TRA vs SIRE in Colombia: what an Airbnb host must report about guests

TRA and SIRE are not the same thing. Colombia’s Accommodation Registration Card (TRA) is the tourism system for recording the main guest and companions in tourist accommodation and tourist homes. SIRE is Migración Colombia’s official system for reporting foreigners when a person or business accommodates, hires or provides certain services to them.

Who has to use TRA?

Colombia’s business-services portal states that TRA applies to tourist accommodation providers and tourist homes registered in the RNT, including tourist apartments, houses and rural tourist properties.

Who has to use SIRE?

Migración Colombia describes SIRE as the tool for natural and legal persons with reporting obligations involving foreigners. “Accommodation and lodging” is expressly listed as a reporting category.

In May 2026, Migración Colombia held a Cartagena tourism-sector session specifically on SIRE and foreign-guest reporting—evidence that this is a live operating requirement, not theoretical paperwork.

What information should the host request before check-in?

The practical minimum depends on the platform and guest type, but the workflow should anticipate valid identification, full names, nationality and the other fields required by the relevant system. Foreign-guest SIRE reporting requires identification and movement information that should be captured securely.

Can the building front desk replace the host’s reporting?

Do not assume so. Building security may run its own access control and ID process, but that does not necessarily satisfy the tourism provider’s reporting duties to MinCIT or Migración Colombia. They are different workflows.

How do you make TRA and SIRE part of check-in rather than a forgotten task?

1. Booking confirmed: explain required information/documents in advance.
2. Pre-check-in: verify names and IDs against the reservation and visitor rules.
3. Official reporting: complete TRA and, where required, SIRE under the documented workflow.
4. Access: give the front desk only the information needed for entry.
5. Audit: retain evidence of compliance without keeping more personal data than necessary.

What about visitors who do not sleep in the apartment?

Three layers matter: building rules, host policy and the official reporting obligation depending on whether the person becomes an accommodated guest. A brief visitor should not automatically be treated as an overnight guest, but someone actually staying should not be ignored either. Define the boundary and escalate ambiguous cases.

Why does this improve guest experience?

Because a host demanding documents at midnight, contradicting security or unexpectedly blocking a visitor feels disorganized. The better experience is to tell guests the rules before payment, collect required information through a clear channel and have access ready before arrival.