Colombia shuts Cali and Pereira visa offices for biometrics after Aug. 10 quake

Colombia halts visa biometrics in Cali and Pereira after earthquake

Remote workers and foreign residents in southwest Colombia face processing delays after post-earthquake structural inspections forced local immigration offices to shut their doors.

Office closures stall foreigner ID registration

Migración Colombia suspended in-person services across several regional hubs following an Aug. 10 earthquake. While locations in Medellín, Armenia and Manizales have resumed regular operations, offices in Cali and Pereira remain closed without in-person service until further notice.

The shutdown halts all physical foreigner registration, biometrics collection, emergency travel permits and the issuance of the cédula de extranjería. Routine tourist arrivals at international airports remain unaffected, the agency confirmed.

Workarounds for digital nomads and visa holders

Online visa adjudications through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continue to operate normally. Remote workers navigating Colombia's residency rules can still apply for and receive approved digital nomad e-visas online without interruption.

The bottleneck occurs during the mandatory post-approval step, which requires visa holders to complete fingerprinting and register their status within 15 days of receiving their visa or entering the country. Applicants assigned to Cali or Pereira must either reschedule their biometrics appointments at open immigration offices in nearby cities like Armenia or Bogotá or delay in-person filings until local structural checks finish. Standard fees and registration requirements remain unchanged.