The Consulate-General of Colombia in Hong Kong quietly published an important policy tweak on 30 January: holders of Hong Kong SAR passports no longer need a visa for short-term visits or air-side transit in Colombia, while Taiwanese passport holders must now obtain a visa unless they already possess valid US or Schengen documentation. The exemption for Hong Kong applies to tourist, business and airport-transit stays of up to 90 days within a rolling 12-month period.
The change, rooted in a 2023 Foreign Ministry resolution but only now operationalised, positions Colombia as a more attractive stop-over hub for Asia–Latin America traffic, particularly for Cathay Pacific and LATAM codeshare itineraries that connect via Los Angeles, New York or Madrid. Hong Kong exporters shipping electronics through Bogotá’s flower-laden cargo flights will also benefit from faster rota-tions for accompanying technicians.
For travellers seeking clarity on the new Colombian rules—or any other shifting visa landscape—VisaHQ’s Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) provides real-time eligibility checks and application support. The platform can generate invitation letters, schedule consular appointments and, crucially for Taiwanese passport holders, flag whether their existing US or Schengen visas meet Colombia’s remaining entry conditions.
![Colombia lifts short-stay visa for Hong Kong visitors but tightens rules for Taiwan]()
For multinational assignment managers, the asymmetric treatment of Hong Kong and Taiwan passports inside the same mobility programme raises compliance complexity. Global teams will need to split Colombian travel policy by passport type and confirm that Taiwanese travellers hold acceptable US or Schengen visas with at least 180 days’ validity at arrival. Employers should also watch for downstream social-security triggers if Colombian stays extend beyond 183 days per calendar year.
Travel managers are advised to update booking systems immediately, because airlines’ automated visa checks can lag behind foreign-ministry notices. While the announcement cites “immediate effect”, carriers may require several days to refresh Timatic data, so hand-carry proof of the consular circular when flying this week.
Colombia’s exemption underscores a broader courtship of Asia-Pacific capital as Bogotá seeks to diversify trade beyond the United States and the European Union. Hong Kong businesses in fintech and green hydrogen—which featured prominently in President Gustavo Petro’s 2025 investment roadshow—stand to gain from simplified market access.
The change, rooted in a 2023 Foreign Ministry resolution but only now operationalised, positions Colombia as a more attractive stop-over hub for Asia–Latin America traffic, particularly for Cathay Pacific and LATAM codeshare itineraries that connect via Los Angeles, New York or Madrid. Hong Kong exporters shipping electronics through Bogotá’s flower-laden cargo flights will also benefit from faster rota-tions for accompanying technicians.
For travellers seeking clarity on the new Colombian rules—or any other shifting visa landscape—VisaHQ’s Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) provides real-time eligibility checks and application support. The platform can generate invitation letters, schedule consular appointments and, crucially for Taiwanese passport holders, flag whether their existing US or Schengen visas meet Colombia’s remaining entry conditions.
For multinational assignment managers, the asymmetric treatment of Hong Kong and Taiwan passports inside the same mobility programme raises compliance complexity. Global teams will need to split Colombian travel policy by passport type and confirm that Taiwanese travellers hold acceptable US or Schengen visas with at least 180 days’ validity at arrival. Employers should also watch for downstream social-security triggers if Colombian stays extend beyond 183 days per calendar year.
Travel managers are advised to update booking systems immediately, because airlines’ automated visa checks can lag behind foreign-ministry notices. While the announcement cites “immediate effect”, carriers may require several days to refresh Timatic data, so hand-carry proof of the consular circular when flying this week.
Colombia’s exemption underscores a broader courtship of Asia-Pacific capital as Bogotá seeks to diversify trade beyond the United States and the European Union. Hong Kong businesses in fintech and green hydrogen—which featured prominently in President Gustavo Petro’s 2025 investment roadshow—stand to gain from simplified market access.
