Legalization is the certification with which the signature of the Colombian Consul abroad is endorsed in public documents issued in countries which are not members of the “Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents” signed at The Hague on October 5, 1961.

Requirements:

• The document must be issued by the foreign authority of the country not part of the Convention.
• Present the document before the Colombian Consulate accredited in that country.
• Legalize the signature of the Colombian Consul at the Apostille and Legalizations Office in Bogota.
• Should there not be a Colombian Consulate in the country where the document was issued, it may be legalized through a friendly country, with the following requirements:

-    Present the document before the Consul at the friendly country
-    Legalize the signature of the Consul before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the friendly country.
-    Present the document at the Colombian Consulate accredited at the friendly country.
-    Legalize the signature of the Colombian Consul at the Apostille and Legalization Office in Bogota.

Note: Documents issued by Colombian Consuls as Notary Public, such as authorizations, survival certificates, special and general powers of attorney, public deeds, civil registrations and certifications DO NOT require legalization by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Fee: Legalization of the signature of the Colombian Consul at the Office of Apostilles and Legalizations has no cost.

Place where the procedure may be applied for: Office of Apostille and Legalizations, Autopista Norte No. 166 – 68, from Monday to Friday 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

LIST OF COUNTRIES WITH APOSTILLES

1.    Albania
2.    Germany
3.    Andorra
4.    Antigua and Barbuda
5.    Argentina
6.    Armenia
7.    Australia
8.    Austria
9.    Azerbaijan
10.    Bahamas
11.    Barbados
12.    Belarus
13.    Belgium
14.    Belize
15.    Bosnia and Herzegovina
16.    Botswana
17.    Brunei Darussalam
18.    Bulgaria
19.    Cape Verde
20.    China, Popular Republic of
21.    Cyprus
22.    Colombia
23.    Cook, Islands
24.    Korea, Republic of
25.    Croatia
26.    Denmark
27.    Dominica
28.    Ecuador
29.    El Salvador
30.    Slovakia
31.    Slovenia
32.    Spain
33.    United States of America
34.    Estonia
35.    Fiji
36.    Finland
37.    France
38.    Georgia
39.    Granada
40.    Greece
41.    Honduras
42.    Hungary
43.    India
44.    Ireland
45.    Iceland
46.    Israel
47.    Italy
48.    Japan
49.    Kazakhstan
50.    Kyrgyzstan
51.    Ex Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia
52.    Lesotho
53.    Latvia
54.    Liberia
55.    Liechtenstein
56.    Lithuania
57.    Luxemburg
58.    Malawi
59.    Malta
60.    Marshall, Islands
61.    Mauricio
62.    Mexico
63.    Moldova, Republic of
64.    Monaco
65.    Mongolia
66.    Montenegro
67.    Namibia
68.    Niue
69.    Norway
70.    New Zealand
71.    The Netherlands
72.    Panama
73.    Peru
74.    Poland
75.    Portugal
76.    United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
77.    Czechs Republic
78.    Dominican Republic
79.    Rumania
80.    Russia, Federation
81.    Saint Kitts and Nevis
82.    Samoa
83.    San Marino
84.    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
85.    Saint Lucia
86.    Saint Tomé and Príncipe
87.    Serbia
88.    Seychelles
89.    South Africa
90.    Sweden
91.    Switzerland
92.    Suriname
93.    Swaziland
94.    Tonga
95.    Trinidad and Tobago
96.    Turkey
97.    Ukraine
98.    Vanuatu
99.    Venezuela

Note:

• Costa Rica and the Oman Sultanate have adhered to the Convention on abolition of the requirement of legalization of foreign public documents signed at The Hague on October 5, 1961, but they DO NOT yet Apostille, because the procedure of information is been forwarded to the other States part of the Convention for any existing reservations, should they exist.

• Other countries not present in the above list as countries with Apostille, must comply with the legalization requirements in foreign public documents.