Buying Property in Colombia from the UK

UK buyers follow Colombia’s property purchase process for foreigners. UK tax rules and the UK–Colombia double taxation convention also need review.

What it is

Nationality does not change the basic legal steps. The buyer signs a public deed (escritura) before a notary. The property registry office (Oficina de Registro de Instrumentos Públicos) registers it. That office forms part of the Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro. Other requirements depend on the foreign buyer’s situation. The notary confirms the accepted ID: passport or foreigner ID card (cédula de extranjería). Signing requires an interpreter if the buyer does not know enough Spanish. Signing from abroad requires a power of attorney (poder). The buyer must also check how to bring in and register the foreign investment. The steps are in our step-by-step guide to buying as a foreigner.

Banco de la República lists foreign investment in Colombia, and its yields, among the operations that must go through the exchange market. Its own example is a non-resident buying an apartment in Cartagena (Banrep, basic concepts). The page does not name a form number. Ask your bank which exchange declaration applies. Read how to register your foreign investment. A Colombian certified public accountant (contador público) can confirm how Colombia taxes rental income from the property.

Who it applies to

Cancillería's List A (Lista A) gives short-stay visa exemptions. It includes the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Reino Unido de la Gran Bretaña e Irlanda del Norte) (Cancillería, List A). That page does not state the number of days for British passport holders. Confirm it before you travel.

The M investor visa (visa M Inversionista) through real estate requires title solely in the foreigner’s name. Its value must reach at least 350 legal monthly minimum wages (salarios mínimos mensuales legales vigentes, SMLMV) at application. Banco de la República extracts must also register the investment (Cancillería). See visas for property buyers.

Steps

Sending the purchase money

On the Colombian side, funds enter through the exchange market. Ask your bank whether the name on the wire should match the exchange declaration and the deed. Your bank may ask for source-of-funds documents. Ask it what it needs.

The reviewed GOV.UK, Bank of England and FCA pages state no general threshold for individuals sending money abroad. The £10,000 figure on GOV.UK concerns cash carried between Great Britain and a country outside the UK. It does not concern bank transfers (GOV.UK, bringing cash into the UK).

Questions for advisers

The Colombia Owner Kit covers the Colombian side (calendar, checklists, letters in Spanish, BanRep records pack, question lists including questions for your home-country tax professional). Its home-country sheet is the United States sheet. For UK rules, take those questions to a licensed tax professional in the UK. You can also start with the free one-page due-diligence checklist.

Ask your Colombian lawyer or certified public accountant: Which exchange declaration applies? How will my rental income be taxed in Colombia?
Ask your UK chartered tax adviser or accountant: How do I report overseas rental income on the SA106 pages? Can I claim the 4-year regime, and how does the treaty interact with foreign tax credit relief?
Ask your bank: What source-of-funds documents do you need for this transfer?

Costs

UK tax on property income

UK residents normally pay UK tax on their UK and foreign income (GOV.UK, residence). Rental income on overseas property is on HMRC's list of foreign income you may need to pay UK Income Tax on (GOV.UK, foreign income). The SA106 supplementary pages accompany the SA100 Tax Return. They report foreign income and gains and claim foreign tax credit relief (HMRC, SA106).

Three more points from HMRC:

Since 6 April 2025, the 4-year foreign income and gains regime has replaced the remittance basis. It covers qualifying UK tax residents in their first 4 years of residence after at least 10 years as non-residents. Overseas property business profits qualify. A claim removes the tax-free allowances for Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax (GOV.UK, FIG regime).
The finance-cost restriction covers individual UK residents who let residential property in the UK or abroad. Overseas property profits and losses stay separate from UK property (GOV.UK, rental income).
HMRC says UK residents pay tax on their UK and foreign gains. The page we reviewed does not specifically address overseas residential property, so ask about a future sale.

The sources we reviewed do not describe a separate foreign-asset information return for property; ask a chartered tax adviser or qualified accountant in the UK whether anything else applies.

The tax treaty

The countries signed the 2016 Double Taxation Convention on 2 November 2016. It entered into force on 13 December 2019. In the UK, its effective dates are 1 January 2020 for taxes withheld at source and 1 April 2020 for Corporation Tax. For Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax, it takes effect from 6 April 2020 (GOV.UK, Colombia tax treaties). DIAN's list shows the same entry-into-force date (DIAN). Ask a chartered tax adviser or qualified accountant in the UK which income it covers in your case. See also Colombian income tax on rental income.

Documents

Signing from the UK

The Apostille Convention took effect for the United Kingdom on 24 January 1965 and for Colombia on 30 January 2001 (HCCH status table). The UK Legalisation Office adds apostilles to certain official UK documents. It cannot legalise documents issued outside the UK (GOV.UK, get a document legalised). For powers of attorney, see buying from abroad with a power of attorney.

Exceptions

Exchange of account information

HMRC says it receives information from other countries about UK residents with financial accounts and investments overseas (GOV.UK, automatic exchange of information). The OECD’s CRS table was last updated 1 October 2026. It lists both directions between the United Kingdom and Colombia as "CRS MCAA activated" (OECD). Colombia is among the jurisdictions undertaking first exchanges in 2017 (OECD commitments).

Sources

Educational information, not legal or tax advice.

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The risk: Overseas rental profits are foreign income to declare on the SA106 pages with your Self Assessment return HMRC SA106.
One step now: Ask a chartered tax adviser or qualified accountant in the UK whether the 4-year foreign income and gains regime is open to you before you complete the SA106 pages.
In the kit: The kit’s home-country sheet is for the United States. Its Colombian-side parts (calendar, checklists, letters in Spanish, BanRep records pack and the questions for your home-country tax professional) may be useful wherever you live. For your own country’s rules, take those questions to a licensed tax professional where you live. See what’s included

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Frequently asked questions

Is there a tax treaty between the UK and Colombia?

Yes. The 2016 Double Taxation Convention entered into force on 13 December 2019. In the UK it takes effect from 6 April 2020 for Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax.

Do UK residents pay UK tax on Colombian rental income?

HMRC lists rental income on overseas property as foreign income you may need to pay UK Income Tax on. The SA106 pages report foreign income and gains and claim foreign tax credit relief.

What is the 4-year foreign income and gains regime?

Since 6 April 2025 it has replaced the remittance basis for qualifying UK tax residents in their first 4 years of residence. A claim means losing the tax-free allowances for Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax.

Who issues apostilles in the UK?

The Legalisation Office legalises certain official UK documents by attaching an apostille. Documents issued outside the UK cannot be legalised through that service.

Not sure which topics to raise? Take the quiz. The Colombia Owner Kit (US$79, instant download) turns this guide into a checklist, a calendar entry and a question list: see what’s included. Or start with the free sample: Chapter 4, the due-diligence checklist.