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Document translations for Panama's Friendly Nations visa

The Friendly Nations program (Executive Decree 226 of 2021) grants residency to citizens of some 50 countries — including the US, Canada, the UK and most of Europe — who prove an economic tie to Panama: a job, real estate, or a fixed-term deposit. Documents not in Spanish must be apostilled at origin and translated by a MIRE-registered Certified Public Translator. We translate them over WhatsApp: $20 for the first page, up to 250 words, and $0.08 per additional word.

Get a quote on WhatsAppSee pricing
From $20 for the first page
Delivery up to 3 business days (documents up to 10 pages)
Legal basis: Executive Decree 226 of 2021

Which documents need translation?

  • Police certificate

    FBI report, UK ACRO certificate, RCMP check or your country's equivalent — apostilled first at origin, then translated into Spanish in Panama.

  • Bank reference letters

    Proof of economic solvency. If your bank issues them in English, they are translated in full: letterhead, balances, signatures and stamps.

  • Employment or investment documents

    Job contracts, corporate certificates or deposit certifications that prove your economic tie, translated with precise legal terminology.

How much does it cost?

From $20 for the first page, up to 250 words, and $0.08 per additional word, plus 7% ITBMS. A short bank letter runs $20–25; a longer police certificate $30–50. A typical file (police certificate + bank letter + tie document) lands between $60 and $135 in English, because the first page is paid only once per order. German originals cost $25 for the first page and $0.10 per additional word.

Send your whole file together. Documents in the same language pay for the first page only once; the rest is per word. Three 150-word English documents cost $38.52 together, not $64.20. You save $25.68.

How long does it take?

Standard delivery takes up to 3 business days per document. Friendly Nations files are assembled with your immigration attorney over weeks, so Standard is usually enough; if your firm is closing the file, Express delivers in 1 business day (+50%), and Same-day (+100%) applies only when you request it before noon and a translator is available. Timelines apply to documents up to 10 pages (2,500 words); longer documents get a special volume price, quoted by our team.

How does it work?

  1. 1Define with your attorney which economic tie you'll use (job, real estate or fixed deposit) and the document list.
  2. 2Get police certificates and civil documents apostilled in their country of origin.
  3. 3Send photos or PDFs of everything on WhatsApp — in English.
  4. 4Get one exact quote for the full set and pay.
  5. 5A MIRE-registered Certified Public Translator translates, signs and seals each document, ready for your attorney to file.

Frequently asked questions

Does Friendly Nations still grant permanent residency directly?
Not since 2021. Executive Decree 226 of 2021 changed the program: you first receive a two-year temporary residency, then apply for permanent status. A lot of online information predates that change. The translation requirements are the same at both stages, and your original translations remain valid if the underlying documents do.
Which of my documents need translation?
Everything not in Spanish: your FBI/ACRO/RCMP certificate, bank reference letters, employment contract or corporate certificates. Documents from Spanish-speaking countries need no translation — only their apostille. Panama's immigration service only accepts translations signed and sealed by a MIRE-registered TPA under Executive Decree 975 of 2017.
What proves the economic tie?
One of three routes under the decree: a Panamanian employment contract with a work permit in process, real estate in your name (minimum value $200,000), or a fixed-term bank deposit of $200,000 for three years. The current amounts and conditions are confirmed by your immigration attorney; we make sure the supporting paperwork is translated correctly.
Can I start the translations before arriving in Panama?
Yes. Send apostilled PDFs on WhatsApp from anywhere, pay with Yappy, and the signed translations are delivered to your attorney in Panama City. Keep police certificates for last — immigration usually wants them recently issued when the file is submitted.

Ready to get started?

Send your documents on WhatsApp and get the exact quote in under a minute — in English.

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