Colombia Civil Documents · Updated May 2026
Registro Civil de Matrimonio (Colombian Marriage Certificate) for U.S. Immigration: The Copia del Folio
Get the version U.S. immigration accepts, handle prior marriages correctly, and avoid ordering a copy that is missing what you need.
Summary
Order the copia del folio of the Registro Civil de Matrimonio: the full copy of the registry book page. The State Department says summarized certificates are not accepted. The fast online copy at rcenlinea.registraduria.gov.co (about 17,850 COP, roughly $4.50 USD) omits the notas marginales (marginal notes), so if a prior divorce is annotated there, order from the notaría instead. If you or the U.S. petitioner were married before, you also need the original divorce decree plus the annotated certificate for every prior marriage. A Catholic marriage counts only once it is registered in the civil registry.
At a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Document name | Registro Civil de Matrimonio. U.S. immigration needs the copia del folio (a full copy of the registry book page), not a summarized certificate. |
| What U.S. immigration needs | The copia del folio of the registered marriage. The State Department says summarized marriage certificates are not acceptable. |
| Issuing authority | Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil. Copies come from the notaría (Notary Public), the parish for a Catholic marriage, or, for consulate-registered marriages, the Notaría Primera de Bogotá. |
| Cost | About 17,850 COP (roughly $4.50 USD) for the digital copy at rcenlinea.registraduria.gov.co as of March 2025; around 9,800 COP at the Notaría Primera de Bogotá as of April 2024. Verify before ordering. |
| Catholic marriages | A church marriage has legal effect only after it is registered in the civil registry. You still need the Registro Civil de Matrimonio, not just the parish record. |
| Prior marriages | If you or the U.S. petitioner were married before, you also need an original divorce decree (Certificado de Divorcio) AND the certificate showing the divorce annotation for every prior marriage. |
| Apostille | Colombia is a Hague Apostille country. The apostille is done online through the Cancillería. See the Colombia apostille guide for the mechanics. |
| Translation | Not required at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá (Spanish documents are accepted). A certified English translation is required for adjustment of status (AOS) filed with USCIS inside the U.S. |
Fees as of the dates noted, from Registraduría notices and Colombia process guides. Verify the current fee before ordering. Last verified May 2026 against the U.S. State Department Colombia reciprocity page.
The version you need: the copia del folio, not a summary
For U.S. immigration you need the copia del folio: a full copy of the page in the civil registry book where your marriage was recorded. It shows both spouses and any marginal notes. The U.S. State Department’s Colombia reciprocity page is direct about it: summarized marriage certificates are not acceptable. The embassy wants the folio because it is a copy of the book itself, with everything needed to verify the relationship and detect fraud.
The document is issued on plain white paper and certified by a notary with an original signature over a wet seal or sticker; newer copies carry a QR code for online verification. Civil registration in Colombia is run by the Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil, and copies are issued through notarías (Notary Publics) or, for older or consulate-registered records, the specific office that holds the registry.
How to get it: the order of operations
Work through these steps in order. The trap most people hit is ordering the fast online copy and only later finding it is missing the marginal notes their case needs.
Step 1: Confirm the marriage is registered in the civil registry
A civil marriage at a notaría is registered automatically. A Catholic or other religious marriage has legal effect only once it is recorded in the civil registry, so confirm the parish or notaría filed the Registro Civil de Matrimonio. Without the civil registration there is no copia del folio to order.
Step 2: Get the copia del folio, not a summarized certificate
Order the copia del folio: the full copy of the registry book page that shows both spouses and any marginal notes. The fastest route is the Registraduría's online portal at rcenlinea.registraduria.gov.co (about 17,850 COP, roughly $4.50 USD, as of March 2025), but that digital copy uses the Indicativo Serial format and omits the notas marginales (marginal notes). If you need the marginal notes (for a prior-divorce annotation or for apostille), order from the notaría that holds the record instead.
Step 3: Pull the prior-divorce documents too, if either spouse was married before
If you or the U.S. petitioner had any prior marriage, gather both the original divorce decree (Certificado de Divorcio) and the certificate that carries the divorce annotation for each one. The marginal annotation alone is not enough, and the original decree alone is not enough either: NVC and the Bogotá embassy want both. Order these in the same trip.
Step 4: Apostille the document through the Cancillería, then translate if filing AOS
Apostille the Registro Civil de Matrimonio online through Colombia's Cancillería (the apostille mechanics are on the Colombia apostille guide). If you are filing adjustment of status with USCIS inside the U.S., also order a certified English translation. For the immigrant visa interview in Bogotá, the embassy accepts the Spanish document, so no translation is needed there.
Online copy vs. notaría copy: which to order
Both give you a copy of the registro civil, but only one carries the marginal notes. Use this rule to choose.
Online copy (rcenlinea.registraduria.gov.co)
Fast and cheap: about 17,850 COP (roughly $4.50 USD) as of March 2025, delivered instantly as a PDF with a verification code. The catch: it only issues the Indicativo Serial format and does not include the notas marginales. Fine when there is no prior divorce annotated on the record and you do not need the marginal notes for the apostille.
Notaría copy
Order from the notaría that holds the record when you need the marginal notes: a prior-divorce annotation, or any case that requires the apostille on the marginal-note version. Issued the same visit with the notary’s seal and signature.
If you are unsure whether your record carries marginal notes you need, order the notaría copy. It is the safe default for an immigration file.
Catholic and other religious marriages
A Catholic wedding in Colombia is legally valid, but only after it is registered in the civil registry. That registration is what U.S. immigration relies on. So even if you married in a church, you still order the Registro Civil de Matrimonio (the copia del folio), not just the parish certificate.
The parish or notaría that handled the marriage should have filed the civil registration. If you are not sure it was filed, confirm with them before you try to order a copy, because there is no folio to copy until the marriage is in the civil registry. The embassy may accept a religious marriage certificate to support the civil record, but it does not replace it.
Prior marriages: the divorce documents NVC requires
A marriage-based case has to show that both spouses were free to marry. If either of you was married before, the current marriage folio is not enough on its own. For Colombia, the rule is a two-document one, and a common surprise is that the U.S. petitioner’s prior divorces count too.
What to gather for every prior marriage
- •Copia del folio of your current Registro Civil de Matrimonio.
- •Original divorce decree (Certificado de Divorcio) for every prior marriage of the beneficiary that ended in divorce.
- •The certificate carrying the divorce annotation for each prior marriage. The annotation by itself does not replace the decree, and the decree by itself does not replace the annotated certificate.
- •Original divorce decree and annotated certificate for every prior marriage of the U.S. petitioner, not just the beneficiary.
- •Death certificate for any prior spouse who has died.
The State Department is explicit: a certificate with a marginal divorce annotation is not an acceptable substitute for the divorce decree, and the decree alone is not enough either. Uncontested divorces are processed by a notary or judge; contested ones by a Juzgado de Familia (family court). Every divorce, civil or religious, must be registered with the civil authorities to be valid.
Apostille and translation: what each path needs
Apostille
Colombia is a Hague Apostille country, so a Colombian document is apostilled online through the Cancillería (the foreign ministry), not legalized at a consulate. The U.S. Embassy in Bogotá does not require an apostille on the civil document for the immigrant visa interview. For the step-by-step (the Cancillería portal, the cost, the validity window), see the Colombia apostille guide.
Translation
Depends on your path. At the Bogotá interview, none is needed (Spanish documents are accepted). For adjustment of status filed with USCIS inside the U.S., a certified English translation is required.
The translation rule for adjustment of status comes from a U.S. federal regulation (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)): every foreign-language document needs a complete certified English translation with a signed Certificate of Accuracy (a short statement from the translator confirming the translation is complete and accurate). The Bogotá consulate is the exception because it accepts Spanish-language documents directly.
What applicants report
Aggregated from the U.S. State Department Colombia reciprocity page, U.S. Embassy Bogotá document guidance, immigration-law-firm summaries, and Colombia process guides (2024–2026). Real reports and official guidance, not legal advice; your office and case may differ.
Tips from the community
Order the copia del folio, never the summarized certificate
The U.S. Embassy in Bogotá rejects summarized marriage certificates. It wants the copia del folio because that is a copy of the registry book page itself, with all the information needed to verify the relationship and detect fraud. Ask for the copia del folio by name.
U.S. State Department Colombia reciprocity page and U.S. Embassy Bogotá guidance
The online digital copy skips the marginal notes
The rcenlinea.registraduria.gov.co digital copy is fast and cheap, but it only issues the Indicativo Serial format and drops the notas marginales. If a prior divorce is recorded as a marginal note, or you need the marginal notes for the apostille, order from the notaría that holds the record instead.
Registraduría portal notes and Colombia expat-process guides, 2024–2026
Consulate-registered marriages route through the Notaría Primera de Bogotá
If your marriage was registered at a Colombian consulate in the U.S., the record is held by the Notaría Primera de Bogotá (Calle 16 No. 4-62). You can request a copy in person at the #4-60 entrance, or by email to registrocivil@notaria1bogota.com.co with the serial number and proof of payment. Around 9,800 COP as of April 2024.
Colombia expat-process guides, 2024–2026
A Catholic marriage still needs the civil registration
A church wedding is not enough on its own. In Colombia a Catholic marriage has legal effect only after it is registered in the civil registry. The embassy needs the Registro Civil de Matrimonio; the parish certificate can support it but does not replace it.
U.S. State Department Colombia reciprocity page
In their words
“Summarized marriage certificates are not acceptable. The embassy requires the copia del folio since it is a copy of the book itself and has all the information necessary to verify the applicant's relationship with the petitioner.”
“The digital copy only works for documents in the Indicativo Serial format and does not include marginal notes, which are often required for apostilles, marriage processes, and certain visa applications.”
Common problems and fixes
| Issue | Fix |
|---|---|
| Brought a summarized marriage certificate | Order the copia del folio (full registry book page) from the notaría that holds the record, or the online portal if marginal notes are not needed. |
| Used the online digital copy when a prior divorce is recorded as a marginal note | Order from the notaría that holds the record so the notas marginales appear. The rcenlinea portal omits them. |
| Provided only the divorce decree, or only the annotated certificate, for a prior marriage | Provide both: the original Certificado de Divorcio AND the certificate carrying the divorce annotation, for every prior marriage of both spouses. |
| Filed adjustment of status with a Spanish-only document and no translation | USCIS requires a certified English translation for adjustment of status (AOS) under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). The Bogotá consulate does not, because it accepts Spanish-language documents. |
Sources
- U.S. Department of State: Colombia Reciprocity and Civil Documents (verified May 2026)
- U.S. Embassy Bogotá: Immigrant Visa Interview Supplement (verified May 2026)
- Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil: issuing copies of the registro civil (verified May 2026)
- 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3): certified English translation requirement for foreign-language documents
- Colombia civil-registry process guides (community), 2024–2026
Frequently asked questions
What exactly does the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá want, a certificate or the copia del folio?
The copia del folio: a full copy of the page of the registry book where the marriage was recorded. The State Department's Colombia reciprocity page states that summarized marriage certificates are not acceptable, because the copia del folio is a copy of the book itself and carries all the detail needed to verify the relationship. Order the copia del folio by name from the notaría or the Registraduría's online portal.
Can I just download the marriage certificate online?
Usually yes for the document itself, with one catch. The Registraduría's portal at rcenlinea.registraduria.gov.co issues an official digital copy for about 17,850 COP (roughly $4.50 USD as of March 2025), but only in the Indicativo Serial format and without the notas marginales (marginal notes). If a prior divorce is recorded as a marginal note, or you need the marginal notes for the apostille, order from the notaría that holds the record instead so the annotations appear.
We were married in the Catholic church. Do we still need the Registro Civil de Matrimonio?
Yes. In Colombia a Catholic or other religious marriage has legal effect only once it is registered in the civil registry, so the registration is what makes the marriage legally valid for immigration. The embassy needs the Registro Civil de Matrimonio (the copia del folio). A parish certificate can support the civil record if the embassy asks for it, but it does not replace the civil registration.
One of us was married before. What do we need to bring?
For every prior marriage, you need two documents: the original divorce decree (Certificado de Divorcio) AND the certificate that carries the divorce annotation. The State Department is explicit that a birth or marriage certificate with a marginal divorce annotation is not an acceptable substitute for the divorce decree, and the decree on its own is not enough either. This applies to the U.S. petitioner's prior marriages too, not just the beneficiary's. For a prior spouse who died, bring the death certificate.
Does the Colombian marriage certificate need an apostille?
Colombia is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, and the apostille is done online through Colombia's foreign ministry (the Cancillería). Whether you apostille for the U.S. case depends on the path, and the mechanics (the Cancillería portal, the cost, the 3-month validity window) are covered on the Colombia apostille guide. The U.S. Embassy in Bogotá does not require an apostille on the civil document for the immigrant visa interview, but confirm against your specific NVC and embassy instructions before ordering one.
Do I need to translate the marriage certificate into English?
It depends on your path. At the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, no: the embassy accepts Spanish-language Colombian documents (its instructions require a certified English translation only for documents that are not in English or Spanish). For adjustment of status filed with USCIS inside the United States, yes: under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), a U.S. federal regulation, every foreign-language document needs a complete certified English translation with a signed Certificate of Accuracy (a short statement from the translator confirming the translation is complete and accurate).
How recent does the copy need to be?
U.S. immigration does not put an expiration date on a marriage certificate itself. Some processes do impose their own freshness windows, so check your specific NVC checklist and interview instructions. If your case requires an apostille, note that an apostilled document is treated as valid for a limited window, so order the copy and the apostille close to when you will submit them rather than far in advance.
Key takeaways
- ✓
U.S. immigration needs the copia del folio of the Registro Civil de Matrimonio (the full registry book page), not a summarized certificate. The State Department says summarized certificates are not acceptable.
- ✓
The fast online copy at rcenlinea.registraduria.gov.co (about 17,850 COP) omits the notas marginales. If you need the marginal notes, such as a prior-divorce annotation, order from the notaría that holds the record.
- ✓
A Catholic or religious marriage counts only once it is registered in the civil registry. You still need the Registro Civil de Matrimonio, not just the parish certificate.
- ✓
If you or the U.S. petitioner were married before, bring both the original divorce decree AND the annotated certificate for every prior marriage. Neither one alone is accepted.
- ✓
Colombia is a Hague Apostille country; the apostille is done online through the Cancillería. The mechanics live on the Colombia apostille guide.
- ✓
Translation is needed only for adjustment of status with USCIS (a certified English translation under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)). The Bogotá consulate works in Spanish and does not require it.
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