Colombian citizens moving to United States of America
Colombian nationals typically move to United States of America through its standard work, study, family, and skilled-migration routes rather than through a dedicated bilateral scheme. Eligibility and processing times are set by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, so check each route below for its primary source.
We cover 14 United States routes — 5 can be started without a job offer, and 6 lead to permanent residence.
Tourist entry
Tourist-entry rules for Colombian nationals are set by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and change periodically — check the official entry-requirements page before travelling. Either way, tourist entry does not confer the right to work, study long-term, or establish residence.
Treaty & bilateral memberships
No nationality-specific treaty routes apply.
Consular processing: a United States of America consulate or visa application centre in your country of residence
Long-tail depth brief
Colombian to United States of America at a glance
Version 2026-07-02
| Signal | Current value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Covered routes | 14 5 do not require an employer sponsor; 6 are marked as settlement routes. | Visa route dataset |
| Sponsor-free routes | 5 EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant), EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW), EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, and more. | Visa route dataset |
| Settlement-mapped routes | 6 EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant), EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW), EB-3 Skilled, Professional, and Other Workers, and more. | Visa route dataset |
| Dominant skilled route | H-1B Specialty Occupation Sponsor or job offer required; temporary route. | USCIS — H-1B Specialty Occupations - 8 July 2026 |
| Published salary floor | US$62,000/yr H-1B — Level 1 prevailing wage (median across SOC codes) | DOL — Foreign Labor Certification wage search - 1 July 2024 |
| Published processing clock | 2 months – 8 months H-1B I-129 petitions commonly take 2–8 months at USCIS service centers; Premium Processing ($2,965) resolves within 15 business days. | USCIS — Case Processing Times - 1 June 2026 |
| Government cost example | US$3,595 Initial H-1B, standard employer (>25 FTE, not H-1B-dependent), no premium | USCIS — Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) - 1 July 2026 |
Index rule: Rendered on nationality corridor pages that pass shouldIndexCorridor; sparse fallback-only corridors remain omitted from static generation and sitemap. Source datasets: /api/public/visas, /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/processing-times, /api/public/fees.
What this means for Colombian citizens
Of the 14 United States of America routes we cover, 5 can be started without an employer sponsor and 6 have confirmed permanent residence mapping. Language-test requirements vary by route — check each route below for the requirement set out in its official source.
Headline figures — H-1B Specialty Occupation
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
Salary you must earn
US$62,000/yr
H-1B — Level 1 prevailing wage (median across SOC codes)
Verified 1 July 2024 · DOL — Foreign Labor Certification wage search
Government cost
US$3,595
Initial H-1B, standard employer (>25 FTE, not H-1B-dependent), no premium
H-4 dependants filing in the United States generally use Form I-539; verify the current G-1055 fee and whether any biometric-services fee applies. Consular H-4 applicants pay the applicable MRV fee where required.
Verified 1 July 2026 · USCIS — Fee Schedule (Form G-1055)
How long it takes
2 months – 8 months
H-1B I-129 petitions commonly take 2–8 months at USCIS service centers; Premium Processing ($2,965) resolves within 15 business days.
Verified 1 June 2026 · USCIS — Case Processing Times
All United States of America routes open to Colombian applicants
General routes available to all nationalities. Click any to read the full guide.
H-1B Specialty Occupation
Employer-sponsored non-immigrant visa for specialty occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Sponsor required · Non-settlement
L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager)
Intracompany transfer for executives or managers moving to a US office of a related multinational employer.
Sponsor required · Non-settlement
L-1B Intracompany Transferee (Specialised Knowledge)
Intracompany transfer for employees with specialised knowledge of the employer’s products, services, or processes.
Sponsor required · Non-settlement
O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
Visa for individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, education, business, athletics (O-1A) or the arts/film/television (O-1B).
Sponsor required · Non-settlement
EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant)
Employment-based first-preference green card for individuals with extraordinary ability — self-petitionable.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement
EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW)
Second-preference green card with a waiver of the job offer and PERM labor certification, where the beneficiary’s work is in the US national interest.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement
EB-3 Skilled, Professional, and Other Workers
Third-preference employment-based green card requiring employer sponsorship and PERM labor certification.
Sponsor required · Leads to settlement
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
Permanent residence through investment in a new US commercial enterprise that creates at least 10 full-time jobs.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement
E-2 Treaty Investor
Non-immigrant treaty investor visa for nationals of countries with a qualifying treaty of commerce and navigation with the US.
No sponsor needed · Non-settlement
F-1 Student Visa (with OPT and STEM OPT)
Non-immigrant student visa for academic study at a SEVP-certified institution, with post-study OPT employment authorisation.
No sponsor needed · Non-settlement
J-1 Exchange Visitor
Exchange visitor visa covering academic scholars, students, trainees, interns, researchers, au pairs, and other exchange programs.
Sponsor required · Non-settlement
TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico)
Non-immigrant work visa under USMCA for Canadian and Mexican citizens in listed professions.
Sponsor required · Non-settlement
K-1 Fiancé(e) of US Citizen
Non-immigrant visa allowing the fiancé(e) of a US citizen to enter the US to marry within 90 days and then apply for a green card.
Sponsor required · Leads to settlement
Spouse of US Citizen or Green Card Holder (IR1/CR1 & F2A)
Permanent residence for the spouse of a US citizen (IR1/CR1) or lawful permanent resident (F2A preference).
Sponsor required · Leads to settlement
Recent policy changes affecting this route
What changed most recently on this route — each linked to its primary government source.
- 12 January 2026In force 1 March 2026
US: premium processing rises to $2,965 and H-1B moves to wage-weighted selection
Two USCIS changes land for the FY2027 H-1B season: the Form I-907 premium-processing fee rises with inflation, and cap-subject H-1B selection switches from a random lottery to a wage-weighted process.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - 1 April 2024In force 1 April 2024
USCIS final fee rule takes effect
USCIS implemented its first major fee schedule adjustment in nearly a decade, including differentiated H-1B filing fees by employer type.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Frequently asked questions
Can Colombian citizens enter United States of America without a visa?+
Tourist-entry rules for Colombian nationals are set by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and change periodically — check the official entry-requirements page before travelling. Either way, tourist entry does not confer the right to work, study long-term, or establish residence.
Which United States of America visa routes are best suited to Colombian applicants?+
Colombian nationals typically move to United States of America through its standard work, study, family, and skilled-migration routes rather than through a dedicated bilateral scheme. Eligibility and processing times are set by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, so check each route below for its primary source.
Where do Colombian applicants typically apply for a United States of America visa?+
Applications are typically processed at a United States of America consulate or visa application centre in your country of residence. Some digital and in-country applications can be filed directly with United States of America's immigration authority without a consular visit.
Do Colombian citizens need a job offer to move to United States of America?+
Not necessarily. 5 of the 14 United States of America routes we cover can be started without an employer sponsor, while the rest need a sponsoring employer or job offer. If you do not have an offer yet, the no-sponsor routes are the place to start.
Can Colombian citizens get permanent residence in United States of America?+
Yes. 6 of the 14 United States of America routes we cover lead toward settlement or permanent residence; the others are temporary. Timelines vary by route, so check the settlement detail on each visa page.
How much does the H-1B Specialty Occupation cost for a Colombian applicant?+
Government fees for the worked example (Initial H-1B, standard employer (>25 FTE, not H-1B-dependent), no premium) total about US$3,595. H-4 dependants filing in the United States generally use Form I-539; verify the current G-1055 fee and whether any biometric-services fee applies. Consular H-4 applicants pay the applicable MRV fee where required. Figures from USCIS — Fee Schedule (Form G-1055), verified 1 July 2026. Treat these as indicative — confirm the current schedule on the official source before budgeting.
What salary do Colombian applicants need for the H-1B Specialty Occupation?+
The H-1B — Level 1 prevailing wage (median across SOC codes) floor is US$62,000/yr, effective 1 July 2024 (DOL — Foreign Labor Certification wage search). Your occupation's published going rate may bind higher — whichever is greater applies.
How long does the H-1B Specialty Occupation take to process from Colombia?+
The typical published decision window is 2 months – 8 months. Colombian applicants usually file via a United States of America consulate or visa application centre in your country of residence, and consular-post backlogs can add to the wait. Source: USCIS — Case Processing Times, verified 1 June 2026.