How and where to get a passport appointment in Colombia's major cities? These are the links.
If you're planning to leave Colombia, whether for vacation, work, or other reasons, you'll need a passport . This document allows you to travel to more than 90 countries without a visa.
Amid the country's transition to a new passport printing model, which President Petro's government has sought to implement by 2025, you may be interested in obtaining or renewing your passport . Take note of how you can do so in major cities.
How long does it take to get a passport in Colombia? 
Colombian passport. Photo: iStock
Please note that if you are planning a trip soon, the passport process may take several days, depending on the city or destination you are traveling to for the process.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the delivery times for 2025 are:
- Bogotá Passport Offices, Central and Northern Branches: 24 business hours after payment.
- Bogotá CADE Network: 48 business hours after payment.
- Governorships: 48 hours.
- Colombian consulates abroad: 8 business days. This time may vary due to "mobility measures, international cargo transportation, and any exceptional situations that may arise," the Foreign Ministry explained.
To process a passport, you do not need to be in or go to Bogotá, as there are offices available throughout the country .
The Governorates are responsible for handling the process outside of Bogotá, so in the capital cities there are dedicated points for obtaining or renewing a passport for the first time.
However, those interested must first make a payment online and then schedule an appointment:
- Medellín : In this city, as well as in other municipalities of Antioquia, people must schedule an appointment on the page provided by the Governor's Office ( this link ).
- Cali : For the department of Valle del Cauca, the Governor's Office has enabled another platform ( here's the link ). Those interested must register, make an initial payment, schedule their appointment, and then arrive at the designated location a few days later.
Passport processing platform in Cali and Valle del Cauca. Photo: Screenshot
- Barranquilla : The Atlántico Governor's Office has a website ( here's the link ) where citizens can also make a payment and then schedule an appointment, depending on the schedule's availability.
- Cúcuta : The Government of Norte de Santander has a website ( this link ) where people must fill out a form with their personal information to schedule an appointment.
- Cartagena : For the capital of Bolívar and the other municipalities in the department, there is a passport platform ( here's the link ) where you fill out your personal information and make a payment before scheduling your appointment.
- Bucaramanga : In the case of Santander, those interested in obtaining a passport must go in person to the Cacique Shopping Center, basement, store 10, where they will be informed of the process.
Passport appointment platform in Bolívar and Cartagena. Photo: Screenshot
There are more service points in other Colombian cities. The first thing you should do is locate the headquarters of your department's Governor's Office, where offices are open Monday through Friday, and some are open all day.
In this Foreign Ministry directory, you can find the address of the office closest to you . It also includes phone numbers so you can contact them and ask them in detail about the procedure.
Passport appointment in Bogotá Unlike the departments—where the governorates are responsible for the process—in Bogotá, it is the Foreign Ministry that directly serves citizens.
Passport appointment in Bogotá. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and screenshot
Please note that the appointment system may not be available due to high demand, so you should constantly check the platform to see when appointments become available.
How much does it cost to get a passport in Colombia in 2025? For 2025, the price of a regular passport is 186,000 pesos. However, please note that this price applies only to Bogotá. In the rest of the country, you must add the departmental taxes required by each governorate.
LATEST NEWS EDITORIAL
eltiempo
