Services · Company formation
Starting a business in Colombia as a foreigner
One founder, zero minimum capital and 3-5 business days to register, but only 52% of the profit reaches a non-resident owner. We cover company forms, steps, 2026 fees, taxes, the beneficial ownership register and the bank.
Is it worth opening a company in Colombia
Colombia lets a single foreigner go into business with no minimum capital and no notarial deed. A simplified stock company, the SAS (sociedad por acciones simplificada) under Law 1258 of 2008, is formed with a private document, and the chamber of commerce (Cámara de Comercio) registers it in 3-5 business days, according to the 2026 legal guide of ProColombia, the state investment promotion agency.
Foreign capital gets the same treatment as local capital and needs no prior approval. Only defence, security and the disposal of hazardous waste from abroad are closed to foreigners, while banking, insurance, oil and mining may need a permit.
The cheap entry is paid for on the way out. Corporate income tax is 35%, and when dividends go to a non-resident owner the company withholds another 20%. Worked example: from COP 100 million of profit, COP 65 million is left after tax and COP 52 million reaches the owner after withholding. The total burden is 48%.
The second cost is paperwork: electronic invoices from the first sale, a municipal turnover tax, central bank registration of foreign capital and beneficial owner reports. Local accounting is a must: Murblz specialists handle it together with a partner licensed in Colombia.
It suits people who sell to Colombian clients, hire staff in the country, live in Bogotá or another city on a digital nomad visa, or want a business owner visa. It does not suit anyone looking for low tax on foreign income: a Colombian company is taxed on worldwide income. For that goal it is more honest to compare a company in Panama or a US LLC. The country overview is on the page Colombia: citizenship, residence, taxes and visas.
We will calculate online the cost of registering and running your company for the first year.
Which company to open in Colombia: SAS, S.A., Ltda. or branch
For a foreigner the choice almost always comes down to the SAS: the only local form one person can set up without a notarial deed or a mandatory auditor, with up to two years to pay in capital (article 9 of Law 1258). Other forms are for cases where the industry, the partners or the parent company require them.
| Form | What it is | Members | Capital | How it is formed | Statutory auditor (revisor fiscal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAS (sociedad por acciones simplificada) | simplified stock company | from 1 shareholder, individual or company, no upper limit | no minimum; subscribed capital must be paid within 2 years | private document with authenticated signatures; a notarial deed is needed only if real estate is contributed | only if the company exceeds the statutory asset or revenue thresholds |
| S.A. (sociedad anónima) | traditional stock corporation | at least 5 shareholders; under the Commercial Code, none may hold 95% of the capital or more | at least 50% of authorised capital subscribed and at least one third of each share paid at incorporation, the rest within a year | notarial deed (escritura pública) | always mandatory, as is a board of directors |
| Ltda. (sociedad de responsabilidad limitada) | limited liability company | 2 to 25 partners | all capital paid at incorporation | notarial deed; every transfer of quotas is a bylaw amendment recorded in the commercial registry | only if the company exceeds the asset or revenue thresholds |
| Branch (sucursal) of a foreign company | not a separate legal entity but an extension of the parent, which is liable for its debts | owned by a foreign company | assigned capital is paid in full | the parent's apostilled resolution is formalised by notarial deed in Colombia | mandatory from the start of operations |
A foreign company doing permanent business in Colombia (an office, contracts, state concessions) must open a branch under article 471 of the Commercial Code. It suits energy, infrastructure and finance groups whose clients want the parent to stand behind the contract.
Can a foreigner open a company in Colombia without travelling
You do not have to fly to Colombia to register. Law 1258 requires founders' signatures to be authenticated before filing, but expressly allows this through an attorney-in-fact (article 5), and sets no nationality or residency rules for shareholders.
The company needs only a few people:
- Shareholder - any individual or company from any country; a corporate shareholder's documents need an apostille and a Spanish translation.
- Legal representative (representante legal) - at least one, named in the bylaws; a foreigner can hold the role. Since the representative signs tax returns and deals with the bank, an alternate (suplente) living in Colombia is practical.
- Board and secretary - an SAS needs no board unless the bylaws provide one (article 25 of Law 1258), and no company secretary.
- Address - the city of domicile is in the bylaws; an address for notices from the tax authority and courts is recorded in the commercial and tax registries.
The Bogotá chamber's SAS Virtual service forms an SAS fully online, but under its terms only for individuals (up to 10 shareholders, standard bylaws) who can e-sign with a Colombian citizen ID card (cédula de ciudadanía) or a foreigner ID card (cédula de extranjería) and have a local credit history. The foreigner ID card goes only to holders of visas valid for more than three months (fee in 2026: COP 294,000). Everyone else files through the chamber's virtual office or an attorney-in-fact, which works for any company form and custom bylaws.
Every foreign capital contribution must be registered with Colombia's central bank (Banco de la República). A transfer through a Colombian bank is registered automatically, and registration gives the right to send profits and capital back abroad.
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How to register a company in Colombia: steps and timeline
Registering an SAS with the chamber of commerce takes 3-5 business days, and an S.A., Ltda. or branch 6-10 business days, according to the 2026 ProColombia guide. The company receives its tax number in the same process. The rest of the time goes on foreign documents, the bank and setting up tax obligations.
| Step | What happens | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Name and activities | check the name is free and pick activity codes under CIIU (Clasificación Industrial Internacional Uniforme - the international industry classification) | before filing |
| 2. Bylaws and incorporation document | a private document for an SAS, a notarial deed for an S.A., Ltda. or branch; the bylaws set the capital, the payment deadline and the legal representative | depends on the bylaws |
| 3. Signatures and powers of attorney | founders authenticate their signatures in person or through an attorney-in-fact; foreign powers of attorney and corporate documents are apostilled and translated into Spanish | depends on the country issuing the documents |
| 4. Filing with the chamber of commerce | the chamber reviews the bylaws, enters the company in the commercial registry (matrícula mercantil) and collects fees and tax | 3-5 business days for an SAS, 6-10 for other forms |
| 5. RUT and NIT | during registration the company is entered in the single tax registry RUT (Registro Único Tributario) of the tax authority DIAN (Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales - Directorate of National Taxes and Customs) and receives its tax number NIT (Número de Identificación Tributaria) | together with registration |
| 6. Bank account | the bank reviews the company, the representative and the owners | up to the bank |
| 7. Paying in capital and registering the investment | the foreign shareholder transfers money to the company's account and the bank reports it to the central bank | SAS: within 2 years or a shorter term in the bylaws |
| 8. E-invoicing, local tax and beneficial owners | electronic invoicing (factura electrónica) with DIAN, municipal turnover tax registration (in Bogotá, the RIT - Registro de Información Tributaria, the tax information registry), owner details in the RUB registry | invoicing and local tax before the first sale; RUB within 2 months of entering the RUT |
Steps 6 and 7 go in this order for a reason: an SAS can register with unpaid capital, open an account and then receive money from abroad through the bank. That puts the capital in the foreign investment register, without which the bank will not send dividends abroad.
How much does it cost to open a company in Colombia
The state takes less than half a million pesos for a small SAS. Chamber of commerce fees are the same nationwide (Decree 1074 of 2015 as amended by Decree 045 of 2024) and are set in UVB (Unidad de Valor Básico - the basic value unit for government fees): in 2026, 1 UVB = COP 12,110. Most of the start-up money goes not to the state but to preparing documents, apostilles and accounting.
| Cost item | Amount in 2026 | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum capital | none | SAS: paid within 2 years; Ltda.: all at once; S.A.: at least a third of each share at once |
| Recording the incorporation document in the commercial registry | COP 73,000 (6 UVB) | chamber fee |
| Commercial registry entry fee (matrícula mercantil) | with assets up to COP 78,715,000: COP 24,220 plus COP 8,477 per million pesos of assets | larger companies use another scale, capped at COP 12,110,000 |
| Registration tax (impuesto de registro) | up to 0.7% of subscribed capital | departmental tax, rate set by the region |
| RUES form (Registro Único Empresarial y Social - the single business registry) | COP 8,500 | filled in at registration |
| Certificate of existence and legal representation (certificado de existencia y representación legal) | COP 12,100 per copy | requested by banks, clients and the migration authority |
| Notary for an S.A., Ltda. or branch | about 0.3% of capital plus 19% VAT on the notarial fee | notary fees are set by the state; an SAS needs no notarial deed unless real estate is contributed |
| Apostille and translation of founders' documents | at the rates of the issuing country and the translator | needed for powers of attorney and corporate shareholder documents |
Worked example: an SAS with capital and assets of COP 20 million in a region that applies the maximum registration tax rate of 0.7%. Tax - COP 140,000, recording the incorporation document - 73,000, registry entry fee - 193,760 (24,220 + 8,477 × 20), form - 8,500, one certificate - 12,100. Total COP 427,360, about USD 105 at the rate of COP 4,053 per dollar used in the 2026 ProColombia guide. Accounting is needed from the first month: withholding returns are monthly, VAT every 2 or 4 months; we quote the cost of our support after reviewing the documents.
Registration in 3-5 working days, but only 52% of profit reaches a non-resident owner
The law does not stop you registering a company on your own. But mistakes cost more than the fees: founder documents without an apostille and Spanish translation, articles that misdescribe the legal representative's powers, missing tax registration without which the company cannot invoice, and missing beneficial owner details. We prepare the articles and founder documents, set the representative's powers, register the company with the chamber of commerce and tax office, file the beneficial owner details and help with the bank.
The cost of support depends on the company form and the number of founders; a manager will calculate it in the chat.
What taxes does a company pay in Colombia
A Colombian company pays 35% on profits earned anywhere in the world (article 240 of the Tax Code - Estatuto Tributario). That is 5 points more than in Mexico. Tax thresholds are set in UVT (Unidad de Valor Tributario - the tax value unit): in 2026, 1 UVT = COP 52,374.
| Tax | Rate in 2026 | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate income tax (impuesto sobre la renta) | 35% | on worldwide income, with a 15% minimum effective rate; in 2026 the return and first instalment were due in May, the second in July |
| Withholding on dividends to non-residents | 20% | on profits untaxed at company level: 35%, then 20% on the rest |
| VAT (IVA - Impuesto sobre las Ventas) | 19%; 5% on certain goods; 0% on exports | a company registers from its first taxable sale (the 3,500 UVT, COP 183,309,000, exemption is for individuals); returns every 2 months with revenue from 92,000 UVT (COP 4,818,408,000), otherwise every 4 |
| ICA (Impuesto de Industria y Comercio) - municipal turnover tax | 0.2% to 1% of gross revenue | the rate is set by the municipality; in Bogotá returns may be bimonthly |
| GMF (Gravamen a los Movimientos Financieros) - financial transactions tax | 0.4% of each withdrawal from an account | withheld by the bank; half is deductible for corporate income tax |
| SIMPLE - simplified tax regime | single tax on revenue | only if all shareholders are individuals resident in Colombia (article 905 of the Tax Code) |
| Wealth tax on companies | 0.5% and 1.6% | emergency Decree 0173 of 24.02.2026, only for companies with net wealth from 200,000 UVT (COP 10,474,800,000) on 1 March 2026 |
Worked example for a non-resident owner: COP 100 million of profit, 35 million of corporate tax, 65 million paid as dividends, 13 million withheld. The owner receives COP 52 million, a total burden of 48%.
Colombia has no double tax treaty with Russia or Belarus. Treaties are in force with Spain, Chile, Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Portugal, India, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Japan, and with Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru through an Andean Community decision. For a non-resident the 20% withheld in Colombia is final, and how these dividends are treated at home depends on your tax residence. All personal tax rates and examples are on the page taxes in Colombia.
What a company files each year and does Colombia have a beneficial ownership register
Colombia has a beneficial ownership register, the RUB (Registro Único de Beneficiarios Finales), and it covers every person who directly or indirectly holds 5% or more of the capital or votes (article 6 of DIAN Resolution 164 of 2021). A new company files its data within two months of entering the RUT tax registry and keeps the supporting documents for 5 years after a person stops being a beneficial owner.
A small SAS's year:
- By 31 March - renew the commercial registry entry (article 33 of the Commercial Code: first three months of the year).
- In the first three months of the year - shareholders' meeting on the accounts and profits, unless the bylaws set another date (article 422 of the Commercial Code).
- Every month - withholding tax return and payment (retención en la fuente) under the DIAN calendar.
- Every 2 or 4 months - VAT return.
- Spring and summer - corporate income tax return and two instalments (May and July in 2026, by the last digit of the NIT).
- Once a year, if the company meets DIAN's criteria - report on transactions with third parties (información exógena - data the tax authority uses for cross-checks).
- Quarterly, if anything has changed - RUB update. In 2026 the update deadlines are 2 February, 4 May, 3 August and 3 November.
- On any change in foreign capital - update the central bank registration, usually within six months; the companies regulator (Superintendencia de Sociedades) fines late filings.
A statutory auditor (revisor fiscal) is not required for an SAS until the company exceeds the asset or revenue thresholds set by law. For an S.A. and for branches of foreign companies the auditor is mandatory from day one (article 203 of the Commercial Code) and must be a certified public accountant (contador público) licensed in Colombia.
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Bank account in Colombia and citizens of Russia and Belarus
A Colombian bank will not open a company account without an RUT entry: according to the 2026 ProColombia legal guide, the RUT is needed to open accounts, invoice and file returns. So the account comes after registration, and capital from abroad goes into it.
Each bank sets its own documents, review time and format, in person or remote; have ready the certificate of existence and legal representation, the RUT, the representative's documents and details of owners and source of funds. The decision and timing stay with the bank.
Every withdrawal is subject to the 0.4% GMF tax, and if the representative has no Colombian ID card, the choice of banks and service channels may be narrower. More on the pages business account in Colombia and personal account in Colombia.
Citizens of Russia and Belarus. Colombian company and foreign investment laws make no exceptions by nationality: the constitution gives foreigners the same rights as Colombian citizens. Russians enter Colombia visa-free for short stays; Belarus is not on the visa-free list, so Belarusians need a visa. Neither country has a double tax treaty with Colombia.
The main hurdle is the bank's review: be ready to document the source of funds, ownership and business ties, and to apostille and translate Russian and Belarusian documents into Spanish in advance, which our translation service handles.
Company and visa. Your own company opens the way to the migrant visa M in the partner or owner category (socio o propietario). Under the 2026 ProColombia guide the investment must be at least 100 monthly minimum wages, COP 175,090,500 at the 2026 minimum wage of COP 1,750,905, and the visa office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cancillería) also checks that the company really operates: bank statements, tax returns, staff contributions, a lease. For a status without your own business, start with the digital nomad visa.
What we do
- choose the company form and calculate the tax burden in advance, and if Colombia does not pay off for you, we say so plainly;
- check the name, choose activity codes and draft SAS bylaws around your business rather than a standard template;
- prepare powers of attorney, translations and apostilles for the founders;
- file with the chamber of commerce, pay the fees and registration tax and obtain the company's RUT and NIT;
- help with a registered address and registration for the municipal turnover tax;
- bring in Murblz accounting and tax specialists for e-invoicing, returns, the RUB register and annual registry renewal;
- assemble a compliance pack for the bank and support the account opening and central bank registration of foreign capital.
Legal representation - acting as the company's legal representative in Colombia, work with notaries, representation before authorities and courts - is handled by Murblz specialists together with partners licensed locally.
To compare Colombia with Paraguay, where corporate tax is lower, see company registration in Paraguay, and with an American LLC, see company registration in the USA. Other countries are in the sections company registration and company registration abroad. Property in the country is on the page investment property in Colombia.
See also
Business account · Personal account · Investment property · Country taxes · All country programs
FAQ
Can a foreigner open a company in Colombia?
How much does it cost to open a company in Colombia?
How long does it take to register a company in Colombia?
Can I open a company in Colombia remotely?
What taxes does a company pay in Colombia?
What is an SAS in Colombia?
Can a Russian or Belarusian citizen open a company in Colombia?
Does a company in Colombia give the right to residency?
Starting a business in Colombia?
We choose the Colombian company form, usually an SAS, register it, plan for the tax on dividends to a non-resident and help with the account. The catalogue covers every country.
The Murblz consultant replies straight away in the chat on this page. Describe your situation and we will work it out together.
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