Visa Basics
- Entry: Passport stamp on arrival. No pre-application needed. 90 days granted automatically.
- Extension: Can be extended for an additional 90 days at a Migración Colombia office ($30–$50 fee). Must apply before your initial 90 days expire.
- Digital Nomad Visa: If you plan repeated extended stays (6+ months/year), the Colombian digital nomad visa provides a 2-year renewable permit. Requires proof of $3,200+/month income.
What to Do with Extra Time
Week 3–4: Cartagena
Once cleared to fly (typically 7–14 days post-procedure), a domestic flight to Cartagena costs $40–$80 one-way. Spend a week in the Caribbean: Walled City exploration, Rosario Islands, beach days, seafood feasts.
Week 4–5: Coffee Triangle
Salento, Filandia, and Manizales. Coffee farm tours, Cocora Valley (the world's tallest palm trees), thermal springs in Santa Rosa de Cabal. Domestic flights or 5-hour scenic bus rides from Medellín.
Month 2+: Extended stay
Monthly apartment rentals in El Poblado: $800–$1,500 furnished. Laureles: $600–$1,000. Includes utilities, Wi-Fi, sometimes cleaning service. Join a gym ($30–$50/month), take Spanish classes, establish a routine. Many medical tourists discover they love Colombia enough to return — or stay.
The pensionado visa
For retirees: Colombia offers a retirement visa for those receiving $750+/month in pension income (approximately 3x the Colombian minimum wage). This provides a multi-year visa and access to Colombia's national health system. Several medical tourists have discovered their retirement destination through a dental trip.
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