Visitor's Information for Columbia

Colombia is a medium-income nation of some 44 million inhabitants.  Its geography is very diverse, ranging from tropical coastal areas and rainforests to rugged mountainous terrain.  Tourist facilities in Colombia vary in quality and safety, according to price and location.  Security is a significant concern for travelers, as described in the Department of State’s Travel Warning for Colombia.  Read the Department of State Background Notes on Colombia for additional information.

All U.S. citizens who are not also Colombian citizens must present a valid U.S. passport to enter and depart Colombia, and to return to the United States.  Dual U.S-Colombian citizens must present a Colombian passport to enter and exit Colombia, and a U.S. passport to return to the United States.  Be aware that any person born in Colombia may be considered a Colombian citizen, even if never documented as such.  U.S. citizens born in Colombia or who otherwise have Colombian citizenship will need both a Colombian passport and a U.S. passport for the trip.

U.S. citizens traveling to Colombia do not need a Colombian visa for a tourist stay of 60 days or less.  Travelers entering Colombia are sometimes asked to present evidence of return or onward travel, usually in the form of a round-trip plane ticket.  Americans traveling overland must enter Colombia at an official border crossing.  Travelers arriving by bus should ensure, prior to boarding, that their bus will cross the border at an official entry point.  Entering Colombia at unauthorized crossings may result in fines or incarceration.  Travelers planning to enter Colombia over a land border should carefully read our information on Traffic Safety and Road Conditions below.

The length of stay granted to travelers is determined by the Colombian immigration officer at the point of entry and will be stamped in your passport.  Extensions may be requested by visiting an office of the Colombian immigration authority, known as the Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad, or DAS, after arrival in Colombia.  Fines are levied if a traveler remains in Colombia longer than authorized, and the traveler cannot leave Colombia until the fine is paid.  Any traveler possessing a Colombian visa with more than three months’ validity must register the visa at a DAS immigration office within 15 days of arrival in Colombia or face fines.  The DAS immigration office in Bogota is located at Calle 100 and Carrera 11B.

No arrival tax is collected upon entry into Colombia, but travelers leaving by plane must pay an exit tax at the airport, in cash.  The tax varies with the dollar/peso exchange rate, but is usually between $50 and $70.  Some airlines include all or a portion of this tax in the cost of your airline ticket; check with your airline to find out how much you will have to pay at the airport.

To prevent international child abduction, Colombia has implemented special exit procedures for Colombian children under 18 who are departing the country without both their mother and their father or a legal guardian.  These procedures apply to U.S. citizen children if they are also Colombian citizens or if they are legal residents of Colombia.  The procedures do not apply to U.S. citizen children present in Colombia as tourists using a U.S. passport.  Complying with the procedures can be complex and time-consuming, especially if an absent parent is outside Colombia at the time.  Advance planning is essential.

The procedures are as follows: Upon exiting the country, the person traveling with the child (or the child him/herself) must present a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate, along with written, signed authorization from the absent parent(s) or legal guardian.  The authorization must explicitly grant permission for the child to travel alone, with one parent, or with a third party, by name.  When a parent is deceased, a notarized copy of a death certificate is required instead of written authorization.  When one parent has sole custody of the child, that parent may present a custody decree instead of the other parent’s written authorization.

If the documents to be presented originated in the United States, they must first be translated into Spanish and then signed in front of a Colombian consul at a Colombian consulate.  Then, upon arrival in Colombia, the documents must be presented to the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for certification of the consul’s signature.

Alternatively, the documents can be translated into Spanish, then notarized by a notary public in the United States, and authenticated by requesting an apostille from the competent authority in the state where the documents were prepared.  The document, translation, and apostille can then be presented to immigration officers at the airport when the child travels.

If the documents originated in Colombia and are written in Spanish, only notarization by a Colombian notary is required.  For documents originating in countries other than the United States or Colombia, please inquire with the Colombian embassy serving that country.

In cases where the absent parent refuses or is unable to provide consent, the other parent can request assistance from the Colombian child protective service, Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar (ICBF).  In appropriate cases, ICBF will investigate and may issue a document that will allow the child to travel without both parents’ consent.  This process may take a significant amount of time and is not within the control of the U.S. government.

SAFETY AND SECURITY:   Violence has decreased in many urban destinations, including the cities of Bogota, Medellin, Barranquilla, and Cartagena.  Cali has made less progress combating crime than most other large cities.  The level of violence in Buenaventura remains high.  Small towns and rural areas of Colombia can be extremely dangerous due to the presence of narco-terrorists.  Common crime remains a significant problem in many urban and rural areas, as described in the section on crime below.

The incidence of kidnapping in Colombia has diminished significantly from its peak at the beginning of this decade.  Nevertheless, terrorist groups, including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and other criminal organizations, continue to kidnap and hold civilians for ransom or as political bargaining chips.  No one is immune from kidnapping on the basis of occupation, nationality, or other factors.  On July 2, 2008, the Colombian government rescued three Americans, a prominent Colombian politician, and eleven members of the Colombian security forces. President Uribe called on the FARC to release the remaining hostages and seek peace. Although the U.S. government places the highest priority on the safe recovery of kidnapped Americans, it is U.S. policy not to make concessions to kidnappers.  Consequently, the U.S. government’s ability to assist kidnap victims is limited.

Official and personal travel by U.S. Embassy employees outside most urban areas is subject to strict limitations and reviewed by security officers on a case-by-case basis.  U.S. Embassy employees are allowed to travel by air, but inter- and intra-city bus transportation is off limits to them.

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ web site, where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found.

Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas.  For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s A Safe Trip Abroad.


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