It’s common to use a Colombia notary for a variety of legal documents, including those required for visas, apartment rentals, property purchases, marriages, and divorces.
Notaries in Colombia play a crucial role in ensuring the legality of contracts and official documents. This guide provides up-to-date information on Colombian notaries in Medellín and throughout Colombia, helping foreigners navigate the notary process in Colombia efficiently.
Since living in Medellín for over a decade, I have needed to use notary services in Colombia every year. From notarized documents in Colombia for my apartment rental contracts to legalizing paperwork for my Colombian visa, notaries have been an essential part of my experience. Additionally, I got married at a notary in Colombia, a common practice for both locals and expats.
Finding a Colombia Notary in Medellín
In every city in Colombia, you will find notaries. Medellín has 31 notary offices, numbered from Notaría 1 to Notaría 31. In El Poblado, there are seven: Notaría 2, 12, 17, 20, 22, 25, and 26.
Here is a complete list of Medellín notaries. Note that each notary office can have different hours. Some are open during lunch, while others aren’t. And a few notaries are open on Saturday. It’s usually best to call ahead, as email communication with Colombian notaries is often unreliable.
The cost of Colombia notary services varies depending on the service. Here is a partial list of current costs at a notary in Medellín:
- Authentication of signature – 2,280 pesos
- Digital signature – 8,568 pesos
- Birth certificate – 7,500 pesos
- Marriage certificate – 7,500 pesos
The cost of civil marriage in Colombia at a notary, including everything related to a escritura pública, costs approximately 120,000 to 180,000 pesos and can cost more if a translator is needed.
Notaries also play an important role in property purchases in Colombia. We previously provided a guide for foreign buyers, detailing the notary process in Colombia when acquiring real estate.
You can use your passport at a Colombia notary if you are a tourist. But if you have a cedula (local Colombia ID after receiving a visa) you need to use your cedula at a Colombia notary.
When I have used notaries in Medellín, the process has been relatively painless. You just show up at the notary office, stand in line normally for only a few minutes, sign the document, pay and receive your document that is notarized.
If you need to find a notary in another Colombian city, a quick Google search using the format “City Notaría” will usually provide results. For example, searching “Bogotá Notaría” leads to the Notariavirtual website, which lists the 40 notaries available in the capital.
In Sabaneta, south of Medellín, a Google search finds just one notary.
Getting Married at a Notary in Colombia
In Colombia, you can get married at a church or at a notary. Here I’ll look at my experience with a civil marriage at a notary in Medellín. Note that religious marriages must also be registered at a notary.
Your first step in a civil marriage at a notary in Colombia is to contact the one you use to discuss what documents are required and the procedure. Documents required can be different from notary to notary. In addition, the documents required depend on your situation.
Your first step in a civil marriage at a notary in Colombia is to contact the one you use to discuss what documents are required and the procedure. The specific requirements may vary from notary to notary. In addition, the documents required depend on your situation.
For example, if you or your partner have kids it can be more complicated. Also, not all Colombian notaries are used to working with foreigners. So, it’s important to talk to a notary to find out the documents they require for your situation.
Several years ago, I got married at Notary 17 in El Poblado, located at Calle 8 #42-15. This notary in Medellin has extensive experience with foreigners and the process was straightforward in my experience. The documents required were:
- Photocopy of my wife’s cedula.
- Notarized copy of my wife’s birth certificate not older than 90 days – the long form folio version which showed her marital status. Note that Colombia has a national registry of births and marriages so a birth certificate in Colombia is a living document.
- My U.S. birth certificate with an apostille and Spanish language translation not older than 90 days.
- My U.S. divorce decree with an apostille and Spanish language translation not older than 90 days.
- Photocopy of my cedula (I had a previous visa so already had a local cedula ID). If I didn’t have this cedula, a photocopy of my passport would have been needed.
I translated my documents from the U.S. to Spanish using a visa agency in Medellín with official Colombian translators that translate into Spanish.
When I submitted all the documents, the notary reviewed them and scheduled the civil wedding at the notary. Since I spoke Spanish fluently, I didn’t need a translator. And once I was married in Colombia, I became eligible for a Colombia marriage visa.
Documenting a Civil Partnership at a Colombia Notary
Colombia also has the option for documenting a civil partnership, which can also be used for a marriage visa. A civil partnership is like a common-law marriage. In Colombia, two consecutive years of cohabitation legally establish a de facto marital union.
Documenting this type of relationship requires a declaration in front of a Colombia notary. This is called a declaracion union marital de hecho and should be documented in a public escritura. This notarized document can then be used for visa applications.
Technically, a couple should be living together under the same roof and the relationship is reportedly supposed to have been for two years. But I have met some expats that received this declaration with shorter relationships.
Notary for Documents Used in the United States
While you are in Colombia, it is possible to get documents notarized for use in the United States. A Colombia notary can’t be used for notarizing a document to be used in the U.S. And a U.S. notary cannot work in Colombia unless they work at the U.S. embassy or consular agency in Barranquilla. U.S. notary commissions reportedly must be done in the geographic state were they were issued.
U.S. notary services in Colombia are only available at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá and at the U.S. Consular Agency in Barranquilla.
Both the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consular Agency offer notary services for documents for use in the U.S. that need a U.S. notarized signature. And these offices provide U.S. notary services regardless of your citizenship.
At the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, notary services are available by appointment only. You can make an appointment here. And at the U.S. Consular Agency in Barranquilla, all services are appointment only. So, call first at (5) 353-2001 or (5) 353-2182.
The cost for notary services at the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consular Agency is $50 per notarization.
Using NotaryCam Online for Notarizing Documents Used in the United States
It is possible to use NotaryCam online in Colombia to notarize documents for use in the U.S. This way you avoid a trip to Bogotá or Barranquilla to get a document notarized at the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consular Agency.
I have used NotaryCam multiple times while in Colombia to notarize documents for use in the U.S. NotaryCam uses a webcam, which enables you to talk live to a notary and signing is done electronically. NotaryCam uses the following process:
- Upload your document
- Call/request a live eNotary
- eNotary will confirm your ID
- eSign your document
- Notary will eNotarize your document
- Notarized documents are sent via email
The NotaryCam cost is $25 per document if you are in the United States (verified by IP address) or $79 if you are in a foreign country. In my experience, using NotaryCam was a painless process that enabled me to avoid a trip to Bogotá or Baranquilla and also save money.
Using a Visa Agency if Needing a Visa for Longer Than 180 Days
If you are in Colombia and not located in Bogotá and applying for a Colombia visa plus you don’t want to travel, you can use a visa agency to obtain a Colombian visa. A visa agency can handle the online application. And it will courier your passport to Bogotá to get the visa in your passport.
Medellin Guru has partnered with what we believe is the best visa agency in Medellín to offer Colombia visa services. Features of this service include:
- Online chat – get visa questions answered fast.
- Online quotes – get immediate visa quotes.
- Courier your passport to Bogotá to get the visa in your passport.
- Office in El Poblado in Medellín.
- Competitive price compared to other visa services.
We reviewed all the Colombia visa agency services in Medellín and found one agency that offers a more efficient visa service with more features and more comprehensive communications including online chat, WhatsApp, Skype, email and phone plus a low price and a convenient office in El Poblado.
Our visa partnership is an affiliate relationship (like the Amazon affiliate program). If you use our visa partner, Medellin Guru receives a small commission and you support the website. This is at no additional cost to you. The price remains the same, whether you use a button or affiliate link on this website or not.
Furthermore, the visa agency we partnered with offers visa services anywhere in Colombia. So, if you are located in another city in Colombia you can use this service.
Medellin Guru Visa Service
The visa agency we partnered with has helped 1.735 Medellin Guru reader
Medellin Guru's comprehensive visa and passport series
The Colombian visa changes that went into effect in October 2022 were significant. So, on the Medellin Guru site, we have a comprehensive series of visa articles that are kept up-to-date and should answer most visa questions. These articles include:
- Colombia Visa Guide: Ultimate Guide How to Get a Colombian Visa
- How to Obtain a Colombian Visa with Up-to-Date Info – an overview of all the Colombian visas
- Popular Colombian Visas for Foreigners: Which Visa is the Most Popular?
- Coronavirus Impacts on Colombian Visas and Tourist Visas
- Visa Agencies: A Guide to Visa Agencies in Medellín and Colombia
- 9Common Colombian Visa Mistakes: How to Avoid Them
We have looked in detail at the nine most popular Colombian visas used by foreigners:
- Digital Nomad Visa
- Retirement visa
- Marriage visa
- Investment visa
- Business Visa
- Resident visa
- Work visa
- Student visa
- Visitor visa
Also, we have looked in detail at three additional Colombian visas, which are less popular for foreigners:
- Rentista visa (annuity visa) – for foreigners with a fixed income
- Beneficiary visa – for relatives of visa holders
- Expertise visa – for professionals
In addition, we have a guide to Colombia tourist visas and how to extend a tourist visa. Also, we have a guide to renewing U.S. passports in Colombia and a guide to obtaining a Colombian passport.
Furthermore, we provide information about travel insurance that meets the insurance requirement for Colombian visas. And we have a guide to how apply for a cedula extranjeria in Colombia and a guide to using notaries in Medellín and Colombia. Finally, Medellin Guru has partnered with a visa agency to offer Colombia visa services.
All of our Colombia visa articles are up to date (2024) and constantly receive updates in 2025.
The Bottom Line: Colombia Notary – Guide to Using Notaries in Medellín and Colombia
Once you start living in Colombia, you will find that you will need to use Colombia notary services from time to time. However, notaries in Colombia are relatively easy to use and accessible throughout the country.
If you are getting married at a notary in Colombia, it’s important to check with the Colombia notary in advance to confirm the required documents and associated costs. Keep in mind that both the notary process in Colombia and fees can vary depending on the notary office.
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