Colombia Visa for Australians and New Zealanders 2026: 90 Days Free, No Tax Treaty, and What That Means

When Ben — a 34-year-old from Melbourne — landed at El Dorado in Bogotá on a one-way ticket in early 2026, he assumed the process would mirror what he had heard from British and American expats. It mostly did: 90-day visa-free entry, renewable with a short border hop. What surprised him was the detail his migration advisor explained over coffee three weeks in: Australia has no double taxation agreement with Colombia. His Colombian-sourced freelance income, once he became a tax resident after 183 days, would be taxed in Colombia at rates up to 35% — and then, returning to Australia for a visit, potentially subject to Australian tax on world income too, with no treaty mechanism to prevent double-dipping. "The tax situation," his advisor told him, "is the thing nobody from home tells you about."

Australians and New Zealanders are a growing and visible presence in Colombia's expat communities — particularly in Medellín, where the Pacific time zone alignment with the East Coast makes remote work logistics easier than anywhere else in South America. Their migration path is straightforward. Their tax situation is not.

Entry and Visa-Free Status

Both Australia and New Zealand have visa-waiver agreements with Colombia that allow up to 90 days of tourist entry per visit. The 90 days resets with a border crossing — a policy that Colombia has announced plans to tighten, but which remained in practice in mid-2026. Australians and New Zealanders seeking to stay longer or to work, invest, or study formally need an M visa. The applicable categories are the same as for any Western national: M-Trabajador (work), M-Inversionista (investor), M-Cónyuge (Colombian spouse), M-Nómada Digital (digital nomad), M-Pensionado (retiree), M-Estudiante (student).

The Medical Coverage Requirement

The same Art. 11 requirement applies regardless of nationality. Every M visa applicant must present coverage under a medical assistance plan with a minimum of COP 29.5 million per event, valid for the full visa period, issued by an entity authorized in Colombia. Australian or New Zealand health insurance does not satisfy this requirement. Medicare, the Australian public health system, has no extraterritorial validity. The plan must be a Colombian medical assistance plan or an internationally recognized plan that explicitly covers Colombia and meets the minimum coverage threshold.

The Double Taxation Problem: No Treaty

Australia has an extensive network of double taxation treaties (DTTs) — but Colombia is not on it. New Zealand's treaty network also excludes Colombia. This means there is no bilateral agreement to determine which country has primary taxing rights over a resident's income, and no mechanism for tax credits to prevent double taxation. An Australian who spends 183+ days in Colombia in a tax year becomes a Colombian tax resident, subject to Colombian income tax on worldwide income (up to 35%). Upon returning to Australia — if they have maintained Australian tax residency — the same income could also be subject to Australian tax. Structuring international income correctly before crossing the 183-day threshold is material for Australians and New Zealanders in a way it is not for, say, Spaniards or Portuguese who benefit from CDT coverage.

Practical Tax Position for Australian Digital Nomads

For Australian digital nomads on the M-Nómada Digital visa — who by definition are earning income from non-Colombian sources — the Colombian tax position depends on their days of presence: under 183 days, they pay Colombian income tax only on Colombian-sourced income (which for a true digital nomad with exclusively foreign clients is zero); over 183 days, worldwide income becomes taxable in Colombia. The interaction with Australian tax residency rules (which Australia applies based on domicile and intentions, not purely days) means some Australians remain Australian tax residents even while physically in Colombia. Professional tax advice — from an advisor who knows both systems — is not optional for Australians planning a stay beyond six months.