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Arrival cardTravelling to Colombia involves a mandatory formality that is often overlooked: the Check-MIG (Migración Colombia). This online form must be completed by all travellers — regardless of nationality — before entering or leaving Colombian territory by air or sea. Unlike a visa or a travel authorisation such as an ESTA, the Check-MIG is not an entry document: it is a free, mandatory electronic immigration declaration. The submission window is strict — between 72 hours and 1 hour before the flight — and the official Migración Colombia website is known for outages and complexity. It is best to plan ahead.
01 · The essentials
The Check-MIG is required of all travellers — Colombian or foreign, regardless of nationality — to enter or exit Colombia by air or sea.
The entire procedure is carried out online: no visit to an embassy or consulate is required.
The procedure is rated medium complexity: the official form is frequently subject to outages and is written primarily in Spanish.
The Check-MIG (Migración Colombia pre-registration) is an online registration form introduced by the Colombian government to strengthen border control and simplify immigration procedures. It is mandatory for all travellers, Colombian nationals and foreigners alike, who wish to enter or leave Colombia by air or sea.
Important: the Check-MIG is not a visa, nor an electronic travel authorisation. It is an immigration declaration. Nationals of more than 100 countries — including all 27 EU member states, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand — are exempt from a consular visa for Colombia for short-stay tourism or business trips. The Check-MIG is nevertheless mandatory for everyone, including those nationals who are visa-exempt.
The form collects identity information, flight data and accommodation details. Once submitted, you will receive an acknowledgement of receipt by e-mail, which you must keep carefully and present at boarding as well as on arrival in Colombia.
02 · Eligibility
The Check-MIG applies to all travellers without exception, regardless of their nationality, age or travel route. Whether you are a French citizen, a US national, a Colombian citizen or a tourist from any other country in the world, you are subject to this requirement whenever you cross the Colombian border by air or sea.
Two main categories are concerned:
This requirement does not replace the consular visa. If your nationality requires you to obtain a Colombian visa in advance (which is not the case for most European nationals for short stays), you must obtain that visa in addition to the Check-MIG. The two procedures are independent. Note: these lists change quickly. The reciprocal visa exemption between Colombia and Israel, suspended in June 2025 (Resolution 8558 of 2025), is restored with effect from 1 September 2026 — an agreement announced on 20 August 2026: Israeli nationals on a short stay no longer need a consular visa from that date. Conversely, Colombia extended its visa exemption to Belarus (19 December 2025) and Mongolia (26 January 2026). The table below summarises the regimes in force; always check the requirements for your own nationality with the Colombian Cancillería before departure.
The Check-MIG is mandatory for any tourist stay in Colombia, regardless of the length of the trip or the nationality of the traveller.
Business trips are also subject to the requirement: commercial prospecting, meetings, conferences, missions.
Travellers transiting through Colombia to another destination are also subject to the pre-registration procedure.
Each family member, including infants, must be registered individually. Age does not exempt anyone from the requirement.
| Entry regime | Nationalities concerned | Stay and conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Short-stay visa exemption | More than 100 nationalities: the 27 EU member states, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand… | Up to 90 days per entry, 180 days per calendar year |
| Exemption based on a third-country visa or residence | Cambodia, China, India, Macau, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam — on presentation of a multiple-entry visa still valid for more than 6 months (Schengen C or D visa, or a US visa other than a C1 transit visa) or of US or Schengen permanent residence | Up to 90 days, with no Colombian consular visa |
| Entry with a national identity card | Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela (CAN / Mercosur regional agreements) | No passport required: a valid identity card is accepted |
| Pacific Alliance permanent residents | Permanent residents of Chile, Mexico or Peru, whatever their nationality | Up to 180 days for tourism |
| Consular visa required | All other nationalities: online application to the Colombian Cancillería, in addition to the Check-MIG | Depending on the visa type (V, M or R) |
Regimes in force on 6 September 2026. The Check-MIG remains mandatory in every case, including for visa-exempt travellers.
03 · The procedure
The Check-MIG submission procedure is entirely online, via the official Migración Colombia website or through an approved intermediary. It consists of several successive steps, each requiring precise information about your identity, your trip and your accommodation.
The fundamental rule to remember: the form must be submitted within a strict time window, between 72 hours and 1 hour before the scheduled take-off time of your flight. Outside this window, the form is not accepted. If you use Visamundi, you can submit your application up to 5 days before departure: the actual filing with Migración Colombia is then handled within the required timeframe.
Prepare all the necessary information before starting the form: passport number, nationality, date of birth, flight number, airline, flight dates for both outbound AND return, full address of your accommodation in Colombia.
Log on to the official Migración Colombia portal or use the Visamundi form. If you use the official website, make sure you use a compatible browser and a stable connection. The site is primarily in Spanish.
Fill in your full civil status details: surname, first name(s), date and place of birth, nationality, passport number. Check each entry carefully — any error may result in boarding refusal.
Enter the details of your air itinerary: flight date, flight number, carrier. This information must correspond exactly to that shown on your plane ticket.
Enter the full address of your place of residence in Colombia (hotel, private accommodation, company address for business trips, etc.).
Answer the questions relating to your state of health and medical history. This information is required as part of the sanitary border control.
Once the form is complete, submit your application. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt by e-mail within the hours following submission. Keep this document: it must be presented at boarding and to immigration officers on arrival.
04 · Required documents
The Check-MIG is a declaratory form: you do not attach scanned supporting documents to the online form (unlike a standard visa). However, you must have certain documents to hand to fill in the form fields correctly, and others to present in person during your trip.
On arrival in Colombia, immigration officers at the airport or port will ask you to present your Check-MIG acknowledgement of receipt. You will also be asked questions about your trip and must undergo biometric checks (fingerprinting and photo).
05 · Common difficulties
The official Migración Colombia portal is the only official channel for submitting your Check-MIG directly. In practice, however, many travellers encounter recurring difficulties that can jeopardise the smooth running of their departure.
The online form is regularly reported as being offline, particularly during periods of high traffic. Being unable to access it at the last minute can cause complications at boarding.
Even when the site is working, it can be very slow during peak traffic periods, making data entry lengthy and frustrating, with risks of session expiry.
The instructions on the official form are not always clear or complete, which frequently leads to errors when entering personal data or flight information.
The form is primarily written in Spanish. Available translations are not always accurate or complete, which can mislead non-Spanish-speaking travellers.
Added to this is a technical compatibility constraint: the official website may not work correctly on all browsers or devices (smartphones, tablets). Some travellers find that the form crashes mid-entry, forcing them to start over from the beginning.
Finally, the strict time window (72 hours to 1 hour before the flight) leaves little room for error. An outage occurring a few hours before departure can prevent submission within the required timeframe. In that case, it is theoretically possible to fill in the form directly at the airport or port, but this option creates delays and additional mental stress at the very moment you are about to board your plane.
06 · Length of stay
The Check-MIG sets no length of stay: it is the Migración Colombia officer who, at the border, grants the number of days authorised and records it in the system (the “PT” stamp — Permiso de Turismo). For visa-exempt travellers, the maximum granted is 90 days per entry. The officer may grant fewer: there is no automatic right to 90 days, and the decision takes account of your onward ticket and supporting documents.
That permit can be extended once only, by a further 90 days, through a Permiso Temporal de Permanencia para Prorrogar la Permanencia (PTP) request filed online with Migración Colombia. The absolute ceiling is 180 days of tourist stay per calendar year — days accumulate across all your trips, not just one. Once you reach 180 days you must leave the country and wait for the new calendar year, or move to a long-stay visa (V, M or R category depending on your purpose).
07 · Safety and special cases
Colombia is a safe destination in its main tourist hubs, but several regions are covered by restrictive official advisories, mainly because of armed groups and trafficking. These advisories do not affect whether your Check-MIG is issued, but they do determine your travel insurance cover and are worth reading before you fix an itinerary.
The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (updated 30 June 2026) classifies as a red zone — travel formally advised against the border regions with Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil, together with the entire coast of the Chocó department (except Nuquí and Bahía Solano, reachable by air). Classified as an orange zone — advised against unless essential: the departments of Vichada, Guainía, Guaviare, Vaupés, Amazonas, Caquetá, Putumayo, the whole of Nariño and the east of Valle del Cauca.
The U.S. Department of State places Colombia at Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” (updated 31 March 2026), with Level 4 “Do Not Travel” for the departments of Arauca, Cauca (excluding Popayán), Norte de Santander, Valle del Cauca (excluding Cali) and for the 10 km strip along the Venezuelan border. Travellers of other nationalities should consult their own government's advisory, whose zoning may differ.
Authorities report a high number of scopolamine (“burundanga”) attacks, particularly in Bogotá and Medellín, often following meet-ups arranged through apps. Never leave a drink unattended and be wary of invitations from strangers.
Armed robbery, phone snatching and fake taxis are common in large cities. The official advice is not to resist an armed assailant. Use ride-hailing apps rather than hailing taxis in the street.
Border areas, especially with Venezuela and the Darién Gap (Panama), combine kidnapping risk, armed groups and arbitrary detention. Crossing the Darién on foot is extremely dangerous and formally advised against.
Colombia is exposed to earthquakes, landslides and volcanic activity. A magnitude 7.4 earthquake was recorded on 10 August 2026 near San José del Palmar. Check local guidance on arrival.
08 · Before you travel
Beyond the Check-MIG, a trip to Colombia requires some additional preparation to ensure things go smoothly. Colombia is a country of great geographical and climatic diversity: from the Caribbean coast in the north to the Andean peaks, from the Amazon plains to colonial cities — each region has its own practical precautions.
On the health front, if your itinerary takes you to tropical or at-risk zones (Amazon, certain national parks), plan ahead for recommended vaccinations and take appropriate medical precautions. Yellow fever is a topic to discuss with your doctor before departure.
On the customs front, arrival officers may verify your Check-MIG acknowledgement, your return ticket and your proof of accommodation. Having these documents easily accessible — ideally in digital format on your phone — considerably speeds up border checks.
The Colombian Check-MIG is a free, mandatory online immigration declaration for all travellers — regardless of nationality — who enter or leave Colombia by air or sea. It is not a visa, nor a travel authorisation: European nationals who are exempt from a consular visa for Colombia are still subject to this requirement. The submission window is strict — between 72 hours and 1 hour before the flight — and the official Migración Colombia website is regularly subject to outages and slowdowns. A single application covers entry and exit from the territory. The acknowledgement of receipt received by e-mail must be kept and presented at boarding and on arrival in Colombia. To avoid any unpleasant surprises, plan ahead and check all your documents before departure.
Safety
The vigilance level recommended by five foreign ministries, on a shared scale.
Average level
Crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping and natural disasters including earthquakes; several areas are subject to tighter restrictions.
US Department of StateAdvice dated March 31, 2026
Reconsider travel · Colombia - Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Global Affairs CanadaAdvice dated September 11, 2026
Increased caution · Colombia — Exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories)
German Federal Foreign OfficeAdvice dated August 27, 2026
Increased caution · Colombia: Travel and Safety Information
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)Advice dated September 3, 2026
Increased caution · Colombia travel advice
France DiplomatieAdvice dated September 15, 2026
Increased caution · Colombia: Travel advice
Levels published by the ministries cited, reproduced unchanged. Visamundi is a private agency with no ties to these administrations.
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