If you live in the United States, Canada, Spain or anywhere else and have a legal matter in Colombia, a Colombian lawyer acting under your power of attorney can handle it for you: buying or selling property, a divorce, an inheritance, collecting a debt or bringing a lawsuit. We are ADALET LEGAL, a Colombian law firm, and we handle these matters for foreigners and for Colombians living abroad, reporting every step in English or Spanish.
Step one: the power of attorney
Almost everything starts with a correctly drafted power of attorney, and the right form depends on the matter.
For court proceedings, such as a contested divorce, a debt claim or a lawsuit, Article 5 of Law 2213 of 2022 allows a special power of attorney to be granted by electronic message, without a handwritten or digital signature; it is presumed authentic and needs no in-person presentation or notarization. It must state the lawyer’s email address, which has to match the one registered in the National Registry of Lawyers.
Otherwise, Article 74 of the General Code of Procedure allows a power of attorney to be granted abroad before a Colombian consul or before the official authorized by local law. In the second case the document is apostilled, or authenticated by the Colombian consul if the country is not a party to the Apostille Convention, under Article 251 of the same code. General powers of attorney can only be granted by public deed.
To buy or sell property, the special power of attorney must identify the property. Before you sign anything, we send you the text that fits your matter and tell you where to sign it in your country.
Buying or selling property in Colombia
Before you buy, we run a title review: we examine the certificate of title and the legal history of the property to detect mortgages, attachments, pending lawsuits, restrictions and problems with boundaries or earlier inheritances. We then draft or review the promise of sale, and attend the signing of the deed and its registration. If you are selling, we prepare the documents and sign on your behalf under the power of attorney. Under Article 100 of the Colombian Constitution, foreigners enjoy the same civil rights as Colombians, so they can buy property in their own name; we act for foreign buyers.
Getting divorced in Colombia while living abroad
If both spouses agree, the divorce can be done before a notary. Article 34 of Law 962 of 2005 allows it by mutual agreement, through a lawyer and by public deed, with the same effects as a divorce granted by a judge. Where there are minor children, the family defender reviews the agreement as regards their protection.
Without agreement, the divorce is filed before a family judge. Since Law 2442 of 2024, item 10 of Article 154 of the Civil Code includes the sole will of either spouse as a ground for divorce, so fault no longer has to be proved to obtain it.
If you were divorced abroad
A divorce judgment from another country has no effect in Colombia on its own. It must first be recognized through exequatur, which under Article 607 of the General Code of Procedure is requested from the Civil Cassation Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice. Until then, Colombian records still show you as married, which can affect property transactions, a new marriage and inheritances. We prepare and file the exequatur claim.
Inheritance of assets in Colombia
When someone dies leaving assets in Colombia, the estate is settled through probate proceedings before a judge, or through the notarial procedure provided by law, as Article 487 of the General Code of Procedure recognizes. Heirs living abroad act through a lawyer. We tell you which route applies, gather the documents and take the matter through to the distribution of the assets.
Collecting a debt or suing in Colombia
If someone in Colombia owes you money, or you have a dispute over a contract, a lease or a business, we can handle the pre-litigation collection and, if needed, the court case, with the electronic power of attorney allowed by Law 2213 of 2022. See debt recovery in Colombia.
Your trademark in Colombia
If you run a business abroad and plan to sell in Colombia, register your trademark with the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce first. See trademark registration in Colombia.
How we work
We first review your documents and tell you which route applies and what it costs, with fees quoted in writing before we start. We then send you the power of attorney your matter needs and report every step to you, in English or Spanish. The firm has more than 20 years of practice.
Frequently asked questions
How do I give a power of attorney for Colombia from abroad?
For court proceedings, a special power of attorney by electronic message is enough (Law 2213 of 2022, Article 5). For other matters, it is granted before a Colombian consul or before a local official with an apostille (General Code of Procedure, Articles 74 and 251).
Can I get divorced in Colombia if I live in another country?
Yes. By mutual agreement before a notary through a lawyer or, without agreement, before a family judge, including on the sole will of one spouse since Law 2442 of 2024.
Is my foreign divorce valid in Colombia?
Not on its own. The foreign judgment needs exequatur before the Civil Cassation Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, under Article 607 of the General Code of Procedure.
Can I sell my property in Colombia without being there?
Yes, through a lawyer holding a special power of attorney that identifies the property. We send you the text and tell you where to sign it in your country.
Can a foreigner sue someone in Colombia?
Yes. Under Article 100 of the Constitution, foreigners enjoy the same civil rights as Colombians. They bring claims through a Colombian lawyer, granting the power of attorney by electronic message for court proceedings.
Talk to a lawyer in Colombia
Write to us on WhatsApp, tell us where you live and what your matter in Colombia is, and we will tell you what it takes and what it costs.