Colombia Student Visa for Dutch Citizens
The Colombia student visa for Dutch citizens: visa-free entry, court-issued apostilles, the acceptance letter and why fluent English is not enough in South America.
Dutch travellers arrive with excellent English and discover, sometimes in the first taxi, that South America politely declines to use it. Spanish is the entry ticket to the continent — and Colombia is one of the best places on earth to earn it. Here is how the student visa works for Dutch citizens.
Entering Colombia with a Dutch passport
Dutch citizens enter Colombia without a visa for short stays: an entry permit on arrival, normally 90 days, extendable to 180 days within the calendar year. Amsterdam connects to Bogotá with direct flights, which makes the door-to-classroom trip shorter than it looks on the map. As always, confirm the current entry rules with official Colombian sources.
Why the Dutch English reflex fails here
In the Netherlands, English opens every door; in Colombia it opens a hotel lobby. Daily life — markets, landlords, friendships, the entire Paisa sense of humor — runs in Spanish. That is not an obstacle, it is the opportunity: total immersion is the fastest teacher there is, provided you pair it with structure. Our Visa Program supplies the structure: 40 hours of classes per month, about 10 hours a week, CEFR levels A1 to C1 with certificates, for 1 to 15 months, in Pereira, Medellín or live online.
| Question | For Dutch citizens |
|---|---|
| Visa to enter as a tourist? | No — entry permit on arrival, normally 90 days, extendable to 180 per calendar year |
| Apostilles | Yes where required — in the Netherlands, apostilles are issued by the courts (rechtbanken), before departure |
| The key document | The acceptance letter, issued directly by our licensed school |
| The program behind it | 40 hours of classes per month, CEFR A1 to C1, from 1 to 15 months |
| What it costs | From $1,700,000 COP per month, plus government fees set by the authorities |
Paperwork before Schiphol
Your application is filed online with the Colombian authorities, anchored by the acceptance letter and completed with a valid passport, recent bank statements, photos, and apostilled documents where required — Dutch apostilles come from the courts, and they are a same-week errand at home versus a courier saga from abroad. Non-Spanish documents need an official translation.
Every paper, in the right order.
The acceptance letter, no middleman
We are a government-licensed ETDH institution (Resolution 6784 of 2022); the Spanish program is registered by Resolution 005093 of 2024 with the Secretaría de Educación Municipal de Pereira and listed in SIET. Reserve your Visa Program with a 15% deposit and the carta de aceptación is issued by the school directly. PRIMERA15 takes 15% off your first package.
Start in the Netherlands, finish in a hammock
Colombia sits six to seven hours behind the Netherlands depending on the season: our morning classes land in your afternoon, comfortably after work or lectures. A common Dutch pattern is one or two levels online from home, then the flight, then campus classes with the same teachers — and weekends spent testing your Spanish against the entire continent it unlocks.
Dutch citizens ask us
Do Dutch citizens need a visa to enter Colombia?
Not for short stays: an entry permit on arrival, normally 90 days, extendable to 180 within the calendar year. For a longer stay built around study, the type V student visa applies. Confirm current rules with official Colombian sources.
Where do Dutch documents get apostilles?
At the Dutch courts (rechtbanken), and it is far easier before departure than from Colombia. Non-Spanish documents also need an official translation for the file.
Can I really not get by with English in Colombia?
Outside tourist bubbles, daily life runs in Spanish — which is precisely why immersion here works so well. Pair it with structured classes and the progress compounds fast.
Can I start classes from the Netherlands first?
Yes: live online classes with the same teachers, at hours that fit a Dutch afternoon or evening. Arriving with the basics done makes the first weeks in Colombia dramatically easier.
Program prices plus the fees the government sets.
A plan for every goal and every schedule
Group classes from $370.000 COP/week, flexible private packages valid for 6 months, and online at the same price. No hidden fees — and 15% off your first package.
Your Spanish starts today (and your first class is free)
Enroll in minutes, pay securely with Wompi and enjoy 15% off your first package. We are waiting for you in Medellín, Pereira or online.