How to Get a Salvoconducto in Colombia (SC-1): The Complete Guide for 2025

If you’re an expat living in Colombia, chances are you’ve heard about the salvoconducto — a short-term permit that keeps you in legal status while something bigger is being resolved. Maybe you’ve applied for a new visa and your tourist stamp is running out. Maybe your long-term visa is expiring while a renewal is under review. Or maybe, worst case, your passport was stolen and you’re waiting on a replacement.

That’s where the SC-1 salvoconducto comes in.

This guide explains, step by step, how Americans and other foreigners can get a salvoconducto in Medellín and elsewhere in Colombia, based on real experience and direct notes from the Migración Colombia system. We’ll cover:

• What a salvoconducto is (and isn’t)

• The difference between SC-1 and SC-2

• Why Medellín’s process is harder than Pereira or Bogotá

• The step-by-step process in Medellín (including fines, appointments, and FUT filing)

• How to renew a salvoconducto

• Costs, timelines, and FAQs

• Practical tips to avoid mistakes

And because this process is notoriously inconsistent, you’ll see exactly where people get stuck and how to avoid delays.

⚠️ Important note: Migración Colombia rules and practices change often, sometimes overnight, and different offices apply rules differently. Always double-check before you go — but use this guide as your foundation.

What Is a Salvoconducto?

The salvoconducto de permanencia (SC-1) is a temporary permit issued by Migración Colombia. Its purpose is to keep you in legal (regular) status while you are waiting for another process to finish.

Think of it as a “bridge document.” It does not replace a visa, but it prevents you from becoming irregular while:

• A visa application is pending with Cancillería.

• Your passport was lost/stolen and you need time while your embassy issues a new one.

• You need time to exit Colombia without overstaying and incurring higher fines.

• Certain other administrative situations are under review.

SC-1 vs SC-2

• SC-1: The version 99% of Americans and other expats deal with. Issued for visa processing, lost passports, or exit permits. Valid typically 30 days and renewable.

• SC-2: Linked to refugee and asylum cases or other special proceedings. This can sometimes carry different rights (for example, permission to work in limited circumstances).

Unless you are in a refugee process, assume you’re dealing with SC-1.

Medellín vs Other Cities

Not every Migración Colombia office treats salvoconductos the same way.

• Medellín: If you’re on a tourist stamp and applying for a new visa, Medellín requires you to go irregular first (let your stay expire), then book an administrative process appointment, pay a fine (about 2,000,000 COP), and only then can you apply for a salvoconducto.

• Pereira and Manizales (Coffee Axis): These offices are more lenient. If you have a pending visa application, they’ll issue the salvoconducto while you are still regular. No fine, no irregular status required.

• Bogotá and Cali: Practices vary. Sometimes they follow Medellín’s stricter approach, sometimes they’re closer to Pereira.

• Long-term visa holders: If you’re already on a valid long-term visa (like a migrant visa) and file for a renewal or category change, Medellín may issue a salvoconducto without forcing you to go irregular.

⚠️ This inconsistency is one of the biggest frustrations for expats. What is possible in Pereira may be impossible in Medellín.

Step-by-Step Process in Medellín

Let’s break down exactly what happens in Medellín for someone on a tourist stamp applying for a visa.

Step 1: Go Irregular

Unlike other cities, Medellín will not give you a salvoconducto while you are still on a valid tourist stamp. You have to wait for your stamp to expire. Only then will they allow you to begin the administrative process that leads to a salvoconducto.

This can feel counterintuitive — but it’s their practice.

Step 2: Book an Administrative Process Appointment (Fine Payment)

Once you’re irregular, the next step is to book an appointment for the administrative process where you will be fined.

• Click 'Regístrese' to register for an account

• Once you've signed up for an account, click on 'Agendar cita'

  

• Select Trámite: Proceso Administrativo Persona Natural o Jurídica

• Select your city:

• Appointments open Sundays at 5:00 PM sharp (sometimes later if the servers are delayed).

  

• Slots are gone within 5 minutes. It’s basically a lottery system.

• Booking alone is not enough — you must confirm the appointment via the email link.

• Look for the green check icon to know your appointment is confirmed.

• If two people grab the same slot, whoever confirms first gets it.

Documents needed for this appointment:

• Passport + photocopy

• Copy of entry stamp

• Previous permiso temporal (if you had one)

• Visa study payment receipt

• Visa study confirmation email

• Supporting visa documents

Step 3: Pay the Fine

At your appointment, Migración will calculate and apply the fine. For Americans on a tourist stamp, expect around ~2,000,000 COP.

Payment is required before you can proceed.

Step 4: Wait Four Business Days

After the fine is paid, Medellín requires a 4 business day waiting period before you can apply for your salvoconducto.

Step 5: File the FUT (Formulario Único de Trámites)

Now it’s time to file the FUT online.

• Go to the FUT page.

• Select: Trámite: Salvoconducto

• Fill in:

  • Primer apellido

  • Segundo apellido (if applicable)

  • Nombres

  • Tipo de documento: Pasaporte

  • Número de documento: Passport number

  • Fecha de expedición, país, departamento, ciudad

  • Sexo, nacionalidad, correo electrónico

  • Add an emergency contact (must be someone who lives in Colombia).

  • Upload a PDF of your passport bio page + entry stamp (under 1 MB).

  • Important: Select the file, then click Cargar to upload it.

  • Accept the privacy terms, complete CAPTCHA, submit.

That’s it — no explanation or extra documents are required in FUT itself.

Step 6: Book a Salvoconducto Appointment

Filing the FUT is not enough. You must also book a separate appointment for the salvoconducto.

• On the appointment portal, select:

  • Ciudad: Medellín

  • Trámite: Salvoconducto

• Availability is scarce. Most times you’ll see “No hay horas disponibles.”

• This is why it feels like another lottery.

Renewing a Salvoconducto in Medellín

If your visa process is still ongoing when your salvoconducto is about to expire, you’ll need to renew (prorrogar) it.

As posted at Migración Medellín:

• You must radicate your renewal request at least 3 business days before expiration.

• Documents required:

  • A letter addressed to Cancillería requesting the renewal (two copies).

  • Copy of your current salvoconducto.

  • Copy of your passport.

  • Proof of visa study (confirmation or payment receipt).

Tip: Go 5 days before expiration, not just 3, to be safe.

Once radicated, wait 4 business days, then return with a new FUT. Some officers may extend without a new FUT if your renewal letter is solid.

Coffee Axis and Other Cities

In Pereira and Manizales, the process is reportedly much smoother.

• If you have a visa application pending, they’ll issue a salvoconducto while you are still regular.

• No irregular status, no fine.

• They still require a visa study, FUT and appointment, but it’s more straightforward.

For Americans, this often makes the Coffee Axis a better choice — though moving your case there may not always be practical.

Costs and Timelines

• Government fee: 84,000 COP (to issue the salvoconducto).

• Fine in Medellín: Around 2,000,000 COP if you’re on a tourist stamp.

• Processing time:

  • FUT review: 2–5 business days.

  • Appointment availability: unpredictable (lottery system).

• Validity: Usually 30 days, renewable if your visa process is still pending.

FAQs

Practical Tips

• Don’t wait until the last minute. Apply early and anticipate bottlenecks.

• Screenshots are your best friend — capture everything.

• File documents in PDF under 1 MB. Don’t forget to hit Cargar when uploading in FUT.

• Sundays at 5 PM are the golden window for booking.

• Expect inconsistencies: the process in Pereira isn’t the same as Medellín.

Final Thoughts

The salvoconducto (SC-1) is one of those frustrating but necessary steps in the Colombian immigration system. In Medellín, it’s unnecessarily complicated: you must go irregular, pay a steep fine, and fight for scarce appointment slots. In Pereira or Manizales, the process is smoother.

Regardless of where you apply, the salvoconducto is what keeps you legal while your visa application is pending.