Birth Certificate

POLITICAL CONSTITUTION OF COLOMBIA, ARTICLE 96.

The following are Colombian nationals:

1.a. By birth:

1. a) Colombian natives, upon one of two conditions: that the father or the
   mother have been Colombian natives or nationals or that, being
   children of aliens, either parent was domiciled in the Republic at the
   time of birth; and,;
2. b) The children of a Colombian father or mother born abroad who have
   later established their domicile in the Colombian territory or
   registered in a consular office of the Republic.

1.b. By adoption::

1. a) Aliens who solicit and obtain a naturalization card, in accordance with
   the law, which will establish the cases in which Colombian nationality
   is lost through adoption;
2. b) People born in Latin America or the Caribbean who are domiciled in
   Colombia and who, with the government’s authorization and in
   accordance with the law and the principle of reciprocity, request that
   they be registered as Colombians in the municipality where they
   reside; and,
3. c) Members of the indigenous peoples straddling border areas, in
   application of the principle of reciprocity according to public
   international treaties.

No Colombian by birth may be stripped of his/her nationality. Colombian nationality is not lost by virtue of acquiring another nationality. Nationals by adoption will not be obligated to renounce their nationality of origin or adoption.

Whoever has renounced his/her Colombian nationality may recover it in accordance with the law.

* Article modified by the legislative act of 1/2002.

In notaries and at the registration bureau. It should be noted that those authorities may visit the hospital, clinic or home.

Yes, the person must be registered with the first surname of the father, follower by the first surname of the mother. In the case of a child born in extramarital conditions, they must use both of the mother’s surnames.

No. Even if a foreign national becomes a Colombian citizen, it is not possible to register them as having been born in Colombian territory, nor may they obtain a birth certificate.

It is the first identification document someone has. Via this document, the government recognizes their rights and duties as a citizen.

The mother or father of the minor, they must approach a notary with the baby, bringing with them the certificate of being born alive that was expedited by a doctor or medical center, including the baby’s blood type.

In the case of not having the certificate of being born alive, it will be necessary to have a declaration under oath from two witnesses who were present at the birth or who received news about it.

This norm is covered by Decree 1260 of 1979, in article 45.

Yes, in any office the registration bureau you may consult if it’s recorded in the system. There they will point out where you were registered, otherwise, the notary of your municipality must request information about the archives of where your birth certificate may be, and then request that the document be registered at the database of the national registration bureau.

It must be requested in the notary where you were registered.

The following documents must be presented in order to obtain the baby’s birth certificate:

• One of the documents described in “requirements”
• Baptismal document, if it exists.
• A declaration under oath by two witnesses who were present at the birth or who got news about it.

If it is the first time that a birth certificate is going to be obtained, they must present the following documents:

• Photocopy of the national ID card.
• A copy of their baptismal document authenticated by the diocese, or a declaration under oath with two witnesses who were present at the birth or received the news about it.

• If the parents are not married, but the father wants to acknowledge the baby as his son, they must register this in the “birth registration”, as is indicated by the notary.
• In the case of a baby in an extramarital situation who is not acknowledged, they inscription will be done by the mother. They may indicate the father’s surname in the document if they desire.
• If the mother does not include the father’s surname, but later the baby is acknowledged by the father, they may process this via a public deed.

• The father or mother.
• The closes relatives.
• The director of the hospital where the birth occurred.
• The director of the establishment who has the minor, if that’s the case.
• The same person, if they’re over 18 and have no birth certificate.

• The defined name to be registered.
• A medical certificate of a certificate of being born alive for those born after January 19, 1998.
• Names, IDs and preferably a copy of the parents identifications cards.