Register US-born child for Colombia dual nationality

A child born in the United States to a Colombian parent is registered as Colombian by inscribing the birth in Colombia’s registro civil de nacimiento at a Colombian consulate. The New York consulate lists this registration — which it calls nacionalización — as free. It asks for the US birth certificate apostilled by the state where the child was born, a Spanish translation, and the parents’ IDs, and the child must be present. Cancillería sets a one-month window after birth; later registrations count as late (extemporáneas). Facts below were read on official pages on October 3, 2026.

Versión en español

What registration gives the child

  • A Colombian registro civil de nacimiento. The Registraduría says the inscription recognizes the person’s legal existence, gives the child a name and a NUIP (número único de identificación personal), lets the child’s rights and duties as a Colombian be recognized, and gives access to the goods and services the State provides.
  • The document needed for the child’s Colombian passport: Cancillería asks for an authentic copy (fiel copia) of the registro civil de nacimiento issued by a notary, registrar or consul, with the notes space.
  • Later, at age 18, the basis for a first cédula de ciudadanía — see the Colombia national ID page.

Dual nationality — both countries

The United States permits dual nationality. Per the US Department of State: “Dual nationality means you are a national of 2 countries. A dual national generally has legal rights and obligations in both countries.”

Colombia permits it too. Cancillería quotes Ley 2332 of 2023, article 34: “La calidad de nacional colombiano no se pierde por el hecho de adquirir otra nacionalidad.” The same article adds that a dual national in Colombia is subject to Colombian law and must enter, stay in and leave Colombia as a Colombian, identifying as such in all the civil and political acts he or she carries out.

Required documents

From the New York consulate’s 2026 user guide (Nacionalización — Registro Civil de Nacimiento), with Cancillería and the Registraduría:

RequirementWhat the official source says
US birth certificateApostilled by the Department of State of the state where the child was born (New York). Cancillería and the Registraduría: the foreign record must be “debidamente apostillado o legalizado y traducido”
TranslationA simple Spanish translation of the birth certificate (New York). Colombia’s Ministry of Justice (2021) says an official translator is not mandatory when the person is abroad; Cancillería’s pages for other registrations ask for an authorized translator — ask your consulate which it accepts
Parents’ IDsCopies of the parents’ identity documents: cédula in valid format if Colombian, passport if foreign (New York)
Blood typeKnow the child’s RH and blood group (New York). The Registraduría asks for a blood-type and RH test when the source document is not a Colombian certificado de nacido vivo
The childMust be present with one of the two parents, who carries an ID (New York); the Registraduría: present the person to be registered
FeeNone — “No tiene costo” (New York 2026 guide)

The US apostille process and vital records by state explain how to get a certified, apostilled US birth certificate.

Step-by-step process

  1. Order a certified US birth certificate and have it apostilled by the state where the child was born.
  2. Prepare a Spanish translation of the birth certificate.
  3. Copy the parents’ IDs — cédula for the Colombian parent, passport for a foreign parent — and find out the child’s RH and blood group.
  4. Book the appointment. In New York, registro civil is appointment-only; the calendar opens Tuesday to Friday at 9:00 a.m. for next-day appointments. Other consulates publish their own systems — see the Colombia consulate directory and the consulate appointment tracker.
  5. Go with the child and one parent carrying an ID. The registration has no fee in New York.
  6. Apply for the child’s Colombian passport separately once the registro civil exists (US$86 at consulates, fees in force since April 6, 2026) — see Colombia passport renewal.

Deadline

Cancillería and the Registraduría: “La inscripción del nacimiento deberá hacerse dentro del mes siguiente a la ocurrencia del hecho, vencido este plazo se entenderá que la inscripción es extemporánea.”

Copies of the registro civil later

A consulate can only issue copies of the registrations it made. Cancillería: a copy of a registro civil inscribed outside Colombia can be requested only at the same consulate where the original inscription was made. Provide the consulate, the serial indicator and the child’s NUIP; copies of a minor’s registro civil can be requested only by a parent, the legal representative, or a third party they authorize by a poder recognized before a notary or Colombian consul. The fee abroad is US$10.94 (Cancillería; Registraduría 2026 tariff; Newark 2026 sheet; read October 3, 2026).

Children born outside marriage

If the father acknowledges a child born outside marriage, Colombian consulates do the reconocimiento de hijo extramatrimonial by escritura pública. Cancillería lists it at USD $0 and the New York guide says “No tiene costo”. Cancillería asks for the father’s cédula (original and photocopy), a photocopy of the mother’s cédula, an authentic copy of the child’s registro civil de nacimiento, and a letter in which the mother authorizes the acknowledgment. It adds that the mother’s poder accepting the acknowledgment is optional to execute the escritura but mandatory to inscribe it in the child’s registro civil. The New York consulate arranges these appointments by email.

US documents and voting later

  • The child’s US citizenship documents, such as the US passport, are a separate US process; the FAQ on this page covers the 2026 changes.
  • Colombians abroad vote in Colombian elections once they have a cédula registered for voting — see voting from the US.

Authoritative sources

Last verified: 2026-10-03. General procedural information for educational purposes. Citizenship-by-descent rules vary by country and change. Verify directly with the Colombia consulate before traveling. Not legal advice.