Guide contents
Quick answer: every company or person that hires, contracts, employs or admits a foreigner in Colombia must report it to Migración Colombia in the SIRE (Foreigner Reporting Information System), as well as the termination or end of work, within the following 15 calendar days. Hiring foreigners without meeting immigration requirements or skipping these reports are moderate violations, with fines of 105.25 to 2,631.30 UVT (roughly COP 5.5 million to COP 137.8 million in 2026).
What the SIRE is and who must report
The SIRE is Migración Colombia's online platform for reporting events involving foreigners. Under article 3 of Resolution 2357 of 2020, the following are reported: hiring, contracting, employment, admission, enrollment, termination, withdrawal, arrival, lodging and accommodation, inpatient or emergency medical care, artistic, cultural or sports events, and transport of foreigners.
That is why employers are not the only ones who report: educational institutions, hotels and landlords who rent for lodging, clinics and hospitals, event organizers and carriers also do.
Reporting deadlines
| Event | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Hiring, contracting, employment or admission of a foreigner | 15 calendar days |
| Termination or end of work | 15 calendar days |
| Artistic, cultural or sports events | 5 calendar days before the event |
| Properties delivered for lodging | 5 business days after delivery |
| In-person reports made offline | Send in digital format within 30 calendar days |
Source: Resolution 2357 of 2020, arts. 5 and 15. When there is no connection, the report must be completed digitally within the stated term.
Valid documents for the report
Article 4 of Resolution 2357, amended by Resolution 2945 of 2020, accepts the following foreigner documents:
- Passport with a valid visa or permit.
- Foreigner ID card (cédula de extranjería).
- Valid Special Stay Permit (PEP).
- Valid safe-conduct (salvoconducto).
- Foreign document with prior authorization.
What every company must know about the worker's visa
- Worker visa: closed permit. It is granted to work with the company that sponsored it. If the worker comes from another company with this type of visa, they need a new visa to work with you.
- Visas with an open permit, such as the spouse-of-a-Colombian visa or the resident visa, allow any lawful activity (art. 87 of Resolution 5477 for the R visa), but the SIRE report is still mandatory.
- Change of position or activity: the foreigner must register the change and check whether a new visa is needed. The company must reflect it in its reports.
- Contract termination: it may affect the validity of the worker's visa. When the visa ends, the foreigner has 30 calendar days to leave or apply for another (art. 111). Report the termination on time.
- Foreigner ID card: if the visa authorizes a stay of more than three months, the worker must apply for it within 15 calendar days (art. 118).
Company violations and penalties
Resolution 2357 of 2020 (art. 15) classifies the following, among others, as moderate violations:
- Hiring, contracting, employing, admitting or allowing a foreigner to work without meeting immigration requirements, or facilitating their irregular stay.
- Failing to report the hiring, admission, termination or end of work within 15 calendar days.
- Facilitating visas through sham contracts.
- Failing to cover the return expenses of the hired foreigner, and of their family or beneficiaries where applicable, when the contract ends or when the visa is cancelled or the foreigner is deported or expelled.
- Allowing a foreigner to start studies without the corresponding visa or failing to notify Migración Colombia (educational institutions).
- Repeatedly refusing to appear before the immigration authority when summoned in writing.
| Class | Fine (UVT) | Approximate 2026 (UVT = COP 52,374) |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate | 105.25 to 2,631.30 UVT | COP 5,512,364 to COP 137,811,706 |
The authority may aggravate the penalty based on the number of foreigners hired, without exceeding the cap (art. 22), and anyone who accumulates two or more financial penalties in the same calendar year for the same entity is sanctioned for a serious violation. In addition, the foreign worker is liable for their own violations, such as working without authorization.
Compliance checklist for HR
- Before the offer: check the visa or permit, its category, validity and whether it authorizes work with your company.
- If the company sponsors the worker's visa, prepare the corporate documents in advance; supporting documents must not be older than three months (art. 20).
- Register the company in the SIRE.
- Report the hiring within 15 calendar days.
- Make sure the worker applies for the foreigner ID card within 15 days.
- Enroll the worker in social security like any other employee.
- Track the visa expiry date to plan the renewal.
- When the relationship ends, report the termination within 15 days and cover return expenses where applicable.
Frequently asked questions
What is Migración Colombia's SIRE?
The Foreigner Reporting Information System. It is used to report the hiring, contracting, termination, enrollment, lodging, medical care, events and transport of foreigners (Res. 2357 of 2020, art. 3).
How long do I have to report a foreign worker in the SIRE?
Within 15 calendar days after hiring. Termination or end of work is also reported within 15 calendar days.
What is the fine for hiring a foreigner without a visa?
It is a moderate violation: 105.25 to 2,631.30 UVT, roughly COP 5.5 million to COP 137.8 million in 2026, and it can be aggravated based on the number of foreigners hired.
Can I hire a foreigner who holds a worker visa with another company?
Not with that visa: the worker visa authorizes work with the company that sponsored it. The foreigner needs a new visa to work with you.
Can a foreigner with a safe-conduct work?
No. The safe-conduct only allows the holder to stay in or leave the country.
Which events are reported in the SIRE?
Hiring, contracting, employment, admission, enrollment, termination, withdrawal, arrival, lodging and accommodation, inpatient or emergency medical care, events and transport of foreigners (article 3 of Resolution 2357 of 2020).
How long do I have to report a foreigner's termination?
Within 15 calendar days after the termination or end of work.
When are artistic, cultural or sports events reported?
Five calendar days before the event.
When is a property delivered for lodging to foreigners reported?
Within five business days after delivery.
Which foreigner documents are valid for the report?
Passport with a valid visa or permit, foreigner ID card, valid PEP, valid safe-conduct or a foreign document with prior authorization (article 4, amended by Resolution 2945 of 2020).
Does a document valid for the SIRE mean it authorizes work?
No. The safe-conduct, for example, is valid for the report but only allows the holder to stay in or leave the country, not to work.
Can I hire a foreigner with a spouse or resident visa?
Yes, these visas carry an open work permit, but the SIRE report is still mandatory.
What is a sham contract to obtain a visa?
A contract that does not reflect a real relationship, used to facilitate a visa. Resolution 2357 classifies it as a moderate violation by the company.
Must the company pay for the foreign worker's return?
If it sponsored the visa, yes: failing to cover return expenses is one of the moderate violations of Resolution 2357.
What should HR check before making an offer?
That the foreigner holds a valid visa or permit, in the right category, that authorizes work with your company in that position.
Do offline in-person reports count?
Yes, but they must be sent in digital format within 30 calendar days.
Must the foreign worker apply for a foreigner ID card?
If their visa authorizes a stay of more than three months, yes, within 15 calendar days after arrival. The company should verify it.
Does the foreign worker need a medical plan or social security?
When hiring, the company must enroll them in social security like any other employee. Some visas also require a health policy with coverage in Colombia.
Must the company register before reporting?
Yes. The company must be registered in Migración Colombia's SIRE to file reports.
What happens if the company facilitates a foreigner's irregular stay?
It commits a moderate violation punishable by a fine of 105.25 to 2,631.30 UVT under Resolution 2357 of 2020.
Official sources: Migración Colombia Resolution 2357 of 2020, arts. 3, 4, 5, 15 and 22 (amended by Res. 2945 of 2020 and 3770 of 2021) · Resolution 5477 of 2022, arts. 20, 87, 111 and 118 · 2026 UVT: DIAN Resolution 000238 of 2025. Informational content; not legal advice.
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