Document Translation Requirements in Colombia
Official bodies in Colombia generally require a sworn translation of foreign-language documents, and many documents also need an apostille or legalization before they are translated. Below: who can translate, when an apostille is needed, and where the official rules are published.
Colombia requirements at a glance
| Translation standard | Sworn translation (Sworn / Licensed) |
|---|---|
| Who can translate | Licensed Traductor e Intérprete Oficial |
| Apostille | Required for foreign public documents unless exempt by treaty |
| Accepted languages | Spanish |
| Responsible authority | Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cancillería) |
Who can translate documents for use in Colombia?
What makes a translation official in Colombia?
Where can I find a translator?
How does Colombia treat documents from abroad?
Legal basis
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Translating Spanish documents for the U.S.?
Colombian birth certificates, diplomas, and transcripts submitted to USCIS, universities, or credential evaluators need a certified English translation — that is exactly what we do, with a 100% USCIS acceptance guarantee.
Sending U.S. documents to Colombia?
U.S.-issued documents usually need an apostille before they can be used in Colombia — and the apostille should be obtained before the translation, so the certificate itself gets translated too. We offer e-apostille processing as an add-on to any order.
Popular certified translations
The Spanish documents we translate most often — each with its own pricing and requirements page.
Real Spanish translation cases we've handled
Anonymized Spanish-to-English orders. Each case shows the exact translation problem and how we solved it for the receiving authority.
RecentJun 2026embedded-non-textDominican RepublicWhen a Birth Certificate Is Full of Seals, a Hologram, and Barcodes
A Dominican birth certificate carried a hologram, the round Central Electoral Board seal from its overseas office, two barcodes, and a faint clerk audit line. USCIS expects a certified translation to account for every element on the page. We translated all seal and stamp text into English and represented each non-text feature in brackets. The certified translation was delivered for the client's USCIS filing.
Handled by Mateo García, Senior Immigration Translation SpecialistUSCIS filingRead case →
RecentApr 2026country-specific-quirkColombiaAn X Between Two Checkboxes on a Colombian Marriage Certificate
A Colombian Registro Civil de Matrimonio from Notaría 4 Cúcuta carried a hand-placed X between two checkboxes. Both the Notaría and Consulado boxes were empty. Cross-checking the place-of-celebration field, the supporting-document field, and the officer's title confirmed Notaría. The certified translation rendered the row as Notary [X]. A Translator's Note documented the cross-field reasoning so the USCIS adjudicator did not have to redo it.
Handled by Mateo García, Latin American Spanish Legal TranslatorUSCISRead case →
RecentMay 2026field-semanticsMexicoWhen 'Licenciado' on a Mexican Notarial Cotejo Means 'Attorney'
A Mexican notarial cotejo from Notaría Pública No. 44 of Quintana Roo certified a photocopy of a U.S. passport. The notary's title 'Licenciado' marks a Licenciatura en Derecho — an attorney, not a 'Licentiate'. We translated it as 'Attorney' / 'Atty.' on the signature line and inside the notary seal, kept the cotejo's scope clear (the copy is certified, not the passport content), and added a Translator's Note. The translation was delivered for the client's USCIS filing.
Handled by Mateo García, Latin American Spanish Legal TranslatorUSCISRead case →
Colombia translation requirements — FAQ
What type of translation does Colombia require?
Colombia follows the sworn translation standard for official documents. Translations should be completed by: licensed traductor e intérprete oficial.
Is an apostille required for foreign documents in Colombia?
Required for foreign public documents unless exempt by treaty
What languages do Colombian authorities accept?
Official authorities in Colombia accept documents in: Spanish. Documents in any other language need a sworn translation before submission.
Can CertTranslate help with documents for Colombia?
If you are submitting Colombian documents to U.S. authorities (USCIS, universities, credential evaluators), yes — our certified translations are accepted nationwide. For official use inside Colombia, authorities usually require a translator sworn or registered locally — use the official registry linked on this page. We can also advise on apostille requirements for U.S.-issued documents.
Requirements in related countries
Neighbors and countries with a similar translation standard.
Sources
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs – ColombiaOfficial guidelines
Information verified against official sources. Last verified June 2026.
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