Procedure to register a birth that occured in the former Canal Zone
- Visit the Civil Registry office located in the building of the Electoral Tribunal of Panama.
- Complete the corresponding birth investigation form.
- Submit the original birth certificate, which must be apostilled by the U.S. Department of State or authenticated by the Consulate of Panama in the U.S. If authenticated by the Panamanian Consulate in the U.S., said certificate must also be validated in Panama by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama.
- Translation from English to Spanish of the birth certificate. The translation must be signed and sealed by a Panamanian public translator.
- Bring the original and a copy of the U.S. passport of the applicant born in the former Panama Canal Zone. If the original passport cannot be brought physically, a notarized photocopy of the passport can be provided.
- If the applicant is abroad, the copy must be authenticated by the Consulate of Panama in the country of residence. If there is no Panamanian consulate, authentication must be carried out by the consulate of a friendly nation, following the legal procedure.
- A copy of any other document verifying the applicant’s identity must be provided.
- If one of the applicant’s parents is Panamanian, their documentation (copy of passport, national identity document, etc.) must be submitted.
- If the passport bears the married name (in the case of female applicants), the marriage certificate must be provided.
- The applicant must give a sworn statement before the National Directorate of the Civil Registry of Panama in person.
- The documents will be reviewed and authorized by the National Director or Deputy Director of the Civil Registry of Panama.
- Registration will be completed upon the request of the individual born in the former Canal Zone of Panama, their father or mother if they are a minor, or their attorney-in-fact. Power of Attorney must be authenticated by a Notary Public in Panama or authenticated by the Panamanian Consulate or apostilled for use in Panama.
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