Essential Steps – MIGRATION

Essential Steps to apply for an immigration status in Panama

Request your criminal record. The criminal record is a document that you shall need for any immigration status you want to apply. You can request it in your country of birth or the country in which you currently reside (in this case, you shall also have to provide a copy of the identification certificate proving your residency in such country). If you are a citizen or resident of the United States, you must provide the certificate issued by the FBI. Likewise, if you are a citizen or resident of Mexico, you shall request the document at the agencies of the General Prosecutor´s Office or at the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Federal District only. Check in your country about the validity and processing time of the criminal record, so that it is effective at the time in which you plan to apply for your residency in Panama. This document must come Apostilled or legalized by the Consulate of Panama in the country of issuance.

Make sure that your family documents are complete. If your intention is to include your dependents within the residency application, request marriage and birth certificates of your children in advance.  If any of the children underage is a child of one of the spouses exclusively, you must provide evidence that the responsible parent has the custody and an authorization letter from the biological parent, so that the minor resides in Panama. All these documents must come Apostilled or legalized.

Consult a lawyer before making any decisions. Before making the decision to reside temporarily or permanently in Panama, seek the advice of lawyers with experience and professional background, so that they can recommend you the options that best meet your current situation.

At Icaza, Gonzalez-Ruiz & Alemán, we have a team of expert lawyers in this subject who shall guide you from the beginning to the end of the complete immigration process.

• Ana Graciela Medina – anagm@stagingcd.com
• Ayleen Quintero – ayleenq@stagingcd.com
• Diego Alemán – diegoa@stagingcd.com