How do you get a Cédula de Extranjería in Colombia in 2026?

Foreigners aged seven and older who hold a visa valid for more than three months must obtain the cédula. The durable deadline is fifteen calendar days from entry into Colombia or from visa issuance when the visa is granted inside the country. Late registration can trigger fines and future file friction, so treat the Migración appointment as day-one relocation work: Apply for a residence permit.

Create a user account on Migración Colombia’s official platforms first. Complete the Formulario Único de Trámites (FUT) and upload the PDF bundle the portal lists, typically passport biographic pages and the valid visa. Then schedule an in-person cita at a Centro Facilitador de Servicios Migratorios (CFSM). Appointment release patterns change, so follow the live booking instructions on the official site rather than a friend’s older WhatsApp tip.

Bring the original passport with the visa evidence, the FUT radicado number, and payment capacity for the current Migración card fee (card payment or authorised bank receipt, depending on the centre’s instructions). Staff capture photo, fingerprints, and signature. The issued cédula number becomes your everyday Colombian ID. Card validity tracks the linked visa; when the visa ends, the plastic is no longer a safe ID for banks or employers.

With the cédula in hand, most movers register a RUT with DIAN, open a Colombian bank account, and affiliate to an EPS when their visa category requires or allows contributory health: Get a RUT, Open a bank account, and Enrol in public health. Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and Cartagena all run CFSM capacity differently, so book early if you land in a busy capital week. Keep clear scans of both sides of the card for upload forms that reject passport-only files. Card fees and taxi or Metro trips to the appointment belong in setup cash, not in the monthly living band: How expensive is Colombia.