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Safety and Security

Please read the current Travel Warning for Colombia.  Due to the security environment in Colombia, U.S. government officials and their families are not permitted to travel by road between most major cities, use inter-city or intra-city bus transportation, or travel by road outside urban areas at night.  Security in Colombia has improved significantly in recent years, including in tourist and business travel destinations such as Cartagena and Bogota, but violence linked to narco-trafficking continues to affect some rural and urban areas.

To stay connected:

Demonstrations: Demonstrations and protests occur frequently in Colombia, particularly in Bogota.  Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence.  A common tactic used by demonstrators in Colombia is to block traffic on major roads inside and near cities.  Protests may  turn violent as demonstrators are known to use homemade improvised explosives such as potato bombs against Colombian police who employ tear gas against the protestors.  U.S. citizens are urged to avoid areas of demonstrations.

CRIME: Violent and petty crime remains a significant concern in Colombia. Robbery and other violent crimes, as well as scams against unsuspecting tourists, are common in urban areas.  Generally speaking, if you are the victim of a robbery, you should not resist.  Firearms are prevalent in Colombia and altercations may turn violent.  Small towns and rural areas of Colombia can still be extremely dangerous due to the presence of illegal armed groups and narcotics trafficking gangs.  There has been an increase in petty crime, including a significant increase in pickpocketing of passports in the El Dorado Airport in Bogota, Colombia, and at luxury hotels, especially during Colombian holidays, Christmas, Easter Week, and summer holidays (July and August).

Some of the most common methods used by criminals in Colombia are noted below.

ATMs: People are sometimes robbed after using automatic teller machines (ATMs) on the street.  In some cases, robbers use motorcycles to approach their victims and then flee the scene.  For your safety, only use ATMs inside shopping malls or other protected locations. Driving to and from the location – rather than walking – provides added protection.  When using an ATM, you should be on the lookout for anyone watching or following you and be extremely cautious about displaying cash and safeguarding your PIN.

Taxis: Passengers who hail taxis on the street may be victimized by assault or robbery.  In June 2013, a U.S. citizen was killed in Bogota after entering a taxi hailed from the street. Typically, the driver—who may be one of the conspirators—will pick up the passenger and then stop to pick up armed cohorts, who enter the cab, overpower the passenger, and take his or her belongings as well as make multiple ATM withdrawals. U.S. government personnel are prohibited from hailing taxis on the street.  To the extent that they are available, use of the telephone or internet-based dispatch service applications such as Tappsi or Easy Taxi should be used.  Many hotels, restaurants, and stores will call a taxi for you.  When a taxi is dispatched, the dispatcher creates a record of the call and the responding taxi. The taxi company provides the caller with the license plate number and a security code to present to the taxi driver before departing.  When entering a taxi, take note of the license plate, company and other ID for the car and driver.  Also, the Colombian Tourist Police recommend checking to make sure that your taxi door has inside handles and latches before committing to the ride.

Buses and Other Public Transportation: U.S. government personnel are prohibited from using public (e.g. municipal) buses due to levels of crime.  Whenever possible, visitors should travel by bus during daylight hours only.  Although the police have made progress in bringing this type of crime under control, armed robberies of entire busloads of passengers still occur.

Airports: U.S. citizens arriving at major Colombian airports have occasionally been victimized by armed robbers and rogue taxi drivers while en route from the airport to their hotel or home.  For this reason, use of authorized taxis only is encouraged.  Authorized taxi booths are present in most airports in Colombia.  You may go to the booth, request a taxi, and provide the address of your destination.  The person in the booth will give you a ticket.  Dispatchers are often present to organize the waiting line.  Authorized taxis are located in the designated area, close to the booth.  Give one part of your ticket to the driver and retain one for your records.  In airports without this service, there is generally a designated area where one is able to get a taxi.  All travelers are advised to exercise care in using any taxi during your travels.

Hiking Trails: Several U.S. citizens have been robbed in recent years while hiking on nature trails in and around Bogota.  Hike in groups for safety, especially in isolated areas.

Hostels: The Tourist Police in Bogota specifically caution about crimes in backpacker hostels in the Candelaria area of Bogota, noting that such locations are often targets for crime.  Be careful when selecting a hostel; consider not only the price but also the general safety of the area.

Disabling Drugs: The Embassy continues to receive reports of criminals in Colombia using disabling drugs, including scopolamine, to temporarily incapacitate unsuspecting victims.  Perpetrators may offer tainted drinks, cigarettes or gum at bars, restaurants, and other public areas, especially those that cater to sexual tourism.  Typically, victims become disoriented or unconscious, and are thus vulnerable to robbery, sexual assault and other crimes.  Avoid leaving food or drinks unattended at a bar or restaurant, and be suspicious if a stranger offers you something to eat or drink.

Counterfeit Money: Foreigners in Colombia may fall victim to a scam in which purported undercover police officers approach them on the street and request to examine their money, supposedly to determine if it is counterfeit.  The “officers,” who are in fact criminals, then flee with the money. In a variation of this scam, the thieves may ask to see your jewelry.  Legitimate Colombian police officers do not make such requests.  Colombian police officers will always be in uniform. If someone claims to be working “undercover” (out of uniform), he or she is not legitimate since undercover police are not authorized to intercept tourists on the street.

VICTIMS OF CRIME: If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime abroad, you should contact the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.  We can:

  • Replace a stolen passport.
  • Help you find appropriate medical care if you are the victim of violent crimes such as assault or rape.
  • Put you in contact with the appropriate police authorities, and if you want us to, contact family members or friends.
  • Help you understand the local criminal justice process and direct you to local attorneys, although it is important to remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting the crime.  

The Government of Colombia does not provide monetary compensation to foreign victims of crime.  A U.S. citizen residing in Colombia who is a victim of violence by illegal armed groups, however, may apply for compensation.  More information is available at the Unidad Para La Atencion y Reparacion Integral a Las Victimas.

The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in Colombia is 123 for police, ambulance, and fire.  There will not be an English speaker answering the telephone.

Please see our information for victims of crime, including possible victim compensation programs in the United States.

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Population: 50,882,891


Total Land Area: 1,109,500 km2


Population/km2: 45.86