01
Apostille the original
In the country that issued it, with its competent authority.
Practical guide
Apostille and official translation in Panama: which comes first
If your document comes from abroad and is not in Spanish, you usually need both, in this order: apostille, then official translation.
What an apostille is
An apostille is a certificate attached to a public document so that it is recognized in another country that is a member of the 1961 Hague Convention, without going through the chain of consular legalizations. It is issued by the competent authority of the country that issued the document: a US birth certificate is apostilled in the United States, not in Panama.
If the issuing country is not part of the convention, the consular route is used: authentication at the Panamanian consulate in that country and then at Panama's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is what, for example, the National Immigration Service requires for documents issued abroad.
The right order
02
Translate it with the apostille
Official English to Spanish translation in Panama of the document and the apostille sheet.
03
File it
Apostilled original plus signed and sealed translation.
Why in that order? Because the apostille is also part of the document you will file. If you translate before apostilling, the apostille is left untranslated and you will probably have to order another translation.
What an official translator in Panama does (and doesn't)
We provide the sworn translation in Panama (official translation) of the already apostilled document, signed and sealed by Authorized Public Translators recognized by MEDUCA. We do not issue apostilles: the apostille is granted by the authority of the issuing country. If you tick "I need help with the apostille" in the price calculator, we guide you through the steps and quote it separately depending on the case.
For Panamanian documents to be used abroad, the order is the same: the apostille is issued in Panama and then, if the destination country requires English, we do the Spanish to English translation in Panama.
Translation price
As your English Spanish translator in Panama, we translate the document and its apostille together, priced per page:
| Document type | Standard 48–72 h | Rush (24 h) |
|---|---|---|
| General documents Personal, civil registry, academic | $15 | $20 |
| Legal, medical or specialized | $18 | $25 |
Over 50 pages: special volume pricing. ITBMS (7% sales tax) not included. The final price is confirmed once we review your document.
If the apostille is for an immigration filing
Check the requirements for your category at Panama visa and residency procedures. If you are considering residency by investment, see Panama Golden Visa and asset protection. And for the translation part, our guide to translation for Panama immigration.
Frequently asked questions.
Do you do the apostille?
No. The apostille is issued by the authority of the country that issued the document. We provide the official translation of the apostilled document and can guide you through the steps.
Does the apostille need to be translated too?
Yes. The apostille is part of the document you file, so it is translated together with it.
What if the country is not part of the Hague Convention?
The consular route is used: authentication at the Panamanian consulate in the issuing country and then at Panama's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Most requested documents
Birth certificate translation · Criminal record translation · Diploma and transcript translation · Translation for Panama immigration