Recover or renounce Colombian nationality from the US

Becoming a US citizen today does not take away Colombian nationality: Cancillería, Colombia’s foreign ministry, quotes article 34 of Ley 2332 de 2023, under which “la calidad de nacional colombiano no se pierde por el hecho de adquirir otra nacionalidad” (Colombian nationality is not lost by acquiring another nationality). Recovery exists for two groups Cancillería names: people who lost it by naturalizing in another country before the 1991 Constitution, with their cédula cancelled in the National Identification Archive, and people who renounced it. It is filed at Colombian consulates, and Cancillería answers within 15 business days once the file is complete; the Newark Consulate’s 2026 fee sheet lists it at $0. Renunciation is the reverse procedure: per Cancillería it costs USD $88.0 abroad, while Newark’s 2026 fee sheet lists $92 (both checked October 3, 2026).

Versión en español

Key facts

ItemRecoveryRenunciation
Where, from the USColombian consulates (or the GIT de Naturalización, Renuncia y Recuperación de la Nacionalidad in Bogotá)“Directamente en los Consulados de Colombia” (directly at Colombian consulates)
AppointmentThe page does not describe an appointment systemPrior appointment through the Buzón Virtual, attaching documents as PDFs
Cost (checked October 3, 2026)$0 (Newark Consulate 2026 fee sheet)USD $88.0 (Cancillería, stamp tax included) + signature recognition · $92 (Newark 2026 fee sheet)
TimeAnswer within 15 business days of a complete fileAnswer within 3 months from the day after payment
Legal basisLey 2332 de 2023Ley 2332 de 2023

Dual nationality: the starting point

Cancillería reproduces article 34 of Ley 2332 de 2023: “La calidad de nacional colombiano no se pierde por el hecho de adquirir otra nacionalidad.” The same article says a dual national “se someterá a la Constitución Política y la legislación colombiana” and that “su ingreso, permanencia y salida deberá hacerlo siempre en calidad de colombiano” (they must always enter, stay in and leave Colombia as a Colombian). That is why recovery has a narrow scope: Cancillería describes it for people who lost nationality by naturalizing before the 1991 Constitution, or who renounced.

Recovery: requirements for adults

According to Cancillería:

  1. A written request stating your will to recover Colombian nationality. It must state your will “de respaldar y acatar la Constitución Política y las leyes de la República” (to uphold and obey the Constitution and laws) and, if you hold another nationality, name it. It must also give your contact details (city of domicile and residence address in Colombia, landline, mobile and email) and your consent to be notified electronically.
  2. A copy of your cédula de ciudadanía, if you have one, or a copy of your birth registration (registro civil de nacimiento).
  3. People born before 1938 may present their baptism record (partida de bautismo).
  4. A copy of the renunciation record (acta de renuncia), or a suitable document showing the date of naturalization in the other country.
  5. A recent ID-style photo, 4x5 cm, white background.
  6. A copy of the passport of your current nationality.

Recovery for minors

Cancillería asks for: the request signed by whoever holds parental authority (patria potestad) — if it was granted to one parent or to a third party, the ruling of a Colombian judge, or a foreign ruling recognized (homologated) in Colombia; a copy of the Colombian birth registration; a copy of the tarjeta de identidad if one was issued; a copy of the renunciation record; a copy of the ID of whoever holds parental authority; and a 4x5 cm white-background photo.

Step by step

  1. Gather the documents on the list.
  2. File the request at your Colombian consulate (see Colombian consulates in the US and consulates by state).
  3. Wait for the answer: Cancillería says it “será otorgada dentro de los quince (15) días hábiles, contados a partir del día siguiente de la fecha en el que la solicitud cuente con la documentación completa.”

Cost. The Newark Consulate’s 2026 fee sheet lists “Recuperación de nacionalidad $0.” The Cancillería recovery page we read publishes no fee table and does not say the procedure is free; confirm with your consulate.

After recovering nationality, identity documents are separate procedures: see the Colombian national ID (cédula) from the US and Colombian passport renewal.

Renouncing Colombian nationality

Cancillería defines renunciation as the procedure by which a Colombian national, by birth or by adoption, asks to “romper el vínculo jurídico, político y anímico” (break the legal, political and personal bond) with the Colombian state, under Ley 2332 de 2023.

How it works from abroad

  1. Where: “Directamente en los Consulados de Colombia.”
  2. Appointment: the procedure “es estrictamente personal” (strictly in person); the appointment is requested through the Buzón Virtual, attaching the documents as PDFs.
  3. Appointment day: bring all documents in original.
  4. Finalization: with the Acta de Renuncia signed by the Consul or the Minister. The answer is given “dentro de los tres (3) meses posteriores contados desde el día siguiente al pago” (within three months from the day after payment).

Requirements for people living outside Colombia

  • A written renunciation request, with signature recognition before the consular officer.
  • Colombian cédula de ciudadanía, if one was issued.
  • Colombian passport, if one was issued.
  • A document showing you hold another nationality or are applying for it.
  • Men aged 18 to 50: proof that they have settled their military status under Colombian law, unless they settled it in the country of their other nationality, which is proven with a certificate from the foreign authority.
  • The photo is taken by the officer at the consulate.

Cancillería adds that documents from another country must be apostilled or legalized, and anything in another language must be officially translated into Spanish with the translator’s signature legalized or apostilled. For minors, renunciation is filed through whoever holds parental authority, with signature recognition before a consular officer if the minor lives abroad.

Renunciation cost: two official figures

SourceWhat it publishes (checked October 3, 2026)
Cancillería, renunciation page“Resto del Mundo USD $ 88,0,” noting the table “incluye impuesto de timbre” (includes stamp tax). The signature-recognition cost is paid separately by the applicant
Consulate of Colombia in Newark, 2026 fee sheet“Renuncia de nacionalidad $92”

Cancillería’s published fee for signature recognition abroad is USD $13.0 for the rest of the world, stamp tax included (checked October 3, 2026). The renunciation page lists the consulates that accept money orders; the US ones listed are Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, Newark, New York, Orlando, San Francisco and Washington. Cancillería asks applicants to confirm payment methods with the consulate.

Effect on voting

The Registraduría states that the electoral roll excludes, among others, “los colombianos que renuncian a la nacionalidad colombiana como lo establece la Ley 2332 de 2023.” See voting from the US.

Your US immigration status

These procedures depend on Colombian law. The Cancillería pages say nothing about effects on US citizenship or immigration status. If you have questions about how a renunciation or a recovery relates to a US immigration matter, talk to a lawyer (see find pro bono legal help).

Official sources

Last verified: 2026-10-03. General procedural information for educational purposes. Requirements, fees and timelines are set by Colombia’s Cancillería and each consulate, and can change. Verify directly with your Colombian consulate before filing. Not legal advice.