Approved California apostille certificate on a U.S. document bound for Colombia
ColombiaHague Apostille member
Documents for Colombia · San Jose · Atendemos en español

Apostille for Colombia in San Jose
poderes, registro civil & marriage

Sending a poder or family record to Colombia? We notarize, translate into Spanish in-house, and apostille it in one San Jose visit, with same-day service available.

Is Colombia a Hague country? Yes

Colombia has been part of the Hague Apostille Convention since 2001, so a single California Secretary of State apostille makes your U.S. documents valid there — no Colombian consulate legalization needed. Our Spanish-speaking team notarizes, translates into Spanish in-house, and apostilles birth, marriage, single-status, FBI, and power-of-attorney documents in San Jose.

Book Appointment Call (408) 766-3528
No consulate step In by 10 AM, ready by 6 PM Spanish-speaking staff
1 Step
Apostille, No Consulate
Same-Day
Apostille Available
In-House
Spanish Translation
CA Sec. of State
Official Authentication
What you’ll need apostilled

Every document Colombia asks for
handled in one place

Whatever you’re doing in Colombia, the document needs a California apostille first. Here’s what we apostille most — tap one for details.

Single Status Affidavit

Proof you’re free to marry — for getting married or registering a marriage in Colombia.

Single status apostille →

Birth Certificate

For Colombian citizenship and cédula, family records, and visa files.

Birth certificate apostille →

Marriage Certificate

To register or recognize a U.S. marriage with the Colombian registry.

Marriage certificate apostille →

FBI Background Check

For migrant and resident visas and residence files. We handle the federal apostille for you.

FBI apostille for your visa →

Power of Attorney

To manage property, a pension, or banking on your behalf in Colombia.

Power of attorney apostille →

Diploma & Degree

For employment, degree validation, and study programs in Colombia.

Diploma apostille →
Apostille vs. legalization

For Colombia, you need an apostille
not consulate legalization

Colombia has been part of the Hague Apostille Convention since 2001 — which decides your whole process: U.S. documents need one authentication, a California apostille, to be accepted across Colombia. There’s no second trip to a Colombian consulate for legalization.

Documents headed to a non-Hague country need a longer consular-legalization chain. Because Colombia is a member, an apostille for Colombia is faster, cheaper, and final. Most Colombian offices also want a Spanish translation — our staff speaks Spanish and prepares it in-house, then apostilles it with your document.

Not sure which path your country needs? See our guide to apostille vs. legalization.

Notarized power of attorney prepared for apostille to manage a pension or property in Colombia
The short answer

Colombia = apostille. One California Secretary of State apostille (or a federal apostille for your FBI report), with an in-house Spanish translation when needed, and your document is ready for any Colombian registry, notary, or court — no consulate step.

How it works

Four steps to a document
Colombia will accept

1

Bring or prepare the document

We notarize affidavits and powers of attorney on site, or you bring certified vital records and your FBI report.

2

Spanish translation, in-house

Most Colombian offices require it. Our partner Rosa handles Spanish from start to finish, prepares the translation in-house, and keeps it paired with your original.

3

Apostille it

State documents go through the California Secretary of State; FBI reports get a federal apostille. You handle neither.

4

Pick up or ship

Collect in San Jose the same day on rush, or we ship it tracked to you or to Colombia.

On a deadline for Colombia?

Walk in today, leave with
an apostilled, translated document

Same-day California apostille and in-house Spanish translation under one roof. Call or book and we’ll tell you what to bring.

Book Appointment Call (408) 766-3528
Why people need it

Common reasons you’ll need
a Colombia apostille

Getting married in Colombia

Single-status affidavit and birth certificate apostilled for the marriage registry.

Colombian citizenship or cédula

Apostilled U.S. birth certificate to claim nationality or register a child with Colombia.

Migrant or resident visa

FBI background check and civil records apostilled for an M or R visa application.

Property, pension & banking

Power of attorney apostilled so someone can sign, sell, or claim a pension for you.

Retiring in Colombia

Pension, bank, and income records apostilled for a pensionado or retirement visa.

Working or studying there

Diploma and transcripts apostilled for employers, universities, and degree validation.

Simple pricing

Standard apostille from $85
call or come in for the rest

Every order includes a document reviewed for the receiving office and the California Secretary of State authentication. For priority, rush, same-day, in-house Spanish translation, and notarization, call or visit for an exact price — no surprises.

$85Standard, starting
Book Appointment Call (408) 766-3528

Prefer mail? Order an apostille online and ship your documents to us.

Why choose us

One office for
the whole document

Most services authenticate the paper and stop — you still hunt for a notary, then a translator. We do all three in San Jose — in Spanish — and partner with TruPoint Legal for deeper legal needs.

Multilingual staff greeting a customer at the San Jose apostille, notary, and translation office

Notarize, translate & apostille in one place

No running between a notary, a translator, and Sacramento — built right the first time.

Same-day when you can’t wait

Same-day California apostille keeps tight travel and consulate dates on track.

Real Spanish-speaking help

We explain every step in Spanish, prepare your Spanish translation in-house, and apostille it with your document — our staff speaks English, Vietnamese, Cantonese, and Spanish.

Bonded California notary in-house

Quinnie Do reviews each document for the receiving office, which means fewer rejections in Colombia.

“I needed my birth certificate and FBI check apostilled and translated for my Colombian cédula. They handled everything in Spanish, in one visit — no consulate, no runaround.”

— Carolina M., San Jose
Quinnie Do, owner of Fingerscan Digital and bonded California notary in San Jose
Prepared by

Quinnie Do

Owner, Fingerscan Digital Inc.

Bonded & commissioned California Notary Public, IRS Certifying Acceptance Agent, and registered California Immigration Consultant. Quinnie and her multilingual team have handled Bay Area apostilles for marriages, citizenship, and immigration since 2020.

Related services

Single Status Affidavit Apostille → FBI Apostille for Colombia (Visas & Work) → Order an Apostille by Mail → All Apostille Services →
Common questions

Apostille for Colombia
questions, answered straight

Is Colombia part of the Hague Apostille Convention?
Yes. Colombia has been a member since 2001, so U.S. documents only need a single apostille from the California Secretary of State to be accepted there. You do not need a separate legalization from a Colombian consulate or embassy.
Do I need a Colombian consulate to legalize my documents?
No. Because Colombia accepts apostilles, the California apostille is the final step — there’s no consulate legalization. That’s faster and cheaper than the chain non-Hague countries require.
Do my documents need to be translated into Spanish?
Usually yes. Most Colombian offices want a Spanish translation. Our staff speaks Spanish and prepares the translation in-house, attaches it to your original, and apostilles them together, so nothing is rejected at the counter.
What documents do I need apostilled to get married in Colombia?
Typically a single status affidavit and your birth certificate, both apostilled and translated into Spanish. Requirements vary by notary, so confirm with the Colombian office handling your case, then bring the documents to us.
What documents do I need for Colombian citizenship or a cédula?
Usually an apostilled U.S. birth certificate, plus civil records and sometimes an FBI background check, translated into Spanish. We notarize, apostille, and translate each in one place — see our FBI apostille for Colombia page for background-check files.
How fast can I get a Colombia apostille?
Standard runs about 30 days, with priority, rush, and same-day options for tighter deadlines. On same-day service you can walk in and leave with the finished, translated document the same day.
How much does an apostille for Colombia cost?
Standard is $85 (about 30 days), Priority $200 (about 2 weeks), Rush $350 (3 to 5 business days) and Same-Day $450 when you drop off by 10 AM. Extras, such as in-house Spanish translation and notarization, are quoted when you call or come in — so you get an exact price for your documents, with no surprises. The seal is identical at every speed, and above the $85 standard tier each additional document is 50% off.
Can you apostille my Colombian registro civil?
No. A California apostille only goes on a document issued by a California authority. A registro civil de nacimiento issued in Colombia is apostilled there, through their own ministry. What we seal are your U.S. records — a California birth or marriage certificate, an FBI background check, a notarized poder.
What has to be in the poder for Colombia?
Whatever the notaría or entity that will act on it requires, and it varies by what you are authorising. A generic form apostilles perfectly well and is then refused there for missing a specific facultad. Ask them for the wording in writing, bring it in, and we draft around it — that one email saves more time than any service tier we sell.
Do I need a state apostille or a federal one?
It depends on who issued the document. A California birth or marriage certificate, or a notarized poder, is a state record. An FBI Identity History Summary is federal and authenticated in Washington, D.C. instead — see our FBI apostille for Colombia page. Sending one down the other route gets it returned unprocessed.
Does the translation have to be done in Colombia?
Sometimes. Some Colombian entities accept a translation prepared here; others want a traductor oficial registered there. Ask before you pay. Either way the order is fixed: apostille first, translate second, because a translation attached beforehand is not covered by the seal.
How recent do my documents need to be?
Many Colombian offices want recently issued records, and an apostille does not reset that clock. A new seal on an old certificate does not make the certificate new. Confirm the age requirement with the entity receiving your file before ordering anything.
Can you help me in Spanish?
Yes, in person rather than through a phone interpreter. Our partner Rosa handles the case in Spanish from start to finish, prepares the translation in-house and keeps it paired with your original.
Can I mail my documents in?
Yes for certified originals — send them to our San Jose office and we return the sealed documents. A poder is the exception, because it has to be signed in front of the notary. That one needs a visit.
What usually gets a Colombian document refused?
A poder missing the specific facultad, a photocopy where a certified copy was required, a translation attached before the seal, or a federal record sent to the state office. Bring the document and any notice you received and we will identify which it was before charging you.
Ready when you are

Get your documents ready
for Colombia, in San Jose

Walk into our San Jose office to notarize, translate, and apostille in one visit, or order online and we’ll ship it back — same-day available.

Book Appointment Call (408) 766-3528

California Secretary of State apostille service by Fingerscan Digital Inc. · 434 Blossom Hill Rd, San Jose, CA 95123 · (408) 766-3528 · Serving San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Milpitas and the Bay Area. For business and bulk document authentication, visit fingerscan-digital.com. Last updated June 2026.

Call Now Book Appointment
Document guides

Which document are you authenticating?

Requirements differ by document type. Each guide covers what counts as a certified copy, whether notarization is needed first, and how long the California route takes.