Nicaragua visa requirements for Colombian citizens
Colombian citizens need a visa for Nicaragua and must apply for it before the trip at a consulate or embassy.
- Consular fee
- 10 USD
- Minimum passport validity
- More than 6 months from entry
Why is this passport validity required? →
Last verified: 6 October 2026
How this visa is processed
Nicaragua's General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners, through its online system for applications from abroad (tramitesconsulares.mint.gob.ni)
Since 16 February 2026 a Colombian needs a consulted visa (category C) to enter Nicaragua. It was set by Disposición 002-2026 of the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners, which abolished the former category B and with it any visa on arrival. Colombia is the only country on the list with an exception written into the rule itself: partial visa-free reciprocity is kept for Colombians born in the archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina (the Raizales), just as Colombia keeps it for Nicaraguans born on the Nicaraguan Caribbean coast. Every other Colombian has to request the authorisation before travelling. Migration in Managua authorises the consulted visa, and the application is registered on the Ministry of the Interior's online system for applications from abroad. The requirements Migration lists are a copy of a passport with at least six months of validity, a letter explaining the request, a police certificate from the country of origin or residence and a notarised maintenance undertaking, plus a return ticket. Once notified, the visa must be used within six months.
Official application site →Application details verified on 6 October 2026. Sources: Ministry of the Interior of Nicaragua, General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners: Disposición No. 002-2026, "Cambio de categorías migratorias de visa para ingresar a Nicaragua" (third section, item 20, Colombia with partial reciprocity for the Raizales of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina; in force from 16 February 2026), in the copy published by the Nicaraguan Civil Aviation Institute (inac.gob.ni); mint.gob.ni/migracion, "Visa de ingreso al país" (category C requirements); tramitesconsulares.mint.gob.ni, online system for applications from abroad. Checked 6 October 2026.
Verified practical details
You'll need to apply for a visa at a consulate or embassy before travelling. Here are the practical details we've verified:
Authorisation system
Advance migration form
It is not a visa or an electronic travel authorisation, but it has to be done before arrival: to enter by land or sea you must complete the migration form and send it seven days in advance to solicitudes@mint.gob.ni, or fill it in online. Arriving by air, the airline provides the link to complete it, within the deadlines the airline sets.
Fee
10 USD
Customs authorities charge a ten US dollar entry fee on arrival. Citizens of the CA-4 countries (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras) are exempt from it.
Required documents
- Passport valid for more than six months from the date of entry, or a migration document recognised by Nicaragua.
- Migration form: sent seven days in advance to solicitudes@mint.gob.ni when entering by land or sea; provided by the airline when entering by air.
- Payment of the 10 US dollar entry fee on arrival.
Health insurance
Not mandatory for this destination.
When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓More Nicaragua rules
They don't depend on your passport, so they are on the Nicaragua page:
Official portal: https://www.mint.gob.ni/migracion/. Destination data verified on 17 September 2026. Sources: exteriores.gob.es (travel advice of Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation for Nicaragua and the Spanish Embassy in Managua: visa exemption up to 90 days, passport validity, migration form and advance submission to solicitudes@mint.gob.ni, 10 USD entry fee, exit visa for residents, fine of ~3 USD per day of irregular stay, yellow fever requirement by country of origin, customs allowances and banned items, cash declaration from 10,000 USD); mint.gob.ni (Ministry of the Interior: General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners, Disposición No. 002-2026 changing visa migration categories, in force since 16 February 2026; the official text is not published in a searchable form, so the content was cross-checked against the Consortium Legal, Central Law and Lexology analyses that reproduce the categories and against the list of visa-free countries, in which Spain appears); sica.int/ocam (Central American Integration System: CA-4 free movement agreement); whc.unesco.org (World Heritage List) (checked 17 September 2026).
Travel insurance for Nicaragua
It isn't listed as mandatory for this entry, but without insurance, medical care during the trip can get expensive.
See IATI's international site →IATI sells its policies according to the country you live in. Where do you live?
If your country isn't listed, try IATI's international site.
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Things to see and do in Nicaragua
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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This pair in context
In the other direction, citizens of Nicaragua need an electronic visa to enter Colombia. See the Nicaragua → Colombia page.
Of the 12 passports from South America that VisaRadar tracks, for travel to Nicaragua 7 enter visa-free and 5 need a visa. Same result as Colombia: Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.
With a passport from Colombia, in the rest of Central America you can enter Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Panama visa-free; you need a visa for Costa Rica.
A passport from Colombia ranks 75 of 199 in the VisaRadar passport ranking and reaches 115 of 198 destinations without applying for a visa in advance.
Counts from the same requirements matrix behind this page's verdict, using the UN M49 subregions.
Frequently asked questions
Do Colombian citizens need a visa for Nicaragua?
Yes. You must apply for the visa in advance at the relevant consulate or embassy.
What minimum passport validity is required?
Passport valid for more than six months from the date of entry, or a migration document recognised by Nicaragua.
What currency is used in Nicaragua?
Nicaraguan Córdoba (NIO).
Do Colombians need a visa for Nicaragua?
Yes, with an ordinary passport. Since 16 February 2026 Colombia has been in category C (consulted visa) of Disposición 002-2026, and there is no longer a visa on arrival.
Is there any exception for Colombians?
The rule keeps partial visa-free reciprocity for Raizal Colombians, born in San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina.
Where do I apply for the consulted visa?
It is registered online at tramitesconsulares.mint.gob.ni, the Nicaraguan Ministry of the Interior's system for applications from abroad. The General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners authorises it.
Which documents are required?
A copy of a passport valid for six months, a letter explaining the request, a police certificate, a notarised maintenance undertaking and a return ticket.
What do Colombian passport holders need for the countries near Nicaragua?
With a passport from Colombia, in the rest of Central America you can enter Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Panama visa-free; you need a visa for Costa Rica.
Related pages
See Nicaragua requirements for other passports →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.