Panamanian Naturalization

Obtaining the Panamanian citizenship by Naturalization is one of Panama’s most common ways to become a national. To be eligible for naturalization, an individual must have lived in Panama for a certain amount of years as a permanent resident, according to Article 10 of the Panamanian Constitution. 

Being able to apply for the citizenship is often times the main reason why some foreign nationals choose to acquire the permanent residency in the first place. Lawfully maintaining the permanent resident status, along with other requirements such as the applicant’s immersion in the Panamanian society and culture, are mandatory in order to be eligible for the said process.

Panama’s constitutions presents three (3) alternatives to become citizen:

• At least five (5) consecutive years of permanent residency;
• To have lived for three years (3) as a permanent resident, married to a national or having Panamanian children with a Panamanian parent;
• To have been born in a Latin American country or Spain, and to have fulfilled the same requirements that Panamanians would have to meet to become naturalized in their country of origin. This is known as Reciprocity, and allows for a shorter permanent residence time frame required of citizens from these countries:

-1 year: Colombia, El Salvador

-2 years: Argentina, Ecuador, Spain, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru

-3 years: Uruguay;

Several entities such as the Ministry of Government and Justice, Ministry of Public Services, Civil Registry, Government Office and finally the Presidency, will actively be involved in the process, the applications going through a series of multiples reviews and verifications.

Along the way, additional updated paperwork may be required, which eventually could lead to delays or worst case scenario, ultimately denying the application.

At the very end of the procedure, the Panamanian president will sign all applications.

Therefore, the entire process to obtain citizenship could very well take from 2 to 5 years to be approved.

Application Requirements:

• Police record issued by Panamanian authorities;
• Certification of Immigration Status;
• Authenticated copy of permanent resident ID card (e-cedula);
• Proof of economic solvency (bank reference letter or work contract);
• Copy of passport, authenticated by the embassy/consulate of the country of origin in Panama;
• Certificate of good health;
• Proof of registration with the Panamanian fiscal authority (DGI);
• Sworn Declaration regarding the renunciation of any other citizenship(s);
• Application form;
• Test of knowledge of Panama’s history, geography, civil rights, as well as the applicant’s command of the Spanish language.

The most common question that the foreign applicants may have before engaging in this process is, do they need to give up other citizenships?

Even though the applicants must declare in writing that they will abide by the Constitution of the Republic of Panama and therefore, resigns to all civil and political links with their country of origin, for many judicial systems, unless the applicants officially presents a request of renunciation of their nationality, the later remains in place.

It goes without saying that there are multiple benefits and advantages to acquire the Panamanian nationality, including:

• being able to exercise professional careers only reserved to the Panamanian citizens;
• the security of having an additional passport as safety net, in an everchanging and unstable worldwide political and economic context;
• very few travel restrictions;
• last but not least, the honor of becoming “Panamanian” and belonging to one of the greatest nations in the world.