Immigration and Visas (HYPERLINK)
Visa Waiver
Starting July 21, 2009 there is in effect anew Lawregarding tourist visas for entering the Republic of Panama. Executive Decree #248states that:
"Those who hold a valid passport, with at least 3 months of validity left, and a valid visa from ONE of the following countries: USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia or any of the member countries of the European Union, which has been used at least one time to enter those countries, may enter the Republic of Panama by purchasing a Tourist Card, regardless of their nationality."
For more clarification you will qualify for this decree if you comply with all of these requirements:
· Have a valid passport with minimum of three months of validity left.
· Have a valid visa (meaning that it is not expired) from ONE of these countries: USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia or any of the member countries of the European Union
· You must have used this visa to enter the country. For example, if you have a United States visa, you must have entered the U.S. with that visa in order to qualify for the waiver.
*Immigration officials are accepting as valid the entrance of the holders of a United States permanent resident card under this law.
*For further information of the law decree pleaseclick here. (CONSULATE -Formularios-Executive Decree #248.pdf)
No Visa Requirement
You will not need a visa if you are from any of the following countries:
Germany / Brunei / Estonia / Kiribati / Norway / Saint Thomas and PrinceAndorra / Bulgaria / Fiji / Kuwait
Kenya / New Zealand / Serbia
Angola / Cabo Verde / Finland / Latvya / Netherlands / Seychelles
Antigua and Barbuda / Cambodia / France / Liechtenstein / Palau / Singapore
Saudi Arabia / Canada / Gabon / Lithuania / Papua New Guinea / Saint Lucia
Argentina / Chile / Georgia / Luxembourg / Paraguay / South Africa
Armenia / Cyprus / Granada / Macedonia / Peru / Sweden
Australia / Colombia / Guatemala / Madagascar / Poland / Switzerland
Austria / South Korea / Guyana / Malaysia / Portugal / Thailand
Bahamas / Costa Rica / Honduras / Maldives / Qatar / Taiwan
Barbados / Croatia / Hungary / Malta
Mauritius / United Kingdom / Tonga
Belgium / Denmark / Ireland / Mexico / Czech Republic / Trinidad and Tobago
Belize / Dominica / Iceland / Micronesia / Greece / Turkey
Bhutan / Ecuador / Comoros / Moldavia / Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic / Tuvalu
Belarus / El Salvador / Marshall Islands / Monaco / Romania / Ukraine
Bristish National Overseas (BNO) / United Arab Emirates / Solomon Islands / Mongolia / Samoa / Uruguay
Bolivia / Slovakia / Israel / Montenegro / Saint Kitts and Nevis / Vanuatu
Bosnia and Herzegovina / Slovenia / Italy / Namibia / San Marino / Venezuela
Botswana / Spain / Jamaica / Nauru / St. Vincent and the Grenadines / Vietnam
Brazil / United States of America / Japan / Nicaragua / Vatican City
NOTE:. Please make sure you have a minimum of six months of validity left in your passport and a round trip ticket. The maximum amount of time that you can stay in Panama is six months. If you want to stay longer than six months, you may extend your visa in the Offices of Immigration in Panama
Authorized Visas
If you are from one of the following countries and do not qualify for the visa waiver mentioned above, you will need an authorized visa:
Albania / Egypt / Iran / Mauritania / Rwanda / Uganda
Algeria / Eritrea / Jordan / Mozambique / Senegal / Uzbekistan
Azerbaijan / Ethiopia / Kazakhstan / Myanmar / Sierra Leone / Yemen
Bahrain / Nepal / Syria / Zambia
Bangladesh / Gambia / Kyrgyzstan / Niger / Somalia
Benin / Guinea / Laos / Nigeria / Sri Lanka
Burkina Faso / Guinea-Bissau / Lesotho / Oman / Sudan
Burundi / Equatorial Guinea / Lebanon / Pakistan / Suriname
Chad / Haiti / Liberia / Palestine / Tanzania
Ivory Coast / India / Libya / Democratic Republic of the Congo / Tajikistan
Cuba / Indonesia / Mali / People’s Republic of China / Tunisia
Please be advised: for authorized visas, the approval process may take up to 60 business days, depending on the verification and completion of your documents. Do not finalize your travel arrangements until your visa has been granted. All the submitted documents must be notarized by a Public Notary in the United States prior to being sent to our offices. You must send the following requirements:
§ Complete and sign the visa application (Click here)( CONSULATE-FORUMLAIO-VISA AUTORIZADA.pdf )
§ Copies of all the pages of your passport.
§ Copies of any other form of valid I.D. you have issued either by your home country or the country where you reside.
§ 3 Photographs (size: 2x2, with white background)
§ Proof of economic solvency during stay, (No less than USD$500.00) This can be verified with one or more of the following:
o Certified bank checks with applicant's name.
o Travelers check with applicant's name.
o Applicant bank statements from previous three months.
o Applicant credit card with statements from previous three months.
o Letter from employer that reflects your monthly wage.
o Tax returns from previous fiscal year.
o Any other reasonable proof of income accepted by the National Service for Migration.
§ Hotel reservation (if applicable)
§ Flight reservation with itinerary of trip continuation or electronic ticket.
§ Certified check or money order for US$135.00 made out to **Consulate of Panama.
§ Self-addressed prepaid envelope for return of documents.
§ If someone is inviting you, you need to present a letter of invitation from that person along with the following documents:
o Natural Person
§ Valid copy of cedula.
§ If person is a foreigner, copy of general information from passport and temporary or permanent resident card or cedula.
§ Copy of receipt from previous utilities bill that includes resident's address.
o Private Entity
§ Letter of responsibility front entity's legal representative
§ Certificate of existence from Public Registry.
§ Copy of operation key from Colon Free Zone (if applicable).
§ Copy of receipt from previous utilities bill that includes entity's address.
If applying by mail, you may include your original passport, which must have a minimum of 3 months of validity left. Alternatively, you can initially send us photocopies of your passport (first and second page, and make sure there are blank pages available for the Panamanian visa to be stamped) and we will notify you when your visa is granted for you to send in your passport.
Stamped Visa:
If you are from one of the following countries and do not qualify for the visa waiver mentioned above, you will need an stamped visa. All the submitted documents must be notarized by a Public Notary in the United States prior to being sent to our offices
Russian Federation
Philippines
Ghana
Malawi
Mauritius
Central African Republic
Republic of the Congo
Dominican Republic
Swaziland
Togo
Zimbabwe
Please send the following documents to our offices:
§ Complete and sign the visa application (Click here) (CONSULATE- FORMULARIO- VISA ESTAMPADA.docx)
§ Copies of all the pages of your passport.
§ Copies of any other form of valid I.D. you have issued either by your home country or the country where you reside.
§ 3 Photographs (size: 2x2, with white background)
§ Proof of economic solvency during stay, (No less than USD$500.00) This can be verified with one or more of the following:
o Certified bank checks with applicant's name.
o Travelers check with applicant's name.
o Applicant bank statements from previous three months.
o Applicant credit card with statements from previous three months.
o Letter from employer that reflects your monthly wage.
o Tax returns from previous fiscal year.
o Any other reasonable proof of income accepted by the National Service for Immigration.
§ Flight reservation with itinerary of trip continuation or electronic ticket.
§ Certified check or money order for US$135.00 made out to **Consulate of Panama.
§ Self-addressed prepaid envelope for return of documents.
If applying by mail, you may include your original passport, which must have a minimum of 3 months of validity left. This process takes 7 to 10 business days.