CRIMINAL RECORDS

To apply for a Panamanian Residence, you must submit a police record from your country of origin or from the country you have been living in for the last two (2) years. This record has to cover the entire country of your residence. Thus, a police record from a local authority covering just a region will not be acceptable.

The police report must contain the following premises to have validity at the moment of application:

1. This police report cannot be older than three (3) months from issuance. Six (6) months in case the police records is not dated since the date of issuance. Some nationalities require different terms—for instance, six (6) months for US citizens. However, we advised our clients that the records not to be older than three (3) months.
2. If the applicant leaves Panama before the application is submitted but after the police report has been issued, then the Police Report loses validity for immigration purposes.
3. The police record must be authenticated via Apostille or through the Panamanian Consulate n the country of its issuance.
4. For any application, the Panama immigration department requires the applicant to provide an authenticated criminal history report issued by a "federal," "central," or "national" police force or criminal investigation authority. Panama Immigration Office used to accept local police criminal history reports from county sheriffs and city police.
5. Translation of the police record by a certified public translator.
6. If you submitted a Police Record from a country where you are a resident but not a citizen, an authenticated copy of the residence card must be submitted.
7. If you have been living in Panama for the last two years, you must submit a Panamanian Police Record issued by the Directorate of Investigations and Prosecutions (DIJ)

If you are a US Citizen

FBI publishes an online Checklist for requesting a criminal background check at https://www.fbi.gov/services/c...

Complete the application form, attach prints to their fingerprint card, send a cashier's check or money order, or make a credit card payment.

The application can be downloaded and printed from this web page after answering a question regarding the form's purpose: "To live, work, or travel in a foreign country.": https://forms.fbi.gov/departmental-order-website-questionnaire

An FBI standard fingerprint card can be downloaded and printed from this FBI web page: https://www.fbi.gov/file-repos...

The FBI does not require a specifically authorized fingerprint applier and suggests local police and even printing companies do this.

When applying for the FBI report, a request to have the report Apostilled must be made. An alternative to an Apostille is to have the document authenticated by any Panamanian Consulate in the USA.

If you are Canadian

Visit the RCMP website providing all of the information on obtaining a full criminal history report at http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cr-cj/fing-empr2-eng.htm

Their website states that they accept fingerprint forms from foreign countries that contain the following: ◦ Flat and rolled impressions of all ten fingers taken with black ink

• 1. Full name, sex, and date of birth of the applicant
• 2. The name and address of the police organization taking the fingerprints
• 3. The signature of the police officer who took the fingerprints

Thus, they may accept the FBI fingerprint form, which can be downloaded and printed from the FBI's website at https://www.fbi.gov/file-repos...

For a list of accredited fingerprinting companies, please contact CCRTIS-SCICTR@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

The RCMP processing time could take up to 4 weeks, and the fee payment must be made by certified cheque or money order to the Receiver General for Canada.

Canada does not offer the Apostille, but authentication can be made through any Panamanian Consulate in Canada.

If you are from England

The Association of Chief Police Officers in the United Kingdom can prepare a criminal history report covering the entire UK. You can visit their website for more information at http://www.acro.police.uk/police_certificates.aspx

The processing time is ten working days. However, you can check their Premium Servies for a faster process.

The applications can be processed with the following documents:

1. Completed application form;
2. Two proofs of current address dated within the last six months showing your name and address.
3. Copy of Passport including photo and personal information pages;
4. One-color passport photo;
5. Payment.

You can authenticate the Police Records by Apostille or by any Panamanian Consulate in England.

If you are a Spaniard

Register with the Ministry of Justice electronically on their website:

http://www.exteriores.gob.es/C...

Download the application form and take it to:

• 1. The Regional Offices of the Ministry of Justice.
• 2. Civil Registers throughout Spain. •
• 3. The Central Office of Citizen Services if you are in Madrid

Proof of your identity (DNI, driver's license, residency card, Passport, or EU identity document) will be required.

Visit http://www.exteriores.gob.es/E... for more information.

Important Note:

According to the Immigration Department of Panama, the criminal record is valid for 3 to 6 months from its issuance date, depending on the applicant's specific nationality.

If the applicant has two (2) different Nationalities (Passports), then at the moment of "entry" into the Country of Panama (at the airport or border), the applicant should enter Panama using the same Passport that will be used for the Panama Immigration residency application, and that Passport should be stamped when entering Panama.

The required documents that the applicant must provide (police/criminal history report, etc.) must be issued in the same country as the applicant's Passport. If not, the applicant would need to prove that they are residents of the country where the documents were issued.