Starting a business in Colombia: foreigner's guide (2026)

Foreign investors may hold up to 100% equity in Colombian companies in almost all sectors. The only statutory exclusions are: open broadcast TV concessions (capped at 40% foreign capital), national defense/security activities, and processing or disposal of toxic/hazardous/radioactive waste not produced in Colombia. National-treatment principles under Decree 1068 of 2015 (as amended by Decree 119 of 2017) prohibit discriminatory conditions against foreign versus domestic investors.

The Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada (SAS), created by Law 1258 of 2008, is the standard choice for foreign investors. It allows a single shareholder (individual or legal entity), imposes no minimum capital requirement (capital may be paid in over up to two years), and can be constituted via private document — no notarisation or public deed required.

Step 1: Verify company name availability via RUES (Registro Único Empresarial). Step 2: Draft corporate bylaws/statutes. Step 3: Register with the local Cámara de Comercio (online via CCB SAS Virtual or in person) and pay registration and stamp fees. Step 4: DIAN automatically generates the RUT (tax registry) and NIT (tax ID) upon Chamber registration. Step 5: Open a corporate bank account.

Foreign investors must register their equity contribution with Colombia's central bank (Banco de la República) via a local financial institution by submitting Form 4 (Declaración de Cambio para Inversiones Internacionales) and Form 11 (Declaración de Registro de Inversiones Internacionales). This registration must be updated annually and is a foreign-exchange control requirement, not a condition for incorporating the company itself.

Core company registration with the Chamber of Commerce and DIAN typically takes 3–7 business days when completed online. No statutory minimum paid-in capital exists for the SAS. Total end-to-end setup (including bank account opening and Banco de la República capital registration) averages 3–5 weeks in practice. A foreigner may incorporate remotely via a duly notarised and apostilled power of attorney.

The Ventanilla Única de Inversión (VUI), operated by the national government, consolidates procedures for company formation, migration, real-estate purchases, pre-operating licences, and personnel hiring into a single online portal (vui.gov.co), with English-language guidance available. A separate Ventanilla Única Empresarial (VUE) streamlines ongoing commercial transactions.