Panama visa policy and Customs Regulations

IMMIGRATION AND VISAS

Passport Requirements as per Panama visa policy

All travelers except the following require a passport according to Panama visa policy:

1. Citizens of Panama holding the following papers proving nationality:

– Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization; or

– National ID Card; or

– Birth Certificate.

2. Travellers with a ‘Laissez-Passer,’ which is issued as by the United Nations as stated.

3. Refugees and people without nationality or citizenship holding proof of permission to enter that is given before arrival by international representations of Panama.

4. Travellers with a Seaman Book as long as they are traveling on duty.

5. American citizens with an original Birth Certificate or Naturalization Papers provided such documents are accompanied by an official photo I.D. such as the voter registration of card and or a driver’s license as fair. Acceptance is that subject to the judgment of the immigration authorities. It is therefore strongly advised to travel with a passport.

6. Passengers with ‘Kinderausweis,’ a German identity document issued to children on the condition that it contains a child’s picture.

Document Validity based on Panama visa policy

According to Panama visa policy, passports and alternative papers, or either of them, must be valid for at least three months after the arrival date.

a. Citizens of Panama with passports that have exceeded their expiry dates are accepted.

b. Citizens of Panama holding alternative papers that must be valid on arrival.

c. Residents of Panama may enter with travel papers that have to be valid on arrival.

Visa Issuance as per Panama visa policy

Before arrival: Passengers are kindly requested to contact the nearest representation of Panama according to Panama visa policy.

Visa Exemptions as per Panama visa policy

All travelers must hold a visa except the following according to Panama visa policy:

1. Citizens of Panama.

2. Travellers are staying for no more than 30 days provided they are citizens of:

Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Republic of Korea, Nicaragua, Singapore, Paraguay, San Marino, Uruguay, Monaco, and Vatican City.

3. Travellers are staying for no more than 90 days provided they are citizens of:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Republic of Ireland, Latvia, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Norway, Romania, Slovenia, Slovak Republic, Spain, Switzerland, and Sweden.

4. Travellers stay for no more than 90 days provided they are citizens of the Netherlands; this exemption is not applicable if they have passports issued in Aruba or the Netherlands Antilles.

5. Passengers staying for no more than 90 days provided they have British passports regardless of endorsement in passport concerning their citizenship except for travelers with British passports endorsed ‘British National Overseas.’

6. Travellers staying for no more than 90 days provided they have:

6.1. Diplomatic, official, consular, or special passports and are citizens of Barbados, Republic of Dominican, Ecuador, Haiti, Peru, St Kitts-Nevis, Ukraine, or Vietnam;

6.2. Official, consular or diplomatic passports and are citizens of Colombia, Mexico, Philippines, or Trinidad & Tobago;

6.3. Diplomatic, service, official, consular, or special passports are Romania, Russia, the United States of America, or Venezuela.

7. Travellers are coming specifically for business or tourism and holding a stamped visa or a Tourist Card valid for 30 days, which is issued to citizens of the Netherlands (NOT applicable if they have passports issued in the Netherlands Antilles or Aruba).

8. People without nationality or citizenship and refugees with proof of a permit to enter. It is granted by a foreign representative of Panama before arrival, as mentioned above.

9. Travellers with Chinese Taipei passports provided they are members of the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund and have a Tourist Card.

10. Travellers with official or diplomatic passports previously authorized by the Panamanian Chancery as long as they are traveling on an official mission. It is necessary to notify the Chancery of the mission.

11. Foreign residents of Panama as long as they have a re-entry permit.

12. Travellers specifically coming for tourism or business and holding a stamped visa or a Tourist Card that must be valid for 30 days, and it is issued to citizens of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Colombia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, St Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, United States of America or Venezuela; and

– Travellers with Chinese Taipei passports.

N.B.

– A Tourist Card can be issued by airlines or airport offices against USD 5 or its equivalent because the travelers have regular passports.

– Visa exemption applies provided travelers have not received any compensation and are holding return or onward tickets. To make passage easy, Tourist Cards should preferably be issued early on, together with the ticket.

– Transporting carriers may also issue Tourist Cards for flights on other airlines.

– No passport photos are required.

TWOV (Transit Without Visa) as per Panama visa policy

1. TWOV is permissible for travelers continuing their trip to a third country within 12 hours because they have all the necessary documents for their next trip and confirmed onward tickets. Travelers are not allowed to leave the airport transit area according to Panama visa policy.

2. TWOV does not apply to people without nationality or citizenship and refugees based on Panama visa policy.

Additional information

1. Travellers with Palestinian papers require a confirmed stamped visa issued by the nearest Panamanian consulate or a consulate in the residence country. Travelers must request authorization through the National Department of Immigration, Ministry of Justice, Panama City.

2. It is possible to extend the intended visit for 60 more days. This facility is mainly given to travelers with British passports regardless of endorsement in passport regarding their citizenship except for travelers with British passports endorsed ‘British National Overseas,’ as long as the traveler is registered at the National Department Immigration, Ministry of Justice, Panama City.

3. Citizens of the Philippines and Haiti with regular passports must have a confirmed stamped visa. Permission must be requested through an ‘Authorised Visa Form’ and must state that entry is permitted by the National Department of Immigration, Ministry of Justice, Panama City.

4. Due to the outbreak of swine flu (H1N1), all travelers arriving from Mexico will be required to fill in a swine flu declaration provided by the Ministry of Health officials.

5. All Travellers must have:

– All the necessary documents for their on the next trip; and it

– Onward or return tickets; and

– A clear and sufficient means of support.

5.1. Exemption:

Travelers with Chinese Taipei passports members of the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund may travel with a one-way ticket.

6. Citizens of Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Republic of Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, People’s Republic of China, Congo (Kinshasa), Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guinea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Republic of Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Republic of Serbia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Republic of Yemen or Zambia holding a Panamanian visa— must have a confirmed stamped visa. Travelers must request permission through an ‘Authorised Visa Form’ stating that entry is permitted by the National Department of Immigration, Ministry of Justice, Panama City.

7. Travellers with British passports endorsed ‘British National Overseas’ must have a confirmed stamped visa. Travelers must request permission through an ‘Authorised Visa Form’ stating that entry is permitted by the National Department of Immigration, Ministry of Justice, Panama City.

8. It is possible to extend the intended visit for 60 more days. This facility is mainly given to citizens of the following countries:

Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, and Netherlands (Not applicable if they have passports issued in the Netherlands Antilles or Aruba)

Nicaragua, Norway, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay, and Vatican City, provided the traveler is registered at the National Department of Immigration, Ministry of Justice, Panama City.

Warnings

Suppose travelers do not abide by entry or transit rules. In that case, they will be denied entry and deported to their home country at the transporting carrier’s expense based on Panama visa policy. Besides, the transporting carrier will have to pay fines that vary from USD 1,000 to 5,000.

CUSTOMS AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Panama customs regulations for export

There are restrictions only on exporting ‘Pet Animals.’ A permit document is required from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Pets

Based on Panama visa policy, passengers that are arriving with the pet cats and dogs must:

1. present to the Zoonosis Control Dept. at the Panama City, Tocumen International (PTY):

a. ”Certificate of Good Health of Exportation for the Small Animals” issued by the health authority in the nation of origin within the last 30 days.

The certificate is a must:

– be stamped by the official authority in the country of the origin;

– be legalized by the official seal (apostille) or authenticated by the Panamanian consul in the country of the origin;

– state a rabies vaccination for the dogs/cats of 3 months of the age or older;

2. complete a quarantine request by notifying the pet’s arrival at least three working days before the arrival. The “Home Quarantine Request” can be downloaded and sent via email to cam@minsa.gob.pa from the website: www.minsa.gob.pa.

Tel: 507 238 3855/4059. Fee: USD 146.- per pet, paid upon arrival.

The Zoonoses Control Dept. is open Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 23:00. You must have made prior arrangements if those pets arrive outside these hours or on that public holiday.

Baggage clearance as per Panama customs regulations

A traveler’s luggage should be cleared at the final destination airport in Panama and as long as it is an international airport with customs facilities.

Exemptions: Luggage of travelers in the transit areas whose destination is outside of Panama is continuing their trip on an international flight.

Airport tax as per Panama customs regulations

According to Panama customs regulations, airport tax is levied on all passengers departing from Panama: USD 40.-.

Place of payment: Airport of departure, which or included in the Air ticket.

Currency Import regulations based on Panama visa policy

There have been no restrictions on importing local currencies (Panama Balboa’s PAB) and, as stated, only in coins and in the form of banknotes of the United States Dollar ( USD) and foreign currencies.

Note: A USD 1 is equal to PAB 1.

Currency Export regulations based on Panama visa policy

The exporting local currency (Panama Balboa’ PAB) is not limited to being as fine and only in 

the form of coins and is the United States Dollar (USD) specified in the banknotes) and foreign currencies.

Note: A USD 1 is equal to PAB 1.

Wild Fauna and Flora

Panama is one of the fines CITES Treaty (the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species).