Photo: Ricky Beron / Unsplash
Practical info for Colombia
Emergencies, embassy, entry requirements, money: the essentials before you go, with the official source and the date each piece of information was checked.
Embassy and entry requirements shown for travellers from: United Kingdom.
Emergency numbers
- Single emergency number123
- Police112
- Police123
- Medical emergencies123
- Medical emergencies125
- Fire brigade119
Source: France Diplomatie, GOV.UK, French embassy, Portal das Comunidades Portuguesas, Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych RP · verified on 26/10/2026
Embassy and consulates
- British Embassy BogotáEmbassy
- Address
- Carrera 9, No 76-49, Piso 8 Edificio ING Barings, Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry use our contact form: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/colombia/british-embassy-bogota
Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
Entry requirements
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included.
Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 15/10/2026 ›
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Safety and travel advice
Highest level according to GOV.UK (FCDO): FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country.
Areas where FCDO advises against all but essential travel
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to:
FCDO currently advises against all travel to Venezuela’s border regions with Colombia.
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Currency and payments
Currency: Colombian peso (COP).
The ECB does not publish a reference rate for COP.
Source: SIX Group (ISO 4217), European Central Bank, EU Publications Office · verified on 26/10/2026
Time difference
Local time: UTC-05:00, −5 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026).
The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
Source: IANA (time zones) · verified on 26/10/2026
Driving
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Colombia. If you still have a paper driving licence, you may need to update it to a photocard licence. holding an International Driving Permit (IDP)”
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Mobile networks
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: Claro (Sirocco); Comcel S.A. Occel S.A./Celcaribe (Sirocco); Movistar (Sirocco); TIGO/Colombia Movil (Sirocco).
Source: Sirocco · verified on 26/10/2026
eSIM prices for Colombia
7 days, 5 GB · prices checked on 26/10/2026
3 brands compared, not an exhaustive listWhy this ranking?
Ranked by price: for each brand, the cheapest plan that covers 7 days and 5 GB.
Not an exhaustive comparison: 3 brands out of the dozens that sell eSIMs. The list of brands compared is in our Methodology.
eSIMeter is published by Mocom SAS, which sells Sirocco: the site is funded by those sales. No other brand pays us.
Frequently asked questions
What are the emergency numbers in Colombia?
Single emergency number: 123 ; Police: 112 ; Police: 123 ; Medical emergencies: 123 ; Medical emergencies: 125 ; Fire brigade: 119
How do I contact the embassy or consulate in Colombia?
British Embassy Bogotá, Carrera 9, No 76-49, Piso 8 Edificio ING Barings, Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia. Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
What are the entry requirements for Colombia?
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included. Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 15/10/2026.
What is the travel advice for Colombia?
Highest level according to GOV.UK (FCDO): FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country. Areas where FCDO advises against all but essential travel FCDO advises against all but essential travel to: FCDO currently advises against all travel to Venezuela’s border regions with Colombia.
What currency is used in Colombia?
Currency: Colombian peso (COP). The ECB does not publish a reference rate for COP.
What is the time difference in Colombia?
Local time: UTC-05:00, −5 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026). The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
What should I know about driving in Colombia?
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Colombia. If you still have a paper driving licence, you may need to update it to a photocard licence. holding an International Driving Permit (IDP)”
Which mobile networks operate in Colombia?
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: Claro (Sirocco); Comcel S.A. Occel S.A./Celcaribe (Sirocco); Movistar (Sirocco); TIGO/Colombia Movil (Sirocco).