Colombia Child Exit Permits: Parents and Documents

Colombian children generally need permission from each parent who does not travel with them to leave Colombia. Migración Colombia also applies this rule to foreign children with a resident visa or qualifying temporary protection permit (PPT) status, with exceptions (current exit instructions).

What it is

The parental exit permit (permiso de salida) authorizes a child's departure. It is separate from a passport, visa and airline booking. Article 110 of Ley 1098 de 2006 sets consent rules and exceptions.

Who it applies to

Child's situation	General rule
Colombian child, including dual nationals	Consent from the non-traveling parent. If neither parent travels, consent from both, unless an exception applies.
Foreign child with a Colombian resident visa	The same consent check applies when a parent does not travel.
Venezuelan child with PPT	Migración Colombia includes a PPT already delivered or marked as printed. Registration in RUMV alone is not enough to trigger this PPT rule.
Foreign visitor without Colombian nationality or those resident categories	Do not assume every foreign visitor needs the Colombian resident-child permit. Check the child's exact status, home-country documents and any travel restrictions with Migración Colombia.

Children do not need parental authorization to enter Colombia, according to Migración Colombia. Entry still requires the applicable travel documents. A child who enters without a permit can need one to leave. See dual-national passport rules.

Steps

1. Check the child's nationality, residence status and who will accompany the child.
2. Read the exceptions below with the supporting family records.
3. Complete the permit with the child's name and document number.
4. State the final destination, travel purpose, departure date and return date.
5. Name the accompanying person, or state that the child travels alone.
6. Have each required parent grant the permit before a Colombian notary or consulate.
7. For a foreign-notary permit, check the apostille and official Spanish translation requirements with the consulate.
8. Carry the original authenticated permit and the child's supporting documents for departure.

The parent grants the exit permit personally. A power of attorney does not transfer that parental duty. A foreign-notary permit needs an apostille and an official translation when necessary under Migración Colombia's instructions. The dedicated exit instructions describe that route when no Colombian consulate is nearby. Ask the consulate about documents from a country outside the apostille system.

Costs

This guide quotes no notary, consular, translation or apostille fee. Request the applicable fee from the office handling each document.

Documents

• Valid travel document under the child's nationality and applicable exceptions.
• Legible Colombian birth record or accepted foreign equivalent that shows the parents.
• Original authenticated permit, when required.
• Air ticket for departure by air and destination visa, when required.
• Death, custody or parental-authority records when relying on an exception.

Migración Colombia accepts a legible birth record in original, copy, photocopy or digital form. This does not remove its original-permit requirement. Check-MIG is free and optional under the current service instructions. It does not replace parental consent. See the Check-MIG steps.

Deadlines

The ordinary permit uses the departure date written in it. Its signing date does not set the travel date. A permit from the family defender is valid for 60 working days after it becomes final. That period comes from article 110.

Permits in a public deed follow a separate document rule. Migración Colombia accepts the deed for three months after issue. After that, it asks for proof of continuing validity no older than one month.

Common mistakes

• Assuming custody always removes consent: custody and parental authority are different legal questions.
• Using the wrong destination: the permit must match the final destination. Connections can require ticket evidence.
• Relying on entry documents alone: departure has its own family-document checks.

Exceptions

Children who live abroad

Article 110 provides an exception for habitual residence abroad of at least 1 year. It applies when the child returns there with the parent who has custody. The file needs proof of residence and the custody document. The law mentions a consular residence certificate or consular registration. Migración Colombia's operational FAQ asks for the residence certificate. Confirm the accepted proof before travel.

For travel with a third party, that rule requires consent from the parent with custody. Residence abroad of less than 1 year follows the ordinary consent rule. Foreign residence alone does not remove every exit check.

Missing parent, disagreement or a court order

No consent is required from a parent whose parental authority has been suspended or removed. The court record matters. For a deceased parent, the exit instructions require the original death certificate. For a death abroad, they also require an apostille and Spanish translation. Migración Colombia requires Colombian recognition of foreign custody or parental-authority judgments. Ask a Colombian lawyer about recognition (exequátur) for the document and case.

A separate exception covers a non-traveling parent listed in the overdue child-support register (REDAM). Migración requires the original certificate of that parent’s registration at the departure checkpoint. Unpaid support alone does not meet this stated document rule. Ask a Colombian lawyer about any travel restriction.

For a child resident in Colombia, the ICBF family defender can act if the child lacks a legal representative. This route also covers a representative whose location is unknown or who cannot grant permission. The application needs the birth record and evidence of the claimed facts. It is not an automatic substitute for a parent who refuses. Disagreement goes to a family judge. Article 110 also lists special protection, mission and urgent-treatment cases.

General trip documents are separate: see visas and cash declarations.

Sources

Checked 25 October 2026.

• Migración Colombia: entry, exit and minors
• Ley 1098 de 2006, article 110

Educational information, not legal or tax advice. Ask a Colombian lawyer or accountant for your case.

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Frequently asked questions

Does a child need permission to enter Colombia?

Migración Colombia says children do not need parental authorization to enter. Travel documents still apply. Departure can require a separate permit.

Can one parent sign for both parents?

In general, each non-traveling parent must grant consent. A power of attorney does not transfer that duty. Legal exceptions need supporting records.

Does sole custody always remove the other parent’s consent?

No. Custody and parental authority differ. The residence-abroad exception has specific residence, custody and return conditions.

Can ICBF override a parent who refuses?

Disagreement goes to a family judge. The family defender has defined powers for absent or unavailable representatives and other cases in article 110.

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