Colombia Traveler Resources

The essentials on one page. Bookmark it. Download the crisis card and carry it.

Colombia’s emergency number is 123, not 911. The national emergency line: police, ambulance, fire.

Emergency numbers

123
Any emergency. Free, 24 h, any phone.
165
Kidnapping or extortion (GAULA). Don’t negotiate; hang up and call.
147
Kidnapping or extortion (GAULA Militar, armed forces). Alternative to 165.
155
Women facing violence.
141
Children at risk (ICBF).
+57 320 301 7300
Road emergencies and road conditions (INVÍAS), by WhatsApp. From a Colombian phone, road conditions are also available on 01 8000 519 1656.

Save 123 and 165 as contacts before you fly.

Crisis card

Emergency numbers and key Spanish phrases on one side; your medical and emergency details on the other. Fill it in, print it, keep it on you.

CIMA RISK · COLOMBIA CRISIS CARD
Emergency numbers
123 Colombia’s 911
165 GAULA
+57 320 301 7300 Roads · WhatsApp
+57 601 275-2000 U.S. embassy after hours · press 0
Say it in Spanish
Necesito ayuda
I need help
Necesito un médico
I need a doctor
Llame a la policía
Call the police
My details
Name
Blood type / allergies
Medications / conditions
Emergency contact
Emergency contact 2
Insurance policy #
Medical evacuation #
Phone IMEI (*#06#)
Download the fillable PDF
Print double-sided and fold in half; single-sided works if needed. Keep it separate from your wallet and phone.

U.S. embassy contacts

+57 601 275-2000
Main embassy line, and the after-hours emergency line. After hours, press 0 when prompted.
+57 601 275-4021
Additional after-hours line for reporting a crime or emergency.
+1-202-501-4444
Reaching the State Department from outside the U.S.

The U.S. embassy publishes a list of local attorneys, with the languages each one speaks, and a list of hospitals and clinics across Colombia.

Private hospitals

Not recommendations. Names and the district each sits in; selection criteria are in the note at the bottom.

Bogotá
Fundación Santa Fe (Usaquén) · Clínica del Country (Chapinero) · Reina Sofía (Calle 127) · La Cardio (Calle 163)
Medellín
Pablo Tobón Uribe (Robledo)
Cali
Fundación Valle del Lili (south Cali) · Imbanaco (San Fernando)

English-speaking staff are more likely at these institutions than at most others. Admission desks expect proof of insurance or payment. Carry evacuation coverage.

Before you go

Enroll in STEP
Free. Create an account at mytravel.state.gov/s/step, then add your trip (destination, dates, email). The embassy can then locate you and send Colombia alerts.
Tell someone at home
Give your emergency contact the State Department line for families: 1-888-407-4747 (24/7, from the U.S.).
Prep checklist
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Photo of your passport page, stored offline
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Save your phone’s IMEI (dial *#06#)
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Insurance and evacuation details on you
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Offline maps for each city on your route
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Fill out and print the crisis card
Connectivity
Set it up before you fly; ask your carrier how long it takes to turn on international service.
Pick one: a carrier pass · an eSIM · a local SIM at the airport (bring your passport).
Watch for: tethering may be blocked abroad; run a VPN on phone and laptop.
Local SIMs: Claro (widest coverage), Tigo, Movistar (now owned by Tigo), WOM.

Health

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Yellow fever: active outbreak, with a CDC Level 2 travel notice. CDC recommends the vaccine for most travelers, but generally not for trips limited to Barranquilla, Cali, Cartagena or Medellín. If you get it, do so at least 10 days before travel and carry the certificate. Current CDC notice
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All vaccines and health notices: CDC Colombia page
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Bogotá is at 2,640 m. Take the first day light.
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Dengue below ~2,200 m. Use repellent.
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Prescription meds in original packaging.

Getting around

Use app rides over street taxis. The app records the driver, the plate, and the route. Have the driver confirm your name before you get in.

Weekday plate restrictions (pico y placa) apply to private cars in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali and several other cities. In Barranquilla they apply only to taxis. Taxis, app rides, and hired drivers manage their own. If you drive yourself, check the city’s current schedule.

If you are robbed

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Get safe first.
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Report online: adenunciar.policia.gov.co. Issues the case number insurers require.
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Passport taken: file the report, then call the embassy (numbers above).

Public information consolidated for convenience; not an endorsement and not advice on your specific itinerary. Hospitals listed are a selection of Colombian institutions holding JCI international accreditation or ICONTEC national accreditation, or ranked in Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals or IntelLat. Phone contacts last verified 29 October 2026; links and health guidance last verified 30 October 2026.