How to Refill Claro Colombia with a US Credit Card
The Mi Claro app rejects foreign cards. Here are the real alternatives for refilling your Claro Colombia prepaid number from the US, including step-by-step instructions.
Updated April 2026
Why can't I recharge Claro Colombia with my US credit card?
The Mi Claro app and website reject all foreign-issued credit and debit cards. This isn't a bug — it's a deliberate restriction. Claro's payment processor only accepts Colombian-issued cards (Visa, Mastercard, or local networks like PSE).
A verified 2024 review on the Mi Claro Google Play listing puts it plainly: "No international credit cards are accepted… It's 2024, I shouldn't have to walk into a point of sale to recharge service." Claro's own support team replied to this review without offering a fix.
This means if you're in the US, Europe, or anywhere outside Colombia, the official app is useless for refilling your Claro number.
Why the Mi Claro app doesn't work for foreigners
The Mi Claro app uses a Colombian payment gateway that validates card BIN numbers (the first 6 digits). Cards issued by US banks — Chase, Bank of America, Capital One, Amex — all fail validation before reaching the payment step.
This affects:
- US-issued Visa and Mastercard
- European-issued cards
- Any card not issued by a Colombian bank
- Virtual cards (Privacy.com, Revolut US)
The ETB carrier is reportedly the only Colombian provider that accepts foreign cards, but they have minimal prepaid market share.
How to refill Claro Colombia from abroad: your options
If you're outside Colombia and need to refill a Claro number, here are the realistic options:
- Ask someone in Colombia to visit a tienda or use their Colombian card in the app. Works once; doesn't scale.
- International resellers (Recharge.com, Ding, BOSS Revolution) — one-time transactions, no recurring option, often higher fees.
- NomadSIM — accepts US/international cards, delivers refills in minutes, supports recurring auto-refill on your schedule.
The key difference: resellers are one-and-done. NomadSIM is a subscription you set up once and it keeps your number alive on autopilot.
Step-by-step: refill Claro Colombia with NomadSIM
- Go to nomadsim.co
- Enter your 10-digit Colombian phone number
- Select Claro as your carrier
- Choose a plan (3.5GB to 80GB)
- Pay with any US credit or debit card via Stripe
- Your refill is delivered to the number within minutes
- Optional: enable recurring refill to keep the number active permanently
The entire process takes under 2 minutes. No account required for one-time refills.
What Claro Colombia plans are available through NomadSIM?
NomadSIM offers the full range of Claro prepaid bundles:
- 3.5GB / 20 days — $5.49. Light use, messaging, maps.
- 7.5GB / 20 days — $8.99. Moderate use, video calls.
- 12GB / 30 days — $12.99. Daily use with social media.
- 18GB / 30 days — $15.99. Heavy use, streaming.
- 80GB Todo Incluido / 30 days — $33.99. Unlimited calls/SMS, hotspot, everything included.
All plans include unlimited calls and SMS to all Colombian operators.
How to keep your Claro number from being deactivated
Under CRC Resolution 5050/2016, Claro can deactivate your prepaid number after 60 days without a refill or outgoing activity. If you're leaving Colombia for more than two months, you need a refill strategy.
NomadSIM's Keep My Number plan ($2.50 every 60 days) performs the minimum refill needed to keep the number in your name. Set your return date, and it auto-cancels when you're back. No forgotten charges, no manual effort.