Logistics

How it works, start to finish

Everything below is what we'd tell a friend. Where rules can change (visas, airline routes) we say so and tell you what to verify, rather than pretend a web page can stay current.

How long you can stay

Most US and Canadian passport holders are stamped in for up to 90 days on arrival, and can extend in-country to a maximum of 180 days in a calendar year. A December-to-February winter fits inside the first 90 with room to spare; a November-to-March one needs the extension, applied for online with Migración Colombia before the first 90 days run out.

Two things to keep straight: the 180-day cap is per calendar year, so a stay that straddles New Year gets counted across two years; and 183 days in the country in a year makes you a Colombian tax resident, which you do not want by accident. Stay under both lines and you never think about either.

Colombia also has a digital-nomad visa (Visa V for remote workers) for stays longer than the tourist stamp allows. Requirements and income thresholds change; check Cancillería's current page before relying on it.

Renting for a month or more

Furnished monthly rentals are the normal way to stay in Medellín. Under Colombia's residential tenancy law (Ley 820) stays of 30 days or more are treated as rentals, not lodging, which is why buildings that ban short-term guests still allow monthly ones — and why the monthly price per night is so much lower.

• Choose the neighbourhood before you look at a single listing. Laureles or Envigado for a working stay; Poblado's quieter edges if you want English around you.
• Ask for the building name and the floor. Look for a portería, an elevator, and a real desk. Ask what the internet speed is and whether utilities are included (usually yes).
• Never pay a full deposit to a stranger for an apartment you haven't seen on video. Reputable operators take a modest deposit and a signed contract.
• If you'd rather someone here shortlist it for you: the Rental Match form on our sister site sends your dates and budget to people who do this all day.

Working from here

Colombia is UTC-5 year-round. From November to March that's the same clock as New York, Toronto and Boston; one hour ahead of Chicago and Minneapolis; two ahead of Denver and Calgary; three ahead of Seattle and Vancouver. Nobody on your team will notice you left.

Fibre internet in the neighbourhoods above is fast and cheap. Coworking spaces are everywhere in Poblado and Laureles if your apartment's desk isn't cutting it. Bring a travel router if your company's VPN is fussy, and a VPN of your own for the cafés.

The arrival checklist

• Airport: José María Córdova (MDE) is in Rionegro, 45–60 minutes from the city. Book the transfer before you land or use the official taxi rank; don't take a ride offered in the arrivals hall.
• SIM: Claro or Movistar, sold in any mall and most corner shops. A month of data is a few dollars. Your home eSIM works for the first day.
• Money: pesos from a bank-branch ATM (Bancolombia, Davivienda), a card with no foreign-transaction fee, and Wise for anything bigger (affiliate link, disclosed).
• Apps: Uber/Cabify/inDrive for rides, Rappi for delivery, Google Maps for the metro (it works), and WhatsApp for literally everything else.
• Altitude and sun: take the first day slow, drink water, wear sunscreen — at 6° north the sun is straight overhead at noon even when it's 75°F.