Do Colombia Citizens Need a Visa for United States?
Yes. Colombia passport holders require a visa to enter United States for most purposes, visitor, business, study, work, and family categories all need pre-approval. The information below describes the standard process and the refusal triggers to watch on this corridor.
Before you apply: the refusal you have to beat
Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act presumes every visitor-visa applicant intends to immigrate, so the applicant has to show they qualify for the visa they applied for. A refusal under it means the officer was not convinced the applicant qualified. Ties to Colombia are evidence the officer weighs, not the whole test. If you reapply you need a new application, a new fee, a new interview and information on how your circumstances have changed. The $185 fee is not refunded.
The reassuring part: these refusals usually come down to how your case is presented, not who you are:
- Insufficient or inconsistent proof of funds, single large deposits with no documented source, balances that don't match declared income
- Thin evidence of ties to Colombia, no documented employment, studies, property, or family obligations the officer can weigh as reasons you would return
- Incomplete or mismatched documentation, dates, names, and amounts that contradict between documents
- Unclear or implausible purpose, an itinerary or story the officer has to guess at
Step-by-Step: How to Apply
- Complete the DS-160 online. Fill out Form DS-160 at ceac.state.gov. Check each answer against your passport before you submit. Keep the confirmation page with the barcode number (it starts with AA); you need it to register on the appointment site.
- Create an account on the official appointment site. Go to ais.usvisa-info.com/en-co/niv, create an account, add the applicant information, enter the DS-160 confirmation number for each applicant and choose where you want your documents delivered.
- Pay the $185 application fee. Pay the nonimmigrant visa (MRV) application fee on the appointment site by credit card or Epayco, or pay cash with the payment instruction sheet (cash can take up to 3 business days to register). The fee is non-refundable and valid for 365 days from the date of purchase.
- Book the ASC appointment and the interview. Schedule the Applicant Service Center appointment for your fingerprints and photo at least one day before your interview at the US Embassy in Bogotá. The Embassy listed a wait of 398 days for a B1/B2 interview on 13 October 2026 and releases new tourist-visa appointments on Tuesdays at 9 a.m., so check the site again for earlier dates.
- Attend both appointments. Bring your passport, DS-160 confirmation page and appointment confirmation to the ASC, and the original documents the appointment site lists to the interview. The officer assesses whether you qualify for the visa you applied for. Answer honestly, and keep every answer consistent with your DS-160.
- After the interview: courier, then your I-94. Your passport comes back by the courier option you selected; the service says to allow 2 to 3 weeks once the Consular Section hands it over. After you enter the United States, look up your I-94 record at i94.cbp.dhs.gov. Its Admit Until Date shows how long you were admitted for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Colombian citizens need a visa to visit the United States?
Yes. Colombia is not on the Visa Waiver Program country list published by the Department of Homeland Security, so there is no ESTA option for Colombian passport holders. You need a B visitor visa, a category that covers business, tourism and medical treatment. Since 6 September 2025 the official appointment service has said applicants should schedule their interview at the US embassy or consulate in their country of residence or nationality.
How much does a US visa cost for Colombians in 2026?
The B visitor visa application fee (the MRV fee) is $185, as listed on the fee page of the official US visa appointment service for Colombia on 13 October 2026. It is non-refundable and non-transferable, it is due whether or not a visa is issued, and it stays valid for 365 days from the date of purchase. The page lists three ways to pay: cash with the payment instruction sheet from the site (which can take up to 3 business days to register), credit card, and Epayco. A reciprocity fee can also apply depending on citizenship and visa type (the same page). A separate Visa Integrity Fee was enacted on 4 July 2025 (Public Law 119-21, section 100007). The law sets it at $250 or more for a nonimmigrant visa, on top of any other fee, and adjusts it for inflation each fiscal year from 2026. It is not listed on that fee page. Separately, a State Department temporary rule in force from 1 July to 31 December 2026 says the MRV fee is set at $185 for B1/B2 applicants and is not anticipated to change while that rule is in force. Confirm at travel.state.gov before paying.
How long is the wait for a US visa appointment in Colombia?
Long. The Embassy publishes its own estimates for Bogotá: when the page was read on 13 October 2026 it listed 398 days for a B1/B2 interview, 20 days for student and exchange visas (F, M and J), 24 days for petition-based visas (H, L, O and P), 4 days for interview-waiver cases, and 634 days for applicants who are not residents of Colombia or Venezuela. The Embassy says it opens new interview appointments for tourist visas every Tuesday at 9 a.m., that demand is very high and not everyone looking for an earlier date will get one, and that it may also open appointments outside that schedule. The page carries no date, so read it again when you apply. The appointment service says not to make final travel plans or buy tickets until a visa is issued.
Why do I have two appointments?
The appointment service says most applicants need an appointment at an Applicant Service Center (ASC) before their appointment at the Consular Section: fingerprints and a digital photograph are taken at the ASC, and the interview is at the Embassy. The ASC appointment must be at least one day before the interview, and both can be booked on the service's site or through its call centre. The service lists the Bogotá ASC at Street 26 # 92-32, Connecta, Gold 4, "Primer Piso lado Occidental" (first floor, west side), open Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Bring your current passport, your DS-160 confirmation page and the appointment confirmation and instructions page printed from the site.
Can I get an earlier appointment?
The Embassy says people who already have an appointment can try to move to an earlier day on the appointment site, where new tourist-visa appointments are released every Tuesday at 9 a.m. The appointment service also describes an expedited request for travellers with imminent travel: schedule a regular appointment on the closest available date first, then sign in, click "Continue", select "Request Expedite" and follow the instructions, giving the date and purpose of your travel. That passage sits in the part of the page about who needs a visa, after the rules for Visa Waiver Program travellers, so read it there before you rely on it. Separately, a State Department temporary rule in force from 1 July to 31 December 2026 created an optional $750 fee, on top of the application fee, that lets B1/B2 applicants secure an interview appointment within ten business days. The rule says the service is offered only at a limited number of posts published on travel.state.gov and in limited quantities, and that an applicant who misses or cancels an expedited appointment forfeits the fee. The appointment service for Colombia posted an announcement about that pilot on 18 August 2026 which links to the State Department page; check there whether Bogotá is included before you count on it.
How long does it take to get my passport back after the interview?
The appointment service says it cannot tell you how long the Consular Section will take with an application. Once the Consular Section hands your documents to the courier, it takes 2 to 3 weeks for them to be ready for pickup or delivery, and you are notified by email when they are ready. You have to prove your identity to collect them, for example with an official photo ID, and the service says a passport is held for 30 days.
How long is a US visa valid, and how long can I stay?
The validity of the visa and its number of entries are printed on the visa the officer issues; they are not the length of your stay. When you enter the United States your admission is recorded on your I-94, which shows an Admit Until Date. After you enter, look up your record at i94.cbp.dhs.gov to see your Admit Until Date.
Why are B1/B2 visas refused for Colombian applicants?
Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act presumes every visitor-visa applicant intends to immigrate, and the applicant has to establish that they qualify for the visa they applied for. A refusal under it means the officer was not convinced the applicant qualified. The appointment site gives, as examples of what may be requested at an in-person interview, evidence of the purpose of your trip, of your intent to depart the United States after your trip and of your ability to pay all the costs, and says evidence of your employment and/or family ties may be sufficient to show the purpose of your trip and your intent to return to your home country. If you reapply you need a new application, a new fee, a new interview and information on how your circumstances have changed since the first application.
What happens at the interview, and what should I bring?
You attend the appointment you booked at the US Embassy in Bogotá. The appointment site says that if you attend in person you must bring original documents. It lists: a passport valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements), your previous passport if it holds your most recent US visa, the DS-160 confirmation page, the confirmation and instructions page printed from the appointment site, and one 5 x 5 cm (2 x 2 inch) colour photo taken within the last 6 months. Additional documents may be requested. The service says applicants are not allowed into the Consular Section without a scheduled appointment and that every visitor is screened by security. It gives the Embassy's address as Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50, Bogotá, while the Embassy's own page gives Carrera 45 No. 24B-27, so follow the address on your appointment confirmation. Answer honestly and make sure every answer matches your DS-160.
Can I skip the in-person interview (interview waiver)?
Only some renewals qualify. The appointment site says the requirements can vary by country and that, in general, to be eligible applicants must meet some or all of these: be renewing a fully valid B-1, B-2 or B-1/B-2 visa that is still current or expired within the past 12 months and have been at least 18 when it was issued; apply in their consular district of residence (or their country of nationality where required); have had all ten fingerprints taken when the last visa was issued; hold a previous visa that was not lost, stolen or revoked; never have been refused, unless the refusal was overcome or waived; and meet other eligibility requirements as applicable. Eligibility is worked out from your answers when you schedule, and consular officers can still require an interview. An announcement on the appointment site dated 7 August 2025 suspended the interview waiver for nationals and citizens of a list of countries, wherever they apply: Colombia is not on that list, and Venezuela is. The Embassy's wait-times page listed 4 days for interview-waiver cases on 13 October 2026.
What do I need to know about my DS-160 number and my appointment?
Since 1 May 2025 you must bring a DS-160 whose confirmation or barcode number (it starts with AA) matches the one used to make your appointment. If the number in your appointment profile is incomplete, incorrect or does not match, the appointment service says you must update it at least three business days before your appointment, in the Applicant Summary Page of your account, or you will need to book a new appointment; if you arrive without having done so you will not be able to attend your interview.
Does the 2026 US entry restriction proclamation cover Colombia?
Proclamation 10998, signed on 16 December 2025 and effective from 1 January 2026, suspends or limits entry and visa issuance for nationals of the countries it names, and for people applying with Palestinian Authority travel documents. Colombia is not among the countries named in the text published in the Federal Register (checked on 13 October 2026). The Embassy says applicants who are subject to the proclamation may still apply and attend interviews but may be ineligible for a visa. The list can change, so read the Department of State notice before you apply.
Official sources
- US Embassy in Colombia: visas
- US Embassy in Colombia: Bogotá nonimmigrant visa wait times
- US Embassy in Colombia: important visa information
- Official visa appointment service for Colombia: how to apply
- Official visa appointment service for Colombia: visa fees
- Official visa appointment service for Colombia: required documentation
- Official visa appointment service for Colombia: Applicant Service Center
- Official visa appointment service for Colombia: Consular Section information
- Official visa appointment service for Colombia: document courier services
- Official visa appointment service for Colombia: announcements
- Department of Homeland Security: Visa Waiver Program
- US Customs and Border Protection: I-94 arrival and departure record
- Federal Register: Proclamation 10998, restricting and limiting the entry of foreign nationals
- Federal Register: Department of State schedule of fees for consular services, temporary final rule in force 1 July to 31 December 2026
- Public Law 119-21, section 100007 (8 U.S.C. 1806): Visa Integrity Fee
- US Code: 8 U.S.C. 1184, admission of nonimmigrants (subsection (b), presumption of status)
You've read the rules. Now find out if YOUR application will pass.
Refusals often come from documents that look fine to the applicant but don't to an officer. This guide tells you what to submit. TravelReady tells you whether what you've actually prepared holds up.
Free check. No credit card. You only pay if you want the full pre-submission review.
Last updated: October 13, 2026. Visa rules change without notice, always confirm the latest fee and processing time on the relevant embassy or immigration website before submitting.