Fines for
expired tourist status
A Tourist Card allows you to stay in the
Republic of Panama for 30 calendar days.
If an extension is required, you must go
to the Immigration office before the
Tourist Card time is expired and fullfil
some requirements.
On May 22nd, 2007, article No. 36 of Law
15 came into force. Since then,
the TOURIST VISA is valid for 30 days
and extendable to up to 60 extra days.
NEVERTHELESS AND
BECAUSE OF INTERNATIONAL TREATIES
PREVIOUSLY SIGNED, THE CITIZENS OF THE
FOLLOWING COUNTRIES ARE ENTITLED TO AN
INITIAL 90 DAYS TOURIST STAY, EXTENDABLE
TO UP TO 60 EXTRA DAYS:
AMERICA: Chile, Argentina, Bolivia,
Uruguay, Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Honduras, Paraguay, Brasil, Nicaragua,
Guatemala.
EUROPE: Germany, Hungry, Austria,
Italy, Poland, Spain, Portugal, United
Kingdom, Holland, Greece, Finland,
Luxemburg; Belgy, France, Swiss,
Lituania, Letonia, Chipre.
ASIA:
Singapur, Israel.
If you are going to stay over the 30
days allowed by law, then you will have
to apply for an extension at Immigration.
If this is your case, please contact us
so we can assist you to file the
application.
Some of the requirements to be met are:
have a valid return ticket, financial
solvency to cover your expenses during
your stay or a letter of responsibility
from a resident offering to cover your
expenses.
Before applying for the extension or
paying a fine at Immigration, you must
be REGISTERED at the Section of
Immigration Movement. This is an
easy process that needs to be done in
person by the interested party, of
course, we will walk you through the
whole process.
You will need to bring with you to the
immigration office two (2) passport size
pictures and one copy of the page of
your passport that shows your personal
data and a copy of the page that shows
your last entry to Panama.
The immigration officer will conduct a
brief interview to input your personal
data into the system and give you a
registration number (this will be your
file number at immigration). A
sheet with your data will be printed out
and you will be required to sign it and
stamp your right thumb finger print on
it. Then your passport will be
stamped by the immigration officer with
the Registration Stamp and your
registration number, at this point you
will have to pay one (1) dollar at the
central cashier and the immigration
officer will give you your passport
back.
For those nationalities that have
migratory restrictions, the length of
time allowed will be stated on the visa
that was granted before entering the
country.
Those who exceed the authorized lenght
of time must pay a fine before leaving
the country, in accordance with the
following table:
|
Length of your
stay in the
country over the
allowed time |
Fine to be paid |
|
|
PANAMANIAN
Spouse or
children |
B/ 25.00 |
|
1 Month |
B/ 25.00 |
|
More than 1
month and up to
2 |
B/ 40.00 |
|
More than 2
months and up to
3 |
B/ 45.00 |
|
More than 3
months and up to
4 |
B/50.00 |
|
More than 4
months and up to
5 |
B/ 80.00 |
|
More than 5
months and up to
6 |
B/95.00 |
|
More than 6
months and up to
7 |
B/.100.00 |
|
More than 7
months and up to
8 |
B/180.00 |
|
More than 8
months and up to
9 |
B/190.00 |
|
More than 9
months and up to
10 |
B/200.00 |
|
More than 10
months and up to
11 |
B/250.00 |
|
More than 11
months and up to
12 |
B/275.00 |
|
12 months and
over |
B/300.00 |
|
AFTER PAYING THE CORRESPONDENT FINE YOU
WILL BE ALLOWED EIGHT (8) DAYS TO LEAVE
THE COUNTRY. IF YOU GO OVER THOSE
EIGHT DAYS, EVEN FOR 24 HOURS, THEN YOU
WILL HAVE TO PAY A $25.00 FINE.
THERE ARE NO EXEMPTIONS FOR FINES,
EXCEPT FOR THOSE WHO ARE MARRIED TO A
PANAMANIAN OR THAT HAVE A PANAMANIAN
CHILDREN. FOR THESE CASES, THE
FINE TO BE PAID IS OF JUST $25.00,
REGARDLESS THE TIME OF STAY OVER THE
ALLOWED TERM.