Can foreigners get married in Colombia?
Yes. A civil marriage performed by a Colombian notary is legally valid, and it is the most common route for foreign couples and for a foreigner marrying a Colombian. Many countries recognize a Colombian marriage once it is registered, but check with your own country how to register it back home.
Documents you will need
Each notary sets its exact checklist, but these are the documents most notaries in Medellín ask a foreign partner for:
- A valid passport, with your entry stamp or record of entry into Colombia.
- A recent birth certificate, usually issued within the last three months.
- A certificate of single status or no impediment to marry, also recent.
- If you were married before: the divorce decree or death certificate of the former spouse.
- All foreign documents apostilled in the country that issued them and translated into Spanish by an official translator.
- The Colombian partner, if there is one, brings a recent copy of their civil birth registry and their ID.
Requirements change and vary between notaries. Always confirm the exact list with the notary before booking flights or a date, and consider a local lawyer if your case has special circumstances.
How much does it cost? (2026 notary fees)
Notary fees in Colombia are set every year by the national Superintendence of Notaries and are the same everywhere. For 2026:
- Civil wedding at the notary office: COP 64,700 plus 19% VAT (about COP 77,000).
- Civil wedding outside the notary office, at your venue: COP 174,800 plus VAT (about COP 208,000), plus whatever is agreed for the notary’s travel.
- Add official translations, apostilles in your home country and copies.
The easier option: a symbolic ceremony
Many destination-wedding couples sign the legal paperwork at home and hold a symbolic ceremony in Medellín. It has no legal effect, but it has everything else: your vows, your rituals and your guests. It also removes the deadline pressure of apostilles and translations.
Celebrating your wedding at Kampanas
Kampanas is in Provenza, in El Poblado, the area where most visitors stay, so your guests are walking distance from hotels, restaurants and nightlife. The ceremony —civil with a notary, religious or symbolic— and the reception happen in the same place, with signature cuisine and live cooking stations such as teppanyaki and a burrata bar.
Our team plans with you in English, from the first conversation on WhatsApp to coordinating the day itself, and we can also organize the welcome party, the rehearsal dinner and the after-party.
Frequently asked questions
Can foreigners get married in Colombia?+
Yes. Foreigners can marry each other or a Colombian through a civil wedding before a Colombian notary, with apostilled and officially translated documents.
What documents do I need to get married in Colombia?+
Usually a valid passport, a recent birth certificate and a certificate of single status, all apostilled and translated into Spanish by an official translator. Confirm the exact list with the notary.
How much does a civil wedding cost in Colombia in 2026?+
Notary fees are COP 64,700 at the notary office and COP 174,800 at your venue, plus 19% VAT. Translations and apostilles are extra.
Do you have English-speaking staff?+
Yes. Our team plans your wedding with you in English.