Colombia

Entry & Exit Requirements

U.S. citizens must present a passport valid for at least the duration of their stay to enter Colombia.

A Colombian visa is not required for tourist stays of 90 days or less. Travelers entering Colombia are sometimes asked to present evidence of return or onward travel, usually in the form of a plane ticket.

No arrival tax is collected upon entry into Colombia, but travelers leaving by plane must pay an exit tax in cash at the airport. Most airlines include all or a portion of this fee in the cost of your airline ticket. Check with your airline beforehand to find out how much you will have to pay at the airport.

If you are not traveling with a U.S. passport, please check with the Colombian Embassy for the requirements based on your nationality.

Health and Safety

Please consult your physician for guidance on medical issues. Holbrook Travel is not authorized to provide medical information and the following advice should be confirmed with your doctor.

Immunizations

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that all travelers be up-to-date on routine vaccinations such as measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccine, varicella (chicken pox) vaccine, and your yearly flu shot, as well as the COVID-19 vaccine, before every trip.

There are no vaccinations required for entry into Colombia (unless you are arriving from Angola, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, or Uganda, in which case yellow fever vaccine is required). According to the CDC, yellow fever is a risk in much of Colombia, primarily at elevations below 7,550 feet. While not required for entry into the country, the CDC does recommend the yellow fever vaccine for most travelers.

Additionally, the CDC recommends vaccination against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and typhoid for most unvaccinated travelers to Colombia.

Please visit cdc.gov/travel or consult your physician for additional information and recommendations based on your individual circumstances.

Malaria

The CDC warns that travelers to Colombia may be at risk for exposure to malaria, especially at elevations below 5,600 feet. Malaria is caused by a parasite found in Anopheles mosquitos, which are active from dusk until dawn. Prevention is twofold: the use of anti-malarial drugs and the prevention of insect bites. If you choose to use an anti-malarial drug, as recommended by the CDC, see your physician for a prescription. To protect against mosquitos, cover exposed skin with lightweight, long-sleeved shirts and pants, consider treating clothes with permethrin, and use an insect repellent containing an active ingredient like DEET or picaridin. Apply sunscreen first, followed by the repellent (preferably 20 minutes later).

Other Insect-borne Illnesses

Other insect-borne illnesses are known to occur in Colombia, including dengue fever, leishmaniasis, Zika virus, and others. Travelers to Colombia should protect themselves against insect bites using the measures described above.

As a precaution, the CDC advises women who are pregnant to consider postponing travel to any area where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.

Altitude sickness

Upon arrival at locations of high elevation (above 5,000 feet), shortness of breath and a pounding heart are normal responses to the lack of oxygen in the air. However, for some visitors, these symptoms can deteriorate into altitude sickness. Headache, extreme tiredness, dizziness, nausea, and loss of appetite are standard symptoms. Staying hydrated and well rested is important to adjust to the altitude. Avoiding heavy, fatty foods and alcohol in the days before arriving to altitude can help. Over-the-counter medications are also available to help prevent or alleviate symptoms. It’s advisable to avoid sleep medications, as they can slow breathing and respiration, which aid in getting the blood oxygenated while sleeping. Participants who take blood pressure medications should discuss this with their doctor as the medication can drop pressure too low at times.

Sun Exposure

The effects of the sun can be damaging to the eyes and skin. Spending time outdoors exposes you to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, even on cloudy days. To protect yourself from the sun, use a broad spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 15, protect skin with clothing, wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and drink plenty of fluids.

Currency

The currency in Colombia is the peso (1 peso = 100 centavos). 

Communications

Telephone

Colombia's country code is +57.

To call Colombia (from the U.S.): Dial 011-57-(xxxx-xxxx)

To call the U.S. (from Colombia): Dial 00X-1-(xxx-xxx-xxxx)

(X is the long-distance carrier code.)

To make an international call, you must first gain access to the international telephone circuits by dialing an exit code (011 from U.S.; 00 from abroad). After dialing the international exit code, you need to dial the country code number for the country you are calling, then dial the city code/area code and the local number.

Telephone centers are available in most shopping malls. Most of the larger towns in Colombia have internet cafés, and many of the larger hotels also have their own internet service. Although international calls can be charged to your hotel room, it is usually a more expensive option, so be sure to check hotel phone rates prior to making any calls.

Please check with your cell phone provider if you’re unsure whether or not your cell phone will work internationally. Be aware that you are likely to incur additional charges for international use.

Internet

The increasing availability of computers and Internet access at hotels and cyber cafés has made it easier than ever to connect with friends and family via email. Many participants have found this to be a more cost-effective method for staying in touch with loved ones during travel. 

Electricity

Electrical current is usually 110 volts, the same as in the United States. (If your camera equipment or other electronics require a 3-prong plug, however, you should plan to bring a 3-prong to 2-prong adapter, i.e. two prongs without a grounding plug going into the wall. These can be found at hardware stores and sell for about $1.)

Time Zone

Colombia has one time zone, Colombia Time (COT), which is located in the UTC−05:00 zone, 5 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).