Home / Panamanian Passport Translation
Certified Panamanian Passport Translation
Certified translation of the documents that establish identity and nationality in Panama, including the registry annotations and endorsements that carry the legal effect and that a reader unfamiliar with the system will otherwise skip.
$24.95/page
Flat rate per page, up to 250 words. No hidden fees.
100% USCIS acceptance
Every certified translation is guaranteed to be accepted by USCIS.
24-hour delivery
Most 1-3 page documents are delivered within 24 hours. Same-day available.
The cédula prefix states your status
A Panamanian cédula is written as a province prefix, a tomo and a folio — 8-123-456, where 8 is Panama province. Prefixes PE, E and N mark people born abroad to Panamanian parents, foreigners and naturalised citizens respectively.
So the number states where the person was registered and their status category on its face, and dropping the prefix as punctuation removes that. We reproduce it in full.
The Tribunal Electoral runs the registry
Panama's Registro Civil is a directorate of the Tribunal Electoral, which also issues the cédula. Passports come from the passport authority using that data.
The passport shows no parents. The electronically issued birth certificate does, with a verification code we transcribe so the office can check it online.
The Canal Zone, and dual documentation
People born in the former Canal Zone before 1979 may hold US-issued records alongside Panamanian ones, with names recorded in the US pattern rather than the Spanish one.
A file mixing the two is not inconsistent. We name the issuing authority for each document and reproduce the name arrangement each uses.
Minors, and the two surnames
A Panamanian minor travelling without both parents requires authorisation, which is a separate instrument from the passport.
Panamanians carry paternal then maternal surnames and the passport prints both. We keep both and make the order explicit. See our Spanish page.
Ordering, and what the certification covers
Upload the document, choose certified translation at $24.95 per page of up to 250 words, and it comes back typically within 24 hours as a PDF formatted to mirror the original, with a signed certificate of translation accuracy on letterhead. Marginal annotations are translated in place, in the margin, and every seal, stamp and registry endorsement is translated with the text. See how we translate and certified versus standard.
Frequently asked questions
What does the 8 in my cédula mean?
The province of registration. PE, E and N mark birth abroad to Panamanian parents, foreigners and naturalised citizens.
Why does the electoral tribunal issue my documents?
The Registro Civil is a directorate of the Tribunal Electoral. It is the correct issuer.
I have US records from the Canal Zone.
Ordinary for births there before 1979. We name the issuing authority for each.
Does the passport show my parents?
No. The birth certificate does, with an online verification code.
Ready to get started?
Upload the document and receive the certified translation, typically within 24 hours.