U.S. Embassy Bogota

Physical Address:  Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
Mailing address:  Carrera 45 No. 24B-27, Bogotá, D.C. 110111, Colombia
Telephone:  +(57) (601) 275-2000
Emergency after-hours telephone:  +(57) (601) 275-2000 and press 0
Email:  ACSBogota@state.gov

Consulates

U.S. Consular Agency Barranquilla
Calle 77B No. 57-141, Suite 511
Centro Empresarial Las Americas 1, Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia
Telephone:  +(57) 605-353-2001 and +(57) 605-369-0149
Emergency after-hours telephone:  +(57) (601) 275-4021
Email:  conagencybarranquilla@state.gov

For hours and services, please visit the U.S. Embassy Bogota website. 

U.S. Embassy Bogota

Colombia is a party to the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extra Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters.  Complete information on the operation of the Convention, including an interactive online request form are available on the Hague Conference website.  Requests should be completed in duplicate and submitted with two sets of the documents to be served, and translations, directly to The Colombia’s Central Authority for the Hague Service Convention.  The person in the United States executing the request form should be either an attorney or clerk of court.  The applicant should include the titles attorney at law or clerk of court on the identity and address of applicant and signature/stamp fields.  Colombia did not object to Article 10(a) of the Convention and does permit service via postal channels.  For additional information see the Hague Service Convention web page and the Hague Conference Practical Handbook on the Operation of the Hague Service Convention.

The United States and Colombia are also parties to the Inter-American Convention on Letters Rogatory and Additional Protocol. The United States only has a treaty relationship with countries party to both the Convention and the Additional Protocol, which relate to service of process. The U.S. Central Authority for the treaty is the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division, Office of Foreign Litigation, Washington, D.C.  Requests for service under the Inter-American Convention on Letters Rogatory and Additional Protocol may be sent to the U.S. Department of Justice's contractor, Process Forwarding International (PFI), for transmittal to the Colombian Central Authority.

Service on a Foreign State: See also our Service Under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) feature and FSIA Checklist for questions about service on a foreign state, agency or instrumentality.

Prosecution Requests: U.S. federal or state prosecutors should also contact the Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division, Department of Justice for guidance. 

Defense Requests in Criminal Matters: Criminal defendants or their defense counsel seeking judicial assistance in obtaining evidence or in effecting service of documents abroad in connection with criminal matters may do so via the letters rogatory process.

Colombia is a party to the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil and Commercial Matters. A Central Authority for Colombia for the Hague Evidence Convention is designated to receive letters of request for the taking of evidence. See the Hague Evidence Convention Model Letters of Request for guidance on how to prepare a letter of request. Letters of Request should be prepared in duplicate.  Requests for compulsion of evidence under the Hague Evidence Convention are transmitted directly from the requesting court or person in the United States to the Colombian Central Authority and do not require transmittal via diplomatic channels.

Requests from Colombia to Obtain Evidence in the United States:  The U.S. Central Authority for the Hague Evidence Convention is the Office of International Judicial Assistance, Civil Division, Department of Justice, 1100 L Street N.W., Room 8102, Washington, D.C. 20530.

In its accession to the Hague Evidence Convention, Colombia did not object to voluntary depositions of willing witnesses in civil and commercial matters, regardless of the nationality of the witness.  Oral depositions or depositions on written questions may be taken by U.S. consular officers or by private attorneys at the U.S. Embassy or at another location such as a hotel or office, either on notice or pursuant to a commission.  If the services of a U.S. consular officer are required to administer an oath to the witness, interpreter and stenographer, such arrangements must be made in advance with the U.S. embassy directly. 

Colombia is a party to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalization of Foreign Public Documents.  Colombia’s competent authority for the Hague Apostille Convention will authenticate Colombian public documents with Apostilles.  For information about authenticating U.S. public documents for use in Colombia, see the list of U.S. Competent Authorities.  To obtain an Apostille for a U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America, contact the U.S. Department of State, Passport Services, Vital Records Office.