Colombia Entry Fee for Canadians Explained

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Canadians arriving to Colombia for tourism have to pay an entry fee to enter the country.

This Colombian entry fee for Canadians, known as a reciprocity fee, was reinstituted in 2023 after being canceled for a few years.

Most Canadian citizens traveling to Colombia for tourism have to pay this entrance fee, but there are a few exceptions.

In this article, I’ll cover why Canadians have to pay an Colombia to enter Colombia, who does and doesn’t need to pay the Colombia entry fee, how much the entry fee to Colombia costs, and when and how to pay it.

Why Do Canadians Have to Pay to Enter Colombia?

Simply put, it’s because Canada charges Colombians a fee to travel to Canada as tourists.

Technically called a reciprocity fee, this Colombia entry fee from Canada was originally instituted in December 2014 by the administration of Juan Manuel Santos. The reasoning was that Colombian citizens had to pay a biometric fee as part of the application for a tourist visa to visit Canada.

The fee was suspended in 2019 during the administration of Ivan Duque.

However, the current administration of Gustavo Petro announced the fee for Canadians entering Colombia would return in October 2023.

It officially went into effect on November 14, 2023.

Of course, Colombians applying for tourist visas to many other countries, such as the United States, also have to pay a fee for the visa. So, Canadians might rightfully point out they are being unfairly singled out.

It appears the Santos administration justified the charge (and the Petro administration has echoed it) because Canada itemizes the biometric charge, listing it as a specific charge with a dollar amount.

Meanwhile, the US and other countries include it as part of an all inclusive visa application fee that isn’t broken down item by item.

I think Canadians would have a good point in pointing out that seems a little arbitrary and unfair. Charging Canadians a Colombia entrance fee also seems a somewhat odd choice given Colombia has largely tried to promote tourism for economic growth.

But, I guess it is what it is.

If you are Canadian, I hope you’ll still consider travel to Colombia from Canada. It’s a beautiful country with a lot to offer.

To help you plan your trip, I’ll go into more details and cover everything you need to know about the Colombia entry fee for Canadians, including how much do Canadians have to pay to enter Colombia and who is exempt from the Canadian entry fee for Colombia in the sections below.

You can read more about the reimposition of the entry fee to Colombia for Canadian citizens in this article from Colombian newspaper El Tiempo, this press release from Migración Colombia, or consult the most recent decree from May 2024 establishing the updated cost for the entry fee to Colombia.

Do Canadians Need a Visa for Colombia?

To be clear, no, Canadians do not need to apply for a special tourist visa.

Like citizens of most countries around the world, Canadians can enter Colombia as tourists at any time, and do not need to apply for and receive a visa before hand.

They just have to pay this entry fee to Colombia when arriving, and then they are given the stamp to remain in the country legally as a tourist like everyone else.

Do of course, keep in mind that to work or stay in Colombia longer than the customary 90 days granted upon entry (which can be extended to 180), you do need a work, retirement, investment, resident, or other type of visa.

Who Needs to Pay the Colombia Entry Fee?

Nearly all Canadian citizens entering Colombia for tourism need to pay this Colombia entry fee.

There are however, a few other notable exceptions.

Exemptions from the Colombia Entry Fee from Canada

The following Canadian citizens are excluded from the entry fee:

• Minors under 14 years of age.
• Seniors over 79 years of age.
• Canadians only transiting through Colombia for a layover in the airport.
• Canadians with a valid Colombian visa.
• Diplomats, consular, and other government officials and their families.
• Canadians who are going to the islands of San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina.

So, children and seniors do not need to pay the Colombia entry fee.

If you’re only passing through Colombia for a layover in the airport en route to another country, you won’t need to pay the fee either, assuming you will not pass through Colombian immigration.

Also, if your final destination in Colombia is the archipelago of San Andres, you do not need to pay the fee to enter Colombia.

Do keep in mind that the islands charge their own entrance fee for all visitors, even Colombian nationals though.

It’s worth pointing out that the decree does state “destination of arrival and stay” in Colombia, and you are required to have evidence of a return flight out of Colombia.

So, I imagine if you have a flight to San Andrés upon entry to Colombia but a flight out of Colombia from a different part of the country, you will need to pay the fee.

So there’s good news here if you are planning a trip to Colombia with young children or only going to San Andrés, but most visitors to Colombia from Canada will have to pay the Colombian entry tax for Canadians.

How Much is the Entry Fee to Colombia for Canadians?

The most recent decree from May 2024 set the entry fee at $270,000 Colombian Pesos.

This is roughly equivalent to the fee of $85 Canadian Dollars Colombian citizens pay for the biometrics when getting a visa to visit Canada.

Therefore, you’ll see $85 CAD listed as the amount in lots of sources. However, keep in mind currency exchanges do fluctuate and the fee amount is officially set in Colombian pesos, not CAD.

In the decree, there’s actually a long justification and table that shows how they calculated an average of the exchange rate between 2020 and May 2024 to determine fee to enter Colombia.

When Do Canadians Pay the Entrance Fee to Colombia?

The entrance fee is paid when entering the country and passing through immigration at your port of entry to Colombia.

For most travelers, this likely at the airport when arriving in country. However, do keep in mind the fee also applies at land borders or for those entering the country via sea.

So, when you pass through immigration, be it at the airport or elsewhere, you’ll have to pay the surcharge to enter Colombia as a Canadian citizen.

How Can Canadians Pay the Entrance Fee to Colombia?

You’ll need to pay by credit or debit card at the Migración Colombia checkpoint.

The Migración Colombia website specifically says the fee has to be paid by electronic means using a credit or debit card.

Therefore, there doesn’t appear to be any way to prepay the fee or to pay by check or with cash.

Are There Any Other Requirements to Enter Colombia?

Currently there is not any other special requirement to enter Colombia.

There is a form known as the Check-Mig form that was previously required. Migración Colombia now describes it as not obligatory but recommended to speed up the entry process.

I see anecdotal reports in Facebook groups and travel forums that some airlines still insist on seeing it, so I think it’s best to just fill it out, so you don’t run into any issues.

Keep in mind the form is free, but there are a handful of third party sites that charge to complete it for you. Click over to my step by step guide to the Colombia Check Mig form to make sure you get the official free version and see how to complete it.

Want Some Additional Help Planning Your Trip?

If you are currently planning your trip, first, I hope this helped you understand the tax Canadians have to pay to enter Colombia.

I’d also like to invite you to check out all the other content on the site to help you plan your trip too!

There’s tons of great content on Cartagena (the site is called Cartagena Explorer, after all). Maybe you’d like to check out my complete guide to Cartagena, take a look at my picks for the best areas to stay, or read about visiting the nearby Rosario Islands, an absolute must on a visit to Colombia’s Caribbean.

I’ve also had the good fortune to travel to lots of other places in Colombia, even lesser traveled places like the beautiful multicolored river of Caño Cristales, the wildlife haven of Los Llanos, and Guaviare, my pick for Colombia’s best kept secret. See lots more places in the Other Destinations section of the site.