South America · UN member
Colombia: Travel Guide & Requirements
Republic of Colombia
Colombia is a country in South America with its capital in Bogotá. It has a population of 53.4 million (#28 in the world) and covers 1,138,910 km². The official language is Spanish. The currency is the Colombian peso (COP, $).
Where is Colombia? Map of Colombia
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama.
- Region
- South America
- Coordinates
- 4° N, 72° W
- Neighbours
- 5 — see list
- Coastline
- 3,208 km
- Colombia
- Neighbours
- Capital
- Largest cities
Map of Colombia showing Bogotá (capital) and the largest cities: Cali, Medellín, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Cúcuta, Bucaramanga, Ibagué and Santa Marta.
Travel requirements
What you need to travel to Colombia
- Passport
The UK Foreign Office says your passport must be valid on entry to Colombia, and that Colombian immigration authorities recommend at least 6 months' validity beyond the date you plan to leave.
- Visa or eTA
Depends on your passport: of 198 passports, 101 need no visa, 97 need an eVisa. Check yours or see Colombia entry requirements for every passport.
- Return or onward ticket
Colombia's Foreign Ministry says that on entry the immigration authority will require holders of a Visitor (V) tourism visa to show that they hold the corresponding exit ticket.
- Proof of funds
Colombia's Foreign Ministry asks applicants for a Visitor (V) tourism visa to show economic solvency, their own or their host's, through bank statements for the six months before applying showing monthly income of at le…
- Travel insurance
Colombia's Foreign Ministry asks applicants for a Visitor (V) tourism visa for health insurance with cover in Colombia against all risks in case of accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospitalisation, death or rep…
- Vaccinations
The UK Foreign Office says you must have a yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter Colombia if you are arriving from certain countries with a transmission risk, and that you may also be asked to show it if you are…
- Arrival card
Migración Colombia's free Check-Mig service is not mandatory: travellers entering or leaving Colombia may pre-load their trip details from 72 hours up to one hour before travel, which substantially speeds up the immigra…
- Customs allowance
The UK Foreign Office says you can bring up to 10,000 US dollars' worth of any currency into Colombia, and must declare anything above this amount with the National Tax and Customs Directorate (DIAN).
- Travel advice
High risk — US and UK advice.
Entry rules: TravelRequirements.info — Entry Requirements Dataset (CC BY 4.0), each rule cited to an official government source. Always confirm with the airline and the official source before you travel.
Before you go
10 things to know before you travel to Colombia
- Safety: Travel to Colombia carries a high risk: the US State Department rates Colombia Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), and the UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country.
- Best time to go: January to February and September — when daytime highs in Bogotá are around 24–25°C.
- Money: the Colombian peso (COP) — 1 US dollar is about 3,155.9 COP.
- Plugs: type A and B, 120 V / 208 V / 240 V, 60 Hz — mixed voltage: check the socket before you plug in. Dual-voltage chargers (100–240 V) work everywhere.
- Emergency numbers: Police 112, Ambulance 125, Fire 119.
- Language: Spanish is official.
- Driving: on the right — speed limits are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 90 km/h outside built-up areas and 120 km/h on motorways.
- Time zone: UTC-5 in Bogotá.
- Capital: Bogotá. About 53.4 million people live in Colombia.
- Colombia is the 26th largest country in the world by area.
Key facts
Colombia at a glance
Languages spoken: Spanish (official) 98.9%, indigenous 1%, Portuguese 0.1%; 65 indigenous languages exist (2023 est.)
Geography & history
About Colombia
Colombia was one of three countries that emerged after the dissolution of Gran Colombia in 1830 -- the others are Ecuador and Venezuela. A decades-long conflict among government forces, paramilitaries, and antigovernment insurgent groups heavily funded by the drug trade -- principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) -- escalated during the 1990s. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization in the 2000s, new criminal groups arose that included some former paramilitaries. After four years of formal peace negotiations, the Colombian Government signed a final accord with the FARC in 2016 that called for its members to demobilize, disarm, and reincorporate into society and p…
Read the full history
Colombia was one of three countries that emerged after the dissolution of Gran Colombia in 1830 -- the others are Ecuador and Venezuela. A decades-long conflict among government forces, paramilitaries, and antigovernment insurgent groups heavily funded by the drug trade -- principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) -- escalated during the 1990s. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization in the 2000s, new criminal groups arose that included some former paramilitaries. After four years of formal peace negotiations, the Colombian Government signed a final accord with the FARC in 2016 that called for its members to demobilize, disarm, and reincorporate into society and politics. The accord also committed the Colombian Government to create three new institutions to form a 'comprehensive system for truth, justice, reparation, and non-repetition,' including a truth commission, a special unit to coordinate the search for those who disappeared during the conflict, and a 'Special Jurisdiction for Peace' to administer justice for conflict-related crimes. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug-trade-related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong and independent democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties.
Location
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama
Climate
tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
Terrain
flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains (Llanos)
Highest point
Pico Cristobal Colon 5,730 m
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower
Natural hazards
highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts volcanism: Galeras (4,276 m) is one of Colombia's most active volcanoes; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of th…
National symbols
Andean condor
Driving
Speed limits & road rules in Colombia
The default speed limits in Colombia are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 90 km/h outside built-up areas and 120 km/h on motorways. The legal alcohol limit for drivers is 0.2‰. Posted signs always take priority over these defaults.
- 3030 km/hResidential zonesLiving streets & residential areas
- 5050 km/hBuilt-up areasTowns and cities
- 9090 km/hOutside built-up areasCountry roads
- 120120 km/hMotorwaysMotorways / freeways
- International Driving PermitNot a party to the IDP conventionsCheck with the embassy whether your licence is accepted
- Driving sideDrive on the rightOvertake on the left
- Alcohol limit0.2‰ blood alcohol (0.02% BAC)
- Seat beltsRequired by law
- Child seatsNo national child-restraint law
- Motorcycle helmetsRequired for riders
- Road deaths (2021)16.2 per 100,000 peopleHigher than most countries (median 12.4)
Speed limits: OpenStreetMap wiki — Default speed limits (CC BY-SA 2.0). Road-safety laws: WHO Global Health Observatory. Compare speed limits and alcohol limits by country. Defaults for cars; local signs, weather and vehicle type can lower them.
Safety
Is Colombia safe to visit?
Travel to Colombia carries a high risk: the US State Department rates Colombia Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), and the UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country.
US State Department
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)Latest update: New information about the 2026-2027 El Niño weather event (‘Safety and security’ page).
Updated 15 Oct 2026 · Full travel advice
Sources: US Department of State travel advisories (public domain) and UK FCDO foreign travel advice (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0). Checked daily. Advice can change quickly — always read the official page before you travel.
Weather
Best time to visit Colombia
The best time to visit Colombia is January to February and September, when daytime highs in Bogotá are around 24–25°C. March, July to August and December are also a good time to go. February is the warmest month (25°C by day), July the coldest (13°C at night), and April the wettest with about 209 mm of rain.
- Jan24°C14°C
- Feb25°C14°C
- Mar24°C15°C
- Apr23°C15°C
- May23°C14°C
- Jun23°C13°C
- Jul23°C13°C
- Aug24°C13°C
- Sep24°C13°C
- Oct23°C14°C
- Nov23°C14°C
- Dec23°C14°C
Best time Good Less ideal
Before you go
Plugs, voltage & emergency numbers in Colombia
Plugs & sockets
120 V / 208 V / 240 V, 60 Hz · Mixed voltage: check the socket before you plug in. Dual-voltage chargers (100–240 V) work everywhere.
Emergency numbers
112 works from any mobile phone, even without a SIM card in most networks. All countries →
Sources: Wikipedia — Mains electricity by country and List of emergency telephone numbers (CC BY-SA 4.0).
National parks
39 national parks in Colombia
- 123,202 km² protected
- oldest from 1964
Largest: Chiribiquete National Park · Farallones de Cali National Natural Park · Yaigojé-Apaporis National Park
Currency · 26 October 2026
Colombian peso exchange rates today
Colombia uses the Colombian peso (COP, $). One US dollar buys 3,155.9 COP; over the last 30 days the COP has gained 4.8% against the dollar.
What other currencies cost in COP
Currency converter
Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0), 26 Oct 2026. Banks and exchange offices add a margin.
World rankings
Where Colombia ranks
How Colombia compares with the rest of the world — open any card for the full ranking.
Airports
Airports in Colombia
722 airports and airfields — 6 large, 54 medium and 603 small, plus 59 heliports. 50 have scheduled passenger flights.
Military
Colombian armed forces
Colombia ranks #43 of 145 in the Global Firepower military strength ranking, with a defence budget of $14.5 billion (2025).
People
Population & society
Religion
Largest cities: Bogota (11.5 million), Medellin (4.1 million), Cali (2.9 million), Barranquilla (2.3 million), Bucaramanga (1.4 million)
Economy
Economy
Main industries
textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds
Export partners
USA 27%, Panama 9%, India 5%, China 5%, Netherlands 4% (2023)
Top exports
crude petroleum, coal, gold, coffee, refined petroleum (2023)
Travel tools
Handy before every trip to Colombia
Next public holiday
All Saints’ Day — Monday, 2 November 2026. Then Independence of Cartagena (16 Nov).
Colombian passport
Ranked #73: 85 countries visa-free, 31 with visa on arrival, 3 with an eTA and 37 with an eVisa.
Colombian passport photo
Exact size, head position and background for Colombia's passport and visa photos — make one free with AI checks.
Calling Colombia
Dial +57 before the local number. Internet domain .co.
Climate footprint
92.7 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2024 — 1.75 t per person.
Entry requirements
Visa rules for every passport visiting Colombia: visa-free stays, eVisas, visas on arrival and documents to bring.
News
Latest travel news about Colombia
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U.S. bars 21 Colombian nationals and their families from entry
The United States imposed visa restrictions on 21 Colombian nationals on 22 October 2026, including seven named former and current officials, as part…
Frequently asked questions about Colombia
What do I need to travel to Colombia?
How long must my passport be valid for Colombia?
Where is Colombia?
What is Colombia known for?
What is the capital of Colombia?
What language is spoken in Colombia?
What currency does Colombia use?
What is the calling code of Colombia?
Which countries border Colombia?
How strong is the Colombian passport?
What is the speed limit in Colombia?
Is Colombia safe to visit?
When is the best time to visit Colombia?
What plug type does Colombia use?
How many airports does Colombia have?
Sources: CIA World Factbook (public domain); World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0); names, languages and currencies: mledoze/countries (ODbL); flag: flag-icons (MIT); coat of arms: Wikimedia Commons (file page); exchange rates: Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0); airports: OurAirports.