The Colombian Type M Visa for parents of Colombian nationals is designed for foreign fathers and mothers of Colombian citizen children. It grants an open work permit, is valid for up to 3 years, and counts toward permanent residency. Migraciones.co in Medellín guides foreign parents through every step of this process.
For foreign parents of Colombian citizens, Colombia’s immigration law provides a dedicated pathway to legal residency through the Type M Visa for parents of Colombian nationals. This visa recognizes the fundamental right of families to remain together and grants the foreign parent an open work permit — the freedom to work in any legal activity in Colombia without being tied to a specific employer. It is valid for up to 3 years, renewable, and each year accumulates toward the Colombian Resident Visa (Type R), making it a structured path to permanent residency alongside your child.
Migraciones.co in Medellín advises foreign parents on every aspect of this process: from confirming the child’s Colombian citizenship status, to gathering and certifying every required document, to submitting a complete and well-prepared application to the Cancillería de Colombia. If your child is a Colombian national — whether born in Colombia or abroad to a Colombian parent — this visa exists for you.
Key benefits
Colombia’s immigration law protects the right of Colombian children to live with their foreign parents. This visa exists precisely to keep families together.
Work freely in any legal activity in Colombia without employer restrictions. The visa is not tied to a specific company, contract, or sector.
Valid for up to 3 years and renewable as long as the parent-child relationship continues. No need to restart the process annually.
5 years holding this Type M visa qualifies you to apply for the Colombian Resident Visa (Type R) — permanent residency in Colombia.
Requirements
The Cancillería de Colombia requires the following documents for the Type M Visa for parents of Colombian nationals. Migraciones.co prepares, reviews, and verifies each document before submission to ensure nothing is missing and everything is correctly formatted.
If your child was born abroad: Children born outside Colombia to a Colombian parent must first be registered with the Civil Registry (Registraduría Nacional) in Colombia or at the nearest Colombian consulate before the child’s Colombian nationality can be used for this visa application. Migraciones.co advises on this registration process as a preliminary step if needed.
Children born abroad to at least one Colombian parent are entitled to Colombian citizenship. However, to exercise that citizenship — and for it to be usable in a visa application — the child must be formally registered. This is done either at the nearest Colombian consulate in the country where the child was born, or at the Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil in Colombia if the family is already in the country.
Once the registration is complete, the child receives a Colombian birth certificate (registro civil de nacimiento) and, depending on their age, a Colombian ID (tarjeta de identidad for children under 18, or cédula de ciudadanía for those 18 and older). With these documents in hand, the foreign parent can proceed with the Type M visa application. Migraciones.co can guide you through this preliminary registration step before the visa application if your child’s Colombian status has not yet been formally registered. This preliminary step is straightforward with the right guidance — and it unlocks both your child’s Colombian rights and your own immigration pathway.
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“Being the parent of a Colombian child born during my years living here, I worried my visa status would always be uncertain. Migraciones.co walked me through the entire process — from confirming my son’s Colombian status to submitting the visa application. Now I have a 3-year visa with an open work permit. I finally feel at home.”
FAQ
Any foreign national who is the biological or legally recognized parent of a Colombian citizen qualifies. The child can be Colombian by birth (born in Colombia or abroad to a Colombian parent) or by adoption/naturalization. Both the mother and father can apply regardless of whether they are legally married or not.
Required documents include: valid passport, the child’s Colombian birth certificate or nationality document, proof of parentage (your name must appear on the birth certificate, or legal recognition of parentage), criminal background check from your country of origin (apostilled and officially translated into Spanish), and passport-style photo. If the child was born abroad, the document must be registered with the Colombian Civil Registry.
Yes. The Type M Visa for parents of Colombian nationals includes an open work permit, allowing the holder to work in any legal activity without restrictions. The visa is not tied to a specific employer.
The visa is granted for up to 3 years and is renewable as long as the family relationship continues. Each year with this Type M visa accumulates toward the required time for the Colombian Resident Visa (Type R). Specifically, 5 years with this visa qualifies you for permanent residency.
Children born abroad to Colombian parents can be registered as Colombian citizens at the nearest Colombian consulate or the Civil Registry (Registraduría Nacional). Once the child holds a valid Colombian ID (tarjeta de identidad or cédula), the parent can apply for the Type M visa. Migraciones.co advises on the registration process before the visa application if needed.
At Migraciones.co we guide foreign parents through every step of the Type M visa process — from verifying your child’s Colombian citizenship status and preparing all required documents, to submitting a complete and strong application to the Cancillería de Colombia. Book a consultation today and take the first step toward building your permanent life in Colombia with your family.
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