President Gustavo Petro launched the new Colombian passport on Monday, framing the transition as a critical step toward “data sovereignty” and technological independence.
During a ceremony at the Casa de Nariño, the president and senior officials detailed a document that integrates advanced holographic security and encrypted digital verification, aiming to bring the management of citizens’ private information entirely under state control.
The new initiative seeks to eliminate the state’s reliance on private intermediaries for managing strategic biometric and personal data. Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio emphasized that the administration is committed to digital sovereignty by ensuring that citizen information remains under the direct protection of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Printing Office.
The project reflects a broader strategy of digital transformation within the Colombian government, intended to bolster the integrity and confidentiality of public records.
President Petro highlights the use of holographic tech in Colombia’s new passport
Technically, the new passport complies with all standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, ensuring its acceptance at global migration checkpoints. It features a suite of high-tech security measures, including machine-readable and encrypted electronic components, metallic inks, micro-texts, and latest-generation microchips.
President Petro specifically highlighted the use of holographic technology, which displays “yellow butterflies”, a nod to Colombian literature and the works of Gabriel García Márquez, as a primary verification tool for border agents.
During the presentation, President Petro went as far as to claim the document is among the “best in the world,” noting that it even allows for the national anthem to be played through specific digital readers. However, independent rankings offer a more moderate assessment of the document’s global standing.
The Henley & Partners Passport Index for 2025-2026 currently ranks Colombia’s passport 34th in terms of travel freedom, allowing visa-free access to a significant number of destinations but trailing behind top-tier passports like those of Singapore and Japan.
The passport booklets will be manufactured in Portugal
The production of the new document involves an international partnership during its initial stages. Beginning April 1, 2026, the personalization of the passports will be handled domestically by the National Printing Office of Colombia, while the physical booklets will be manufactured by the Mint of Portugal.
The government plans to move the entire assembly and raw material transformation process to Colombian soil in later phases to fulfill the goal of total technological autonomy. Current passport holders do not need to worry about an immediate change, as the Foreign Ministry clarified that all existing documents remain valid until their specified expiration dates.
The cost for the new version will be adjusted only according to the Consumer Price Index, meaning citizens will not face steep price hikes. As of late February, an ordinary passport in Bogotá remains priced at approximately 190,000 pesos, while the executive version for frequent travelers costs 323,000 pesos.