Clients Ask
“I’m planning a move to Panama. Do I need to hire a lawyer, and how can I check who will handle my application?”
Start with the exact application you intend to file. Panama generally requires a legal representative for temporary and permanent residence applications. Before you sign a power of attorney or pay a retainer, identify the individual lawyer who will act for you and check their Panamanian licence.
When do you need a lawyer for Panama residency?
Article 28 of Decree Law No. 3 of 2008 sets the general rule for temporary and permanent residence applications filed with the National Migration Service (SNM). It requires filing through a legal representative and identifies exceptions for a category applied for from abroad and a category based on education. Check the current requirements for your exact category and filing location before assuming an exception applies.
Ask the lawyer to confirm what they will file and which appointments or document checks still require your participation. For the steps from document preparation through filing and approval, see our Panama residency application guide.
How to verify a lawyer’s licence in Panama
Article 1 of Law No. 350 of 2022 requires a certificado de idoneidad issued by Panama’s Supreme Court of Justice to practise law. Law No. 500 of 2025 amended parts of that law. The individual lawyer’s full name and número de idoneidad give you a way to check who will represent you.
- Ask for the full registered name and licence number of the person who will sign and act on your file.
- Open the judiciary’s Consulta de Idoneidades de Abogados and search by licence number. If you search by name, the form asks for uppercase letters and the proper accents.
- Match the name and number to the person named in your engagement letter or power of attorney. If the search is inconclusive or you have a question about current practising status, ask the judiciary how to confirm it before proceeding.
The Órgano Judicial directory also provides a separate search for law firms. Use the individual lookup to verify the person responsible for your case.
What to confirm before paying or signing
- Who will handle the case, sign the filing and answer your questions, and in which language?
- What does the written engagement include, and which government fees, translations, notarisation or other third-party expenses are separate?
- What does the power of attorney authorise, and which decisions or signatures remain yours?
- How will you receive receipts, filing references and updates when the authorities request further information?
Ask the firm to explain how it will protect and return original documents. Treat an estimated timeline as an estimate, and ask who decides whether your application is approved.
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