Citizen Income Requirements: What changes with the RUI in 2026

Since August 21st, households have been waiting for a payment that never arrived, and scammers have taken advantage of this silence with messages promising to "activate your transfer" in exchange for a top-up. That message is always fake. But the underlying question is legitimate: what are the current options? Citizen's Income requirements and what's changing with the new revenue registration.

As of September 17, 2026, the fourth cycle already has a date: it is delivered from September 21 to October 6. Social Prosperity announced on September 17, Almost a month after rescheduling it, he explained that for this cycle he used the Sisbén IV database with cut-off dates of May 18 and July 27, 2026, within the RUI transition period. In other words, the RUI was not yet the filter for this payment. We follow the procedures for each program in our subsidy payment schedule.

Last updated: September 17, 2026.

What are the requirements for Citizen's Income and who is eligible?

The Citizen's Income requirements They don't work like an application you fill out, but rather like a focusThe government reviews its databases and selects the households most in need. To be eligible, your household must be classified as living in extreme poverty, poverty, or socioeconomic vulnerability, according to the Sisbén IV system. Within this group, the program prioritizes households with people with disabilities, young children, children and adolescents, and indigenous communities.

There is no open form or queue: there is an official information exchange that defines who gets in, and no "manager" can get you in in exchange for a payment.

Do the Citizen Income requirements change with the RUI?

This is the new development for 2026, and it's important to understand it without alarm. The Universal Income Registry, or RUI, is the tool the State intends to use to establish people's economic status. In the words of Prosperidad Social (Social Prosperity), the RUI "changes the information used to establish people's economic status and determine who meets the requirements to access and remain" in transfer programs. In other words: it not only changes who gets in, but also who stays.

The agency announced on August 20 that implementing the RUI (Single Registry of Beneficiaries) under the terms of Decree 662 of 2026 "could imply the suspension of transfers for approximately 49% of beneficiary families." Therefore, it halted the process and initiated a technical review with the National Planning Department.

The important thing: that 49 % figure is a risk estimate that led to the review of the change, not a list of excluded households, and no one has received a withdrawal notification. But there's no easy consolation either: the same entity warned that the rescheduling "does not mean that all currently enrolled households are guaranteed to remain." It's not yet decided, and anyone who claims to know the outcome is mistaken. We explain where that data comes from in the Social Registry of Households.

Which Sisbén group is included in the targeting?

The program is based on the Sisbén IV, which ranks households by poverty level. Group A It is the extreme poverty category and comes first; within it, single-parent households have been targeted. Group B, Those in moderate poverty qualify under specific conditions. Group C, vulnerable but not poor, is generally not a direct beneficiary. If you still don't know which group your household falls into, that's the first real step: we explain it in the Sisbén groups for subsidies and in the Sisbén score.

What are the program lines, such as Care Assessment?

Citizen's Income is not a one-size-fits-all check: it is organized into lines with its own criteria. Care Assessment It serves households with people with disabilities who require care or with young children. Colombia without Hunger It targets households in the most critical situation. And there is a Emergency Helpline, different from the previous ones.

That last point explains something that's been confusing this month. There were indeed Citizen Income payments in August, but they were from the emergency line: on August 12th, the agency announced a second transfer for households affected by the February floods in 19 municipalities across Antioquia, Bolívar, Córdoba, Chocó, La Guajira, and Sucre. If your neighbor received payment and you didn't, it could be that they were in that line and your household in the regular cycle. It's not cronyism: they're different categories within the same program.

How do you register? The truth about "registration"«

Here's what's most confusing: There is no open enrollment for Citizen's Income. There's no portal where you register to "apply": selection is done directly, using records like Sisbén IV and the Social Registry of Households. And regarding the current delay, the agency was explicit: families "do not need to register again, pay for any procedures, or go through intermediaries." Repeat this at home: the messages circulating say otherwise.

So what can you do? Keep your Sisbén updated and your household's co-responsibilities up to date, such as health, vaccination, and education of minors: these verifications affect who remains within the targeting process, and they are the part that is in your hands.

How do I check if my household is a beneficiary?

The consultation is free and you do it yourself on the official portal rentaciudadana.prosperidadsocial.gov.co, In the option "Check here if your household is a beneficiary," it asks for document type and number, date of birth, and also supports digital authentication via GOV.CO.

With a cool head: that consultation tells you if your household is prioritized; the date of the cycle is published by the agency in its press room. Regarding the transition from Familias en Acción, we wrote This guide; And since the RUI adjustment also affected the VAT Compensation, the one that applies to you is also useful. VAT refund.

How to avoid scams with Citizen's Income?

A payment cycle delayed by a month created fertile ground for fraud, and the announcement of the date was equally unwelcome: where there's a rush, someone will invent something. No one will register you via WhatsApp, no one will "activate the transfer" in exchange for payment, and no official will ask you for money. Also, do not give your ID to anyone to collect the payment on your behalf: in cycle 4, the bank does not allow powers of attorney or authorizations for third parties. Verify only through official channels. socialprosperity.gov.co, the available phone lines and local offices. If you have an elderly person at home, tell them. This guide is part of our Guide to state aid and subsidies in Colombia.

How Hepacom accompanies you

At the Hechos Para la Comunidad Foundation, we work to provide dignified housing for vulnerable families in Colombia, and assistance like this often provides a much-needed respite, allowing a household to think about something beyond the day-to-day struggle. That's why we publish information with a cutoff date and clearly display the source: so that no one misses out on the assistance they are entitled to or falls prey to someone who takes advantage of the wait. A transfer stabilizes the household; a safe roof over one's head changes a life. If you would like to learn more about our work or support us, please write to us at donaciones@hepacom.org or enter the contact page. In it blog We explain each program in plain language.

Citizen's Income requirements, and which part is under review

The program asks your household three questions. This table separates what information is provided for each question today and what information is still under review by the RUI (Single Registry of Users).

Made with the Official statement from Prosperidad Social dated August 20, 2026. The criteria may change when the review is complete.

Common errors at this point in the program

• Reading delay as an exclusion: The fact that the cycle was rescheduled didn't mean your household was removed from the program. These are separate decisions, and for this payment, the agency used the Sisbén IV system.
• Paying for "updating the RUI" or "reactivating the transaction": The agency stated that there are no additional procedures. Any charge for this service is a scam.
• Accepting a date for cycle 4 that does not come from Prosperidad Social: The official date is from September 21 to October 6, 2026. Any other date circulating is a fabrication.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do they pay Citizen's Income?

The fourth cycle will be delivered from September 21 to October 6, 2026, as announced by Prosperidad Social on September 17, via bank deposit and money order through SuRed and SuperGIROS. Any amounts not collected within this period will not be carried over to the next cycle. The dates for all programs are available on our website. subsidy payment schedule.

How much will Citizen's Income be paid in 2026?

In its statement of August 20, 2026, Prosperidad Social indicated that the program reaches approximately 700,000 households with transfers of 500,000 pesos every two months. The specific amount depends on the household and its income bracket: check yours at [website address missing]. the official portal.

Will the RUI remove me from the Citizen's Income program?

It's not yet defined. The agency estimated that implementing the RUI (Single Income Unit) with the previous schedule could suspend transfers for approximately 49% of families, and therefore initiated a review with the DNP (National Planning Department) instead of proceeding. There's also no guarantee of continued eligibility for everyone. While the review is underway, it's advisable to keep your Sisbén (System for Identifying Potential Beneficiaries of Social Programs) and household information up to date.

Warning: Information guide, current as of September 17, 2026. The process is handled by the official entity. The Hepacom Foundation does not administer or register applicants for any government program, has no affiliation with Prosperidad Social, and does not collect or process payments. Requirements, amounts, and deadlines are defined by the Government and are subject to change; the amounts cited are those published by the entity on the indicated date. Verify your case through the official channel.