What proof of onward travel means here
Evidence that you will leave Colombia before your permitted stay ends, usually a flight out with a booking reference someone can look up. The full explanation, including what does and does not count, is in our proof of onward travel guide.
When you may be asked
- At the Migración Colombia desk in Bogotá (BOG), Medellín (MDE) or Cartagena (CTG), where the officer grants your permitted stay and can ask for the exit ticket.
- At check-in abroad, where airlines serving Colombia expect one-way passengers to hold the exit ticket that Migración Colombia lists among entry documents.
- When applying for a Colombian visitor (V) visa, where the Cancillería asks for a reservation of tickets into and out of the country.
- At land, river or sea entries, where the same document list applies and GOV.UK warns that an unstamped entry can lead to a fine when you leave.
Airline and check-in
- Colombia attracts open-ended trips. If you plan to continue overland to Ecuador, the airline still sees a one-way arrival, and a flight reservation from Bogotá or Cartagena gives the agent a departure it can verify.
- Panama City is a short flight from Bogotá, Medellín and Cartagena and a natural exit for travellers heading on to Central America.
- Check-MIG, the pre-registration form, does not replace the exit ticket. GOV.UK says it is optional, can be completed between 72 hours and one hour before travel, and produces a confirmation email to show officials.
Why airlines check at all: do airlines check onward tickets?
Colombia: what to know
- Migración Colombia's entry requirements say the passport must be accompanied by a visa if your nationality or activity requires one, an exit travel ticket and proof of economic solvency, as applicable.
- GOV.UK says British visitors can stay up to 90 days without a visa at the officer's discretion, must be able to show an onward or return ticket valid within that period, and cannot remain more than 180 days as a visitor in any 12 months.
- Migración Colombia says officers may admit nationals who normally need a Colombian visa for short unpaid visits without one if they hold permanent residence in Chile, Peru or Mexico.
- The Cancillería's visitor visa for tourism requires a reservation of tickets for entering and leaving Colombia, and says that on arrival the immigration authority will require you to show you hold the corresponding exit ticket.
- GOV.UK says British and Colombian dual nationals must enter and leave on the Colombian passport and cédula, and that San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina require a tourist card bought at the boarding gate for stays over 24 hours.
What may count as proof
- An exit ticket dated within the 90 days you are likely to get, which Migración Colombia names among the documents foreigners present.
- Proof of economic solvency, such as recent bank statements, also on Migración Colombia's list.
- For visa applicants, the reservation of tickets in and out of Colombia that the Cancillería asks for.
- Your Check-MIG confirmation email, if you completed the optional form.
Reservation or paid ticket
| Reservation (hold) | Paid ticket | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A seat held in the airline's system, unpaid | A paid fare with an e-ticket number |
| Booking reference | Yes, verifiable on the airline's site | Yes |
| Can you board with it | No, unless you pay the airline before the deadline | Yes |
| How long it lasts | Until the airline's payment deadline, often hours to a few days | Until the flight |
| If you do not use it | The airline releases the seats automatically | Refund depends on the fare rules |
How to check one yourself: verify a flight reservation.
When to arrange it
Colombia checks the exit ticket at entry, so the reservation has to be live when you reach Migración Colombia, not only at check-in. For a late-night arrival into Bogotá, schedule the hold so it covers the immigration queue. Visa applicants should hold the reservation when submitting to the Cancillería and follow its guidance on validity.
Common mistakes
- Dating the exit after day 90. GOV.UK says the onward or return ticket should be valid within the 90-day period.
- Treating the Check-MIG confirmation as permission to enter Colombia. It only speeds up the process at the desk.
- British and Colombian dual nationals presenting the British passport, which GOV.UK says is not allowed for entry or exit.
- Keeping the exit booking only on a laptop in checked luggage. Officers want to see it at the desk.
Colombia questions
01Is an exit ticket mandatory for Colombia?
Migración Colombia lists an exit travel ticket among the documents foreigners present on entry, and the Cancillería says the immigration authority will require it from visitor visa holders. Treat it as required.
02Does the exit ticket have to go back home?
No. The rules refer to an exit ticket, so a flight to Panama City, Lima or Quito shows you leaving Colombia just as well as a return home. See onward ticket vs return ticket.
03Will Colombian officers accept a held reservation?
It shows a dated exit with a booking reference the airline can confirm while it is held. The Cancillería's wording for visa applicants is a reservation, but at the border the word used is ticket, and the officer decides.
04Can I stay longer than my exit date in Colombia?
You can apply to Migración Colombia to extend, within the 180 days per 12 months that GOV.UK describes. The exit booking only needs to fit the stay granted at entry.
Typical onward routes from Bogotá
- BOG → PTY Panama City
- BOG → LIM Lima
- BOG → UIO Quito
- BOG → MIA Miami
- BOG → MEX Mexico City
- BOG → SJO San José
Sources
- 1Requisitos de entrada y salida del país · Migración Colombia · checked 29 September 2026
- 2Necesito un visa · Cancillería de Colombia · checked 29 September 2026
- 3Colombia travel advice: entry requirements · GOV.UK, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · checked 29 September 2026
Last reviewed 29 September 2026. Rules change: confirm with the airline and the official source before you travel. How we research · Report a correction