INVIMA announced, through Internal Communication No. 1100-149-2025, the implementation of a new mechanism that will allow the validation of foreign public documents —such as Certificates of Free Sale (CFS) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Certificates— through official electronic platforms of the competent health authorities.
With this measure, INVIMA seeks to modernize and streamline procedures related to health registrations, permits, and notifications, reducing the time and costs associated with the submission of apostilled physical copies. The agency explained that this decision is based on the 1961 Hague Convention, Law 1437 of 2011, and other national regulatory frameworks, which recognize the evidentiary validity of electronic public documents and promote the use of technology in public administration.
The Head of the Legal Advisory Office, Andrés Fernando Mesa Valencia, stated that this practice strengthens principles such as efficiency, transparency, and good faith in administrative actions. “Digital verification on official platforms of foreign authorities grants full validity to the documents, provided that they include security elements such as QR codes, registration numbers, or traceable links,” he noted.
The circular also establishes that, in cases where electronic verification is not possible, INVIMA may request apostilled or authenticated physical documents. However, the priority will always be to promote the use of digital tools, in line with international cooperation processes and Colombia’s commitments regarding the facilitation of health procedures.
This development represents an important step toward the country’s administrative modernization, benefiting both the pharmaceutical and medical device industries as well as end users, by ensuring faster and safer processes in the protection of public health.
