When Miguel and Pierre — a Colombian-French couple who had met in Paris — decided to move to Medellín in 2024, their Spanish friends were concerned. They needn't have been. By their second year, they had registered their civil union at a Bogotá notary, which gave Pierre the same qualifying documentation as any other Colombian's spouse for the V-Fí visa. Medellín's LGBTQ+ scene — particularly the envigado-Laureles corridor and Parque Lleras — was welcoming in a way that surprised Pierre. Colombia's legal framework, after the Constitutional Court's rulings, had moved considerably faster than social attitudes in some regions. Understanding both the legal reality and the practical experience in each city is what this guide covers.
Colombia is the most LGBTQ+-inclusive country in Latin America from a legal standpoint — same-sex marriage was affirmed by the Constitutional Court in 2016, adoption rights extended equally, and anti-discrimination protections enacted. For LGBTQ+ foreigners considering Colombia as a destination, the visa implications of these rights are concrete and practical.
same-sex marriage
partner same as opposite-sex
for same-sex couples
expat scene in Colombia
The Legal Framework: Same-Sex Rights in Colombia
Colombia's Constitutional Court (Corte Constitucional) affirmed same-sex marriage in Sentence SU-214/2016, effective immediately nationwide. Same-sex couples have equal adoption rights (Sentence C-071/2015, Sentence SU-696/2015), inheritance rights, and survivor pension rights. The civil union (unión marital de hecho) is also recognized for same-sex couples since Law 54/1990 was reinterpreted by the courts. In practice, same-sex couples access the same legal institutions as opposite-sex couples: marriage at a notary, civil union declaration before a notary or family inspector, and adoption through ICBF.
The V-FÍ Visa: Same Rights for Same-Sex Partners
Resolution 5477/2022 establishes the V-Fí (and M-Fí) visa for spouses and permanent partners of Colombian nationals. The regulation does not distinguish by gender — a same-sex partner of a Colombian national has identical visa rights to an opposite-sex partner. To qualify: legal marriage certificate, or unión marital de hecho declaration (acta) before a Colombian notary. The unión marital requires evidence of cohabitation of at least 2 years. The visa is issued for 1–3 years and renewable; the M-Fí pathway leads to visa R after 2 years of continuous residence.
The Medical Coverage Requirement for LGBTQ+ Couples
A point that affects families specifically: each member of the couple — and each child — requires individual Art. 11-compliant medical coverage. The coverage cannot be shared or pooled into a single policy that covers the household. For a two-person couple where both hold M visas, two separate policies are required. For a family with adopted children, each child who is a foreign national also needs individual coverage. Colombian-national members of the couple access EPS or public health coverage through normal channels.
The Practical Experience by City
Medellín is the most visibly LGBTQ+-friendly city in Colombia, with a concentrated scene in El Poblado (around Parque Lleras) and increasing presence in Laureles. The city hosts Colombia Pride (Marcha del Orgullo de Medellín) annually, one of the largest in Latin America. Bogotá's LGBTQ+ scene is spread across Chapinero (the traditional hub — Calle 69–70 corridor), Candelaria, and Zona Rosa. Cartagena has a smaller visible scene but a growing presence. The contrast between urban and rural Colombia is significant — smaller towns and interior departments are more socially conservative, and public displays of affection carry higher social risk outside major cities.