For a short trip to Colombia, a travel embedded Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) bought before departure is the simplest choice, because you install it with no store visit. At Colombia Desk, we guide foreigners moving to and investing in Colombia. If you are staying more than a week or need a local +57 number, get a prepaid line from Claro or Tigo instead. You register it with your ID (a passport works), and it comes with calls and SMS.
US carrier roaming from T-Mobile or Verizon suits a stay of a few days.
Which SIM or eSIM to Get for Colombia
For a short trip, a travel eSIM bought before you fly is the simplest pick: it gives you mobile data in Colombia with no store visit, but no Colombian number.
If you are staying longer than seven days or need a local +57 number, get a prepaid Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card or eSIM from Claro or Tigo. That line gives you ordinary calls, SMS and a +57 number, and you activate it with your ID (a passport works for foreigners). To choose between the operators on coverage and network test results, see which phone company has the best cell service in Colombia.
US postpaid customers of T-Mobile or Verizon who are staying only a few days can roam on their US plan.
A travel eSIM does not suit you if you need a Colombian number, for example to open Nequi, which requires a line from a Colombian operator. US roaming does not suit T-Mobile prepaid customers, because T-Mobile prepaid plans get no international data roaming.
Our pick would change if a travel eSIM sold for Colombia came with a Colombian +57 number that takes ordinary calls and SMS. Nomad says some of its eSIMs include a number, so check the plan details on Nomad’s Colombia page before you rely on one.
| Option Type | Who It Suits | Pricing Example (October 18, 2026) | Local +57 Number | Calls and SMS | ID Required | Where You Buy | Device IMEI Registration Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel eSIM (Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, Ubigi) | Short trips where you only need data | $4.00 to $100.50 United States Dollars (USD) depending on vendor and validity | No on Holafly and Ubigi (Nomad says some of its eSIMs include a number) | No on Holafly and Ubigi (data only; WhatsApp calls work) | Not covered by our sources | Online vendor website or mobile app | Not stated (the rule covers lines from a Colombian operator) |
| Local Prepaid Line (Claro, Tigo) | Stays over a week, or anyone who needs a +57 number | COP 11,000 to COP 49,000 (Claro packages); from COP 9,000 (Tigo packages); COP 100,000 for 30 days (Tigo eSIM Prepago) | Yes | Yes (Claro packages include unlimited minutes and SMS; Tigo eSIM Prepago includes unlimited voice in Colombia) | Yes (passport or foreign resident ID) | Carrier stores or operator digital channels | Yes (within 20 calendar days of the operator’s SMS) |
| United States Carrier Roaming (T-Mobile, Verizon) | US postpaid customers on trips of a few days | T-Mobile postpaid: texting included, calls $0.50 USD per minute, data by plan; $12.00 USD per day on Verizon TravelPass | No (keeps domestic US number) | Yes (billed under US carrier terms) | No new ID (billed to your US account) | Through your existing domestic carrier | No (MinTIC says roaming phones are exempt) |
Local Prepaid Packages and eSIM Prices
On October 18, 2026, Claro packages started at COP 11,000, Tigo’s at COP 9,000.
Claro’s six prepaid “Todo incluido” bundles each include unlimited minutes and SMS to all destinations, plus the data allowance listed:
- 7 days validity: 2 GB of data for COP 11,000.
- 10 days validity: 3.5 GB of data for COP 15,000.
- 15 days validity: 20 GB of data for COP 25,000.
- 30 days validity: 12 GB of data for COP 35,000.
- 30 days validity: 18 GB of data for COP 45,000.
- 30 days validity: 12 GB of data including an Amazon Prime subscription for COP 49,000.
Most Claro prepaid bundles include data access for WhatsApp, Facebook, and X. Top-ups can range from COP 1,000 to COP 100,000. Claro switches prepaid and postpaid customers to an eSIM for free, in the Mi Claro app or at a Claro CAV store.
On October 18, 2026, Tigo’s recommended prepaid package was 20 GB of data for COP 20,000 for 20 days, a double-data promotion (it was 10 GB before).
Tigo sells an online “eSIM Prepago” package on its web store. This plan costs COP 100,000 (displayed as approximately $25.00 USD on October 18, 2026) for 30 days of service. It includes unlimited voice calls within Colombia, unlimited data, and access to WhatsApp and Facebook. After purchasing, Tigo delivers an activation QR code by email.
On October 18, 2026, Movistar sold prepaid and postpaid eSIMs “desde” COP 20,000, online or at its centros de experiencia, without saying what that price includes. The Movistar eSIM page also carried the banner “Movistar ahora es Tigo”, with no detail on the merger.
Identity Requirements for a Colombian Line
Colombian rules require every mobile operator to record your ID details before it activates a prepaid SIM or eSIM.
The rule is Article 2.1.3.3 of Resolution 5050 of 2016 from the Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC). Resolution 7684 of 2025 added that article with effect from September 1, 2025. The operator must collect your document type, document identification number, and the issue date of the identity document.
Foreigners can register with a passport. The operator records your details and may check them later. If you hold a cédula de extranjería (CE) as a Colombian resident, the operator validates your document number and issue date in real time.
If your personal information does not match the official record, the operator cannot activate the line, and you have to start the registration again. The rules also bar operators from registering a prepaid line in the name of a reseller who buys SIMs to resell them, so buy from an official Claro or Tigo store or channel. The full activation steps are in how to get a Colombian phone number.
To open a Nequi account you need a line from a Colombian operator. Foreigners opening a Nequi account must be resident in Colombia, be over 18 and hold a cédula de extranjería, a PPT or a PEP. A passport is not on Nequi’s list of accepted IDs. If you only have a passport, see how to open a bank account in Colombia.
Travel eSIM Options for Short Trips
You buy a travel eSIM online and install it on an eSIM-compatible phone by scanning a QR code or, with Airalo, directly from its app. Holafly and Ubigi say their Colombia plans are data-only.
Several providers offer travel eSIM packages covering Colombia:
- Airalo: unlimited-data plans from $12.50 USD for 3 days to $92.00 USD for 30 days (October 18, 2026).
- Holafly: unlimited-data plans from $13.50 USD for 3 days to $100.50 USD for 30 days (October 18, 2026).
- Nomad: fixed-data plans from $4.00 USD for 1 GB over 7 days to $39.00 USD for 20 GB over 30 days (October 18, 2026).
- Ubigi: On October 18, 2026, Ubigi offered an unlimited 7-day plan for $29.00 USD featuring 20 GB of high-speed data before throttling to 2 Mbps. A separate 1 GB 7-day plan cost $6.00 USD.
For the head-to-head on data limits, hotspot rules and prices, see Airalo vs Holafly for Colombia.
United States Carrier Roaming Plans in Colombia
T-Mobile and Verizon postpaid plans work in Colombia on roaming, under each carrier’s own terms.
On October 18, 2026, every T-Mobile postpaid plan included unlimited texting in Colombia, with calls at $0.50 USD per minute. High-speed data allowances vary depending on your specific postpaid tier:
- Better Value: 30 GB of high-speed data, then throttled to 256 kilobits per second (kbps).
- Experience Beyond and Go5G Next: 15 GB of high-speed data, then 256 kbps.
- Experience More, Go5G Plus, MAX, and One Plus: 5 GB of high-speed data, then 256 kbps.
- Go5G, Magenta, and One: Unlimited data at 256 kbps speeds.
- Other plans: $1.00 USD per megabyte.
- T-Mobile prepaid plans: Excluded from international data roaming.
On October 18, 2026, Verizon priced TravelPass for Colombia at $12.00 USD per day per device. A 24-hour TravelPass session begins automatically when you make a phone call, send a text message, or consume cellular data.
Each daily Verizon session includes 5 GB of high-speed data, followed by unlimited data at reduced 3G speeds. If you exhaust the high-speed allowance, Verizon sells an additional 2 GB of high-speed data for $10.00 USD. Verizon charges only on the days you use the phone. TravelPass is included automatically on Verizon Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Welcome plans.
Roaming suits a visit of a few days. A 15-day stay on Verizon TravelPass costs $180.00 USD if you use the phone on all 15 days, before any extra data, whereas a local Claro 15-day 20 GB prepaid package costs COP 25,000.
The Colombian IMEI Registration Rule
A phone bought abroad that runs on a Colombian SIM or eSIM must be registered by its International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number with that operator. Within 2 calendar days of detecting an unregistered phone, the operator sends an SMS. If the phone is still unregistered 20 calendar days after that SMS, it is blocked on every mobile network in Colombia. Registration is free, and MinTIC says phones on international roaming are exempt. The Claro and Tigo registration channels, and how to lift a block, are in our guide on whether your phone will work in Colombia.
Disadvantages of Using an eSIM
Holafly and Ubigi travel eSIMs are data-only. They come with no Colombian number for ordinary calls or SMS, so you call over WhatsApp instead.
Tigo warns that a deleted prepaid eSIM cannot be reinstalled, so keep it on the phone for as long as you use the line. Movistar says its eSIM cannot be moved from one phone to another, so install it on the phone you will carry for the whole stay.
Your phone also has to be network-unlocked: Airalo says eSIMs install only on unlocked devices, and Tigo and Ubigi set the same condition for their eSIMs. To confirm your phone supports eSIM, dial *#06# and check that an EID appears.
Next Steps for Mobile Service in Colombia
For a trip under a week, install a travel eSIM from Airalo, Holafly, Nomad or Ubigi before your flight.
For a longer stay, take your passport to a Claro or Tigo store and buy a prepaid line. Then register your phone’s IMEI with that operator. Once the operator texts you, you have 20 calendar days before the phone is blocked.
If you are moving to Colombia and want help with property viewings or settling in, contact us or see our relocation concierge.