Guide · Immigration and citizenship
Panama Embassies and Consulates: What to Do Before You Travel
What Panama's embassies and consulates do, when you need a visa and how to prepare your residency documents at home: apostille, legalization, translation.
- Updated
In short
Panama's embassies and consulates in your country help you before you travel: they issue entry visas to nationalities that need them and legalize documents from countries that do not use the apostille. Residency, however, is applied for in Panama with the National Immigration Service.
What can you do at the consulate?
- Get an entry visa, if your nationality needs one to travel to Panama.
- Legalize documents issued in countries that do not use the apostille.
- Get information on entry requirements, which depend on your nationality.
Do I need a visa to enter Panama?
It depends on your nationality. Many countries can enter as tourists without a visa for a limited time; others need a visa that must be requested before traveling at a Panamanian consulate. Check the current requirements for your country before you buy your ticket (see Panama entry visa).
How do I prepare my residency documents?
Almost every residency option requires documents from your country: a criminal record, birth or marriage certificates, or your pension certificate. For Immigration to accept them, they must be:
- Apostilled, if your country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, as Panama is. The apostille is issued by an authority in your country and there is no need to go through the consulate.
- Legalized, if your country does not use the apostille: first by your country's authorities, then by the Panamanian consulate and, in Panama, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Translated into Spanish by an authorized public translator in Panama, if they are in another language.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for residency at the Panamanian consulate in my country?
Generally not: most residency applications are filed in Panama with the National Immigration Service through a Panamanian lawyer. The consulate handles preliminary steps, such as the entry visa or document legalization.
What is the difference between an apostille and legalization?
An apostille is a single stamp from an authority in the country that issues the document, and it is valid between countries that are party to the Hague Convention. Legalization is a chain of stamps, including the Panamanian consulate, for countries that do not use the apostille.
Where is the Panamanian embassy in my country?
Panama's Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes the official list of embassies and consulates with their contact details.