Prepare documents for a Colombia visa application
Make the complete upload fit the portal while preserving the information an officer needs to review.
This guide comes from preparing real filing packages. Official figures are linked to their source; practical quality checks are labelled as recommendations. It is not legal or immigration advice.
- 5 MB total for all documents attached to one application, not 5 MB per PDF.
- The photograph is uploaded separately as a JPG of no more than 300 KB.
- Supporting documents are uploaded as PDF files.
Source: the SITAC visa application portal of Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, checked 30 August 2026. Requirements can change, so follow the values displayed in your own application.
Start with the complete set
Collect every PDF the application requests before compressing anything. Looking at one file at a time hides the real problem: the portal evaluates the combined package. A passport scan or bank statement often accounts for most of the weight.
Create a working copy and keep the untouched originals separately. Use one short, descriptive filename per requirement. Open each file rather than trusting its name: a file called “passport-final” may still contain an old version or the wrong person's document.
Preserve text and official marks
Letters and certificates exported from Word normally contain searchable vector text. They should be copied intact. Scanned diplomas, apostilles and translations are images, so excessive recompression can erase fine seals, signatures and verification codes.
If a scan is already blurred, return to the paper original. Recompressing a weak source cannot recover missing letters or seal details. Our low-resolution warning is a practical safeguard, not a threshold imposed by the Colombian government.
Keep related pages together
A translated or authenticated document may include the original, apostille or legalization page, translation and translator certification. Keep the chain in a clear order and preserve reverse sides that contain stamps or notes. Do not separate a translation from the document it explains.
Check signatures, dates and identity
File preparation is not only about megabytes. Before uploading, compare names and document numbers with the application. Check every signature line, date, city, position and mandatory template field. Confirm that certificates satisfy the current validity period stated for your category.
Check every final page
- Open the processed file, not only the original.
- Zoom into names, dates, signatures, stamps and QR codes.
- Rotate sideways pages before downloading.
- Confirm that all pages are present and ordered correctly.
- Use the separate JPG upload for the visa photograph.
What this tool can verify
It can help with file type, combined size, page orientation and visible scan quality. It preserves native text where possible and shows the complete package against one target. It cannot confirm that a document satisfies the legal requirement, that a translation is authorized or that you qualify for a visa.
Before pressing submit
Compare the files visible in the portal with the list requested for your category. Wait for every upload to finish, open any preview the portal provides and make sure each file is attached to the correct field. Keep a copy of the exact files submitted and the application receipt or reference number.
Not legal or immigration advice. Check the current official instructions for your visa category.