Foreigner's identity card in Colombia
An identity document that Migración Colombia issues to foreign nationals holding a long-term visa. It confirms their status to government bodies, banks and employers, replacing the passport within the country. An adult foreign national with a visa must obtain it, as must the school-age children named on that visa. The applicant completes an electronic form and attends a migration centre for biometrics. Holders of short visas do not need the card, young children are only registered, and Venezuelans under temporary protection receive a separate document.
Source: Migración Colombia — obtaining the cédula de extranjería
Who must obtain the document, and when
The procedure depends on the applicant's age: adults and children have different filing deadlines and different sets of documents, although the card itself is issued by the same authority.
Adult visa holders
- Holder or beneficiary of a visa valid for more than three months
- The application must be filed within 15 calendar days of entering the country or of the visa being issued
- Collection of the finished card in person, with the original passport or national identity document
Children aged 7 to 17
- The child is named on the visa as holder or beneficiary
- The card must be obtained within 15 days of the child turning 7
- The application is filed, and the child accompanied to the appointment, by the father, mother or legal representative
When this programme is not suitable
The visa is valid for three months or less
A cédula de extranjería is not compulsory — the card can be obtained voluntarily
The child is under 7
Only the foreigner registration (registro de extranjero) is completed, without an identity card
A Venezuelan with temporary protection status (ETPV)
A separate free document is issued — the Permiso por Protección Temporal (PPT) — rather than a cédula de extranjería
What it costs
| First issue of the identity card | 294,000 COP |
|---|---|
| Duplicate after loss, theft or damage | +293,000 COP |
| Issue for Pacific Alliance scholarship holdersThis concessionary category is exempt from the fee | 0 COP |
Paid separately
- Apostille or legalisation of the proof of relationship for a child's application — Arranged separately with a notary or at the consulate of the country of origin; not included in the Migración Colombia fee
Documents to gather
The set for filing the application, and separately the documents needed when attending in person to collect the finished card.
- A completed single electronic FUT form (Formulario Único de Trámites)
- One PDF file with the passport pages showing the biographical data and the valid visa
- For an adult applicant attending in person — the original valid passport
- For a child — the originals of the child's passport and visa, the original identity document of the parent or legal representative and proof of relationship
- Where a representative collects the card — a notarised special power of attorney and the representative's original identity document
How the process runs
The procedure combines an online application with a single visit in person to a migration service centre.
- 1
Completing the electronic FUT form
The applicant completes the single FUT form on the Migración Colombia website and attaches one PDF file with the passport pages and the valid visa.
- 2
Booking an appointment
A date for the visit to the nearest migration service centre is chosen through the authority's services.
- 3
Attendance in person, identification and biometrics
The applicant attends with the original documents; for a child the presence of the father, mother or legal representative is mandatory. Identification and biometric registration are carried out.
- 4
Paying the fee
Payment is made during the visit at the service centre: by debit or credit card or with a bank payment slip issued by the centre. Migración Colombia staff do not accept cash.
- 5
Production and issue of the card
10 working days from the date of paymentRight after the visit a digital receipt with a QR code is issued, valid while the card is being printed. The finished card is collected at the same centre on presentation of the original passport or national identity document; a representative may collect it for the holder under a notarised power of attorney.
Who you can bring with you
The rules depend on the child's age and on who collects the finished document.
Children aged 7–17 who hold or are beneficiaries of a visa
Children aged 0–6
Adults who previously held a child card
A representative under a power of attorney
Trips, renewal and the grace period
The application must be filed within 15 calendar days of entering the country or of the visa being issued. Children receive the card within 15 days of reaching the relevant age.
The card is issued for the validity period of the visa on which it was obtained; if the visa is indefinite, the card is valid for 5 years from the date of the procedure. If the card is lost, stolen or damaged, a duplicate is issued: the application is filed online through a separate form, and the finished card is collected after 10 working days at the chosen service centre. If the previous document was issued before 1 March 2017, the holder must attend a centre in person for the duplicate and give biometrics again. If an error in the data is found in a card already issued, the holder has 30 calendar days from receiving it to request a reissue.
Frequently asked questions about Foreigner's identity card
How long is there to file the application after entering Colombia?
How much does it cost, and are there any concessionary categories?
What should be done if the card is lost or damaged?
Does a child need a separate foreigner's card?
Who is not required to obtain this document at all?
How does the cédula de extranjería differ from the PPT document for Venezuelans?
Other ways to move to Colombia
Every route in one list — migration programmes: Colombia.
The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 9 October 2026.