South Africa to Colombia visa requirements

South African ordinary passport holders need a visa for Colombia. The visa waiver was cancelled in September 2017, so you must obtain a Visa V (Visitor) for tourism, applied entirely online through Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cancillería) before you travel. As of 30 May 2026, South Africa is NOT on Colombia's visa-exempt list. Colombia unilaterally cancelled the visa waiver for South African nationals on 18 September 2017, so ordinary South African passport holders cannot enter Colombia visa-free or on arrival. For tourism, the correct document is the Visa V (Visa de Visitante / Visitor visa), which is applied for and processed entirely online through Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal (visas.cancilleria.gov.co). The process involves an online form, a study fee, and an issuance fee paid by card if the visa is approved. The Visa V can be granted for stays up to 180 days per year (the consular officer sets the actual duration), and tourism is one of its permitted purposes. Separately from the visa, every traveller must complete the free Check-Mig migration pre-registration form online between 1 and 72 hours before each flight to or from Colombia. Travellers should also hold a passport valid for the trip, proof of onward/return travel, proof of accommodation and sufficient funds. Because sources conflict (several travel blogs incorrectly state South Africans are visa-free for 90 days), travellers should rely only on the official Cancillería decision: a visa is required.