Visitors Guide to Panama

Residency, Visas and Work Permits

All nationalities are required to carry their passports when travelling to Panama and passports must be valid for a minimum of 3 months from the date of entry. Visitors may be required to show proof of sufficient funds for the duration of their visit, along with presentation of an onward ticket and associated documentation.

Requirements for visas can change regularly, so visitors planning to travel to Panama are advised to confirm requirements with a consulate prior to travelling. This will ensure correct and up to date information. Visas can be arranged prior to travelling and can take up to 30 days to obtain.

For a visit of up to 90 days, UK and Irish nationals will not require a visa, while US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens require either a visa or a tourist card. Tourist cards are valid for up to 30 days and can be extended. These can be purchased upon arrival for approximately $5.

Varied residency permit options have been designed by the Panamanian government to promote foreign investment. The laws were designed to ease the process for obtaining residency and work permits, along with obtaining Panamanian passports and citizenship.

Permanent residency in Panama entitles a wide range of discounts and tax exemptions, such as reductions in utility bills, medical facilities, telephone bills, entertainment, restaurants and hotel accommodation.

The most popular forms of residency permits that are applied for include the retirement options, self employed options, large business investor options and reforestation investor options. While not all of the residency options enable citizenship, the residency permits are renewable once expired.

Getting There

Panama is a popular holiday and relocation destinations for North Americans in part due to the close proximity, being only 2.5 hours flight from Florida. Flight time to London is approximately 14 hours and the country’s national airline is COPA. Tocumen is the main international airport and is considered to be one of the most modern airports in Central America. The airport features bus and taxi services to Panama City centre, along with car hire companies.

The Panama Canal is the major route between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans offering a port of entry for passengers and freight. The Balboa Port is currently undergoing a large scale expansion programme designed to further increase the facilities potential.

While Panama offers no international rail links, it is possible to drive to the country via the Pan American highway from Costa Rica. There is also a road link from Columbia; however visitors are advised to avoid this route due to safety reasons.

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Local Transport

Panama has a good system of public transport with various options to suit all preferences. Panama City has excellent bus and mini bus services charging a flat rate with coin operated entrances. Taxi fares are quite low throughout the country, yet should be confirmed in advance as they tend to not have fare metres and can vary in price considerably.

Coach transport between cities and towns are readily available, although they are considered to be quite slow in comparison to alternatives such as car hire and domestic flights. Panama offers a good network of highways linking cities, offering convenient routes between towns and cities.

Cars are available to hire from the airports and city centres. Drivers must be a minimum of 23 years old and carry a driving license. A scenic railway line connects Panama City and Colon, offering an enjoyable route for passengers and cargo.

Domestic flights are a fast way of travelling to cities throughout the country. Durations of internal flights are approximately 30 minutes and are serviced by several domestic airline companies such as Aeroperlas.

Health and Safety

Panama is considered to be a safe place to both visit and relocate, with the Pinkerton Intelligence Agency offering the country, along with the United States, the highest ranking for tourist safety. The strategic geographical position of the country protects the nation from the near-by hurricane belt, while also being away from earthquake prone areas.

Medical facilities in Panama are very modern and assistance is available to all visitors requiring the services. Many of the medical professionals are highly qualified and well trained, with affordable treatment available.

The tap water in Panama City is safe to drink and bottled water is readily available. Cautions should be taken outside the city as the tap water can be contaminated, so it is highly recommended to only drink the bottled variety.

Street crimes are most prevalent in the city areas with pickpockets targeting the main touristic areas. Common sense towards protecting valuables and avoiding carrying large sums of cash is advised for general personal safety.

When travelling around Panama in taxis, passengers are advised not to share the transport with unknown people. It is also advisable to avoid travelling to towns or areas close to the Columbian border, as this is considered a dangerous region.

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