What to do if you have lost a document in Colombia

In Colombia, you can skip filing a police report when you have lost a document:

• No Police Report Needed: Under Decree 19 of 2012, you only need to affirm under oath that your documents are lost or stolen to start the replacement process.

• Good Faith Matters: The Constitution (Article 83) presumes you’re acting in good faith, so a “lost document report” isn’t required for legal or administrative purposes.

• Alternative IDs Work: According to Law 1801 of 2016, you can use other documents like a driver’s license, work ID, or even a student card to identify yourself while you get your replacements.

To replace your documents, just go straight to the right agency:

• For ID cards, visit the National Civil Registry.

• For passports, head to the Foreign Ministry.

• For driver’s licenses, contact your local transit office.

• For credit cards, notify your bank directly.

If you want to learn more about why you don’t need to file a report, you can visit this webpage: ¿Por qué no es necesario realizar el reporte por pérdida de documentos ante la Policía Nacional?

Collecting lost documents

Most municipalities have a designated place where found documents are collected. At police stations, they can tell you where this place is in your municipality.

• Santa Marta: Secretaria de Planeación

Stolen documents

If a document has been stolen, you can file a report on this webpage: Sistema Nacional de Denuncia Virtual. 

Lost foreign documents

If foreign authorities require you to provide a police report, it’s best to file a report for stolen items, even if the documents weren’t actually stolen.