AnkyroTravel insuranceColombia
Travel insurance for Colombia.
Most tourists need no visa and no policy for Colombia. If you do need a visa, insurance is part of it. Private clinics want payment first.
The rules
What Colombia asks of visitors.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Entry rules change, so check again before you fly.
- Visa-free tourists: no policy asked
Many nationalities can visit for up to 90 days without a visa. Insurance is advised, not required.
Source: travel.gc.ca - Extend up to 180 days a year
You can ask a migration office to extend your stay, up to 180 days per calendar year.
Source: travel.gc.ca - Tourist visa: a health policy
If you need a tourist visa, you must show a policy valid in Colombia for your whole stay. It must cover accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospital, death and repatriation.
Source: cancilleria.gov.co - Nomad and rentista visas too
The digital nomad and rentista visas ask for the same health policy for your planned stay.
Source: cancilleria.gov.co - Check-Mig before you travel
Migración Colombia’s Check-Mig form takes your trip details from 72 hours to 1 hour before you fly, for entry and for exit. The UK government calls it optional. It takes a few minutes, so most travellers fill it in.
Source: apps.migracioncolombia.gov.co - Onward ticket within 90 days
Visitors must show a return or onward ticket that falls within the 90 days.
Source: gov.uk - Yellow fever vaccine
The US CDC advises the yellow fever vaccine for most trips to Colombia, but not for travel only to Bogotá, San Andrés or places above 2,300 m.
Source: wwwnc.cdc.gov
What care costs
If something goes wrong, this is the bill.
What a visitor pays without insurance. Prices vary by hospital and change every year.
- Private clinics: pay first
Private clinics treat emergencies, but usually want payment in advance, in cash or by card.
Source: travel.gc.ca - No proof of cover, public hospital
Without proof of travel insurance, you may be sent to a public hospital, where care may be weaker.
Source: travel.gc.ca - Public hospitals: short of supplies
Public hospitals are often poorly funded and short of medical supplies. Good private clinics are in the big cities and state capitals.
Source: gov.uk - Medicine for complex care
Most medicines are sold in big-city pharmacies, but drugs for complex treatment may be missing in rural areas and small towns.
Source: gov.uk
What to look for
Choosing travel cover for Colombia.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- Every risk the visa lists
For a visa, the policy must name accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospital, death and repatriation. Check each one.
- Valid for your whole stay
The policy must run for the full time you plan to stay. Extend it if you extend your stay.
- Evacuation
Good care is mostly in the big cities. Check the plan pays to move you there or home.
- Spanish-speaking help
Most doctors speak Spanish only. A 24/7 assistance line that can talk to the hospital helps a lot.
Before you land
Sort these before you fly.
- Emergency: 123
Dial 123 for an ambulance, the police or fire.
- Mobile data
Set up an eSIM or buy a local SIM, so you can reach your insurer and call a clinic.
- Carry proof of cover
Keep your policy on your phone and on paper. It can decide which hospital you go to.
- Altitude in Bogotá
Altitude sickness is a risk in Bogotá. Plan a light first day after you land.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Applying for a visa with a policy that leaves out a listed risk, like maternity or repatriation.
- 02Getting a Migración Colombia extension but leaving the policy end date as it was.
- 03Travelling with no card or cash for a clinic. Most private clinics want payment first.
Travel insurance stops when the trip ends, and most visas for living in Colombia don’t accept it. See what Colombia asks of residents.
Questions
People also ask.
Is travel insurance mandatory for Colombia?+
Not for visa-free tourists. If you need a visa, including the tourist and digital nomad visas, a health policy is required.
What insurance do I need for a Colombian visa?+
A policy valid in Colombia for your whole stay, covering accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospital, death and repatriation.
How long can a tourist stay in Colombia?+
Up to 90 days on entry, and up to 180 days per calendar year with an extension.
What is the emergency number in Colombia?+
Dial 123 for an ambulance, the police or fire.
Other trips
Going somewhere else?
Visiting Singapore? Care is excellent and expensive. Living here and going abroad? MediShield Life does not pay overseas. Here is what to check.
02Schengen visaA Schengen visa needs travel medical cover of at least 30,000 euros, valid in every Schengen country, with repatriation. Here is what passes, and what doesn’t.
03MalaysiaVisiting Malaysia? Public hospitals charge foreigners full price. Living here and going abroad? Your cover at home stays at home. Here is what to check.
04ThailandThailand doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. But hospitals want a payment guarantee before they treat you, and private care is not cheap. Here is what to know.
05JapanJapan doesn’t ask tourists for insurance yet. But visitors pay the full bill, and unpaid bills can get you refused entry next time. Here is what to know.
06USA visitorsThe US doesn’t ask visitors for insurance. But a few days in hospital can cost more than a car. Here is what care costs, and what a visitor plan must cover.
07Bali and IndonesiaIndonesia doesn’t ask tourists for insurance yet. But a broken leg in Bali can cost over 160 million rupiah, and serious cases can need a flight out. Here is what to know.
08Dubai and the UAEDubai’s law says visitors must be insured, and the 5-year tourist visa asks for proof. Care is good but private, and an unpaid bill can stop you leaving.
09VietnamVietnam doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. But private hospitals cost a lot, and a motorbike crash can stop you leaving the country. Here is what to know.
10SpainPublic care in Spain is free with an EHIC or GHIC. Private clinics, dental care and the flight home are not. Here is what the card leaves to you in Spain.
11MexicoMexico doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. Private hospitals in big cities are good, but most want payment first, and Medicare won’t pay.
12FranceCare in France is not free, even with an EHIC or GHIC. You pay upfront, claim back part, and the flight home is never covered. Here is what to check.
13ItalyThe EHIC and GHIC work in Italy’s public system, but you still pay fees, most medicines and any private doctor. Here is the Italian bill the card leaves you.
14GermanyWith an EHIC or GHIC, most care in Germany costs little. Private extras, mountain rescue and the flight home are on you. Here is what to check.
15PortugalPublic care in Portugal is mostly free with an EHIC or GHIC. Private clinics, medicines and the flight home are not. Here is what to check before you fly to Portugal.
16Costa RicaCosta Rica doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. Only first emergency care is free, private clinics want payment first, and extensions have their own rules.
18South KoreaKorea doesn’t ask tourists for insurance, and the national scheme is not for short trips. Hospitals expect you to pay on the spot, then claim.
19Australia working holidayThe 417 and 462 visas don’t make you buy health insurance. But you pay every medical bill yourself, unless your passport gets you limited Medicare. Here is who is covered and what to buy.
20New Zealand working holidayMost working holiday visas for New Zealand require medical and hospital insurance for your whole stay, and you can be asked for proof when you land. Here is who is exempt and what to buy.