Visas and Health in Colombia
Whatever the reason you choose to go to Colombia, consider taking out travel or expat health insurance for you and your family. You will leave with peace of mind and can prevent financial, health, and legal risks that would arise unexpectedly. Guarantees for repatriation, hospitalization, civil liability and other emergency medical expenses are essential, regardless of your destination.

Political regime: Republic
Capital: Bogota
Area: 1,141,748 sq km
Population: 49.07 million
Spoken languages: Spanish
Currency: Colombian peso
Visas Colombia
If you are a French national, you do not need a visa for tourist stays of less than 60 days. All you need to do is have your passport valid for at least six months after the return date.
French Embassy in Bogota
Carrera 11, 93-12 Apartado Aereo – 29611 Bogota
Tel: [571] 638 14 00
Fax: [571] 638 14 30
Email: presse@ambafrance-co.org
Colombian Embassy in Paris
22, rue de l’Elysée – 75008 Paris
Tel: 01.42.65.46.08
Fax: 01.42.66.18.60
Email: eparis@minrelext.gov.co
Vaccines and Safety in Colombia
Compulsory vaccines and certificates
- Compulsory vaccines and certificates: The yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory for all visitors over the age of one. The HIV certificate is required for all stays of more than 3 months.
- Recommended vaccines and certificates: For adults, don’t forget the vaccines against tetanus, polio, hepatitis A and B, meningitis A and C and for people at risk: tuberculosis and rabies. For children, don’t forget the vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, tuberculosis, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis A and B, (long stay), meningitis A and C (long stay for travellers 18 months and older ), typhoid (long stay for travellers 5 years and older).
- Local diseases: In Colombia, the following diseases are common: Amibiase, Spider’s Stings, Pisces, Snakes, Venomous Scorpions, Ascaris, Cholera, Dengue, Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A and B, Leishmaniasis, Chagas Disease (trypanosomiasis), Diseases Sexually transmitted, Malaria, Polio, Rage, Tetanus, Tuberculosis, Typhoid.
Security
Several armed groups are active in Colombia and carry out terrorist operations and kidnappings mainly in border areas. The crime rate remains high, assaults are common in major cities like Bogota, Cali, and Medellin.
Health insurance in Colombia
Why take international health insurance when travelling or living in Colombia? Simply because health spending quickly reaches very high amounts abroad. On the other hand, health insurance is compulsory in Colombia in order to be covered in a public or private institution. In addition, the repatriation guarantee is an essential criterion. In the event of a serious accident it is sometimes necessary to carry out a medicalized repatriation to the nearest medical centre or to the country of residence. Depending on where you are at the time of the accident, and depending on the medical prognosis, it may be necessary to Charter a helicopter or a medicalized aircraft.
Mondassur supports you in your choice of international health insurance by helping you compare the different offers on the market. Depending on your profile, we will be able to offer you different travel,international student and expatriate insurance packages.