How to Get a Colombian Cédula de Extranjería in 2026 — Complete Guide

If you plan to stay in Colombia long-term, you will need a cédula de extranjería — Colombia's official ID card for foreigners. It is issued by Migración Colombia and is required to open a bank account, sign a lease, access healthcare, and carry out most official transactions in the country.

This guide walks you through exactly who needs one, the documents required, and the step-by-step process to get it done — with no lawyer required.

Who Needs a Cédula de Extranjería?

You need a cédula if you hold any of the following visa types:

• Migrant (M) visa — work, marriage, investment, digital nomad
• Resident (R) visa — permanent residency
• Stateless persons and refugees with legal status

Tourist visa holders and those on a TP (temporary) visitor visa do NOT need a cédula. You only need one once you have a visa that grants you more than 90 days of legal stay.

Documents Required

Step-by-Step Process

How Long Does It Take?

From the day of your appointment, expect 5–15 business days. In practice, most expats in Medellín receive theirs within 7–10 business days. The cédula is valid for as long as your visa is valid.

What Can You Do With a Cédula?

Common Questions

Need help with the full visa process? Read our complete Colombia visa guide for every visa type available to foreigners.

Why You Need a Cédula

The cédula de extranjería is your Colombian ID card, and you'll need it for almost everything: opening a bank account, signing a lease, getting a phone plan, enrolling in health insurance (EPS), and even buying a SIM card. Without it, you're limited to your passport, which many businesses are reluctant to accept. Think of it as your Colombian equivalent of a driver's license in the US — it's your primary ID for daily life.

Required Documents

Bring these to your Migración Colombia appointment: your original passport, a photocopy of your passport bio page, a photocopy of your visa (the sticker in your passport or the digital visa printout), one passport-sized photo (3x4cm, white background, no glasses), proof of health insurance valid in Colombia, and the receipt showing payment of the cédula fee (approximately 250,000 COP / $60 USD, paid online through the Migración Colombia website).

Where and How to Apply

You apply at your nearest Migración Colombia office. In Medellín, the main office is in the Centro Administrativo La Alpujarra. In Bogotá, the central office is at Calle 100. You must book an appointment online through the Migración Colombia website — walk-ins are not accepted. Appointments fill up fast, so book as soon as your visa is approved. Processing takes 2–4 weeks on average, though it can be faster outside of major cities.

Digital Cédula vs. Physical Card

Colombia now offers a digital cédula (cédula digital) alongside the physical card. The digital version lives on your phone and is legally valid for most transactions. However, I'd recommend getting both — some banks and government offices still prefer the physical card, and your phone battery dying at the wrong moment shouldn't leave you without ID. The digital cédula is free once you have the physical one, and you can activate it through the Migración Colombia app.

A few more practical tips from experience: bring a pen to your Migración Colombia appointment — you'll fill out forms on paper. Dress neatly, as officers sometimes make subjective judgments. If you're applying in Medellín, the La Alpujarra office is less crowded on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Keep a color photocopy of your cédula in your wallet and a photo on your phone as backup — losing your cédula means a lengthy replacement process. And update your cédula immediately if you renew your visa, change your address, or change your marital status — failure to update within 15 days can result in fines.