What is the FBI Identity History Summary?
It is the federal criminal record certificate of the United States, issued by the FBI from your fingerprints. You may also see it called an “FBI record” or an “Identity History Summary Check”. It comes in English, and it is the document Panama accepts as the background check of someone who lived in the US. A police certificate is a base document in almost every residency route under Decree Law 3 of 2008.
Does it need a Spanish translation for a filing in Panama?
Yes. Because it is in English, a filing with Panama's National Immigration Service needs a Spanish translation signed and sealed by a Certified Public Translator (TPA), certified under Executive Decree 975 of 2017 and registered with MIRE. The translation reproduces the whole certificate, apostille included, so the officer at the counter can check it against the original.
That applies to Crisol de Razas, the Friendly Nations visa (Executive Decree 226 of 2021), the Pensionado visa and other residency routes.
Who apostilles an FBI record?
The US Department of State, because it is a federal document. The apostille goes on the original, in the United States, before translation, so the Spanish version includes the apostille too. The US is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961, so the apostille is enough and no consular legalization is needed.
An apostille comes from the country that issued the document. Panama cannot apostille foreign documents, and Lingo does not provide apostilles. Get your FBI record apostilled in the US first, then send it to us for the Spanish translation.
The full sequence for any foreign document is in our guide on how to apostille and translate documents for Panama.
Do I need to translate it for USCIS?
No. If the report goes to USCIS or another US federal agency, it stays in English, the language those agencies require under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). You only translate it into Spanish when you file it in Panama. Translating a document that is already in the required language is money spent for nothing.
Spanish-language documents going to USCIS are a different case: they need an English translation, which we deliver in full compliance with 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). See USCIS translations.
When should I request, apostille and translate it?
As close to your filing date as you reasonably can. The certificate does not expire by itself, but Panama's immigration service usually expects a recent one, often issued within the last three to six months. The translation is the quick part, up to 3 business days on Standard delivery, so request the report last, once the rest of your file is ready.
- Request your Identity History Summary from the FBI.
- Have the original apostilled by the US Department of State.
- Send the apostilled PDF on WhatsApp or through the online quote, in English.
- Pay the exact quote with Yappy. A MIRE-registered TPA translates it into Spanish, apostille included.
- File the apostilled original together with its certified translation at the National Immigration Service, or hand both to your attorney.
How much does it cost to translate an FBI record?
From $20 for the first 250-word page, plus $0.08 per additional word, plus Panama's 7% ITBMS tax, with no rounding up to full pages. A typical FBI report lands between $21 and $30, depending on how many entries it lists. We count the real words in your PDF and quote the exact total, apostille included in the translation, before you pay.
If your appointment is close, Express delivers in 1 business day (+50%). Same-day (+100%) applies only when you pay before 11:00 a.m. and a translator is available. The signed PDF reaches you by WhatsApp or email at no extra cost. Full rates are on our pricing page.