How a Florida diploma or transcript is used in Colombia
Convalidación of a Florida degree goes through the Ministerio de Educación Nacional, and its FAQ requires an apostille on the diploma and also on the transcript of courses and grades, with a Spanish translation, all uploaded to the ministry's online system. That's two documents, so $380 with us. Most rejections start in Florida: the registrar must sign the diploma or transcript before a notary when it's issued. One relief: the ministry's FAQ says the translation for convalidación doesn't itself need an apostille.
Translation for Colombia
Colombia accepts translations made in Florida when they're certified by the translator, notarized by a different notary and apostilled, which matches our general rule; that translation is a separate document on your order. Alternatively, a Colombian official translator in Colombia can translate after the apostille, and that translation needs no apostille. The Cancillería recommends apostilling the original before translating, and the Ministry of Education doesn't require apostilled translations for convalidación.
What your Florida diploma or transcript must look like
A school document is apostilled through a notarized copy: the registrar (or another school official) signs a statement that the copy is true, and a Florida notary notarizes that signature with a complete notarial certificate. The Department of State then apostilles the notary's signature. An original diploma, an unsigned transcript or a copy you notarize yourself cannot be apostilled. Ask the school for its apostille procedure first — most Florida universities and school districts have one — and send us the notarized copy, not the original.
Step by step: diploma or transcript apostille for Colombia
- Order online — pick "Diploma or transcript" and "Colombia" on the order form; $220 per document, $380 for two, $160 each for three or more.
- Send a photo — reply to the confirmation email with a picture of the document. We check the certification before anything ships, so a defect is caught before it costs you a round trip.
- Drop it at FedEx — after approval, FedEx emails you a prepaid QR code; show it at any FedEx Office or Ship Center, no printer or label needed.
- Filed in person in Tallahassee — we walk the document into the Florida Department of State and ship the apostilled original back by FedEx within 5–7 business days of receipt — to your U.S. address, or to Colombia with international return shipping (+$100).
One Florida apostille is all the U.S. side needs for Colombia. Whatever the office there asks for after that — a translation, a filing deadline — is covered above.