Certificate of Free Sale (CFS)
Dietary supplements, medical foods and foods for special dietary use.
Document Services
FDA Apostille for Panama
FDA Apostille for Panama
Panama has accepted apostilles since 4 August 1991, and its Ministry of Health treats them as mandatory. A free sale certificate, CPP or GMP certificate filed without one is not accepted. Your FDA certificate needs a single U.S. Department of State apostille, with no Panamanian consulate step. Upload it and we return it apostilled by FedEx.
- Hague membersince 4 August 1991
- Apostilledocument route
- Spanishofficial language
- 9 daysstandard processing
Simply upload your FDA digital file, and you will receive your apostilled document via FedEx.
Processing time 9 business days
- No document shipping is required.
- You may update your own FedEx AWB or create a new one.
- Expedited processing times are offered.
- Credit card payments are accepted.
- The U.S. Department of State fee is already included.
- No separate U.S. Department of State form is needed.
- Track your order history and expenditures online.
Exp. Service fee$68 / Doc.
US Dept. of State fee$20 / Doc.
Total:$88 / Doc.
Why Panama Asks for an Apostilled FDA Certificate
Panama's National Directorate of Pharmacy and Drugs (DNFD) is unusually clear about foreign documents. Its Communiqué 021/DNFD/23 says certificates of free sale, pharmaceutical product certificates and GMP certificates are public documents that must be legalized by apostille or consular certification. That is a non-negotiable requirement for sanitary registration. A notarized copy is accepted only if the apostille was applied first, and electronically signed foreign documents still need an apostille.
For U.S. products, those certificates come from the FDA, a federal agency, so only the U.S. Department of State can apostille them. We handle the State Department request and ship the apostilled original to you or straight to your Panamanian registration holder, ready for the FADDI filing platform.
Which FDA Certificate Does Your Panamanian Importer Need?
Match your product to the Panamanian authority that reviews it and the FDA certificate that authority normally expects.
| Product type | Panamanian authority | FDA certificate |
|---|---|---|
| Medicines | Ministry of Health (MINSA), National Directorate of Pharmacy and Drugs (DNFD) | Certificate of a Pharmaceutical Product (CPP), Certificate of Exportability |
| Medical devices | MINSA, National Directorate of Medical Devices (DNDM) | Certificate to a Foreign Government (CFG), Certificate of Exportability |
| Food, ingredients & infant formula | MINSA food safety authorities | Certificate to a Foreign Government (CFG), Health Certificate |
| Dietary supplements & medical foods | MINSA, depending on how the product is classified | Certificate of Free Sale (CFS) |
| Cosmetics & hygiene products | MINSA, National Directorate of Pharmacy and Drugs (DNFD) | Certificate for Cosmetics |
MINSA directorates review each product group. Whichever one handles your file, the DNFD's rule applies to free sale, CPP and GMP certificates: they must carry an apostille or consular legalization. Your Panamanian registration holder will confirm the exact certificate and wording.
How the FDA Apostille for Panama Works
The Hague Apostille Convention has been in force for Panama since 4 August 1991, so a single apostille from the U.S. Department of State makes your FDA certificate valid there. There is no embassy visit, consular stamp or second legalization step.
Upload your FDA certificate
Send the digital certificate exactly as the FDA issued it and choose Panama as the destination.
We review it
We check that the certificate is complete, FDA-signed and ready for the State Department.
State Department apostille
We submit it to the Office of Authentications and track it until the apostille is issued.
FedEx delivery
The apostilled certificate ships to you, your importer or your agent in Panama City or anywhere else.
Exporting to Panama: What to Prepare
Apostille first, notary second
Panama accepts notarized copies only if the apostille was applied before the notarization. If your agent needs extra copies, have the original FDA certificate apostilled first, then make certified copies, or simply order an apostille for each original.
Fast track for medicines (2025)
Executive Decree No. 2 of 2025 created an expedited registration of up to 10 business days for medicines approved by authorities on WHO's list of recognized regulators. The file needs the original apostilled Pharmaceutical Product Certificate from the country of origin, plus an apostilled copy of the dossier.
A resident representative
Sanitary registrations are filed through a legal representative resident in Panama, with a responsible pharmacist endorsing medicine applications on the FADDI platform. Make sure the company names on your FDA certificate match the power of attorney you give them.
Hub for the region
Many U.S. exporters ship through the Colón Free Zone and Panamanian distributors to Central America, the Caribbean and the Andean countries. Each destination authority will usually want its own apostilled original, so tell us every country on your plan.
FDA Apostille Cost for Panama
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Our service fee | $68 / doc. | Review, submission, tracking and FedEx dispatch |
| U.S. Department of State fee | $20 / doc. | Paid by us on your behalf |
| Total | $88 / doc. | Standard processing: 9 business days. Expedited options available. |
FDA Apostille for Panama: FAQs
Is Panama a member of the Hague Apostille Convention?
Yes. Panama joined by accession, and the Convention has applied there since 4 August 1991. A U.S. Department of State apostille is enough, so no Panamanian consulate legalization is required.
Does Panama's Ministry of Health require apostilled certificates?
Yes. DNFD Communiqué 021/DNFD/23 treats certificates of free sale, pharmaceutical product certificates and GMP certificates as public documents that must be apostilled or consularly legalized for sanitary registration.
Can I submit a notarized copy instead of the apostilled original?
Only if the apostille was applied first and the notarization came afterward. Notarized copies of documents that were never apostilled are not accepted.
Is an electronically signed FDA certificate enough on its own?
No. Panama accepts electronically signed foreign documents only when they also carry an apostille or consular legalization. We apostille your digital FDA certificate through the U.S. Department of State.
Which FDA certificate do I need for Panama?
A CPP for medicines, including the 2025 fast-track route, a CFG for medical devices and conventional foods, a Certificate of Free Sale for supplements, and a Certificate for Cosmetics for cosmetic products. Products not sold in the U.S. need a Certificate of Exportability.
How long does an FDA apostille for Panama take and what does it cost?
Standard processing takes 9 business days and costs $88 per document: our $68 service fee plus the $20 U.S. Department of State fee. Expedited options are available.
FDA Certificates We Apostille for Panama
Certificate to a Foreign Government (CFG)
Medical devices, conventional foods, food additives and infant formula sold in the U.S.
Certificate of a Pharmaceutical Product (CPP)
The WHO-format certificate used to register human drugs.
Certificate of Exportability
Products made in the U.S. for export only.
Health Certificate
Collagen and gelatin exports (EU health certificate or SRM certificate).
Certificate for Cosmetics
Skincare, makeup, haircare and fragrance products.
Nearby destinations
Get Your FDA Certificate Apostilled for Panama
Upload your FDA certificate today and receive it apostilled by FedEx in 9 business days, for $88 per document with the State Department fee included.
Start Your Order Ask a Question
Simply upload your FDA digital file, and you will receive your apostilled document via FedEx.
Processing time
9 business days
- We accept credit card payments.
- Track your order history and expenses online.
- The U.S. Department of State fee is already included.
- Submit the files you received from the FDA electronically.
- We use the State Department minimum processing time.
- You may update your own FedEx air waybill or purchase a new one.
- U.S. Department of State Form DS-4194 is not required; we handle it.
Exp. Service fee
US Dept. of State fee
Total:
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