In Panama, a person born abroad acquires Panama citizenship at birth if at least one of the parents is a Panamanian citizen and meets certain other requirements.
Section 2 of Article 9 of Panama’s Constitution provides for this principle of birthright citizenship by stating that “Panamanians by birth are the offspring of parents who are Panamanian by birth, born outside the territory of the Republic, provided they establish their domicile in the National territory.”
Persons born abroad to a Panamanian parent does not acquire nationality automatically; citizenship can only be conferred by meeting certain requirements.
Parents can also submit the application on behalf of their minor or adult children.
If the person was born in a non-Spanish speaking country, his/her birth certificate must be translated into Spanish by a Panamanian authorized public translator. An original copy of the birth certificate must be apostilled in the country of issue or legalized by the Panamanian Consulate in the corresponding country.
A birth certificate is the most important document when it comes to proving citizenship. It is also the first document that you need to apply for a passport or get married in Panama.
The application process to claim Panamanian nationality varies depending on where you were born, such as people who were born in the former Panama Canal Zone. In general, the applicant needs to submit the below documents to prove his/her identity and to obtain Panamanian nationality
– Birth certificate of the son of a Panamanian citizen
– Certified translation of the birth certificate if it is written in a language other than Spanish
– Birth certificate of the Panamanian parent
– National identity card or Passport of Panamanian father or mother
– Affidavit or sworn declaration given by the Panamanian parent
– Proof of address issued by a Justice of the Peace in Panama
All documents issued abroad must be duly apostilled o legalized for use in Panama.
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