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Disclaimer / Limitations
This country’s legal measures were reviewed by our legal staff in consultation with in-country lawyers and/or CRVS legal experts. All efforts were made to ensure the accuracy of the legal analysis, however, if you consider there to be any discrepancies or if there have been changes in the law of the country since our staff last updated the legal analysis, we welcome any additional information or insights. Please contact us via this form.
Birth Registration
Colombia
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Colombia
Birth Registration
ID and Related Services
ID and Related Services
Unique Personal Identifier (UPI)
Is a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) assigned at birth registration for every child born in the country?
UPI assigned at birth registration but only to citizens
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
The UN guidance recommends that a unique personal identifier (UPI) is assigned and entered into the birth record for every child born within the territory of the country, regardless of citizenship, ethnicity, nationality, or residency status. This facilitates the linkage of records in the CR and ID systems.
Yes. Colombian law provides for a Unique Personal Identifier (NUIP) assigned at the moment of birth registration. Under Law 962 of 2005, Article 22, the NUIP is issued by the civil registry office when the birth is registered and remains the person’s lifelong identification number. It is used for all civil status events and all public documents.
The NUIP is a 10-digit numeric sequence beginning at 1,000,000,000, as defined by Resolution 3571 of 2003, and is administered centrally by the National Civil Registry. The number is not randomly generated; instead, offices receive numerical ranges (“cupos”) from which they assign NUIPs in sequence. The NUIP does not change throughout a person’s life and is deactivated only upon death.
Registration Linked to Access to Key Services and Other Incentives
Is proof of birth registration required in order to access any public services?
Yes
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
Birth certificate should be requested to access public services, such as child immunizations and wellness checks, school enrolllment, etc. Absence of a birth certificate should not prevent the child from accessing healthcare, education, or other services. However, if health workers (such as vaccination workers, doctors, nurses) or other public servants see an unregistered child, they can use the opportunity to report the birth or educate the parents about birth registration.
Yes. Colombian law requires proof of birth registration to access certain public services for children. For preschool enrollment, Decree 2247 of 1997, Article 9, states that educational institutions—public and private—must request a copy of the child’s birth certificate.
For enrollment in the national health system, Decree 2353 of 2015, Article 20, requires that children be identified with their Civil Birth Register. As an alternative, for newborns under three months, the law allows the certificate of live birth if the birth has not yet been registered. For children older than three months, only the Civil Birth Register is accepted.
Is proof of birth registration required by law to issue a national ID card?
Yes
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
For those born in the country, birth registration should be required in order to register for a national ID. For refugees, migrants or stateless persons born outside the country and lacking proof of birth registration from country of origin, the law should provide alternative means to validate their identity and obtain identity credentials.
For adults, Colombian law permits the use of a birth certificate as one of the valid documents required to prove identity when applying for the National identity card (cédula de ciudadanía). Under Law 39 of 1961, Article 2, applicants may present various documents to establish identity, and a copy of the Civil Birth Register is expressly included among the accepted options.
For people under 18 years of age, the Decree 1694 of 1971, Article 9, requires a birth certificate issued by the civil registry as mandatory evidence in order to obtain the identity card for minors (tarjeta de identidad).
