Requirements for registering births of Panamanians abroad (Requisitos para registrar nacimientos de panameños en el exterior)

In accordance with Article 9 of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Panama, Panamanians by birth are: 1. Those born within the national territory. 2. The children of a Panamanian father or mother by birth, born outside the territory of the Republic, if they establish their domicile within the national territory.

You may only register the birth of Panamanian citizens born abroad through our offices if they are minors (under 18 years of age).

Requirements:

• Original Birth Certificate of the minor with the proper Apostille.
• Translations into Spanish of the Birth Certificate and the Apostille by a certified translator, if the Certificate is not in Spanish.
• Original Panamanian ID and Panamanian passport of the Panamanian parent or parents (at least one of them must be valid).
• Original ID and passport of the non-Panamanian parent (if applicable).
• Original Certificate of Residence issued by the corregidor or by the Casa de Paz in Panama.

Process:

1. The Panamanian parent of the minor schedules an appointment with the Consulate by phone (+852 2545 2166) or by email (passport_visa@panamaconsulatehk.com) before coming to submit the Birth Registration.

2. Before the appointment, the parent needs to send scanned version of the following documents and/or information to the Consulate by email:

• Birth Certificate of the minor with the proper Apostille
• Panamanian ID and Panamanian passport of the Panamanian parent or parents (at least one of them must be valid)
• ID and passport of the non-Panamanian parent (if applicable)
• Full names of the paternal and maternal grandparents
• Time of birth of the minor
• Full names and ID numbers of 2 witnesses

3. The Consulate will use the information to fill out the Acta de Nacimiento and affidavit, in which they indicate that they are the father or the mother of the child, and that the birth certificate provided to validate the registration is not part of an adoption procedure.

4. The Panamanian parent who will be registering the birth has to attend in person with the 2 witnesses at the time of the appointment and provide the required documents.

5. The Consulate will proceed to verify the documents, the parent and the 2 witnesses will be asked to sign the relevant documentation (Acta de Nacimiento and Affidavit).

6. The Consulate will certify the Spanish translations and authenticate the signature of the Panamanian parent on the signed documents. A payment of 750 HKD for document shipping costs and 500 HKD for the authentication in cash will be required.

7. Once all the documents has been duly authenticated and certified, the application will be submitted to the “Dirección Nacional del Registro Civil”, “Departamento de Hechos y Actos Jurídicos Ocurridos en el Exterior”.

8. Depending on each case, additional tests may be requested and ordered to clarify or verify unclear information, thus the processing time may vary. We will confirm with the parents once we have received the registration confirmation from Panama.

* The Panamanian Birth Certificate can be requested directly in Panama at the offices of the Electoral Tribunal through a family member, acquaintance, or legal representative in Panama.

VERY IMPORTANT:

IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO REGISTER THE CHILDREN OF PANAMANIAN MOTHER OR FATHER BORN ABROAD, IF THIS PARENT HAS NOT ACQUIRE PANAMANIAN NATIONALITY BEFORE THE BIRTH OF THEIR CHILD OR IF THE PARENT IS IN THE PROCESS OF RENOUNCING THEIR PANAMANIAN NATIONALITY.

(see Article 101 of the Law 31 July 2006).

For more detailed information about the above mentioned process please visit:  www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa/direccion-nacional-del-registro-civil/servicios/