Colombia · JUSTICE

A court in Bogotá suspended the contracts behind Colombia’s new passport model. Issuance continues, officials say.

The interior pages of a Colombian passport. A court suspended two contracts, but passport issuance continues. (Photo: The Rio Times archive.)

A Colombian court suspended the passport printing contracts behind the country’s new passport model. Passport issuance continues, and applications are still accepted.

Court Suspends Two Contracts

On September 3, 2026, the Tribunal Administrativo de Cundinamarca, a high administrative court in Bogotá, ordered a provisional suspension of two contracts. These are the Convenio Interadministrativo Específico No. 001 de 2025 and the CI-005 de 2026.

The contracts are between the Fondo Rotatorio de la Cancillería and the Imprenta Nacional de Colombia. They underpin the new state-run passport model that began April 1, 2026.

Magistrate Moisés Rodrigo Mazabel signed the provisional order. He is the same judge who reviewed an earlier request over payments to Portugal in July.

What the Ruling Does Not Do

The court clarified that the agreement with Portugal’s Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda (INCM) was not suspended. The court did not rule on its legality.

The ruling temporarily halts financial transfers from the Foreign Ministry to the printing office for buying booklets from the Portuguese mint. It also restricts distribution and personalization of booklets under the new scheme.

A separate agreement, Convenio Marco 006 de 2024, was also unaffected. The court said it had already been liquidated and was no longer in force.

Legal Reasoning Behind the Suspension

The measure came from a popular action, a legal tool for citizens to protect collective rights, filed by Nicolás Dupont. He sought to dismantle the new passport scheme implemented under former President Gustavo Petro.

The court questioned due process in financing, including future budget commitments. It also questioned transparency in shifting from private operator Thomas Greg & Sons to a state-run model.

The court gave no further details in its initial ruling.

Where the Booklets Really Came From

A Procuraduría inspection in April 2026 found most stored booklets did not come from Portugal. About 90 percent originated with IN Groupe, a French state-owned printer.

IN Groupe was meant to be only an emergency backup supplier under the contract. Investigators said the Imprenta Nacional could not certify where the booklets were actually made.

The agency reportedly held only shipping documents that traced back to Paris. This fed the transparency concerns cited in September’s suspension order.

The Procuraduría’s Earlier Case

The Procuraduría, Colombia’s inspector general’s office, sued over the scheme in October 2025. It targeted the Fondo Rotatorio, the Imprenta Nacional and Portugal’s Casa da Moeda.

The Portuguese mint tried to have that case thrown out. On June 30, 2026, the same Bogotá tribunal rejected the request and let the case continue.

The case remains open, separate from September’s provisional suspension. Casa da Moeda now has formal deadlines to respond to the underlying claims.

The President’s Message

On September 4, 2026, President Abelardo De la Espriella posted on X. He wrote: ‘Colombians can be calm: passport issuance is guaranteed.’

De la Espriella took office on August 7, 2026, succeeding Gustavo Petro. His government inherited the passport dispute from the previous administration.

De la Espriella’s term runs until 2030, the standard four-year presidential period.

Foreign Ministry’s Assurance

Foreign Minister Ómar Bula said the ministry’s priority is guaranteeing service continuity for citizens. He said passport issuance would not be interrupted.

The government also said it would ask the tribunal to clarify the ruling’s exact scope. That request could affect when the 20-day reporting clock begins.

Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara said the Foreign and Interior ministries were reviewing the ruling’s scope together. Both agencies said they would file a joint clarification request.

What Happens Next

The court gave the Fondo Rotatorio, the Imprenta Nacional and the Portuguese mint 20 business days to submit a joint report. It must cover the new model’s execution status, booklet availability and location, and how service will continue without interruption.

This dispute is part of a broader fight over Gustavo Petro’s push to re-nationalize passport production. Colombia’s Comptroller’s Office and Inspector General’s Office have both raised concerns about the scheme.

The Council of State is separately reviewing the payment scheme to Portugal. The court will decide later whether the suspension becomes permanent.

Passport pages covered in entry stamps. The government says booklet stocks cover more than four months. (Photo: The Rio Times archive.)

Political Fallout in Congress

Congress president Honorio Henríquez publicly asked the Foreign Ministry to explain the ruling’s impact. He requested details on contract costs and each booklet’s expected lifespan.

Some citizens have complained that the new passports show signs of wear. Henríquez asked officials how the government would fix the problems the court identified.

Henríquez did not take a position on how the court should rule. He said Congress simply wants clear answers for citizens.

Impact on Applicants

For anyone applying for a Colombian passport, the ruling does not change the process. Applications are still accepted, and passports are still being issued.

The government said it holds passports in reserve for more than four months. That includes 410,000 booklets in stock and 190,000 more due to arrive September 10.

No verified figures exist for the application backlog. The government has not published such numbers, and neither have independent media.

How Colombians Apply for a Passport

Passport applications require a scheduled appointment, according to the Foreign Ministry’s own website. Domestic applicants can use ministry offices in Bogotá, regional governorships, or the CADE network.

Consulates abroad remain the only entities authorized to issue passports outside Colombia. Processing times range from 8 hours at consulates to 48 hours at some domestic offices.

This appointment system predates the September ruling and is unaffected by it. It applies whether a booklet is produced in Colombia or abroad.

Background of the New Model

The new state-run passport model began on 1 April 2026. It replaced a contract with private operator Thomas Greg & Sons.

The Imprenta Nacional now issues passports with help from the Portuguese mint.

The switch was part of President Petro’s push to bring passport production back under state control. Portugal’s Casa da Moeda was contracted to help print and personalize booklets.

Why Thomas Greg & Sons Can’t Quickly Return

Thomas Greg & Sons is not currently producing Colombian passports. Its security printing plates for the old passport design were destroyed on May 20, 2026.

A former National Printing director said a new design would take at least nine months to develop. That makes Thomas Greg an unlikely quick fix if the model collapses.

The company had printed Colombian passports for years before the April changeover. Its contract was repeatedly extended before finally ending in 2026.

Earlier Court Actions

On 27 July 2026, the same court rejected a Procuraduría request, which is Colombia’s inspector general’s office. The request sought to suspend payments to Portugal for the new model.

The court sent that issue to the Consejo de Estado, Colombia’s highest administrative court. The payment dispute remains under review there.

That July ruling and the new September suspension both came before Magistrate Mazabel’s court. The payment question and the contract question are now proceeding on separate tracks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did the court suspend passport issuance?

No, the court suspended the contracts behind the printing model but said issuance must continue. The government has confirmed that passports are still being issued.

Which contracts were suspended?

The Convenio Interadministrativo Específico No. 001 de 2025 and the CI-005 de 2026. These are between the Foreign Ministry’s fund and the national printing office.

Is the agreement with Portugal still valid?

Yes, the court did not suspend the instrument with Portugal’s mint. However, financial transfers for booklets are temporarily paused.

What should passport applicants do?

Applicants can continue with their applications as usual. The government says issuance is guaranteed and will not be interrupted.

Sources: EFE; Infobae; Cambio; Semana; El Tiempo; El Espectador.