Colombia Student Visa for Indian Citizens
Entry rules for Indian passport holders in Colombia: when a US or Schengen visa opens the door, when you need a visa first, and how the student visa works.
For most nationalities on this site, entering Colombia is a formality. For Indian citizens it depends on one question: do you hold a valid US or Schengen visa? Here is the map as we understand it today, and how the student visa fits in for someone whose goal is Spanish.
The entry rules
Indian citizens generally need a visa to enter Colombia, with one main exception: holders of a valid US or Schengen visa, with at least 180 days of validity left at entry and not a transit visa, can enter for a short stay without a Colombian visa. A US or Schengen residence permit works the same way. If none of that applies to you, you need a Colombian visa before you travel, and the student visa, filed online, can be that visa. The confusion online comes from mixing these cases, so read your own passport before you read the forums.
| Your situation | What it means for Colombia |
|---|---|
| Valid US or Schengen visa (180+ days remaining, not transit) | Short-stay entry without a Colombian visa, under the standard entry permit rules |
| US or Schengen residence permit | Same short-stay exemption applies |
| Neither of the above | A Colombian visa before travel; the student visa itself can be that visa |
| Planning months of study either way | The type V student visa ties the stay to a program at a licensed school |
The student visa as the plan
If your goal is Spanish, the type V student visa is the cleanest reason to be in Colombia: your file rests on an acceptance letter from a licensed school and your study load is verifiable. Our Visa Program provides the substance, 40 hours of classes per month from 1 to 15 months, CEFR A1 to C1, in Pereira, Medellín or online. It is a plan rather than a workaround: you apply for the visa that matches what you will do here, and the program you enroll in is the evidence. Each level ends with an evaluation and a certificate, and groups stay at five students at most.
Why Spanish, from India
Spanish is the working language of a continent of growing markets, and Indian professionals who speak it are still rare. Students who grew up with two or three languages tend to progress fast, and Colombia adds a cost of living that makes a real season of study possible. The learning reflexes are already built, since switching between languages is a daily habit for many; only the language is new.
Documents from India
Around the acceptance letter, your file includes a valid passport, recent bank statements, photos and apostilled documents where required, since India is part of the Apostille Convention. The application itself is filed online with the Colombian authorities. Get the apostilles moving first, since they take more steps in India than in most countries, and request bank statements last so they read as current. Write to us before you spend anything: the free evaluation looks at the visas you hold, your timeline and your goals.
The acceptance letter comes from the school
We are a licensed ETDH institution (Resolution 6784 of 2022); our Spanish program is registered by Resolution 005093 of 2024 with the Secretaría de Educación Municipal de Pereira and listed in SIET, the Ministry of Education registry. Reserve a Visa Program with a 15% deposit and we issue your carta de aceptación directly; the deposit counts toward your program rather than adding to it. From there we guide you through the process, so the rest of the file matches the letter and the order of the papers is clear before you request the first one. Your first package gets −10% off on selected plans, applied automatically.
Start online from India
India runs about ten and a half hours ahead of Colombia, so our morning classes land in your evening, a workable rhythm for a head start while the paperwork moves. Many Indian students build their first level online, then arrive already speaking. The online classes are live, with the same teachers you will meet on campus, and a level completed online counts the same as one completed here.
Indian situations differ more than most, and this page is not legal advice: check current rules with official Colombian sources, or hand the application to our optional lawyer service (400 USD).
Indian citizens ask us
Can Indians enter Colombia without a visa?
Only with a valid US or Schengen visa carrying at least 180 days of validity at entry (transit visas do not count), or a US or Schengen residence permit. Otherwise a Colombian visa is required before travel.
Can the student visa be my first Colombian visa?
Yes. If you do not qualify for the short-stay exemption, the type V student visa, with a real program and an acceptance letter from a licensed school, is the direct route to Colombia.
How do I get the acceptance letter from India?
Entirely online, from wherever you are. Once the deposit is paid we send the carta de aceptación by email, and the PDF goes straight into your online visa application. It carries a verification QR code, so the reader can confirm that a licensed school issued it.
Do Indian documents need apostilles?
Where the file requires authenticated documents, yes. India issues apostilles through the Ministry of External Affairs system, after state-level attestation for many document types. Collect them before travel, with official Spanish translations where needed.
From choosing a program to a decision, step by step.
A plan for every goal and every schedule
Group classes from $ 420.000 $ 378.000 a week, flexible private packages valid for 6 months and live online at the same price.
Your Spanish starts today (and your first class is free)
Your first package gets −10% off on selected plans, applied automatically. See you in Medellín, Pereira or online.