Colombia minor travel permit from the U.S.

When is authorization required?

Depending on the case, the authorization applies to Colombian minors, foreign minors holding a Colombian resident visa, and Venezuelan minors with a Temporary Protection Permit (PPT). If the child travels with only one parent, the non-traveling parent's authorization is normally required. If the child travels alone or with a third party, authorization may be required from whoever holds parental authority. Circumstances such as a parent's death, loss or suspension of parental authority, guardianship, adoption, or a court order can change who must authorize the trip. Always confirm with the airline and with Migración Colombia whether your specific situation fits one of these scenarios.

Information the permit must contain

• Full name and identification of the child and of the authorizing parent.
• Destination country or location, stated precisely.
• Purpose of the trip (tourism, family visit, study, etc.).
• Exact departure date and exact return date to Colombia.
• Full name and identification of the accompanying adult.

Leaving out any of these details, or keeping them vague ("multiple destinations," "return date to be confirmed"), is one of the most common reasons a permit gets sent back for correction.

Option 1: sign at a Colombian consulate

The parent in the United States may go to a Colombian consulate to have their signature acknowledged on the permit. The consular office generally asks for complete trip information, a copy of the child's civil birth record, and the authorizing parent's current identification document. When the signature is acknowledged directly before a Colombian consulate, no separate U.S. state apostille is required on that acknowledgment for it to be presented to Colombian authorities. Because each consulate may require different lead times for appointments and have slightly different requirements, confirm the exact procedure with the office covering your jurisdiction before scheduling the child's trip.

Option 2: U.S. notary and state apostille

When a consular appointment is not accessible, due to distance, availability or the urgency of the trip, Migración Colombia states that the permit must be written in Spanish, signed before a notary public commissioned in the United States, apostilled through the competent authority in the state that can authenticate that notary's commission, and presented in the original at the immigration checkpoint, never as a photocopy. Before signing, check that the notarial certificate is complete (signature, seal, date and the notary's information) and that the names and identification numbers match exactly with the child's civil birth record and passport; even a spelling difference between documents can trigger additional questions at the checkpoint. If you would rather sign remotely, first see our guide on remote online notarization (RON) and apostille, since not every state or apostille authority accepts that format for this kind of document.

Documents typically requested at the exit checkpoint

• Valid passport or travel document for the minor.
• Destination country visa, when applicable.
• Legible copy of the civil birth record (check with Migración Colombia whether your case requires a specific format or the physical original).
• The properly signed and authenticated permit (consular or notarized-and-apostilled), in the original.
• Identification for the accompanying adult that matches what is stated on the permit.

Does having custody replace the other parent's permission?

Generally, no. Custody (physical custody of the child) does not itself terminate the other parent's parental authority, and parental authority is what normally determines who must authorize the child leaving the country. Documented exceptions exist, for example, a court order that specifically authorizes departure without the other parent's consent, or the exception for habitual residence outside Colombia explained below, but these must be proven to the authority with the corresponding document, not simply assumed.

Important exception: a minor who habitually lives outside Colombia

Since 2018 there has been a specific exception that is easy to overlook. A minor who has habitually resided outside Colombia for one year or more and travels with the parent who has custody may qualify for an exception to the other parent's permit requirement, provided they present the certification of residence abroad issued by the competent consulate and the required custody documentation. This exception has specific requirements and should not be assumed simply because the minor "lives in the United States"; confirm with the Colombian consulate covering your jurisdiction whether your case qualifies before assuming the other parent's permit is not needed.

If the other parent cannot be located or refuses to authorize

This situation is not resolved with a unilateral statement from the parent who is present. If both parents exercise parental authority and one of them refuses to authorize, the disagreement normally must be resolved before a family judge. ICBF's Family Defender may intervene in certain circumstances provided by law, for example when the minor lacks a legal representative, their whereabouts are unknown, or they are not in a condition to grant the authorization. Cases involving disputes over parental authority or risk of international child abduction require review by the competent authority and should not be treated as a routine paperwork step.

Common mistakes that delay or prevent travel

• Signing the permit before the consular appointment when it needed to be signed in the officer's presence.
• Leaving the return date open or unclear.
• Apostilling in a different state than the one that commissioned the notary.
• Presenting a photocopy of the permit instead of the original.
• Not verifying that the child's name matches exactly across the passport, the birth record and the permit.
• Assuming custody replaces the other parent's authorization without confirming it first.