Passport and visa regulations

Nationalities

	Passport required	visa required	Return ticket required
Turkey	Yes	no	Yes
Other EU countries	Yes	no	Yes
Switzerland	Yes	no	Yes
Austria	Yes	no	Yes
Germany	Yes	no	Yes

Passport information

Generally required, must still be valid for at least 3 months upon entry. If a long-term stay is planned, the passport must be valid during the stay. Identification is required for foreigners in Panama.

Note on the endorsement in the passport

Anyone entering Panama by land from Costa Rica should ensure that they get both the Costa Rican exit stamp and the Panamanian entry stamp in their passport. Without them, there may be significant difficulties exiting the country (detention or being sent back to the Costa Rican border at your own expense).

Visa information

Generally required, except for nationals of the following countries listed in the table above for stays of up to 180 days (unless otherwise stated): (a) EU countries and Switzerland. (b) Turkey. Attention: Tourists arriving by ship will only receive a 72-hour visa upon entry. If you want to stay longer in Panama, you have to apply for a regular tourist visa at the responsible migration authority at the port of landing. Ship passengers must pay an entry fee of $100-200 upon entry.

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Costs

If a visa is required, the fees vary depending on nationality and should be requested when applying.

Visa types and costs

entry visa.

Validity

30 days from the date of issue for stays of generally 30 days (possibly also for stays of up to 90 days). An extension on site is possible at the Dirección Nacional de Migración y Naturalización Responsible consulate or consular department of the embassy (see contact addresses).

Application required

(a) 2 application forms (blog-panahamburg.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/visaPANAMA.pdf). (b) 2 passport photos. (c) Passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon entry. (d) Booking confirmation from the travel agent and proof of round-trip ticket. (e) Fee. (f) Proof of Sufficient Funds. (g) Letter of invitation from a person who will vouch for the guest, if applicable. (h) Possibly a residence permit for Germany, Austria or Switzerland. (i) Business Visa: Company letter detailing the purpose and financing of the trip. (j) Stamped and registered return envelope for delivery of visaed passport.

Processing time

All visas must be applied for in person. Issuance under certain circumstances immediately (should be confirmed in advance by telephone), otherwise approx. 3 days plus post. Visas requiring approval: 2-3 weeks.

Proof of sufficient funds

All travelers must have sufficient funds (US$500 in cash or credit cards).

Documents required upon entry

(a) Passport. (b) Return or onward travel tickets and documents. (c) Sufficient funds (US$500 or credit cards).

Extension of stay

EU citizens, Swiss and Turks who want to stay in Panama for more than 180 days must apply for a residence permit in good time at the Panamanian migration authorities.

Entry with children

German: Machine-readable child passport or passport. (Caution: when arriving via the USA, a child’s passport is required to have a visa. Only the passport can be used for entry and transit without a visa.) Austrians: Passport. Swiss: passport. Turks: passport. Note: The same visa requirements apply to children as to their parents. Attention: Parents traveling with their children should have (international) birth certificates of all children with them. Minors under the age of 18 traveling alone or with only one parent must have a notarized power of attorney from the absent parent or parents – in Spanish. Since the 27th Since June 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (including within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible.

Entry with pets

Dogs and cats require an international pet passport, an international health certificate, which must not be older than 10 days upon entry, and a rabies vaccination certificate confirming that the animal has been vaccinated against rabies, among other things, at least 30 days and a maximum of 16 months before entry became. The documents must be legalized by a Panamanian consulate. Furthermore, an import permit from the veterinary office (Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Ministerio de Agricultura Comercio e Industrias, Apartado 1631, Panama City) is required. Some dogs and cats must be quarantined for 40 days. A quarantine at home can possibly be applied for at the veterinary office. Information can be obtained from the responsible consular representatives (see contact addresses). Special import regulations apply to birds.