👨⚖️ Retain a Panamanian Attorney
To change your birth surname to your married surname in Panama, you must retain a Panamanian attorney to file a petition with the Civil Registry Office of the Electoral Tribunal of Panama.
✍️ Sign a Special Power of Attorney
As part of the process, you must appear in person before a Panamanian Notary Public to sign a Special Power of Attorney authorizing the attorney to act on your behalf.
📑 File the Petition
The attorney will then register the Power of Attorney with the Electoral Tribunal of Panama and file a formal petition requesting that your birth surname be changed to your married surname.
🌍 Marriage Celebrated Abroad
If the applicant was married abroad, the marriage certificate must either be legalized by the Panamanian Consulate in the country where the marriage was celebrated or apostilled by the competent authority of the country in which the marriage took place (for example, the Office of the Secretary of State in the United States).
🌐 Translation of Foreign Documents
If any of the supporting documents are written in English or another foreign language, they must be translated into Spanish by a Panamanian Authorized Public Translator.
📂 Supporting Documentation
In addition to the marriage certificate, the applicant must submit three (3) additional documents demonstrating the continuous use of her married surname for at least the preceding five (5) years. If these documents are not written in Spanish, they must also be translated into Spanish by a Panamanian Authorized Public Translator, as Spanish is the official language of the Republic of Panama.
📋 Examples of Acceptable Evidence
Examples of acceptable supporting documents include a foreign passport, driver’s license, state- or provincial-issued identification card, bank statement, Social Security letter, employment verification letter, utility bill, or any other official document demonstrating the consistent use of the married surname.
⚖️ Legal Basis
Article 117 of Law No. 31 of July 25, 2006 (Civil Registry of Panama).
Contact Information
Edgardo Espinosa, Esq.
Lawyer – Sworn Interpreter
E-mail: info@lawyerinpanama.com
Address: The Century Tower, piso 4, oficina 401
Avenida Ricardo J. Alfaro
Panama City, Republic of Panama
Telephone: +507 6290-3468