How much does Panamanian citizenship cost?
The law sets one charge for the certificate itself: a certified or cashier’s check for B/. 600 payable to the National Treasury, handed in before the carta de naturaleza is delivered, under article 127 of Decree-Law 3 of 2008.
On top of that come fiscal stamps on several documents, the cost of your own certificates from abroad, and the knowledge exam. The B/. 300 in stamps you will see elsewhere belonged to a law that was repealed in 2008.
The charge set by law
Article 127 of Decree-Law 3 of 2008 says that before the naturalization certificate is delivered, and as a condition of its validity, you give a certified or cashier’s check for B/. 600 payable to the National Treasury. The balboa is at par with the US dollar, so that is the same as US$600.
Source: Decree-Law 3 of 2008, article 127
Fiscal stamps on your documents
The official checklist of the National Immigration Service puts fiscal stamps on several papers in your file.
| Document | Fiscal stamp |
|---|---|
| Sworn statement | B/. 8 |
| Authenticated copy of the residency card | B/. 2 |
| Each civil registry certificate | B/. 3 |
| Certificate of immigration status | B/. 8 |
Source: National Immigration Service, requirements for the Carta de Naturaleza
Costs that come from your own documents
Your country of origin charges for its criminal record certificate and your birth and marriage certificates, and each foreign document needs an apostille or consular legalization and, if it is not in Spanish, an official translation in Panama. These costs depend on your country, so your written quote lists them separately and you receive the receipt for each one.
Why you will see B/. 300 elsewhere
Law 7 of 1980 charged B/. 300 in fiscal stamps for the certificate. Article 141 of Decree-Law 3 of 2008 repealed that law, and the charge that applies today is the B/. 600 check of article 127.
Source: Decree-Law 3 of 2008, articles 127 and 141
How we quote
We do not publish a fee, because the work depends on your route and your documents. You receive a written quote that separates our fee, the government charges and third-party costs, with ITBMS shown apart. We sign a written contract before we start, and every charge we pay for you comes with its official receipt.
Questions people ask
Is the B/. 600 paid when I file?
The law ties it to the delivery of the certificate: it is handed in before the carta de naturaleza is delivered, and without it the certificate is not valid.
Is there a fee for the exam?
The Electoral Tribunal’s 2023 guide lists a B/. 60 payment. That guide predates the 2025 exam decree, so we confirm the current amount before you pay.
Can I pay in US dollars?
The balboa and the US dollar are at par in Panama, and the law asks for a certified or cashier’s check payable to the National Treasury.
What the law does not say
- The current exam fee after Electoral Tribunal Decree 13 of 2025.
- The cost of registering the certificate with the Civil Registry and of the first cédula as a naturalized Panamanian. We will publish them once confirmed in an official source.
- The office where the B/. 600 check is handed in. The law only says it is payable to the National Treasury and delivered before the certificate.
Official sources
Thinking about Panamanian citizenship?
Book a free 15-minute call. We will tell you which route applies and when you can file.