Guides for getting your documents ready in Panama
Practical guides written from real cases: what each process asks for, what gets apostilled, what gets translated and what it costs. Every guide cites the official rules, such as Executive Decree 975 of 2017 for certified translators.
- Education · How to get a foreign university degree recognized in Panama (UP and UTP)Degree recognition in Panama is handled by the University of Panama under Law 24 of 2005, or by the Technological University of Panama (UTP) for engineering and technology programs. The file rests on three documents: your diploma, official transcript and complete study plan, each apostilled in the issuing country and translated into Spanish by a MIRE-registered translator if it is in another language. The file rejected most often is the one with an incomplete study plan.Read the guide
- Legal · Inheritance and wills in Panama for foreigners: which documents to translateWhen an estate touches two countries, through a will signed abroad, heirs outside Panama or assets in another jurisdiction, the foreign documents must be apostilled where they were issued and translated into Spanish by a Certified Public Translator registered with MIRE to have effect before Panamanian courts and the Public Registry. A lawyer handles the legal process; we provide the certified translations, from $20 per 250-word page.Read the guide
- Banking · Opening a bank account in Panama as a foreigner: KYC and translationsPanamanian banks run strict know-your-customer (KYC) checks under the supervision of the Superintendency of Banks of Panama. As a foreigner, expect to provide your passport, proof of income, one or two recent bank references, commercial references and sometimes proof of address. Anything not in Spanish needs a certified translation by a MIRE-registered translator, from $20 per 250-word page. Each bank makes its own approval decision.Read the guide
- Immigration · How to translate your FBI background check for PanamaThe FBI Identity History Summary is issued in English. For an immigration filing in Panama, such as Crisol de Razas, Friendly Nations or another residency route, it must be translated into Spanish by a Certified Public Translator registered with MIRE, usually after the US Department of State apostilles it. For USCIS it needs no translation, because it is already in English. Translating a typical report costs $21 to $30.Read the guide
- Immigration · Common mistakes when translating documents for immigrationMany files are sent back at the counter not because of the process itself, but because of the translation: a document translated only in part, an apostille added after translating, a translator without recognized credentials, or names that don't match the passport. All of them are avoidable. In Panama, the translation must be signed by a TPA registered with MIRE under Executive Decree 975 of 2017.Read the guide
- Guides · How long does a certified translation take in Panama?Standard delivery of a certified translation in Panama takes up to 3 business days from payment confirmation. If your appointment is close, Express delivers in 1 business day (+50%) and Same-day delivers that day (+100%), as long as you pay before 11:00 a.m. and a translator is available. Documents longer than 10 pages get a special volume price and their own timeline.Read the guide
- Basics · Certified, sworn, official or simple translation: what Panama acceptsSimple, certified, sworn and official are not interchangeable, and picking the wrong one is what gets a file sent back. In Panama, the translation authorities accept is signed and sealed by a Certified Public Translator (TPA) registered with MIRE under Executive Decree 975 of 2017: that is Panama's “official” translation. “Sworn translation” is Spain's term, and “certified translation” is the one USCIS uses.Read the guide
- Guides · How to verify a certified public translator in PanamaIn Panama, only a translation by a Certified Public Translator (TPA) has official validity. A TPA is certified by MEDUCA under Executive Decree 975 of 2017 and listed in MIRE's official registry with an idoneidad number. Before you pay for a translation for an official filing, confirm that the person who signs it is on that list. It is the simplest way to avoid a translation that gets rejected.Read the guide
- Basics · What does a certified translation look like in Panama?A certified translation in Panama is more than the translated text. It is a document that faithfully reproduces the original and carries a certificate of accuracy with the signature, seal and idoneidad number of a Certified Public Translator (TPA), certified under Executive Decree 975 of 2017. Knowing these elements helps you confirm it is valid before you hand it in at the counter.Read the guide
- Basics · Apostille vs. consular legalization: what's the difference?An apostille and consular legalization do the same job, giving a document legal effect in another country, by different routes. The apostille is a single certificate that is enough between countries party to the 1961 Hague Convention. Consular legalization is a chain of several stamps, used when the issuing or receiving country is not a party. Which one you need depends on the two countries involved.Read the guide
- Guides · How to apostille and translate documents for Panama (2026 guide)The right order is simple: first apostille the original document in the country, or US state, that issued it. Then have it translated in Panama by a Certified Public Translator (TPA) registered with MIRE, so the apostille is part of the certified translation. The apostille comes from the 1961 Hague Convention. Doing it the other way around is the most common mistake, and it means paying for the translation twice.Read the guide