If you hang around expat Facebook groups long enough, you’ll see it over and over:
“Do I really need an FBI background check for my Colombia visa?”
“Can my state apostille my FBI report?”
“I already did this once… do I have to do it again for my renewal?”
Short answers:
Yes (usually).
No.
And yes, again.
I recently sat down in Medellín with Alexa from Expat Group—the same team that’s handled my visas for years—to walk through this entire process: FBI background checks, apostilles, renewals, “inadmitted” vs denied, and why trying to DIY this step at the last minute is one of the fastest ways to stress-eat your way through a pack of Jet chocolates.
This article is the cleaned-up, structured version of that conversation—so you can understand what Colombia really wants, when you need it, and how not to mess it up.
Why the FBI Background Check Matters More Than You Think
Most people think of the FBI background check as a box to tick.
Colombia’s immigration office does not see it that way.
On paper, the official visa resolution only explicitly mentions the FBI report for certain categories—like the retirement (M) visa. But in practice, based on what Expat Group sees every week:
It’s being requested far more often than the resolution suggests, especially for:
Digital Nomad visas (V)
Retirement visas (M)
Many other M-class visas
Permanent residency applications
Meanwhile, some visas—like a student visa—will often not mention the FBI report explicitly. Even then, you’re still dealing with the wild card in all of this:
Discretionary power.
The immigration officer can ask for more than the “bare minimum” if they feel like it.
That’s why Alexa’s advice is simple:
“We always recommend our clients get the FBI background check before everything starts. When it matters, you want to be ready.”
If you wait until the visa officer asks for it, you’ve already lost time—and Colombia is very strict about document validity windows.
Who Actually Needs an FBI Background Check?
Let’s simplify:
Common visas where an FBI report is often required
Digital Nomad (V visa)
The resolution doesn’t clearly list it, but in real life?
Expat Group sees it requested almost 100% of the time.Retirement (M) visa
This one is explicitly referenced in the rules—and often checked carefully.Most M-class visas
If you’re applying for a longer-term, “more serious” visa (the kind that builds time toward residency), expect extra scrutiny.Permanent Residency
If you’ve been in Colombia five+ years on M visas and want to go for residency, they can and often do ask for updated criminal records.
Visas that might not require it (but can still surprise you)
Student visas – Frequently processed without an FBI check.
Certain short-term or very specific visas – Depends on the case and the officer.
But here’s the pattern Expat Group sees:
Americans, especially, are often held to a stricter evidence standard.
Officers sometimes get “pickier” with certain nationalities or visa types.
Requirements can tighten in practice before the written rules catch up.
So if you’re thinking, “I’ll just skip it and see what happens,” understand: that’s a gamble with your time, money, and sometimes your legal status.
The 90-Day Trap: Why Timing Matters So Much
Colombia has a key rule that trips up a lot of DIY applicants:
Most supporting documents (including your FBI background check) must be no more than 90 days old when you apply.
So imagine this:
You order your FBI report yourself.
You send it off for apostille.
You find a translator.
You finally get it back… on day 68.
You start working on your visa file.
You hit a delay, or a mistake gets flagged.
By the time you actually submit, that “fresh” document might already be creeping toward expiration. And if you mis-apostilled it or used the wrong kind of translator?
You’re starting over—with less time on the clock.
This is why Expat Group builds the entire FBI + apostille + translation pipeline into a tight 2–3 week internal process:
Digital fingerprints (no old-school ink cards that get rejected).
Submission to the FBI.
Return of the report.
Translation by a Colombian-certified official translator.
Proper apostille from the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.
That last part is important enough to give its own section.
The Apostille Question Everyone Gets Wrong
“Can my state apostille an FBI background check?”
No.
Let me say that again: no.
Here’s the rule:
Your FBI report is a federal document.
It must be apostilled by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.
A state apostille (Florida, California, Texas, etc.) will not be accepted by Colombian immigration for an FBI report.
People try to save time and money by doing a state apostille… and then discover Colombia rejects it. By then:
Their 90-day document window is shrinking or already gone.
They’ve wasted money and weeks.
They’re scrambling to redo everything correctly.
Meanwhile, the translation can only be done by an official translator certified in Colombia. Not:
Your bilingual cousin
A random “certified translator” in your home country
Google Translate (yes, people really try this)
Colombia wants to see:
FBI report (federal)
Proper federal apostille
Official translation by a Colombian-authorized translator
Miss any one of those, and your “complete” file suddenly isn’t so complete.
Clean Record vs. “Spicy” Record: What Actually Happens?
Most FBI background checks look like this:
2 pages
Standard language confirming no criminal history in the FBI system
Sometimes they stretch to 3 pages. Occasionally, Alexa says, they turn into:
“A novel.”
One case she mentioned? Over 10 pages. Multiple entries across different years. A complete life story.
What happens then?
The length doesn’t automatically mean denial.
But recent and serious offenses are more likely to cause real problems.
Old stuff (20+ years ago) might be viewed differently than something from last year.
Colombia can respond to your visa application in a few ways:
Approved – Everyone’s favorite email.
Inadmitted – Basically, “we’re not accepting this application as submitted.”
Denied – A harder “no,” especially when the issue is you, not the paperwork.
“Inadmitted” is often used when:
Something is missing (like the FBI report).
A requirement isn’t properly documented.
The officer wants more or clearer information.
The good news:
With an inadmitted case, you can reapply immediately—but:
You must pay the government fee again.
Your lawyer or agency needs to audit everything and rebuild the file.
That’s where Expat Group goes into what Alexa calls “full forensic mode”:
“We check every single minuscule detail. We rewrite things. We reorganize the file. We try to make it more appealing.”
Sometimes that second try works like magic. Sometimes, if the issue is your actual record, there isn’t much anyone can do.
But if you got inadmitted because you skipped the FBI report the first time?
You paid for that mistake twice.
Renewals: The “Secret” People Don’t Realize
A lot of people think:
“I’ll get my first visa, and then renewal will be easier.”
Not in Colombia.
Alexa put it very clearly:
“When you renew a visa, you’re not actually renewing it. You’re issuing a new visa.”
That means:
You start from zero in terms of requirements.
If the visa type requires an FBI background check, you need a fresh one at each new application.
Permanent residency applications can also trigger new background check requirements.
So if you’ve been here four or five years and are now going for your last M visa before residency?
Yes—expect to be re-evaluated. And yes, your current criminal record still matters, even if Colombia has approved you before.
Why I Use a Visa Service (and Why I Tell People to Do the Same)
I’ve been blunt about this in my videos: I’m analytical, but visas are not where I choose to DIY.
Expat Group has been my “Wizard of Oz” for years:
I send them documents.
They ask me smart, uncomfortable questions.
They poke holes in my assumptions.
They talk to the government in the right language, with the right format.
And three-ish weeks later, I get an email: Approved.
Behind the curtain, their team is:
Managing deadlines
Tracking document validity
Making sure the apostille is from the right authority
Using translators that Colombian immigration recognizes
Pre-screening issues before they ever reach an officer
Could I technically do it myself? Yes.
Would I be more likely to miss something, mis-time something, or mis-apostille something? Also yes.
And I say this as someone who has made a career of reading fine print.
What About Canadians, Europeans, and Other Nationalities?
The FBI background check is specifically for U.S. citizens.
If you’re Canadian or European (or from elsewhere), Colombia will usually want a criminal background certificate from your own country, not the FBI.
Expat Group’s role there is different:
They can often help with digital fingerprinting.
But they don’t process foreign background checks outside the U.S. system.
You’ll usually need to:
Get your own country’s criminal record.
Follow that country’s apostille or legalization process.
Then have it translated and used in your Colombian visa file.
The exact process changes by nationality—but the logic is similar: clean record, proper legalization, official translation.
Overstays, Fines, and “Salvoconducto”
While we were talking, we also wandered into another common scenario:
“I overstayed my tourist days. Now what?”
Colombia has two main tools for this:
Tourist extensions – If you’re still inside your legal window, Expat Group can help extend your stay.
Salvoconducto (salvoconducto / salvoconducto de permanencia) – Basically: a legal way to pay a fine and regularize your status if you’ve gone over.
In practice:
Airlines may charge you a fee at check-in when they detect you overstayed.
Migración Colombia can charge differing fines depending on how many days you stayed illegally.
Some travelers get lucky and are let off with a warning; others pay hundreds of thousands or even millions of pesos.
There is discretion involved—another Wizard of Oz behind another curtain. You cannot count on being the lucky one.
The takeaway isn’t “panic”—it’s don’t play around with your days. If you’re close to your limit:
Talk to a professional.
Fix it before it becomes a legal headache.
EPS, Private Insurance, and “Visa Fine Print”
Another big area of confusion: healthcare requirements for visas.
Here’s how Alexa broke it down:
Different visas have different rules about what type of health coverage you must have:
Some visas explicitly forbid using Colombia’s public system (EPS) for the application.
Some demand private international insurance with specific features like repatriation.
Some don’t mention EPS at all, which means after your visa is approved, you may be free to join it.
Expat Group’s “little secret” here:
The amount of time you pre-pay private insurance for can influence how much time the government gives you on your visa.
Example:
For a retirement visa, they often recommend 2 years of private insurance.
Why? Because that can increase the odds that your visa is also granted for a longer period—so you’re not renewing more often than necessary.
Once your visa is approved:
EPS can sometimes become an additional option (depending on the visa language).
Private insurance + EPS can give you more flexibility and coverage for day-to-day healthcare.
Expat Group:
Works with allies to help set up private insurance.
Doesn’t directly manage EPS enrollment, since that’s a separate process.
So, What Does Expat Group Actually Do?
Beyond FBI background checks and visas, they also:
Help with real estate (buying, selling, or understanding where you’re putting your money)
Offer tax services and planning (especially for people with foreign income)
Assist with business creation in Colombia
Handle tourist extensions and overstay fines (salvoconducto)
Coordinate digital fingerprinting for FBI reports in Bogotá and Medellín
And the process itself is structured:
Bogotá office: appointments for fingerprints on Wednesdays
Medellín office: appointments Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
You contact them via WhatsApp or their website, pay for the service, and receive a booking link via email.
From there, they manage the chain: fingerprints → FBI → apostille → translation → visa submission.
The Bottom Line
If you’re serious about living in Colombia—whether as a digital nomad, retiree, business owner, or future resident—the FBI background check isn’t just a bureaucratic nuisance.
It’s:
A core piece of your risk profile in the eyes of Colombian immigration.
A time-sensitive document with strict formalities.
A step that, if mishandled, can cost you extra fees, delays, or even your chance at a visa.
Can you do it alone? Yes.
Should you? That depends on how much you enjoy juggling:
International logistics
Different levels of government
Document validity windows
Apostille rules
Translation standards
And a system with real discretionary power behind the curtain
For most people, the smarter play is to:
Get it right the first time.
Build a professional relationship with people who navigate this system daily.
Treat your visa file like what it is: the legal foundation of your life abroad.