Colombia Investor Visa (Type M): thresholds and requirements (2026)

I'm Margarita Sañudo, a Colombian immigration lawyer, and I work in both English and Spanish.

The two routes (and their 2026 amounts)

The Visa M – Investor has two paths with different thresholds:

• Real estate route: buy property titled in your own name worth at least 350 SMMLV. In 2026 that's roughly COP $612,816,750 (about USD $155,000–165,000 depending on the day's exchange rate).
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): a registered investment above 650 SMMLV, roughly COP $1,138 million (around USD $290,000–310,000).

Don't confuse it with the Visa M – Partner or Owner, which is for someone who becomes a partner or owner of a Colombian company, with a much lower threshold (from 100 SMMLV) and which does grant a work permit restricted to that company. When you see "100 SMMLV" quoted online for an "investor visa," it almost always refers to this other one.

The requirement you can't skip

Before filing the visa, you must register your investment with the Banco de la República (Form 4). Without that registration, the application won't proceed. On the real estate route, the key document is the property's Certificate of Tradition and Freedom (Certificado de Tradición y Libertad), along with the deed and proof of the investment registration.

The 2026 detail that causes rejections

The amounts are tied to the minimum wage (SMMLV), which rises every year. For 2026 the SMMLV jumped about 23% (to COP $1,750,905), an unusually large increase that's under legal review and was confirmed on a transitional basis. Why does it matter? Because an investment set right at this year's minimum can fall below the threshold when you renew in 1 to 3 years. The advice: invest with a comfortable buffer above the minimum and confirm the current figure before you sign.

Validity and stay

The investor visa is valid for up to 3 years and counts toward the Resident Visa after 5 years. Note: it lapses if you're absent from Colombia for more than 180 continuous days. The old "instant" permanent residency for a 650-SMMLV property purchase no longer exists: today the path is to hold the investor visa and then apply for residency.

Frequently asked questions

Does the investor visa let me work in anything?

On the real estate route, it doesn't grant an open work permit: your activity is expected to relate to your investment. The partner/owner route does grant a work permit, but restricted to that company.

Can I invest right at the minimum?

It's risky. Since the threshold rises each year, a buffer above the minimum helps you avoid falling short at renewal.

Do I really need the Banco de la República registration?

Yes. It's an indispensable prerequisite; without it, the Cancillería won't process the application.

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This guide is general information and not personalized legal, tax or immigration advice. Colombian rules and amounts change often; confirm current requirements with official sources (Cancillería, Migración Colombia, Banco de la República) or in a consultation. Information current as of 2026.