How a Florida notarized document is used in Colombia
Colombian notarías and entities receive Florida notarized documents for everything from a sale to a bank authorization. They check that the Florida notarial certificate is complete and that the document is apostilled, and they want it in Spanish. Our owner's rule fits Colombia well: a translation made in Florida is accepted when it's certified, notarized and apostilled. Or translate in Colombia with an official translator, whose signature doesn't need an apostille. The Cancillería recommends apostilling the original before translating it.
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 notarized document must look like
Florida can only apostille a notary it can verify, so the document must be signed in front of a Florida-commissioned notary with a complete notarial certificate: the venue (State of Florida, County of …), the date, the signer's name, how the signer was identified, the notary's signature and the seal showing the commission number and expiration. A missing county, a missing date or a stamp without a signature means a rejection at the counter. Not signed yet? Add online notarization to your order and sign on video with a Florida notary — no office visit.
Step by step: notarized document apostille for Colombia
- Order online — pick "Notarized document" 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.