Visas
Requirements for entering Panama are different for people of each country and are subject to change. It is highly advisable to contact the Panamanian Consulate in your home country to obtain the most up-to-date information on entry requirements. Some countries have special agreements with Panama that eliminate the need to get a visa or tourist card.

Everyone needs a valid passport, onward ticket, and proof of solvency to enter Panama. Visitors from the U.S. and Canada only need tourist cards, which are issued at border crossings, from embassies and consulates, and at the airport.

People with passports from certain countries will have to obtain a visa. If entering by land from Costa Rica, it is also a good idea to have a visa and onward ticket.

Extending Your Stay
To extend your stay (up to 90 days) you will need to visit the immigration office or Oficina de Migración y Naturalización. There are also offices in David, Changuinola, Santiago, and Chitré. You will need two passport-size photos, an onward air or bus ticket, you passport showing your most recent entry into Panama and $10. Next, you will need to fill out an extension form called a prórroga de turismo. It’s written in Spanish, so you may need help filling it out.

Leaving The Country
If you have stayed longer than 30 days, you will need to obtain a permiso de salida (exit permit) to be able to leave the country. But first, you will have to obtain called a paz y salvo (peace and safety. It’s an official form stating that you do not owe the Panamanian government money. You can get this document from the Ministerio de Hacienda y Tesoro (tax department).

The next step is to take your paz y salvo form to the immigration office to obtain the permiso de salida stamp in your passport. If you do not have the time to spend the day running around, you can hire an attorney to the job for you. We also understand there are attorneys who hang out around the immigration office who can do this for you.

All foreigners with residency in Panama will need a re-entry permit to travel abroad and to return to the country. Permits of this type are good for multiple entry.

Work Permits/Visas
Foreigners planning to work for a local company must obtain a work permit from the Ministry of Labor. The government will only let you work if there are no qualified Panamanians to do a specific job. To obtain a work visa you must have a letter from a local company offering you employment stating your work specialty.
To obtain a work permit you will need a series of documents. Since the requirements are subject to change, you will have to check with an attorney to see which documents and certificates are required. Once you have obtained all of the required papers your attorney will apply for the work permit through the Ministry of Labor. He/she then has to go to the ministry Labor to apply for a Visa. When the Ministry of Labor eventually grants the work permit, the Immigration department will issue a temporary Visa for a year.

Perpetual Tourist
Staying in the country illegally after your tourist card or visa has expired is not advisable. Bear in mind that it is always better to have your papers up-to-date because you may be deported almost instantly at the whim of a Immigration official or if you get into any kind of trouble and are in the country illegally.

Due to a lack of money for some other reason a few people try to live as a perpetual tourist in Panama or other Central American countries. They just leave the country for at least 72 hours every three months to renew their tourist visa. You can repeat this process over-and-over again to stay in the country indefinitely. The only disadvantage is that as a tourist you may not work in Panama and it is almost impossible to become a legal resident unless you marry a Panamanian or have immediate relatives in Panama.

The first thing to know about Panamanian immigration law is that it’s not found in just one section of the law. Many laws having little to do with immigration have been passed to promote farming, reforestation, tourism, scientific research and other worthy goals, and many of these laws contain provisions to attract immigrants who will invest in these sectors.

The second thing to know is that if you were not born in Panama and neither of your parents were Panamanian, you will need a lawyer to become a legal immigrant. Most of the papers that must be filed will only be accepted if filed by an attorney. Lawyers figure that anyone who wants to immigrate is rich, and charge hundreds of dollars for a few minutes worth of work, which is itself often delayed for months or years. Any recourse you might have against a lawyer who takes your retainer and does no work is mostly theoretical. Thus you should understand that you will need a lawyer, and you should ask around and get a conscientious one.

There were some changes to Panama’s basis immigration law in 1999, with those accretions adding to a body of law that dates back to the 1920s, when the country passed laws more than anything else designed to exclude blacks, Asians and people from the Middle East. Though the outright ban on immigration of such people has been lifted, there is still discrimination against their obtaining visas, which in turn is one of the great sources of corruption at Migracion. The 1999 changes went into effect in March of 2000. Among other things, they changed tourist visas from 30 to 90 days, which can now be extended to six months; eased requirements on musicians and other “transients,” and mostly abolished the need for legal resident aliens to get a paz y salvo every time they leave the country.

Some of the visas that non-citizens may obtain to live here include:

• General Investor — you must invest at least $100,000 in a business that the government considers socially beneficial;
• Export Processing Zone Investor — you must invest at least $250,000 in Fort Davis or one of the other export processing zones;
• Agro-forestry Investor — you must invest at least $40,000 in a reforestation project;
• Small Investor — you must invest at least $10,000 and employ at least three Panamanians in a small business considered socially beneficial, and be an officer or manager of the business;
• Pensioner or Retiree — you must show that a retirement or disability pension from abroad yields you a monthly income of at least $500, plus another $100 per month for each dependent;
• Retired Investor — you must be retired and have a certificate of deposit in a Panamanian bank that yields an income of at least $750 per month;
• Farmer — you must have at least $40,000 invested in a producing farm in Panama;
• Colon Free Zone executive — you must have an executive position with a firm doing business in the Colon Free Zone;
• City of Knowledge — you must be a student, professor or administrator with an institution affiliated with the City of Knowledge.

Because much of this body of law was passed piecemeal, many of the requirements differ slightly from one type of visa to another. For example, you must present a report from the police departments in places where you have lived for most visas, but this requirement does not exist for those under the City of Knowledge program. Generally you will need a certificate of health and a negative HIV test to get any sort of visa.

Whatever type of visa you use to get into the country, if you are here legally for five year, you can become a resident alien with the right to work. However, though you may have been here for more than five years, if your status is as a pensioner or a retired investor, this will not automatically entitle you to work in Panama. On the other hand, even if you were working here illegally, if you are the parent of a child who was born here and can prove that you have been supporting this child for at least two years, you will become eligible for residency and a work permit.

Many people immigrate as spouses of Panamanians, and if that’s your way in, you should be prepared to be questioned in depth, to determine whether yours is a sham marriage for the purposes of immigration fraud.

Some people get visas to work here as experts or consultants. If you’re working as such for a foreign company, you won’t need a work permit, but to work for a Panamanian company you will need a permit from the Ministry of Labor. These permits are for one year and are renewable. Under that program, an argument with your employer can get you not only fired, but deported as well.

If you’re a citizen of Spain or one of several Latin American countries, Panama has reciprocal agreements that will make it easier for you to live and work here. The basic policy is that this is a Spanish-speaking country with laws designed to make it easier for Spanish-speaking immigrants.

Person of Means Visa (Solvencia Económica Propia)

Designed for those who wish to live in Panama off their own means, without the need to work or start a business. Applicants must either: 1) open a two-year fixed-term deposit account with a local bank for at least $200,000, or 2) purchase real estate in the amount of $200,000, or 3) purchase real estate worth a minimum of $80,000 and open a two-year fixed-term deposit account for at least $120,000. The accounts and the real estate must be in your personal name, fully funded (or titled), and free of mortgages or encumbrances.

The visa is granted in two steps: First, a one-year provisional visa is granted, and then the process is repeated and the visa is approved permanently, with the right to a cedula (national identity card). Five years after obtaining the permanent visa, holders will be eligible to apply for Panamanian nationality.

Investor Visa (Inversionista)
Designed for those who wish to establish a business in Panama (excepting certain retail businesses and professions reserved to Panamanians). There must be a minimum investment of $150,000, and a minimum of three permanent Panamanian employees hired. The investor visa is granted provisionally for one year, after which renewal is granted permanently with the right to be issued a national identification, or cedula. Five years after obtaining the permanent visa, holders will be eligible to apply for Panamanian nationality. Learn more about making investments in Panama.

Forestry Investor Visa (Inversionista Forestal)
The forestry investor visa encourages the production and preservation of teak. Basically, the program consists of two options, dubbed the small forestry investor and the large forestry investor visas. The small forestry investor visa requires a minimum investment of $40,000, whereas the large forestry investor visa requires a minimum investment of $80,000. Small forestry investors can apply for permanent residency on their fifth year (prior to this, these investors may stay in Panama via one-year renewable immigrant visas). A large forestry investor, however, must apply for permanent residency immediately after his or her first immigrant visa card expires. Both small and large investors are eligible to apply for citizenship just five years after their initial application.

Important New Information About the Forestry Investor Visa
You can now use your IRA funds to invest in forestry projects in Panama and qualify for the forestry investor visas. (You can also use IRA funds to invest in other types of Panama real estate, but this will not qualify you for a resident visa, as when you buy with an IRA the property must be owned by a corporation or foundation owned by the IRA and not in your personal name.)

If you have a different type of investment in mind, note that Panama offers many different visa alternatives; those listed above represent just a few of the more popular options.

For more information about the forestry investor visa, contact Robert Kroesen of United Nature.

For information about using your IRA to invest in a forestry project. Contact or visit Rich Luchsinge’s Panama real estate blog.

Small Business Investor Visa (Inversionista de Pequeña Empresa)
This visa is designed for those who wish to establish a small business in Panama (note that retail businesses and some professions are reserved to Panamanians). There must be a minimum investment of $40,000 and a minimum of three permanent Panamanian employees hired. The visa is granted provisionally for one year, and needs to be renewed three more times before it is granted permanently with the right to a national identification card, or cedula. Five years after obtaining the permanent visa, holders will be eligible to obtain Panamanian nationality.

Panama’s Pensionado Program

Panama has put together the most appealing program of special benefits for foreign residents and retirees you’ll find anywhere in the world today, starting with the pensionado, or pensioner visa, program.

In Panama, qualified pensionados or retirees are entitled to:

1. 50% off entertainment anywhere in the country (movies, theaters, concerts, sporting events)
2. 30% off bus, boat, and train fares
3. 25% off airline tickets
4. 50% off hotel stays from Monday through Thursday
5. 30% off hotels stays from Friday through Sunday
6. 25% off at restaurants
7. 15% off at fast-food restaurants
8. 15% off hospital bills (if no insurance applies)
9. 10% off prescription medicines
10. 20% off medical consultations
11. 15% off dental and eye exams
12. 20% off professional and technical services
13. 50% closing costs for home loans, and more…

In addition, you are entitled to a one-time exemption of duties on the importation of household goods (up to $10,000) and an exemption every two years of duties for the importation or local purchase of a car.

Plus, Panama’s pensionado law stipulates that anyone entering the country as a qualified pensioner today is guaranteed that status as long as he or she chooses to stay in the country. That means that even if the government decides to change the requisites for applying—say, by raising the age to 65 years—you maintain your pensionado status…even if you’re only 52.

The general rules:

1. All visa applications must be made through a Panamanian lawyer
2. Children under 18 will qualify for a visa as dependents of their parents
3. All overseas documents to be presented to the authorities in Panama must be authenticated by a notary and by the Panamanian consulate nearest you, or by a notary and Apostille. The Apostille (as per The Hague Convention of 1961) is a faster way of authenticating documents and in the U.S. can be obtained through the secretary of state in your home state; in the U.K., this can be done through the Foreign Office. In Canada, please check with the Panamanian embassy/consulate nearest you
4. All documents must be valid (within two months of visa application) and passports must be valid for at least another year from time of application
5. Dependents: Bring a marriage certificate. However, original marriage certificates are not acceptable for the visa application if over two months old, so you’ll probably need to request a copy. If you have children under 18 that you’ll be including on your application as dependents, you’ll need to bring valid birth certificate copies (not originals)
6. None of the visa programs mentioned here includes work permits
7. All visa applications require that you obtain a health certificate in Panama
8. All visas require a clean police record from your last place of residence
9. All visas require 6–9 passport-size photos (gentlemen in suit and tie; ladies in blouses or dresses with sleeves).

In the past, the government of Panama has allowed any adult who could show proof of a monthly pension of any kind (from the age of 18 upward) to qualify for a pensionado (retiree) visa. As in the past, if you are receiving a pension from a government entity or a well-known international company, age is not an issue. You must simply provide proof of adequate income ($500 per month per person or $600 per month per couple). However, if you are on a private pension, the pensionado visa is available to you if you are of retirement age (50 or older). The age of your spouse (if applying as dependent) will not be considered on the age limitation.

Learn4good provides general information on study, travel, work visa and business visa requirements and the addresses of embassies worldwide. You should contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information or visa forms.

For Hotels, Hostels, Car Hire, Jobs and Schools in this country, see the menu options above. See our Travel Forum to create a travel topic and ask questions to fellow travelers.

Who requires a visa?
Required by all except the following for stays of up to 90 days (at the discretion of the Immigration authorities):
Argentina, Slovenia, Latvia, Republic of Korea, Andorra, Estonia, Letonia, San Marino, Austria, Finland, Lichtenstein, South Korea, Belgium, France, Lithuania, Singapore, Bolivia, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Brazil, Greece, Malta, Sweden, Chile, Great Britain, Monaco, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Netherlands, The Uruguay, Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Vatican City, Cyprus, Hungary, Norway, Czech Republic, Iceland, Paraguay, Denmark, Israel, Poland, El Salvador, Ireland, Portugal, Slovakia, Italy

Tourist cards: Antigua & Barbuda, Curacao, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Japan, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, Bahamas, Dominica, New Zealand, Thailand, Barbados, Grenada San Cristobal & Nevis, United States of America, Belize, Guyana, Saint Vincent & Grenadines, Bermuda, Saint Lucia, Venezuela

What documents will be required?
PASSPORTS: Passport valid for a minimum of 6 months required by all.
Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section. A Tourist Card can be issued either by the travel agent or on the flight or at the airport.

Application requirements: (a) Passport valid for at least 6 months. (b) Two completed application forms. (c) Two passport-size photos. (d) Booking reservation. For countries requiring special authorisation: (a) and, (b) Two completed application forms. (c) Two passport-size photos. (d) Copies of passport. (e) Copy of return or onward ticket. (f) Letter from the person in Panama taking responsibility for applicant. (g) Proof of financial stability in cash, traveller’s cheques or bank statements. (h) fee plus postage if necessary.

Time required to issue visa:
Normally 24 hours if no authorisation is needed; 20 days if authorisation (which depends on nationality) is needed.

What is the cost of a visa?
Tourist: £30. Tourist Card: Prices vary, depending on nationality and also on where the Tourist Card is obtained from (eg, prior to departure, on the flight or on arrival at the airport). Some nationals can obtain the Tourist Card free of charge (including nationals of Colombia, Mexico, Norway, Sweden and USA). Enquire at the Consulate for details.

How long is the visa valid for?
Visas and Tourist Cards are valid within a 3-month period from the date of issue and allow stays for up to 30 days (extendable to 90 days at discretion of Immigration authorities).

Other information:
Note: (a) No brief account of the complex Panamanian visa regulations is likely to be fully successful as passport and visa regulations are liable to change at short notice. (b) Panamanian immigration procedures are rigidly enforced and non-compliance with the regulations may result in transportation at carrier’s expense to country of origin. (c) Many nationals requiring visas also require authorisation from the Immigration authorities in Panama before entry; contact the Embassy (or Consular section at Embassy) if in doubt.

Many foreigners end up working on the sly. A tourist visa is valid for 90 days and renewable for another 90 at the immigration office for $16. Restarting the clock on a tourist visa is as easy as a weekend in neighboring Costa Rica. Penalties for overstaying a visa start at $20 for the first month and increase $10 per month after that. Enforcement is inconsistent.

To go the legal route can be painstaking. Work visas cost $100 and require a copy of your contract, a criminal background check from your country of origin (in the U.S. these are free and can usually be easily had from your local police before you leave), and a Certificado de Buena Salud, which one can get from a local doctor for a brief consultation that costs around $5-$10 plus an HIV test. Additionally, the work visa applicant must present two letters: one to Immigration (Dirección Nacional de Migración y Naturalización) requesting a work visa for a visiting expert and a second to the Labor Ministry (Ministerio de Trabajo y Desarrollo Laboral) for a work permit (Permiso de Trabajo en Calidad de Tecnico o Experto). Both letters justify the need for a Panamanian company to hire you as a foreigner who provides a service or expertise that could not be provided by a Panamanian citizen. Both these letters must be drawn up by a lawyer, and the fees can be expensive. A majority of the foreign teachers I met never bothered with the whole process, prefering a weekend in Costa Rica or a fine upon their departure from Panama.

This visa is for persons who don’t have a monthly pension, are no longer working, and have received a retirement lump sum. As a visa requirement, that money is to be deposited on a five-year certificate of deposit with the National Bank of Panama, to yield at least $750 a month (at current rates the face value of the CD would need to be approximately $175,000). The visa is renewable every five years, as long as the CD is renewed. The Private Income Retiree Visa includes such benefits as a traveling Panamanian passport (that however does NOT grant nationality), a one-time exemption of duties for the importation of household goods (up to $10,000), and an exemption every two years of duties for the importation of a car. Person of Means Visa (Solvencia Económica Propia) (more…)

Panama offers a multitude of programs enabling one to fairly easily obtain a Passport, Visa, Residency and Citizenship. Panama is an excellent place for a second passport (2nd passport). The plans are outlined below. Do feel free to ask questions. We do not advise attempting to deal with the immigration authorities without adequate legal representation by a competent attorney. (more…)

Be careful when buying a second passport (2nd passport). First thing to look for is the statues in the law that contain the laws spelling out the program you are considering. If there are no statues run the other way. If you are told about a special program not for everyone, run.

Next make sure when buying a second passport (2nd passport) you will be going physically to the immigration department in the country for processing, photographs and fingerprints. This will greatly cut down the odds of a scam. Normally the country will want to know who you are, and like to see and copy a valid passport as a minimum. If the deal is you give them pictures and they send you the documents run away, this is probably a scam involving a counterfeit passport blank or a stolen one. I have even heard of them applying for passports in the name of a dead person using your picture. What if he was a dead criminal with warrants outstanding? (more…)

Another scam is selling second passports (2nd passport) from non-existent or non-recognized countries. This is done a lot usually for $1000-$2000. There are very few countries who will ever accept these passports and then usually only at border crossings. Usage is hit or miss, mostly misses. People buy these to open bank accounts with offshore. This sometimes works but usually in small countries with small banks. The problem comes when the bank examiner looks over their files and sees one of the fantasia passports as an identity document. He hits the roof and says I want to see real passports for all these people in here in 30 days or lock down these accounts. Now what do you do? Below you can read about all the Panama Passport, Residency and Citizenship programs that are all in the Panama Laws. Immediate Panama Passport (more…)