Mariam Ashalem De Andres
20 August 2026•Update: 20 August 2026
Colombia and Israel will mutually waive advance visa requirements for travel between the two countries starting next month under an agreement announced Thursday.
The governments are moving to restore diplomatic and economic ties after a previous break concerning Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip.
“Both countries have agreed to mutually waive the visa requirement starting Sept. 1,” the Israeli Embassy said in a statement on US social media platform X, referring to talks between Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar.
The measure follows a broader roadmap agreed by the two governments in July to restore relations.
“We mapped out a roadmap for the full and immediate restoration of diplomatic and economic relations between our countries,” Sa’ar said at the time, according to El Colombiano newspaper in Colombia.
The roadmap included the appointment of ambassadors and plans to reopen the Colombian Embassy in Jerusalem. Bogota also recently recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, a move condemned by Syria and several countries in the region as a violation of international law and relevant UN resolutions.
Colombia will lift its advance visa requirement for travel from Israel, while Israel will do the same for travel from Colombia. Existing immigration and entry conditions set by each country will remain in force.
The agreement reverses measures introduced in 2025 as relations deteriorated under Colombia's then-President Gustavo Petro.
Israel reinstated visa requirements for travel from Colombia in 2025, after which the Colombian government imposed a reciprocal requirement.
Colombia severed diplomatic relations with Israel in May 2024 after months of tensions, with Petro saying he could not maintain ties with a genocidal government.
Colombia also intervened in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
Before taking office, Abelardo de la Espriella said his administration would restore diplomatic and economic relations with Israel and withdraw Colombia’s intervention in the ICJ case.
The government has since moved to reestablish ties, including through the creation of a Colombia-Israel Binational Economic Commission, and it has plans for an official Colombian delegation to visit Israel in October.
