Israel and Colombia are preparing to restore visa-free short-term travel for each other’s citizens.
In an announcement issued on Thursday, August 20, 2026, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two countries had agreed to reinstate reciprocal visa-free travel effective September 1, 2026.
“We are pleased to announce—following discussions between Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Colombian Foreign Minister Bela Escobar—the decision by both countries to grant mutual visa exemptions effective September 1,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a post on X.
שמחים להודיע – בעקבות שיחות בין שר החוץ גדעון סער לשר החוץ של קולומביה אומר בלה אסקובר – על החלטת שתי המדינות לפטור הדדי מאשרות (ויזות) החל מה-1 בספטמבר.
— משרד החוץ (@IsraelHebrew) August 20, 2026
Colombian citizens will therefore once again be able to travel to Israel for tourism without first obtaining a visa, while Israeli citizens will regain visa-free access for short stays in Colombia.
The move comes as relations between the two countries are restored and brings to an end a period of reciprocal visa restrictions that began in 2025.
Israel reintroduced visa requirements for Colombians in May 2025
Until the spring of 2025, Colombian citizens were eligible for visa-free tourist travel to Israel.
That changed on May 14, 2025, when Israel began requiring Colombian nationals to obtain a tourist visa. The requirement was subsequently confirmed by several Israeli diplomatic missions.
Colombia then chose to apply the principle of reciprocity.
On July 23, 2025, Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs adopted Resolution 8558, amending the list of nationalities exempt from visa requirements. The resolution explicitly stated that, “in observance of the principle of reciprocity in immigration matters,” Israeli nationals would become subject to a visa requirement for travel to Colombia.
The resolution was published in Colombia’s Diario Oficial on August 26, 2025, the date it took effect. Israel was then removed from the list of countries whose citizens could enter Colombia visa-free for short-term activities.
Just over a year later, the two governments are reversing those measures and restoring reciprocal visa-free travel as of September 1, 2026.
Colombians will need an ETA-IL to travel to Israel
The removal of the visa requirement does not mean that Colombian travelers will be able to enter Israel without any pre-travel formalities.
Since January 1, 2025, Israel has required citizens of visa-exempt countries to obtain an ETA-IL electronic travel authorization.
Once Colombians return to Israel’s visa-exempt regime on September 1, 2026, they are therefore expected to once again become eligible for the ETA-IL for tourist travel.
The electronic authorization costs 25 Israeli shekels and can remain valid for up to two years, or until the passport used for the application expires, whichever comes first. Eligible travelers may use it for stays of up to 90 days, subject to final admission by Israeli border authorities.
VisasNews Take
The restoration of visa-free travel between Israel and Colombia has officially been announced for September 1, 2026, but not all administrative systems have been updated yet. As of August 20, the ETA-IL portal still shows Colombian citizens as ineligible, while Colombia’s consolidated immigration regulations have not yet added Israel back to the list of visa-exempt nationalities. This is not unusual, since the existing rules remain in effect through August 31. VisasNews will continue to monitor updates to the ETA-IL portal and Colombia’s regulatory framework ahead of the measure’s entry into force.
