Colombian citizens living in the United States who wish to vote in Colombia’s upcoming national elections must register their ID cards at a Colombian consulate in the U.S. The process, which is separate from general consular registration, ensures a citizen is included in the electoral roll and eligible to vote from abroad.
Where and how to register to vote in Colombia’s 2026 elections from the US?
Registration must be completed in person at the nearest Colombian consulate. Currently, Colombia operates 11 Consulates in the U.S., namely in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York City, Orlando, and San Francisco. In addition, Colombia has a consulate in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The consulates serve as the official polling places for Colombians abroad during national elections.
The process is relatively straightforward but must be done within a timeframe set by Colombian electoral authorities — typically up to two months before election day.
These are the steps each Colombian citizen abroad must consider:
Visit your consulate in person: citizens must appear at the consulate during business hours to complete official registration.
Bring the proper documents: citizens will need either the Colombian National ID (cedula de ciudadania), or Colombian passport.
Request to register in the electoral census: this is not automatic — even if you are already registered as a consular resident, you must explicitly request to register your ID card for voting.
No appointment needed: most consulates do not require an appointment for voter registrations. However, it’s recommended to check your consulate’s website or call ahead to confirm.
Mobile consulates may be available: In past elections, consulates have organized mobile registration days in other cities across the U.S. If you live far from a consulate, inquire about this option.
It is important to consider that these requirements are essential when registering to vote from abroad, as meeting them is necessary to be properly included in the electoral registry: be a Colombian citizen over 18 years of age, hold a valid national ID or passport, and register within the official window before the election.
Once registered, you’ll be assigned a voting station at the consulate where you completed the process. During the most recent national elections, over 1,300 voting stations were set up around the world for Colombian expatriates.
You can verify your registration status on the official website of The National Civil Registry (Registraduria Nacional del Estado Civil), Colombia’s electoral authority.
Have in mind that each Colombian consulate offers support via phone, email, and their official website, and the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs can also help citizens to better understand administrative procedures or provide guidance on any questions related to the registration or digital services.