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Colombia — Identity documents guide

Use this page when you are not sure which document type your user has or which Verifik endpoint to call. Each Colombian ID has a different issuer and a different API path.

Quick decision table​

If the person has…Plain nameVerifik endpointRequired fieldsTypical number lengthWhat this API accepts
CCCédula de Ciudadanía (Colombian national ID)GET/POST /v2/co/ceduladocumentType=CC, documentNumber3–10 in the wild (common today: 8 or 10 NUIP)5–10 digits
PPT (names / civil data)Permiso de Protección TemporalGET/POST /v2/co/ceduladocumentType=PPT, documentNumberUp to 7 digits (some systems pad to 15)5–10 digits on this path
PPT (immigration status)Same permit, Migración ColombiaGET/POST /v2/co/foreigner-id/pptdocumentNumber, expeditionDateUp to 7 digitsRequired string + date DD/MM/YYYY
CE (names)Cédula de ExtranjeríaGET/POST /v2/co/cedula or /v2/co/procuraduriadocumentType=CE, documentNumberUsually 6–7 digits5–10 digits
CE (immigration status)Same card, Migración ColombiaGET/POST /v2/co/foreigner-id/cedocumentNumber, expeditionDateUsually 6–7 digitsRequired string + date DD/MM/YYYY
PEP (names)Permiso Especial de PermanenciaGET/POST /v2/co/cedula or /v2/co/procuraduriadocumentType=PEP, documentNumberTypically 7–10 on name paths5–10 digits
PEP (immigration status)Same permit, Migración ColombiaGET/POST /v2/co/foreigner-id/pepdocumentNumber, expeditionDate15 digits (fixed)Required string + date DD/MM/YYYY
NIT (names)Tax IDGET/POST /v2/co/cedula or /v2/co/procuraduriadocumentType=NIT, documentNumber9–10 digits5–10 digits
PAPasaporte (passport) — not PPTGET /v2/co/runt/conductordocumentType=PA, documentNumber, primerApellidoVariesNot accepted on /v2/co/cedula or Procuraduría

How to enter the number​

  • Send digits only — no dots, spaces, or dashes (Verifik normalizes non-digits away).
  • Do not pad with leading zeros unless that is how the number appears on the physical document or your source system stores it.
  • If you get 409 “validation” errors, check length limits for /v2/co/cedula (5–10) or a missing / wrong expeditionDate on foreigner-id routes.

Document types explained​

CC — Cédula de Ciudadanía​

For people who are Colombian citizens. The number identifies them in the Registraduría civil registry.

  • Older IDs (before ~2004): often 6–8 digits, kept as issued.
  • Current NUIP (since ~2004): 10 digits, usually starting around 1.000.000.000.
  • Very old historical IDs can be as short as 3 digits; Verifik’s /v2/co/cedula path requires at least 5 digits. If you only have a shorter historical number, contact Verifik support.

Endpoint: Colombian Citizen — documentType=CC.

CE — Cédula de Extranjería​

For foreign nationals who are legal residents in Colombia. Issued by Migración Colombia, not the Registraduría cédula flow.

  • Numbers are typically 6 or 7 digits (not a fixed length like NUIP).
  • You must send the expedition (issue) date exactly as DD/MM/YYYY.

Endpoints:

PPT — Permiso de Protección Temporal​

For Venezuelan nationals under Colombia’s temporary protection regime.

  • The permit number is usually up to 7 digits. Some portals (SENA, payroll, etc.) display it zero-padded to 15 characters — use the format your integration already stores; Verifik accepts the numeric value without decoration when possible.
  • Two endpoints:
    • Name / identity-style lookup: /v2/co/cedula with documentType=PPT (5–10 digit validation).
    • Immigration status (VIGENTE, expiration, etc.): /v2/co/foreigner-id/ppt with expeditionDate.

Endpoints: Colombian Citizen (PPT names) · PPT Migración status.

PPT is not a passport. RUNT labels PPT as Y.. Passport is PA (RUNT P.).

PA — Pasaporte (passport)​

For people identified by a passport, not a Colombian national ID or temporary-protection permit.

  • /v2/co/cedula and Procuraduría do not accept PA.
  • Use RUNT driver's license with documentType=PA and a required primerApellido.

PEP — Permiso Especial de Permanencia​

For Venezuelan nationals who hold this immigration permit (different from “politically exposed person” in AML).

  • The number is always 15 digits.
  • Requires expeditionDate in DD/MM/YYYY.

Endpoints:

Important naming distinction​

TermMeaningVerifik product
PEP (document)Permiso Especial de Permanencia — immigration permit/v2/co/foreigner-id/pep
Politically exposed persons (PEP)AML / compliance screening/v2/co/politically-exposed-persons (CC or NIT) — see Colombian PEP (AML)
PAPasaporte — passport. RUNT shows P./v2/co/runt/conductor (primerApellido required)
PPTPermiso por Protección Temporal — Venezuelan permit, not a passport. RUNT shows Y./v2/co/cedula or /v2/co/foreigner-id/ppt

Do not send an immigration PEP number to the AML politically-exposed-persons endpoint, or vice versa.

Frequently asked questions​

Should I use CC or CE?

CC if the person is a Colombian citizen (Cédula de Ciudadanía). CE if they are a foreign resident (Cédula de Extranjería). They use different government sources and different Verifik endpoints.

Which PPT endpoint should I use?

Use /v2/co/cedula with documentType=PPT when you need identity/name data similar to a cédula lookup. Use /v2/co/foreigner-id/ppt when you need immigration status from Migración Colombia — you must include expeditionDate.

Why does my CC number fail with 409?

On /v2/co/cedula, documentNumber must be 5–10 digits after normalization. Numbers shorter than 5 digits, or non-numeric formatting that leaves too few digits, will be rejected before the upstream lookup runs.