Getting your criminal record certificate for Canadians has never been easier, if you wish to apply for your Residence Permit in Panama. For Canadian citizens seeking new opportunities abroad, Panama offers a range of benefits to foreign residents, whether as retirees or investors. These benefits include applying for a two-year temporary residence, which can be converted into permanent residence and even opting for naturalization after five years. Panama offers great tax advantages, including exemptions from taxes on income generated abroad.
To apply for a Residence Permit, all foreigners must submit their Criminal Record Certificate either from their country of origin or from the country where they have resided for a minimum of ten (10) years.
The application for the Criminal Record Certificate is the procedure by which a Canadian foreigner can request from the State a record of their judicial activities in criminal matters during the time they have lived in Canada. This document will certify whether the applicant has any criminal history in Canadian territory.
The application for this Certificate can be made online, through a simple and accessible process for everyone on the official website of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The process will be ready in a few days and the advantage of this system is that it will save you time and avoid the need to go to offices and wait in lines to make the request.
In Canada, there are also companies that support Canadian citizens abroad with the application for this document for international use. It is important to mention that, to start this process, a digital fingerprint stamp of the applicant must be provided, so it is common for facilitating companies to request a stamp or directly cite the applicant to do it in their offices. Legal Solutions Panama, for example, has a partner who handles this document for our clients and send it directly to our offices, saving our clients time and making the process with us faster and more complete.
In early 2024, Canada entered the list of countries that offer or can manage the Apostille of The Hague, which is a simple method that works to certify the authenticity of documents from public entities, allowing their validation and use in foreign countries. The advantage is that with this apostille, no additional legalization procedures are required when submitting your residence application in Panama.
With Canada's new integration into the Hague Convention, the document legalization process is much faster and friendlier to applicants.
Remember to consider the validity period of your Criminal Record Certificate when coordinating your visit to Panama to start your Residence process.
If you are interested in knowing the types of Residency you could apply for as a Canadian, contact our team and we will support you throughout the process, even before you are in Panama.
By: Alina González
