UK visa requirement abolished for Colombian citizens, but what needs to be shown at border for 3 month stay?

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Will a return ticket and a signed letter from their British friend (stating the address at which they will be staying, that he has enough room to put them up, that he makes an irrevocable promise to support them, and that he has put £X aside and here is a bank statement) suffice?

Most likely, yes.

If I'm thinking along the right lines here, is there any official guidance on how much X should be, given that no hotels or renting will be involved?

No. Even without hotels and renting, the cost of the visit could vary wildly. How many meals will be eaten at home or in a restaurant? How many days will be spent walking in the park or engaging in costlier recreation? The UK tends to take a more flexible and therefore less deterministic approach to the question of sufficient funds.

Your question shows that you understand the criteria fairly well. The British host should be easily reachable by phone when the travelers arrive, preferably in the airport's arrivals hall, available to address any concerns immigration officers might have.

The main concern, it seems to me, is the last: leaving the UK. A return ticket shows the capacity to do so, but says little about the intention: many illegal entrants are prepared to throw away an airline ticket as part of the cost of getting in. To that end, evidence of a settled life to which the traveler will be motivated to return will be useful, if not critical.

They might ask about the host's interest in the visitor: why is the host willing to spend so much money for the visit? This could arise, for example, from suspicions of human trafficking or abduction. If the relationship is not one of long standing, be up front about it, but always be prepared to show why such a visit is reasonable in the context of the relationship.

(And here I have to note the possibility that this is a romance scam; red flags would include the traveler asking for money to buy the plane ticket instead of asking the host to buy the ticket directly.)

The traveler should be prepared for these questions but should not anticipate them. Offering too much evidence too readily could also arouse suspicions. In other words, answer all questions truthfully and completely, but do not offer more information than the answer requires.

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