners requires a stake in a Colombian company of at least 100 SMMLV (COP 175,090,500 in 2026). Many foreign founders set up an SAS for this purpose. The SAS has no minimum capital for incorporation, but the visa route does have a minimum, and the capital must be registered as foreign investment. See SAS vs. branch.
We are accountants, not immigration lawyers. Visa requirements include conditions beyond the investment amount, and Migración Colombia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs update their rules. Confirm your case with an immigration specialist.
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This article is general information, not tax or legal advice. Colombian tax law changed materially between December 2025 and September 2026, and some rules described here are subject to pending legislation or litigation. Confirm your situation with a professional before acting.