Guide · Residency

Residency in Colombia through marriage or partnership: step by step

Updated September 2026 · By Alfredo Jaramillo, attorney · T.P. 93906

Being married to a Colombian citizen, or living with one as a registered partner, opens a path to a visa and, with time, to permanent residency. It is one of the most frequent reasons foreigners in Medellín contact attorney Alfredo Jaramillo. The path is clear, but the documents have to be right, and the timing matters.

Marriage and unión marital de hecho: two doors, same visa

Colombian law recognizes two family relationships for visa purposes:

Marriage (matrimonio), civil or religious, registered in Colombia. A marriage celebrated abroad must be registered with the Colombian civil registry before it can be used for a visa.

Registered partnership (unión marital de hecho), for couples who live together without marrying. It has to be formally declared before a notary or a judge; a private agreement or simply living together is not enough for the visa.

Both lead to the same visa category. Same sex couples are treated the same way under Colombian law.

Step 1: the migrant visa (Visa M) as spouse or partner

The first visa is a migrant visa (Visa M) as spouse or permanent partner of a Colombian national, under Resolución 5477 of 2022 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is granted for up to three years, allows you to work and study, and counts toward permanent residency.

The core documents are:

  • Passport valid for at least six months.
  • Marriage certificate registered in Colombia, or the notarial or judicial declaration of the unión marital de hecho. Foreign documents need apostille and official translation.
  • A letter from the Colombian spouse or partner requesting the visa, with a copy of their cédula and a statement that the relationship is current.
  • Proof that the couple lives together, when requested: shared lease, utility bills, joint accounts, photos over time.
  • Criminal background certificate from the countries where you have lived in recent years, apostilled and translated.

The application is filed online with the Cancillería. The authority can request additional documents or an interview. Missing a deadline to reply closes the file.

Step 2: the cédula de extranjería

Once the visa is approved, you must register with Migración Colombia within a short deadline and obtain your cédula de extranjería, the foreigner ID card. This card is what banks, employers and notaries ask for. Missing the deadline results in a fine.

Step 3: the resident visa (Visa R)

After holding the spouse or partner visa for a continuous period, you can apply for a resident visa (Visa R). It is granted for five years, renewable, and it is not tied to the relationship going forward. The application requires proof that the relationship continued during the previous visa and that you spent enough time in Colombia; long absences from the country can reset the clock.

Common mistakes that get applications denied

  • Foreign marriage not registered in Colombia. The certificate from your country is not valid on its own.
  • Partnership without a formal declaration. A verbal arrangement, or a lease with both names, does not create a unión marital de hecho for visa purposes.
  • Expired or unapostilled documents. Police certificates and civil documents have validity windows.
  • Inconsistent information between the letter of the Colombian partner, the address on file and the supporting evidence.
  • Overstaying while the application is in progress. Your migratory status must be regular when you file.

What changes if the relationship ends

A spouse or partner visa depends on the relationship. Separation or divorce during the migrant visa period must be reported, and the visa can be cancelled. This is one of the reasons to move to a resident visa as soon as you qualify, and to plan the timing with a lawyer rather than on your own.

How Alfredo Jaramillo helps

Attorney Alfredo Jaramillo reviews the relationship documents, registers a foreign marriage or formalizes the unión marital de hecho when needed, prepares the visa file so every document matches, and follows the process through the cédula and, later, the resident visa. Consultations are in English, virtual or in person at the office in Medellín.

This guide is general information and not legal advice for a specific case. Visa requirements are set by the Colombian government and can change.