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Document translations for Panama's Pensionado visa

Panama's Pensionado (retiree) visa, governed by Decree Law 3 of 2008, requires proof of a lifetime pension of at least $1,000 per month and supporting documents. Everything issued in English — your Social Security award letter, FBI background check, marriage or birth certificates — must be apostilled at origin and translated into Spanish by a MIRE-registered Certified Public Translator. We translate them over WhatsApp, in English: $20 for the first page, up to 250 words, and $0.08 per additional word.

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From $20 for the first page
Delivery up to 3 business days (documents up to 10 pages)
Legal basis: Decree Law 3 of 2008

Which documents need translation?

  • Pension / Social Security letter

    The SSA benefit verification letter or private pension letter proving your lifetime income of at least $1,000/month. Translated in full, with letterhead, amounts and signatures.

  • FBI background check

    The FBI Identity History Summary (or your home country's equivalent), apostilled first — for US federal documents, by the US Department of State — then translated in Panama.

  • Civil certificates

    Marriage and birth certificates when your spouse or dependents are included in the application. Translated in full, apostilles and margin notes included.

How much does it cost?

From $20 for the first page, up to 250 words, and $0.08 per additional word, plus 7% ITBMS tax. A Social Security letter typically runs $20–30; an FBI report $30–50 depending on length. A full pensionado set (pension letter + background check + one certificate) usually lands between $60 and $135, because documents in the same language pay for the first page only once.

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, which fits comfortably in a visa timeline managed by your immigration attorney. If your law firm needs the file urgently, 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. 1Get your documents apostilled in their country of origin (US federal documents: Department of State).
  2. 2Send photos or PDFs of the apostilled documents on WhatsApp — in English.
  3. 3Get the exact quote in under 60 seconds and pay (documents up to 10 pages; longer ones get a special volume price from our team).
  4. 4A MIRE-registered Certified Public Translator translates, signs and seals each document.
  5. 5Receive the signed PDFs by WhatsApp or email at no cost, and the printed originals in Panama City ($5 + ITBMS per order) — or have them delivered to your immigration attorney.

Frequently asked questions

Which Pensionado documents need translation into Spanish?
Every supporting document issued in English: the pension or Social Security award letter proving $1,000+/month for life, the FBI (or home-country) background check, and civil certificates for dependents. Panama's National Immigration Service only accepts translations signed and sealed by a TPA registered with MIRE.
Does my Social Security letter need an apostille before translating?
Yes. As a US federal document, the SSA benefit letter is apostilled by the US Department of State, then translated in Panama so the apostille appears inside the certified translation. Your immigration attorney confirms the exact letter format the immigration service is currently accepting for your case.
Can I do the whole process from the US before moving?
Yes. Send your apostilled documents as PDFs on WhatsApp from anywhere, pay with Yappy, and we deliver the signed translations to your attorney in Panama City. Many retirees complete the translation step weeks before traveling — just keep in mind background checks should be recent when the application is filed.
Is the $1,000/month requirement per couple or per person?
The base requirement is $1,000 in lifetime pension for the main applicant, with an additional amount per dependent — the exact figures and acceptable proof are legal questions your immigration attorney confirms against the current rules. Whatever documents support it, we make sure they are translated correctly.

Ready to get started?

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

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