Bringing your baby home from Colombia: first steps and documents checklist
This is the decision-stage guide. It tells you what to do first, which documents to gather, how the paperwork flows and what to ask about travel with a newborn. It is not legal advice.
Short answer. To bring a surrogacy baby home from Colombia you usually need the Colombian birth record with an apostille, evidence of your legal parentage and genetic or gestational tie, possibly DNA results, a CRBA and a U.S. passport. Ask the embassy for the current steps and plan extra days for delays.
Not legal or medical advice. This guide is written by an independent publisher, not by a lawyer or doctor. Surrogacy law abroad is unsettled and changes. Talk to an attorney in the country where the surrogacy will happen and to an attorney in your home state before making any decision.
What should you do first if you decide to go ahead?
- Hire your own attorney in Colombia and your own immigration or family attorney at home before you pay any provider.
- Ask each attorney for the plan for the birth record, the DNA test and the U.S. documents. Put the plan in writing.
- Verify the clinic and the agency with the checklist.
- Get an itemized quote and a contract that you and your attorney have read. See what you pay for.
- Collect your own documents now: passports, proof of the U.S. citizen parent's physical presence, marriage certificate if it applies, medical records and your gamete or donor records.
- Set aside extra time and money for delays after the birth.
What documents will you need?
| Document | What it shows | Where it comes from | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your passports | Your identity and citizenship. | You. | Check expiry dates before you travel. |
| Marriage certificate, if you are married | A legal tie to the genetic or gestational parent, which can matter for citizenship. | Where you married. | Ask your attorney if it needs an apostille. |
| Proof of U.S. physical presence | That the citizen parent lived in the U.S. long enough before the birth. | School, tax or employment records. | The rule is five years, at least two after age 14, in the cases described in the USCIS manual. |
| Medical records and clinic records | The genetic or gestational tie and how the embryo was made. | The clinic, your doctor. | Ask for copies of consent forms and donor records. |
| Contracts | Intent, payments and responsibilities. | The agency and attorneys. | Keep signed copies and receipts of every payment. |
| Hospital birth certificate (certificado de nacido vivo) | That the birth took place, used to register it. | The hospital. | Used to register the birth. Confirm with your attorney what the registry will ask for. |
| Colombian civil registry of birth (registro civil) | The legal record of the birth, with the names it lists. | Notary or registry office. | A birth reported more than a month after it happened is a late registration, according to the Ministry of Justice. |
| Court orders, if any | Changes to parentage. | The family court. | Wait for the final order before you rely on it. |
| Apostille | That the Colombian public document is authentic for use in another country. | The Foreign Ministry, after the registry validates the document. | See the steps below. |
| Translations | A version that the embassy can read. | A translator. | Ask the embassy which translations it accepts. |
| DNA test report | A biological tie. | An accredited lab. | Ask the embassy which labs it accepts and when to test. |
| CRBA and U.S. passport application | The child's U.S. citizenship and a travel document. | The U.S. embassy. | Ask for appointments early. |
How does the apostille work?
A civil registry document issued by a Colombian registry office is apostilled in two online steps. As described by the Foreign Ministry in October 2026, you first ask the registry office for a true copy, then submit a scanned PDF of up to 2 MB to the Registraduría's online form. The Registraduría validates it and emails a code, which usually takes up to 15 business days. Then you use the code on the Foreign Ministry's site, pay, and the apostille is issued immediately. If a notary issued the document, the route is different. Errors in the data are corrected at the registry, not by the Foreign Ministry (Foreign Ministry, requirements). Ask your attorney to run this step so it is not the reason for a longer stay.
How does the CRBA and passport process work?
The CRBA is a record that the child is a U.S. citizen, and a passport is the travel document (22 CFR 50.7). Ask the U.S. Embassy in Bogota for the current appointment steps, fees and list of documents, because the embassy's page did not open for us. Ask whether you can apply for both at the same visit and what the embassy accepts as proof of the tie. Do not book a flight until you know the earliest date for the passport.
How long can you stay in Colombia, and what about your visa?
A national newspaper reports that the Foreign Ministry allows U.S. citizens to stay 90 days without a visa, extendable to 180 days within a calendar year (El Tiempo, April 2025). We could not open the Foreign Ministry's page, so confirm the rule with Migración Colombia before you go, and ask what to do if you need more time. A 2026 bill would also change the rules for foreigners who come for surrogacy (bill guide).
What should you ask about travel with a newborn?
We are not a medical source. Ask the baby's pediatrician: When is the baby fit to fly? What should we bring? Who is the baby's doctor in Colombia and at home? Ask your airline about its rules for newborns. Carry copies of the birth record, CRBA, passport, contracts and DNA results in your hand luggage. Plan a changeable ticket and a place to stay if the passport is late. Ask what to do if the baby is ill and your insurance does not cover care abroad.
What about health coverage for the baby and for you?
Ask three things before the birth. Does your health plan cover a newborn born abroad, and from which day? Does your travel insurance cover the baby? What is covered if the baby needs intensive care? Ask the agency what insurance the contract provides, not only what the brochure says. See medical risks.
What happens after you return home?
- See a pediatrician and keep the records from Colombia.
- Ask your attorney whether a court order, adoption or other step at home is advisable to secure parentage, depending on your state. We have not researched state rules.
- Keep the contracts, receipts, DNA results and the apostilled records. You may need them for school, benefits or travel.
- Decide how you will tell your child their story, and what information the clinic keeps.
Key takeaways
- Do the legal and immigration planning before you pay.
- The birth record, the apostille and the DNA are the parts that can add days.
- A CRBA is not a passport. Apply for both and plan for delays.
- Check insurance for the baby before the birth.
What to ask
- What documents will we have at each stage and who orders them?
- How many days after the birth will the passport take, in your experience?
- How do we handle a late record, a DNA delay or a missing apostille?
- Who pays for extra days in Colombia?
- What does our insurance cover for the baby?
Common mistakes
- Booking a flight before the passport date is known.
- Not apostilling or translating documents until the end.
- Believing the agency will handle all the legal steps.
Next step
Go back to U.S. citizenship rules and the timeline guide.
Frequently asked questions
What documents do I need to bring my surrogacy baby home from Colombia?
Usually the Colombian birth record with an apostille, evidence of your legal parentage and genetic or gestational tie, possible DNA results, your passports, a CRBA and a U.S. passport application. Ask the U.S. embassy for its current list because requirements can change and we could not read its page.
How do I apostille a Colombian birth certificate?
For a record issued by a registry office, request a true copy, submit a PDF of up to 2 MB through the Registraduria's online form, wait for its email code (up to 15 business days), then use the code on the Foreign Ministry site and pay. Notary-issued records follow a different route. Ask your attorney to manage it.
Is a CRBA the same as a passport?
No. The Consular Report of Birth Abroad is a record that a child born abroad is a U.S. citizen. A passport is a travel document and requires a separate application. Ask the embassy whether you can apply for both at the same visit and how long each takes.
How long can I stay in Colombia with my baby?
A national newspaper reports that U.S. citizens may stay 90 days without a visa, extendable to 180 days in a calendar year. We could not open the official page. Confirm with Migración Colombia before you travel, and ask what to do if documents take longer than your allowed stay.
Can I fly home right after the birth?
It depends on two things: your baby's documents and your baby's health. A U.S. citizen baby needs a passport, which requires proof of citizenship. Ask the pediatrician when it is safe to fly, and the airline about newborn rules. Book changeable tickets until you know the passport date.
Do I need a DNA test to take my baby home?
It may be needed as evidence of the genetic tie. The USCIS manual says officers must suggest voluntary DNA testing when other primary evidence is missing. We could not confirm embassy practice. Ask the embassy which labs it accepts and when to test, and plan for the time it takes.
What should I do after we get home?
See a pediatrician, keep every document from Colombia and ask your attorney whether a court order, adoption or other step in your state is advisable to secure parentage. We have not researched state rules. Keep contracts, receipts and DNA results because you may need them later.
Does health insurance cover a baby born abroad?
It depends on your plan and the contract. Ask your insurer from which day a newborn born abroad is covered, whether the travel policy covers the baby and what is covered if the baby needs intensive care. Also ask the agency what insurance the contract provides.