Colombia

Colombia's National Police keeps a register of people a Colombian court has barred from work with children after a conviction for a sexual offence against a minor. It is not public; only employers authorised by the child welfare agency can obtain the certificate. Colombian regulations list criminal records for child pornography or common crimes as grounds to refuse entry, and Migración Colombia reports refusing U.S. travellers flagged by Angel Watch alerts.

Brief profile · Last verified: October 30, 2026 · All countries

Each statement is labelled Law (statute, regulation or court ruling), Policy (official guidance) or Reported practice (what officials report doing). Items marked Recheck could not be fully confirmed from a primary source.

The country's own registry

Law The Ministry of Defence and National Police administer the database of people declared disqualified (inhabilitados) for sexual offences against minors. The certificate of judicial records has a special reserved section for these disqualifications, and the Police issue it only at the request of public or private bodies previously and expressly authorised by the Colombian Family Welfare Institute (ICBF) (Ley 1918 de 2018, art. 3).
Source: Ley 1918 de 2018 (régimen de inhabilidades y registro de inhabilidades por delitos sexuales contra menores), as amended by Ley 2375 de 2024, Secretaría del Senado
Law The disqualification bars people convicted of offences against the sexual freedom, integrity and formation of a person under 18 from posts, trades or professions involving direct and habitual contact with minors. The judge decides whether that relationship exists when imposing it (Ley 1918 de 2018, arts. 1–2, art. 2 as added by Ley 2375 de 2024).
Source: Ley 1918 de 2018 (régimen de inhabilidades y registro de inhabilidades por delitos sexuales contra menores), as amended by Ley 2375 de 2024, Secretaría del Senado
Finding No published rule found as of October 30, 2026. No rule entering a foreign (including U.S.) conviction in the Colombian register was found.

Entry and admissibility

Law Refusal of entry (inadmisión) is an administrative decision by which the immigration authority denies a foreigner entry on a listed ground and orders immediate return to the country of embarkation, of origin or a third country. No appeal lies against it (Decreto 1067 de 2015, art. 2.2.1.11.3.1). Ley 2136 de 2021 confirms that Migración Colombia may refuse entry on the grounds set by the rules in force, with no appeal (art. 17).
Source: Decreto 1067 de 2015 (Decreto Único Reglamentario del Sector Administrativo de Relaciones Exteriores), Parte 2, Título 1, Capítulo 11, compiled text last updated 30 April 2019 (Colpensiones legal database copy); Ley 2136 de 2021 (Política Integral Migratoria), Secretaría del Senado
Law The grounds include having criminal records or entries (antecedentes y/o anotaciones) for migrant smuggling, human trafficking, organ trafficking, child pornography and/or common crimes (num. 11); having pending proceedings abroad for offences carrying two or more years' imprisonment, or records abroad that could endanger state security or social peace (num. 5); being listed in the files of the international police (num. 9); conduct that in the immigration authority's judgment makes the foreigner dangerous to national security or social peace (num. 13); and information from national or foreign security or intelligence bodies, or other countries' immigration authorities, describing the person as a risk to national security (num. 20) (Decreto 1067 de 2015, art. 2.2.1.11.3.2).
Source: Decreto 1067 de 2015 (Decreto Único Reglamentario del Sector Administrativo de Relaciones Exteriores), Parte 2, Título 1, Capítulo 11, compiled text last updated 30 April 2019 (Colpensiones legal database copy)
Recheck: The compiled text read was last updated 30 April 2019; the official Cancillería normograma returned 403. Confirm no later amendment to art. 2.2.1.11.3.2.
Law A criminal record (antecedente penal) means a conviction in a final judgment; an entry (anotación) means any information or intelligence record on the foreigner held by security and defence bodies (Decreto 1067 de 2015, art. 2.2.1.11.3.2, par. 1).
Source: Decreto 1067 de 2015 (Decreto Único Reglamentario del Sector Administrativo de Relaciones Exteriores), Parte 2, Título 1, Capítulo 11, compiled text last updated 30 April 2019 (Colpensiones legal database copy)
Reported practice Migración Colombia reports that between 2016 and 2026 it refused 471 foreigners in preventive refusals linked to the commercial sexual exploitation of children, covering people with records including Angel Watch alerts and convictions for sexual offences against minors. In the first quarter of 2026 the United States was the leading nationality among all refusals (76).
Source: Migración Colombia: Más de 600 extranjeros inadmitidos en lo corrido de 2026 (31 March 2026)
Reported practice On 20 April 2026 Migración Colombia refused a U.S. citizen at Cartagena airport and returned him on a flight to Fort Lauderdale. It said three of the four refusals in Cartagena that year for suspected sex tourism came from Angel Watch alerts, which it describes as a list of U.S. citizens with records of sexual offences against minors.
Source: Migración Colombia: Migración Colombia inadmite ciudadano extranjero por alerta de turismo con fines de explotación sexual en Cartagena (20 April 2026)

Visa / travel authorisation

Policy U.S. citizens do not need a Colombian visa for tourism or business stays of 90 days or less, or cumulative stays of 180 days or less per calendar year. A 90-day extension can be requested from Migración Colombia. Travellers should complete the free online Check-Mig form 72 hours before the flight, and may be denied entry without a return ticket.
Source: U.S. Department of State: Colombia International Travel Information (archived copy of 8 August 2025)
Recheck: The live State Department page returned 403; confirm against the current page and confirm whether Check-Mig asks about criminal history.

What U.S. rules still apply

Law U.S. law still applies to the trip itself: registrants must report international travel at least 21 days in advance, and the U.S. may notify the destination country before arrival. See the U.S. travel guide for the notice rule, the passport identifier and how notifications work.
Source: ComplianceAtlas: Traveling Abroad as a U.S. Registrant

Read Traveling Abroad as a U.S. Registrant before booking.

Sources

Legal Disclaimer

International laws, immigration policies, and registry requirements change frequently and may vary depending on citizenship, visa type, offense history, and purpose of travel. Entry decisions are made solely by each country's immigration authorities. Always verify current requirements using official government sources before traveling. This page is not legal advice.