Civil Registration System

Colombia

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Colombia Civil Registration System Coordination and Technology

Coordination and Technology

Data Sharing

Does the law require that the civil registration authority share data with the agency responsible for producing vital statistics, on a regular and timely basis?

No

Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines

The civil registration agency must submit statistical information collected during registration to the national statistics authority in order for the agency to compile and publish vital statistics. The law should therefore require and enable the regular and timely sharing of data needed for statistical purposes between the civil registration and statistics agency or agencies.
Law Source
UNGOLF para 482

Colombia Legal Analysis

Colombian civil registration rules do not clearly require the civil registration authority (the National Civil Registry Office, Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil (RNEC)) to routinely share civil registration data with the national statistics agency (DANE) for the production of vital statistics. Decree 1010 of 2000 gives RNEC broad coordination powers with other State entities, but it does not set a specific obligation to transmit civil registration data to DANE on a regular and timely schedule (for example, it authorizes coordination/harmonization of policies with other entities).
Law Source

Computerization

Does the law block the use of technology, such as electronic collection, transmission and storage of data, within the civil registration system?

No

Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines

The use of computers, tablets and other electronic devices should be permitted for the collection of data for vital events, and it should be permitted for these data to be transmitted between government agencies and officials with the use of mobile technology or the Internet. Some older laws block the use of technology by requiring manual forms or processes,. Laws should enable technology. However, laws be technology neutral and not specify the method and mode of collection, transmission and storage of data in any civil registration system, as this may prevent system upgrades overtime.
Law Source
UNGOLF para 566

Colombia Legal Analysis

Colombian law does not block digital tools in civil registration and instead promotes electronic collection and interoperability. Decree 19 of 2012 requires civil registration service providers to implement technological mechanisms to interoperate with the National Civil Registry. Likewise Resolution 435 of 2025 adopts the RUAF-ND technological application and requires all births and deaths to be reported through that platform, with paper forms used only as a contingency and then uploaded or transcribed as soon as possible (arts. 1, 3, 4, 6–9).
Law Source
Decree 19 of 2012
Resolution 435 of 2025 (Ministry of Health and Social Protection)

Stakeholder Coordination

Is there a national coordinating committee to address issues on the functioning of the civil registration system and its integration with other systems, such as the health sector, vital statistics, national identity system, medicolegal death investigation, and others?

Yes

Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines

To achieve coordination, cooperation, and interoperability amongst various government agencies that govern civil registration, vital statistics compilation and identity management, a stakeholder coordination mechanism should be established. This coordination mechanism can take the form of an inter-agency civil registration, vital statistics and identity management committee, with representatives from each of the stakeholder agencies. Alternatively, a stakeholder coordination mechanism can be a single government agency empowered to coordinate the activities of civil registration, vital statistics and identity management stakeholders and oblige stakeholders to collaborate with the coordinating entity.
Law Source
UNGOLF para 89

Colombia Legal Analysis

Decree 955 of 2002 creates a national, inter-agency coordinating body, the Intersectoral Commission for the Management of Vital Statistics, to strengthen and maintain the civil registration and vital statistics system. The Commission is chaired by the national statistics agency (DANE) and brings together key CRVS stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health, the National Civil Registry (RNEC), the Superintendence of Notaries and Registry, and entities linked to health surveillance and medicolegal death investigation (such as the National Institute of Legal Medicine and the Technical Investigation Team (CTI) of the Office of the Attorney General (Fiscalía General de la Ncaión)), among others. Its functions include setting procedures to ensure the system operates nationwide, coordinating interinstitutional work, defining responsibilities, and recommending territorial committees; it must meet at least twice per year.
Law Source
Decree 955 of 2002