How to Get the Colombian Digital Nomad Visa (7 EASY Steps)

[@AKJoel]

✈ Get Your Safety Wing Quote here: bit.ly/safetywingquote 🖊 Get Your Documents Apostilled here: bit.ly/apostilleusa ⚖ Contact Tomas @ Nexo Legal: bit.ly/contactnexolegal

[@CSD793]

Hey AK, I’m who you just spoke to just so you know! Thanks again. It was a pleasure!

[@AKJoel]

Great meeting you Christian!!

[@oscargoesplaces]

Great video AK! Thanks for the info

[@AKJoel]

No problem 👍Glad ya enjoyed it mate!

[@romansotelo7240]

Thanks for the video.

[@AKJoel]

No worries!

[@romansotelo7240]

@@AKJoel I want to move to Colombia when I'm older. Do you recommend I come in with 401k money?

[@AKJoel]

Sorry Roman - I don't understand your question?

[@romansotelo7240]

@@AKJoel I'm asking is living off your retirement enough to live in Colombia?

[@AKJoel]

If your retirement is more than $2k a month - then yes that's plenty to have a comfortable life!

[@kiaorioncreative]

super helpful! Thank you

[@AKJoel]

You're welcome!

[@jaythibodeau6961]

Would love to see a video on the rentista visa, based on income from rental properties in the US. 😊

[@AKJoel]

I'll add it to the list, thanks for the suggestion mate!

[@WebDefilerofficial]

hey great video man. This is how I will move to Colombia (not Medellin though). Is there any place I could potentially get in contact with you regarding some questions I have about your business model and monetization of this channel. I think I grasp the general model you're using, but mainly because I plan on getting into the business of selling coaching + courses, I'd like to ask some more.

[@AKJoel]

Hey mate - yes definitely. You can book a consult here and I'd be happy to answer any questions you have. www.akjoel.com/consultations

[@CWeil858]

Helpful video! Would you recommend entering Medellin with a 180-day tourist stamp and applying for the nomad visa two months before it expires, or should I apply for the nomad visa before arrival? I'm considering staying for four months on the tourist stamp, then applying for the one-year nomad visa to maximize my time. What are your thoughts?

[@AKJoel]

Yes - definitely enter on the tourist stamp and then apply for the nomad visa 2 months before it expires. As you said - this is the best way to maximize your time. I did the same.

[@mlgneo2855]

Don’t forget you will become a tax resident after 180 days

[@jeneveuxpastravailler9026]

Thank you for the video! Do you know if theres a limit to how many times you can get the digital nomad visa? Ive gotten it twice so far, each time for one year and have heard that a total of two years is the max but I i havent seen anything conclusive online

[@AKJoel]

Currently there's no limit on how many times you can get the visa.

[@GracyIma]

So Nigeria is not eligible?

[@AKJoel]

If you need to apply for a visa to enter Colombia, then you're not eligible unfortunately.

[@successwithbrian]

I did not see the SURA information and pricing. Thank you

[@AKJoel]

Here you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4eYo3iYdtuLf9E

[@mathias2659]

What about a travel insurance?

[@AKJoel]

There's a full section in this video where we explain the travel insurance requirements of the visa

[@Ryan-ul7dy]

Do Colombian authorities actually enforce the tax requirement? I have a mate with a resident visa, been here for 7 years, and claims he's never needed to pay Colombia taxes. Seems odd to me.

[@AKJoel]

They don't enforce it and that's why your mate has gone so long without paying tax haha

[@SamiUllah2186]

I have a question regarding travel/health insurance, for how many months or year we need to buy or we can buy insurance for 3 or 4 months as well?

[@AKJoel]

To get the digital nomad visa you will need to show coverage for the duration of the visa - so 12 months.

[@omarbonilla3724]

If you own a business and you pay yourself a salary, can you write yourself a letter on behalf on the company?

[@AKJoel]

Yes you can - we have a couple of Masterclass students who've obtained the nomad visa that way.

[@PaulR1355]

I spoke to a Colombian immigration lawyer that said US citizens would have to pay sales tax on items but not income tax as they would only have to pay that in USA as long as they file properly. This true?

[@rouzierceline]

Hello and thanks a lot for the information. I still have one question : i work remotely for italki ( online teaching) , shall i write a motivation letter to explain what is it about ? Im eligible ? Or its just for people who work for a company ( and get a letter from this company )

[@AKJoel]

Better to consult a lawyer on this, as I'm not 100% sure. Tomas' contact details are in the description of this video.

[@deethomasblack6487]

They are saying I'm over the 35 page maximum when I'm filling out the application. How can I shorten the pages?

[@out42c]

Colombia needs to take a look quickly at it's requirement for submitting documents that are no older than 90 days when it comes to M-type visa. I'm going through this now. I planned it out all meticulously. I researched and know precisely what all needs to e done. I express shipped all documents at considerable cost. I even gave the FBI a 45-day headstart in processing the criminal background investigation before seeking apostille certification of all other required documents. I got that criminal background investigation report today after 81 days. It is the only thing I have left to apostille. I looked at the US State Department's website today to have it apostilled and the US Department of State is saying you won't get your document back with apostille certification for 11 weeks. That's another 77 days for a whopping 158 days in total. This is outrageous and shameful! Colombia requires you get it done in 90 days. That cannot be met through no fault of your own. What you would have to do is reaccomplish apostilles you already got all over again starting about 2 weeks before the 11 weeks is up. That of course costs more money. Heck, Panama next door requires your documents to be no older than 120 days and you still can't meet that because of the outrageous negligence of the US federal goverment. You have a staffing issue they know it and no one fixes it. That is a government that is dysfunctional and Colombia needs to recognize this and allow an extended period. What it says is you have a US government that cannot perform simple routine tasks and responsibilities in a timely manner. That looks very much like a failed state in general to me. It's not a good look. Everybody signed the treaty that they would get it done and we see the US is brazenly ignoring the terms of that treaty. Great video btw!

[@Reiko1988]

Joel with SafetyWing I have been speaking with a customer representative and she told me you can purchase the monthly subscription which will appear on the invoice for 364 days. Would that be fine to satisfy the digital nomad visa?

[@AKJoel]

I believe as long as you can provide a certificate of insurance that shows you're covered for the length of your visa, you should be fine. But to be 100% certain, always confirm with a lawyer.

[@Reiko1988]

@@AKJoel you're a gentleman Joel, I'm in Medellin at the moment. If ever bumped into ya I always intended to buy you a beer! You've been a great help.

[@samuelelvison9539]

Im the founder of a company in cameroon, can i apply for the digital nomad visa?

[@interpoliandotv]

what about for people with 2 citizenships like US citizens and Colombian citizen?

[@AKJoel]

If you're a Colombian citizen aren't you already allowed to live and work here?

[@interpoliandotv]

@@AKJoel yes, I can live there , also I’m looking for any work in Medellin , I’m bilingual, I’m a videographer n photographer too.

[@AKJoel]

I need a part time videographer - please email your work to [e-mail]

[@henny1387]

But their requirements say you can only apply if you don't need a visa to enter colombia

[@AKJoel]

Correct. Most countries (US, UK, Australia, Canada) don't need a visa to enter Colombia.

[@pasicflorian4012]

I am seeking the visa to live in Colombia forever. Can you give me tips.

[@AKJoel]

Many different visas to consider - best to speak to an immigration lawyer. These guys are great - bit.ly/contactnexolegal

[@out42c]

@@AKJoel I'm doing it myself I talk about it above. Don't see the need for a lawyer. It is nerve wracking though only because of the dysfunctional and inefficient US government.

[@jeffdavis135]

I have a pension. I want retire there. I did live there 7 years. Overstayed. Help

[@saimaazam-h9l]

Is Pakistan eligible for this visa ?

[@Romero-xi5ft]

Hey Joel, I’m a disabled veteran who receives disability. I know I would qualify for the retirement visa, but this 1 has fewer steps to apply for. And I wouldn’t have to travel back to the states. Do you think they’d accept my disability payments as the source of income? Thanks for all you do

[@AKJoel]

I don't think so - because you'd need to provide a letter from your employer stating what kind of work you do.

[@IrinaIrina-bs5nz]

What about freelance workers? I'm a freelance designer working on Fiverr and Upwork. Can I apply for digital nomad visa in Colombia and what documents should I provide?

[@AKJoel]

That's where it gets complicated, because you'll have to provide letters of employment from each company you're freelancing with. You should contact Tomas from Nexo Legal for all the details: bit.ly/contactnexolegal

[@IrinaIrina-bs5nz]

@@AKJoel thank you so much!

[@GracyIma]

How do people become freelance workers on fiverr?

[@NomadSayf]

Is it possible for me to apply for Digital Nomad visa as Bangladeshi? I visited Colombia with business visa in 2014 for three times..

[@AKJoel]

I'm not sure to be honest - you can check with these immigration lawyers here: bit.ly/contactnexolegal

[@jadenwsop5245]

Such a pity. The tax rate makes it so unattractive to stay more than 183 days

[@AKJoel]

Nobody with a good accountant pays that much though! As Tomas said, there's many deductions you can leverage to reduce taxes.

[@bluegtturbo]

You can just stay as a tourist for 6 months. Why bother at all with the bureaucracy and expense...

[@ej1692]

@@bluegtturbo seriously, in my opinion, you'd be better off just staying 6 months, and then finding another country that you like equally to stay 6 months so that you can avoid taxes. not worth the stress and headache of filing.

[@texasranger2398]

It's all nonsense with this type of visa. The visa is for 2 years, but in reality is only for one year... they want proof of monthly income, but why? What difference does it make to have a monthly income compared to 12 months of savings of 12 * 1000 =12 000 USD?

[@donmartiin]

Hey Joel great vid man! Can I bring someone with me under my application? A benefactor, let’s say my girlfriend

[@AKJoel]

Hey mate - No you can't - you will both need to apply for a separate visa to stay in the country.

[@YoungTrash-ro1ip]

FIRST

[@AKJoel]

Well done! haha

[@continentalbc]

The digital nomad requires a letter from your job. For all of you who don’t want your job knowing you are working in Colombia, this is not going to work!

[@AKJoel]

Yes that's true. You can't be a discreet nomad and get this visa lol

[@bluegtturbo]

So basically if you're not an employee you're stuffed

[@AKJoel]

Not completely, it just makes it harder.