Document apostille in Panama
We get your Panamanian documents apostilled at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIRE) so they are valid abroad. We obtain the document if needed, check that the signature can be apostilled, and deliver it ready to use.
- Authority
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIRE), Authentication and Legalization Department
- How it is filed
- Online (Panamá Conecta), with electronic apostille since May 2025
- Typical timeframe
- Variable: depends on whether the document is ready and on the MIRE review
- Fee from
- From US$50 per document, plus government fees
Who it is for
- People moving, studying or working abroadYou need your degree, birth certificate or police record to be valid in another country.
- Companies with business abroadPowers of attorney, Public Registry certificates and notarized documents for foreign banks or authorities.
- Anyone who cannot spend the day on itYou send us the document or its details. We handle the lines, appointments and follow-up.
Problems we solve
- MIRE rejected your request because the signature on the document is not registered.
- You do not know if your document can be apostilled directly or needs a prior authentication.
- You need the apostilled document within days and do not have it yet.
- The destination country is not part of the Hague Convention.
- The receiving authority abroad cannot verify the electronic apostille.
- You have several documents and do not know how much the stamps will cost.
What an apostille is and what it certifies
An apostille is a certificate that lets you use a Panamanian public document in another country that is party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. It replaces the chain of consular legalizations.
Panama joined the Convention in 1990 and it has applied since August 4, 1991, according to the official HCCH status table. Panama adopted it through Law 6 of 1990.
According to the HCCH guide The ABCs of Apostilles, an apostille only certifies the origin of the document: the signature, the seal and the capacity of the signer. It does not certify the content.
Which documents can be apostilled in Panama
MIRE apostilles documents signed by a Panamanian official whose signature is registered with its Authentication and Legalization Department. According to MIRE's signature registry rules, the registered signature must match the one on the document exactly.
A private document, such as a contract or a letter, cannot be apostilled directly. A notary first certifies the signature, and then the notary's signature is apostilled. The most common cases:
- University degrees and transcripts.
- Birth, marriage and death certificates from the Electoral Tribunal (civil registry).
- Police record (récord policivo).
- Powers of attorney and notarial documents.
- Public Registry certificates for land and companies.
- Documents from other government agencies, such as certifications from the Ministry of Health (MINSA).
- Court rulings and judicial documents: these are apostilled by the General Secretariat of the Supreme Court, not MIRE, electronically since April 17, 2023.
Prior authentication: the step behind most rejections
If the person who signed your document does not have a signature registered with MIRE, the apostille is rejected. This happens with diplomas from private schools and universities, medical certificates and company letters.
In those cases, the document must first go through the institution or notary whose signature is registered. The Ministry of Health sums it up: first the competent authority signs, then the document goes to MIRE.
We review your document before any fee is paid, so you know from day one which path it takes.
Online apostille: what changed in 2025
Since May 27, 2025, MIRE issues electronic apostilles with a QR code. They are requested on Panamá Conecta and verified on MIRE's validation page, according to Panama's report to the HCCH.
TVN reported that, at launch, the service was only for holders of a Panamanian cédula (national ID). Access with a passport was announced for later, but we have not been able to confirm it. If you do not have a cédula, we file it for you.
You can do it yourself. Our value is everything before and around it: obtaining the document, the prior authentication, the notary, the translation, appointments, payments and follow-up until delivery.
If the destination country is not a party to the Convention
An apostille only works between Convention countries. For other countries, the document is legalized instead: MIRE issues a certification rather than an apostille, and then the destination country's consulate legalizes it.
The HCCH advises contacting the embassy or consulate of the country where the document will be used. We check this with you before we start.
Requirements
- Original document signed by an official with a signature registered at MIRE, showing signature, seal, date and the signer's name. Official source
- Document meeting the formal requirements of the Authentication and Legalization Department. Official source
- Private documents: signature certified by a notary first. Official source
- Request on Panamá Conecta with a user account, name, ID and email of the applicant. Official source
- Online payment, on the same platform, of the processing fee (B/.2.00) and the stamps that apply to the document. Official source
Steps and timeframes
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You send us the document or its details
You handle itA photo or PDF is enough to start. Tell us which country it is for.
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We check if it can be apostilled
We handle itWe confirm whether the signature is registered, whether a prior authentication or notary is needed, and whether the destination is a Convention country.
1 business day
-
We obtain the document and prior authentication
We handle itIf you do not have the document, we request it from the issuing agency. If needed, we take it to the issuing institution or a notary.
Depends on the agency
-
We file the request and pay the fees
We handle itWe submit the request on Panamá Conecta and pay the MIRE fee and stamps online, as the platform indicates.
-
MIRE issues the apostille
The authority handles itThe Authentication and Legalization Department checks the signature and issues the electronic apostille.
Variable
-
We deliver the apostilled document
We handle itWe send you the file with its verification code, or the paper document at our office or by courier.
Costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Apostille or certification fee (MIRE) Official source | B/.2.00 per document |
| Stamps: original university diploma Official source | Exempt |
| Stamps: Electoral Tribunal certificates Official source | B/.3.00 |
| Stamps: documents from other government agencies Official source | B/.6.00 |
| Stamps: police record (original) Official source | B/.7.00 |
| Stamps: notarized private document Official source | B/.8.00 |
| Tramita Todo fee | From US$50 per document (volume pricing for several documents) |
The balboa (B/.) is on par with the US dollar. MIRE fees may change; we confirm them when we review your case. Issuing the document, notary, translation and shipping are quoted separately.
What our service includes
- Review of the document and the destination country.
- Requesting the document from the issuing agency, if you do not have it.
- Prior authentication or notary, as needed.
- Filing on Panamá Conecta, payment of fees and follow-up.
- Delivery of the apostilled document, digital or on paper.
What it does not include
- MIRE, issuing agency and notary fees (we list them upfront).
- Certified translation, quoted separately with an authorized public translator.
- Consular legalization at the destination country's consulate.
- Acceptance by the foreign authority, which depends on its own rules.
Who handles your case
- Handling procedures before Panamanian authorities since 2008.
- Certified public accountants on our team.
- Our own office in Obarrio, Panama City.
- We also serve clients who live outside Panama.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an apostille cost in Panama?
The MIRE fee is B/.2.00 per document, plus stamps by document type. An original university diploma is exempt from stamps. An Electoral Tribunal certificate pays B/.3.00, a police record B/.7.00 and a notarized private document B/.8.00. Our fee starts at US$50 per document.
Can I get an apostille online in Panama?
Yes. Since May 2025, apostilles are requested on Panamá Conecta and MIRE issues them electronically with a QR code. You can do it yourself if you have a cédula, the document is ready and the signature is registered. If a prior step is missing, we take care of it.
How long does a Panama apostille take?
MIRE does not publish a fixed timeframe. If the document is ready and the signature is registered, it is usually the fastest part. What takes longest is obtaining the document or the prior authentication. We give you an estimate when we review your case.
Why was my apostille rejected?
The most common reason is that the signature on the document is not registered at MIRE. This happens with private institutions or when the signing official has changed. The fix is usually a prior authentication or a notary step.
What if the destination country does not accept apostilles?
If the country is not party to the Hague Convention, the document is legalized instead. MIRE issues a certification and then that country's consulate in Panama legalizes it. We confirm the consulate's requirements before we start.
Does an apostille expire?
The Convention does not set an expiry date for apostilles. However, the authority receiving your document may require it to be recent, especially civil records and police records. Check the maximum age with them before ordering the document.