Will My Phone Work in Colombia?

Will Your Phone Work in Colombia?

Yes. On your US plan the phone roams as is: T-Mobile postpaid plans include unlimited texting and calls at $0.50 a minute in Colombia, and Verizon TravelPass costs $12 a day. A Colombian SIM or eSIM gives you a local 10-digit number, but the phone must be unlocked and you must register its IMEI with that operator.

Connection Method	Unlocked Device Required	Local Phone Number Included	Equipment Registration Needed
Domestic Carrier Roaming (e.g., T-Mobile, Verizon)	No	No (keeps domestic number)	No (MinTIC roaming exemption)
Travel eSIM (e.g., Airalo data packages)	Not stated by Airalo	No (data only)	Not stated by MinTIC or the CRC
Local Colombian SIM or eSIM (Claro, Tigo, Movistar)	Yes	Yes (10-digit Colombian mobile number)	Yes (register with the operator within 20 calendar days of its SMS warning, per the CRC)

Roaming on Your Home Carrier

Your phone keeps its US number and runs on your existing plan, at the T-Mobile and Verizon rates below. T-Mobile prepaid plans get no data roaming in Colombia, so on prepaid you need a travel eSIM or a Colombian SIM for data. MinTIC says phones on international roaming are exempt from Colombia’s IMEI registration rule.

Using an International Travel eSIM

A travel eSIM gives you mobile data for a set number of days without swapping out your SIM card.

Your phone has to support eSIM, and Tigo’s eSIM terms also require it to be unlocked. Tigo’s eSIM page gives a quick check: dial *#06#, and if an EID number appears, the phone supports eSIM.

Airalo sells its Colombia eSIMs as data packages.

Inserting a Local Colombian SIM or eSIM

A local SIM or eSIM gives you a 10-digit Colombian mobile number. That lets you call local contacts directly and meet the Colombian-line requirement of the Nequi wallet app, which also requires Colombian residency.

Your device must be fully carrier-unlocked by your domestic provider before a Colombian SIM card will function. Once a Colombian SIM is in the phone, the operator checks whether its IMEI is in the database of registered phones set up under the rules of the Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC).

Under Resolution 5050 of 2016, travelers who put a Colombian SIM card into a phone brought from abroad must register the handset’s IMEI with that network operator. MinTIC says registration is free. If the phone is still unregistered 20 calendar days after the operator’s SMS warning, it is blocked as “No registrado” on every mobile network in Colombia. Registering afterwards lifts the block.

Roaming on United States Carriers

T-Mobile Postpaid and Prepaid Tiers

According to T-Mobile’s international roaming terms checked on October 18, 2026, all standard postpaid plans include unlimited texting in Colombia and voice calling at $0.50 per minute. High-speed data allocations depend on your specific tier:

• Experience Beyond and Go5G Next: 15 GB of high-speed data, followed by unlimited connectivity at 256 kbps.
• Better Value: 30 GB of high-speed data, followed by unlimited connectivity at 256 kbps.
• Experience More, Go5G Plus, MAX, and One Plus: 5 GB of high-speed data, followed by unlimited connectivity at 256 kbps.
• Standard Go5G, Magenta, and One Plans: Unlimited basic mobile data capped at 256 kbps.
• Other Postpaid Plans: Data roaming billed at $1.00 per MB.

T-Mobile prepaid accounts receive no international data roaming coverage in Colombia.

Verizon TravelPass Terms

According to Verizon’s published TravelPass directory checked on October 18, 2026, roaming access in Colombia costs $12 per day per mobile device. Daily charges activate automatically when you initiate a voice call, send a text message, or consume cellular data on a local network.

Under Verizon’s TravelPass support conditions, each daily session spans 24 continuous hours from your first usage event. The daily pass provides 5 GB of high-speed data per 24-hour block, after which connection speeds step down to 3G speed for the remainder of that session.

Subscribers can purchase an additional 2 GB allotment of high-speed data for $10. TravelPass billing applies only on days when you actively use mobile services in Colombia. Verizon warns that some newer SIMs and eSIMs may have limited service in some countries while local networks are upgraded, and its notice does not name Colombia.

Colombia roaming prices for other US carriers are not listed, because only T-Mobile’s and Verizon’s Colombia pages could be confirmed. On any US carrier, an unlocked phone can use the travel eSIM or Colombian SIM options below.

Travel eSIM Options for Short Trips

Airalo’s Colombia page listed these Unlimited data packages on October 18, 2026:

• 3-Day Unlimited Data: $12.50 USD
• 5-Day Unlimited Data: $19.50 USD
• 7-Day Unlimited Data: $27.50 USD
• 10-Day Unlimited Data: $34.50 USD
• 15-Day Unlimited Data: $48.50 USD
• 30-Day Unlimited Data: $92.00 USD

Airalo’s Colombia packages are sold as data packages, so plan on a Colombian SIM if you need a local number for calls or SMS codes.

See our guide to the best eSIM for Colombia and our head-to-head comparison of Airalo vs Holafly in Colombia.

IMEI Registration Rules in Colombia

Article 2.7.3.4 of Resolution 5050 of 2016, as modified by Resolution 7811 of 2025, has applied since October 1, 2025. Under it, if you bring a phone into Colombia as a traveler or receive it by mail, you must register its IMEI with the operator whose service you use. The operator must process the registration right away. Phones brought in through formal import are registered during customs clearance under Decree 2025 of 2015.

The Notification Timeline and Blocking Mechanics

Here is how the operator’s check and the 20-day clock work:

1. You insert a local Colombian SIM or activate a local eSIM on an unregistered phone.
2. The operator finds that the phone’s IMEI is not in the positive database of registered phones.
3. Within 2 calendar days of identifying the unregistered IMEI, the operator must send an official SMS notification to your line under Article 2.7.3.12.4.1.
4. The SMS confirms you have 20 calendar days to complete registration.
5. During this 20-day grace period, the operator may deliver additional warning alerts through flash SMS, USSD messages, an IVR phone menu, or phone calls.

If you fail to register within 20 calendar days following that SMS, the operator enters the IMEI onto the national negative database (Base de Datos Negativa) under the status category “No registrado”. Once listed on the negative database, the handset is blocked on every mobile network in Colombia. Tigo’s help page says the block applies to the phone while the line itself stays active.

MinTIC explains in its IMEI regulatory guidance that registering your equipment is entirely free. If you use a dual-SIM phone with two different Colombian carriers, you must complete registration with each operator separately for both IMEI numbers.

Reversing a Block and Unblocking Deadlines

A mobile phone blocked under the “No registrado” classification can be unblocked by completing official registration. Once you register the phone, the operator has at most 60 continuous hours to take the IMEI off the negative database. That deadline is set by Article 2.7.3.14 of Resolution 5050 of 2016, as explained in CRC Concept Rad. 2026809186 issued on June 16, 2026.

After your operator lifts the block, the other operators’ negative databases must be updated within 25 minutes. An “inválido” block (a tampered IMEI) cannot be lifted by registering the phone. Under a CRC concept issued on November 12, 2025, an IMEI that stays blocked as hurto, extravío, inválido or no registro can be taken off the negative database only after at least 3 years. It is then checked every six months, and if it shows up on a network again it is re-blocked as “reincidente”.

Blocking for Non-Homologated Phones Was Repealed

Older advice says you need a purchase invoice or a homologated (officially certified) phone to register it in Colombia. That advice is out of date.

Under Resolution 7811 of 2025, in effect since October 1, 2025, the CRC formally repealed equipment blocking based on the “No homologado” classification. In a letter signed on December 17, 2025, the CRC told Comcel (Claro) that a phone’s lack of homologation cannot be used to restrict or refuse its registration. The same letter bars Claro from sending SMS warnings that unhomologated phones will be blocked.

In CRC Concept Rad. 2026809186, the regulatory commission confirmed the active blocking categories:

• Theft (robo)
• Loss (extravío)
• Invalid hardware identifier (inválido)
• Duplicate identifier (duplicado)
• Unregistered equipment (no registrado)
• Reoffending hardware (reincidente)
• Administrative theft report (hurto administrativo)

The former homologation blocking category was deleted from Article 2.7.3.2. The older text that asked for a purchase invoice or a “Declaración de único responsable” now appears only under the regulation’s archived wording.

How to Register Your IMEI with Local Operators

Under Resolution 7811 of 2025, every Colombian operator’s website must show “REGISTRE SU EQUIPO” as a top-level option on its home-page menu. The operator’s phone line menu must offer the same option, and its stores must have staff to help you register.

Under the current rule, the operator’s SIM must be in the phone you are registering, and the operator checks that the line is yours through its records or with an SMS code sent to that line.

Registering with Claro Colombia

According to Claro’s official equipment registration channels, subscribers can register an IMEI across three self-service systems:

1. WhatsApp Support: Message Claro’s official WhatsApp line at 311 200 0000, select “Otras opciones”, and choose “Registra tu equipo”.
2. USSD Phone Code: Dial *233# from the device containing the Claro SIM card, select your line type (prepaid, postpaid, or corporate), and follow the prompts.
3. Mi Claro Application: Open the Mi Claro mobile app, navigate to “Gestiona tu equipo”, and select “Registrar este equipo”.

You confirm the 15-digit IMEI that Claro detects and enter your document number and its issue date.

Registering with Tigo Colombia

Under Tigo’s equipment registration guidelines, subscribers can register online or inside physical stores:

1. Log into the Mi Tigo web portal or mobile application.
2. Navigate to “Servicios”, select “Consulta tus dispositivos”, and click “REGISTRAR”.
3. Enter the security code sent by SMS to the line installed in that phone.
4. Verify the detected IMEI and confirm device ownership.

Tigo requires its SIM to be in the phone and the line to be in your name. On a dual-SIM phone, register each IMEI separately.

We could not find Movistar’s IMEI registration steps, and Movistar Colombia’s eSIM page now says “Movistar ahora es Tigo” (seen October 18, 2026). If your SIM is from Movistar, use the “REGISTRE SU EQUIPO” option that every operator’s website must carry.

Buying a Local Colombian SIM or eSIM

Prepaid Packages and Pricing

Domestic mobile service in Colombia is divided into prepaid packages (prepago) and recurring contracts (pospago).

On Claro’s prepaid portal checked on October 18, 2026, “Todo Incluido” packages include unlimited nationwide calls and SMS. Most packages also include zero-rated data for WhatsApp, Facebook and X. The prices are:

• 7 Days (2 GB): COP 11,000
• 10 Days (3.5 GB): COP 15,000
• 15 Days (20 GB): COP 25,000
• 30 Days (12 GB): COP 35,000
• 30 Days (18 GB): COP 45,000
• 30 Days (12 GB with Amazon Prime): COP 49,000

Claro digital sales channels offer triple data promotions on qualifying packages. Prepaid accounts support recharges from COP 1,000 to COP 100,000. Claro policies state that a prepaid line without transactional activity for 60 continuous days may be deactivated.

On Tigo’s prepaid portal checked on October 18, 2026, the featured monthly promotion was 20 GB of data for 20 days at COP 20,000, a 2-for-1 offer on what was 10 GB. Standard prepaid bundles start at COP 9,000.

Online, Tigo sells an international prepaid eSIM with unlimited data for 30 days at COP 100,000 (displayed as approximately USD 25 on the portal). The plan provides unlimited domestic voice minutes and zero-rated access for WhatsApp and Facebook.

According to Tigo’s eSIM activation instructions, the setup QR code arrives by email and cannot be resent if discarded. Tigo also warns not to delete its eSIM once installed, because a deleted Tigo eSIM cannot be installed again.

Under Claro’s eSIM service terms, digital eSIM conversions for existing prepaid and postpaid lines carry no monetary charge. Digital profiles activate inside the Mi Claro application using one-time password verification and facial validation, or in person at customer service centers (Centros de Atención y Ventas).

On Movistar’s eSIM page, digital prepaid and postpaid eSIM packages start from COP 20,000. Movistar notes that digital eSIM profiles cannot be transferred between different physical devices once installed.

Identity Verification Rules for Prepaid Lines

Since September 1, 2025, operators may not activate a prepaid SIM or eSIM until they have collected three details from you. The rule is Article 2.1.3.3 of Resolution 5050 of 2016, added by Resolution 7684 of 2025:

• Identification document type
• Identification document number
• Official document issuance date

For foreign nationals, Article 2.1.3.3.4 authorizes the use of a valid foreign passport. The operator records your passport details and may check them later. Other documents are checked in real time.

If submitted identification data contains errors, the carrier cannot complete line activation. Operators also may not register a prepaid line in the name of a reseller, so the line has to be registered to your own document.

Under Tigo’s line registration system, subscribers can register a prepaid SIM in their name by dialing *322 directly from the phone containing the SIM card or through tigo.com.co/prepago. For SIM card replacements, Tigo accepts a foreign passport, cédula de extranjería, cédula de ciudadanía, or Permiso por Protección Temporal (PPT).

For complete guidance on obtaining local voice service, read our detailed guide on how to get a Colombian phone number.

Checking an IMEI Block on the National Database

imeicolombia.com.co is the public lookup for Colombia’s negative database of reported and blocked phones. Anyone can check an IMEI for free without supplying personal details.

To verify a device:

1. Open your phone dialer and press *#06# to display your 15-digit IMEI number on screen.
2. Visit imeicolombia.com.co in a web browser.
3. Type the 15-digit number into the search field and submit the query.

The portal reveals whether the IMEI appears on the negative database, the specific operator that registered the report, and the legal ground for the block. This search confirms negative blocks only; it does not confirm positive device registration.

If a handset appears on the negative database, unblocking procedures must be filed directly with the specific operator that submitted the initial report.

Dialing Formats and Nequi’s Local-Number Rule

National Numbering and Calling Codes

Under regulatory releases from the CRC, all Colombian mobile telephone numbers consist of exactly 10 digits. Traditional mobile prefixes include 300 and 310. The CRC confirmed in CRC Concept Rad. 2026707363 on May 28, 2026 that numbers starting with 333 are valid mobile numbers, though some websites and forms do not accept them yet.

Under the CRC’s national dialing rules in force since December 1, 2021:

• Mobile to Mobile: Dial the 10-digit mobile number directly.
• Mobile to Landline: Dial 60 + the region code + the local landline number.
• International Calling to a Colombian Mobile: Dial +57 followed by the 10-digit mobile number.
• International Calling to a Landline: Dial +57 + 60 + the regional indicator + the local number.

Nequi Requires a Colombian Mobile Line

To open an account on the digital wallet Nequi, users must maintain an active mobile line issued by a Colombian telecommunications operator, as stated in Nequi’s onboarding requirements. Foreign users must be over 18 years old, complete mandatory facial recognition, and hold formal legal residency.

Under Nequi’s foreign account policies, foreign nationals must present a cédula de extranjería (or PPT/PEP for Venezuelan nationals). Passports are not accepted for Nequi account creation.

If you are moving to Colombia long-term, see our guides on opening a bank account in Colombia and obtaining a cédula de extranjería.

Pre-Travel Phone Checklist for Colombia

Do these five things before you fly:

1. Confirm Carrier Unlock Status: Contact your domestic provider to confirm your handset is fully unlocked. Locked carrier devices reject Colombian SIM cards.
2. Verify Roaming Terms: If you plan to roam, check your plan’s Colombia rates on T-Mobile’s Colombia roaming page or Verizon’s TravelPass country list.
3. Capture Device Identifiers: Dial *#06# on your dialer screen. Take a screenshot or record your 15-digit IMEI numbers and your EID number for eSIM profiles.
4. Download Carrier Apps: Install the Mi Claro or Mi Tigo application while connected to high-speed home internet if you plan to buy a local SIM card.
5. Plan Your IMEI Registration: If you will use a Colombian SIM or eSIM, register the phone with that operator through the channels above once the SIM is in it, without waiting for the warning SMS.

If you are moving to Medellín or Bogotá and want help getting set up, including a working phone line, see our relocation concierge or contact our team.