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Notarials
Notarial services are available for all nationalities by appointment

Appointments

Make an appointment for a notary service at our office in Bogota. Service days: Tuesday and Wednesday by appointment only. Federal Benefits Certification service is no longer available.

Schedule an Appointment

Overview

Hand signing document

Notarial services are available for people of any nationality with documents for use in the United States.

Appointments made under the “Notarial and other services” category are EXCLUSIVELY for notary services. You can request notarial services either at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota or at the U.S. Consular Agency in Barranquilla.

The individual requesting a notary service is responsible for providing the document and clear instructions on which sections require notarized signatures and/or witnesses. If witnesses are needed the individual is responsible to provide them. The individual must understand the content of the document before signing. The document must be signed in the presence of the consular officer, do not sign it before your appointment.

Remember: It is the responsibility of the individual requesting a notary service to plan according to the availability of the appointments. The Embassy/Agency cannot accommodate requests for emergency appointments for notarial services.

REMOTE NOTARIZATIONS

Also known as webcam notarization, online notarization, or virtual notarization may fulfill your need for notary services more quickly. Remote notarization allows for notarization of documents using audio-visual technology over the internet. Many states accept documents notarized through online services. You will need to research whether they can be used in the state where your document will be filed and if any special conditions apply. For more information and to find an online notary please visit National Notary Association, click here. 

Examples of Notarial Services Performed At No Charge

  • DS-3053: To notarize a DS-3053 Statement of Consent: Issuance of a U.S. Passport to a Minor Under Age 16 (PDF, 345K), please review the instructions listed on the form, the information fields that must be completed, and bring your original, valid, government-issued photo ID as well as a photocopy of both sides.

Passport acceptance agents worldwide accept form DS-3053 notarized by local notaries where the U.S. has a diplomatic presence or where local notaries are consider reliable.

See this list for Foreign Countries from which locally notarized documents are not acceptable, click here. FAQs > What countries require Form DS-3053 “Statement of Consent” to be notarized at an embassy or consulate?

If you encounter an agent that does not accept your form DS-3053, please refer them to 8 FAM 706.4-4 (U) FOREIGN NOTARIES PUBLIC.

  • Power of Attorney (in conjunction with U.S. passport applications): When both parents are unable to be personally present to apply for a minor’s U.S. passport, and they wish to designate a third party to do so, they may sign a power of attorney (POA) before a notary public. This POA must contain specific data fields; see a sample. Note that photocopies of both sides of each parent’ original, valid, government-issued photo ID must be included with the POA. As the U.S. Department of State requires that this form be notarized, this service is performed free of charge.
  • At the Direct Request of a U.S. Municipal, State or Federal Entity.
  • At the Direct Request of a Foreign Government.

APPOINTMENTS AND FEES:

Appointments:

If you have multiple documents to be notarized, you should only make one appointment. To make an appointment for a notary service at our office in Bogota, please click here. If you would prefer to visit the U.S. Consular Agency in Barranquilla, please click here.

Fees:

You will pay $50 USD on your day of appointment for each notary seal required. For fees information click here.

This payment is non-refundable if the document is not accepted at its destination.

The day of your appointment, entrance will only be authorized for the individuals signing the document, including the witnesses.

Sworn Statement / Affidavit:

A sworn statement / affidavit is a notarized statement by an individual. You must provide the document, the U.S. Embassy / Consular Agency cannot advise you on the specific language needed. Please consult a lawyer or other legal advisor for that type of assistance. Please keep in mind the U.S. Embassy / Consular Agency assumes no responsibility for the veracity of the information contained therein.

The day of your appointment you must present:

  • The unsigned affidavit.
  • Valid photo identification with signature.

Power of Attorney (POA):

A power of attorney is a written authorization to appoint a third party or organization to act on a person’s behalf to make decisions in legal matters with broad or limited legal authority.

The day of your appointment you must present:

  • The unsigned power of attorney (consult a lawyer or find a template online that suits your needs).
  • Valid photo identification with signature.

Affidavit of Single Status:

To certify the marriage between a Colombian national and a foreigner, Colombian notaries require a Certificate of Single Status or the equivalent. To satisfy this requirement, the U.S. Embassy/U.S. Consular Agency issues an Affidavit of Single Status. Remember that the Embassy/U.S. Consular Agency is verifying your signature but is not certifying as true the information in the document.

The day of your appointment you must present your valid U.S. passport.

Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN):

If you require an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number in order to file U.S. taxes, the Embassy notarizes a true copy of the biographical page of your valid passport to submit to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS https://www.irs.gov/).

The day of your appointment you must present your valid passport.

To learn if you may need to renew your ITIN click here.

Document Verification for Federal Benefits

If asked by the Federal Benefits Unit to verify your documentation for federal benefits, set up a notarial service appointment at the Embassy. The day of your appointment you must present the documents requested by the Federal Benefits Unit and the email with the notification.

Apostille, Certificates and True Copies:

Neither the U.S. Embassy in Bogota nor the U.S. Consular Agency in Barranquilla can apostille, certify or issue true copies of documents issued in the United States. For those services contact the apostille office in the state where the document was issued.

For more information about records and authentications please visit the Department of State website https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/records-and-authentications.html.

For instructions on how to apostille or authenticate a Colombian document for use in the United States, please visit the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs “Cancilleria” website https://www.cancilleria.gov.co

Federal Benefits Certification (Income Verification)

Useful Information

Notarial Services of U.S. Consular Officers Abroad

U.S. Birth Certificate Apostilles

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