Moving to Panama or applying for residency? Your FBI background check needs an apostille for the Friendly Nations Visa, pensionado, and most other residency programs. We personally walk your documents into the U.S. Department of State for the fastest turnaround in the country: 7 to 10 business days.
"From the beginning to delivering of my documents, Fingerprints & Apostilles took control and kept me informed every step of the way. I will without a doubt be a repeat customer for all my federal apostilles."
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You can absolutely do that. Here is what the experience looks like compared to using our service.
| Mail It Yourself | Fingerprints & Apostilles | |
|---|---|---|
| Turnaround | 5 to 12+ weeks | 7 to 10 business days |
| Paperwork | You fill out every form | We handle everything |
| Cost | $20 apostille fee + your shipping | $120 all-in (shipping included) |
| Tracking | None | Status updates throughout |
| Risk of Rejection | High (incorrect forms, missing items) | We catch issues before submission |
| Return Shipping | Extra cost, you arrange | 2-day shipping included |
Panama requires an apostilled FBI background check for most residency pathways. Here are the most common reasons people need this service.
Panama's most popular residency route for citizens of qualifying countries. An apostilled FBI background check is a standard required document for the application.
Panama's well-known retirement program for those receiving a qualifying pension or retirement income. An apostilled FBI background check is a core requirement.
Foreign investors establishing businesses or making qualifying investments in Panama need an apostilled FBI background check as part of the residency process.
Foreign nationals employed by Panamanian companies must submit an apostilled FBI background check as part of their work authorization.
Panama's residency ID card, needed for everyday life from banking to local services. The application process for long-term residents requires an apostilled FBI background check.
Applicants moving from temporary to permanent residency in Panama generally need an apostilled FBI background check as part of the supporting documents.
Panamanian immigration generally expects a recent FBI background check, and the document only stays usable for a limited window. That window is tighter than most people expect.
If you mail your document to the Department of State, the standard timeline is 5 to 12 weeks. That can burn most of your usable window before the apostille even comes back. And because Spanish is the official language, Panama usually requires a certified Spanish translation after the apostille.
Our 7 to 10 business day turnaround preserves your usable window. You get your apostilled document back with enough time to complete the translation and submit your residency application before your FBI background check ages out.
FBI background checks are federal documents. Only the U.S. Department of State can apostille them. Your state's Secretary of State cannot do this. If someone tells you to go to your state, they are wrong.
Spanish is the official language of Panama, so most residency applications require a certified Spanish translation of your apostilled FBI background check. The translation is generally done after the apostille, not before. We can help connect you with a certified translation service.
The Department of State attaches the apostille to your document with a staple and grommet. Panamanian authorities will reject your documents if the staple shows signs of tampering. Do not remove, rebind, or laminate it.
In Virginia? Get fingerprinted at one of our three locations (results in as low as 30 minutes). Anywhere else in the U.S.? Get ink fingerprints on an FD-258 card locally and mail the card to us. Already have your FBI background check? Skip straight to step 2.
Upload your completed FBI background check through our website, email the PDF to us, or drop it off in person at our Alexandria office. Americans living abroad can email it from anywhere in the world.
We personally walk your documents into the U.S. Department of State. Your apostilled FBI background check is returned with 2-day shipping included. International return shipping is available when you provide your own label.
After you order, you receive tracking texts, emails, and a personal tracking page so you always know exactly where your documents are. You know the ready date as soon as we drop your documents off at the Department of State. No waiting in the dark, no chasing updates. And if anything comes up, you have a dedicated point of contact who can help.
Need an apostille for a different country? We handle FBI background check apostilles for all Hague Convention member countries.
Yes. Panama is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. An apostille from the U.S. Department of State authenticates your FBI background check for use with Panamanian immigration authorities.
7 to 10 business days. We personally walk documents into the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. instead of mailing them. The standard timeline by mail is 5 to 12 weeks.
Yes. Panamanian immigration generally expects a recent FBI background check, commonly issued within the last several months of submission. Our 7 to 10 business day turnaround gives you the maximum usable window. Confirm the exact recency requirement with your immigration attorney in Panama.
Usually, yes. Spanish is the official language of Panama, so most residency applications require a certified Spanish translation of your apostilled FBI background check. The translation is generally done after the apostille. We can help connect you with a certified translation service.
If you are in the Washington, D.C. metro area, yes. Get fingerprinted at one of our three Virginia locations, receive your FBI background check (results in as low as 30 minutes), and we begin the apostille process immediately.
Yes. If you already have your FBI background check, you can send it to us from anywhere in the world. We handle the apostille and ship it back to you. International shipping is available when the customer provides their own shipping label.
Yes. If you already have your FBI background check, email the PDF to us and we handle the apostille. For return shipping outside the United States, you provide your own shipping label.
You do not need to be in Virginia. If you already have your FBI background check, email it to us from anywhere. If you need fingerprints, you can get ink fingerprints done on an FD-258 card at any fingerprinting location near you and mail the card to us. We will process your FBI background check and start the apostille. Visit our mail-in fingerprinting page for details.
Most do. The Friendly Nations Visa, pensionado (retirement), and other residency categories typically require an apostilled FBI background check as a core document. Confirm the requirements for your specific program with your immigration attorney or the Panamanian authority handling your application.
No. The Department of State attaches the apostille to your document with a staple and grommet. If the staple shows signs of tampering, Panamanian authorities will reject your documents. Do not remove, rebind, or laminate it.
Don't Have Your FBI Background Check Yet?
You do not need to arrive with your FBI background check in hand. We handle the entire process from fingerprints to apostille under one roof. Get fingerprinted at one of our three Virginia locations, receive your results in as low as 30 minutes, and we take it straight to the Department of State.
Book an appointment, get fingerprinted, and walk out. We handle everything from there. Your apostilled FBI background check arrives at your door.
Visa consultants, relocation companies, immigration attorneys, and fingerprinting businesses: add FBI background check apostilles to your services without building the process yourself.
Panama usually requires a certified Spanish translation of your apostilled FBI background check. Get the apostille first, then translate the entire packet. We recommend Rush Translate for fast, affordable certified translations in 65+ languages.
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7 to 10 business days. 2-day return shipping included. We walk your documents into the Department of State personally so you do not have to wait months.
Adding a spouse or children to a Friendly Nations or pensionado application usually means an apostilled US marriage certificate for your spouse and apostilled birth certificates for dependent children, on the same timeline as your FBI check. We apostille vital records from all 50 states, with the same expedited handling and return shipping included.