President Gustavo Petro unveiled the new Colombian passport model at Casa de Nariño, emphasizing its technological advancements and cultural features. Chancellor Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy stated that the document meets international standards and deliveries will start in April 2026. Existing passports remain valid until their expiration.
President Gustavo Petro led the official unveiling of the new Colombian passport at Casa de Nariño in a televised event attended by media. He displayed the document and outlined its security features, including holograms featuring yellow butterflies and expert-recognizable marks. “This is a way to verify validity, all these colorful holograms showing yellow butterflies, different marks that migration experts will recognize as valuable or not,” Petro stated.
The president highlighted how the technology enables real-time global migration controls, enhancing security for Colombians and the world. “Anyone in any migration country will be able to see how any Colombian enters any country, in real time. This is new technology that implies security for Colombians, Colombian women, and the world in general,” he noted. He also pointed out cultural elements such as pre-Columbian figures, natural world motifs, Colombian literature, the national flag, and yellow butterflies. Petro called it one of the world's best passports, with the national anthem playable via special readers.
Chancellor Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy explained that the document complies with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, ensuring border interoperability and security. “The new Colombian passport fully complies with ICAO provisions, guaranteeing global interoperability, security, and trust at every border,” she said. It features mechanical and encrypted electronic reading, advanced microchips, ghost photos, metallic inks, and microtexts.
The model supports digital sovereignty by keeping citizen data under direct state control without intermediaries. The rollout begins in April 2026: initially, booklets are produced by Portugal's Casa da Moeda with personalization in Colombia; later stages will handle full production domestically. Current passports remain valid until expiry, with no mandatory renewal, and costs will adjust only by the consumer price index, without additional hikes.
