If you are being asked for an apostille in Colombia, the first thing to understand is what an apostille actually does. An apostille is an official certification that authenticates the signature, capacity of the signatory, and, where applicable, the seal or stamp on a public document so that the document can be recognized for use
Opening a Colombian data room can feel deceptively simple. You receive a folder, start reviewing corporate documents, financial statements, contracts, employee information, and regulatory records, and gradually build a picture of the company. The isssue is that those documents rarely tell the whole story on their own. For a foreign investor, the real purpose of
If you are considering expanding into Colombia, one of the first questions you will probably ask is: How long does it take to set up a company in Colombia? The short answer is that a straightforward Colombian SAS, or Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada, can be formally incorporated relatively quickly, even online with the Bogotá Chamber
For a foreign company entering Colombia, choosing the right legal structure can feel like a technical incorporation question. In practice, it is a much bigger decision. A branch or a subsidiary in Colombia can determine who bears commercial liabilities, how the local operation is governed, how capital moves between Colombia and the parent company, and
For many foreign investors, one of the first questions about entering Colombia is surprisingly simple: Do I need a Colombian partner? The answer is no. A foreign individual or company can generally establish and own a Colombian business without giving shares to a Colombian citizen. Colombia’s simplified stock company, or SAS, can be incorporated by
When an international company enters into a commercial agreement involving Colombia, one of the questions that often appears near the end of the negotiation is also one of the most important: Which law will govern the contract? A foreign company may assume that the parties can simply choose the law of their preferred jurisdiction, particularly
A founder in Colombia raising capital may receive an investment proposal that looks very familiar to anyone who has raised capital in Silicon Valley: an investor wants to put money into the company through a SAFE, or Simple Agreement for Future Equity. The document may be only a few pages long, and the investor may
If you are considering investing in, acquiring, or partnering with a Colombian company, the data room can tell you far more than the company’s financial statements. We’ve covered this matter before (more info here), but on this occasion we’re diving deeper into the documents you’ll find and need during the transaction. A data room can
Foreign companies often believe that avoiding incorporation in Colombia means avoiding Colombian taxes. Unfortunately, that assumption can become a very expensive mistake. As international businesses expand into new markets, they frequently begin with relatively limited operations. They hire a local consultant, appoint a country manager (check out our how-to guide here), lease a small office,
