kaizencanadian
6/26/2016 11:25 EST
I was asked by BoqueteGirl on another thread if I could tell her how my recent visa run to Costa Rica went, so I thought I'd do it as a separate thread. Before I did the run, I also had a lot of questions about it, because I've seen a lot of different accounts of what you need to cross between Costa Rica and Panama and vice versa. I've heard you need to have $500 cash, as well as a confirmed plane ticket out of the country, and that they sometimes actually call the airline to verify that the ticket's legit.
I'm a Canadian in my early 40s here on a tourist visa. I just made the crossing first into Costa Rica, and then back into Panama in mid-June 2016. I arrived in Panama for the first in early March of this year and I'm house-sitting here outside of La Chorrera. I'm way out in the boonies, so the owner has a car that I'm allowed to use to go into town to get groceries. However for whatever reason Panama has decided to give 6 month tourist visas, but only allow you to drive for the first 90 days.
So to be able to continue to drive, I had to leave the country for ________ days (I have no idea how long you have to be out, because I've read varying accounts). As it took me a day on buses to get up to David, and then another half day to get where I was going in Costa Rica (Puerto Jimenez), I decided to spend 5 nights in Costa Rica.
I took a local bus from the bus station in David to the border. They probably run every 10 minutes or so, and they keep saying, “Frontera”, which means “border” and here it means the border at Paso Canoas. I think it took about an hour and a half to get to the border. There may be faster, more direct buses, but they're also much less frequent. I don't know how much the bus is supposed to cost, but I gave him $2.
At the border, you get off the bus less than 50 metres from the Panama Immigration Office. If you stay on the right side of the building, on the back side of the first section you'll see a few windows with “Salida” and “Exit” signs. Go there and give them your passport. There was no line when I went, and I was through in less than 5 minutes. I did NOT have to go through Customs nor have my bags searched.
You then continue up the same road about 200 metres until you get to the Costa Rica Immigration Office, on the right side of the road. It's not obvious where to go from Panama Immigration, but just continue up the main road towards Costa Rica and you'll soon see it. I had to fill out a form, and after filling it out, within 5 minutes I was stamped into Costa Rica for 90 days. Again, I didn't have my bags checked or have to do anything else. They did NOT ask to see any proof of cash or any flight ticket out of Costa Rica. Nothing – just my passport.
So in total, from arriving at the Panamanian side, until being checked in to Costa Rica, it probably only took me about 15-20 minutes.
I came back to Panama on a Sunday morning. I thought it might be busy with weekend day-trippers, but again I had no problems. I arrived at the border early, maybe 7:30 am Costa Rica time.
At Costa Rica Immigration, before you exit you have to pay some kind of exit fee (I can't remember what they call it). You go across the main street and up towards Panama about 50 metres. There's a tiny, little office which you should see. I think it had a sign that said, “Impuesto” (“tax”) but I don't remember exactly what it said. You show them your passport and I think I had to pay 4,500 colones which is about $8.50, but I'm not sure what they charge you if you pay in dollars. After you get the receipt, you then go to Costa Rica Immigration (it's in the same building, and the windows are right next to where you check-in to Costa Rica). You have to fill out the same form you filled in when you entered Costa Rica, and then I got stamped out. Including paying the tax, it took me 10-15 minutes total to get stamped out.
At Panama Immigration, it also wasn't busy and I gave them my passport and was stamped back in within 5 minutes. They did NOT ask for any proof of funds nor for any kind of plane ticket out of the country.
So this only represents my experience, but I was never asked for any proof of funds nor for any kind of ticket out of the country by Panama nor by Costa Rica. However I came back to Panama with an American couple I met in Costa Rica, and they had been in Panama for a short trip visiting relatives and decided to hop over the border into Costa Rica to see some wildlife. When they entered Costa Rica a few days earlier, the Immigration official wouldn't allow them into Costa Rica without proof of a ticket out. They showed Immigration their tickets back to the States from Panama City, but that wasn't good enough. So they ended up having to buy a cheap throwaway flight ticket from San Jose to somewhere in Panama.
At Panama as well as Costa Rica Immigration, the windows where you get stamped-in and get stamped-out are right next to each other. Also remember that Costa Rica is an hour behind Panama. So if it's 10am in Panama when you cross into Costa Rica, it's only 9am in Costa Rica.
As an aside, for anyone heading over to Costa Rica for a few days, I highly recommend checking out Puerto Jimenez on the Osa Peninsula. I caught a bus right at the border to Golfito via Ciudad Neily. I think it took about an hour and a half. Then from Golfito, there are small lanchas (like a mini-ferry) to Puerto Jimenez several times a day (except Sunday when there's only 3 or 4). I caught a bus from David at about 7 am, and I was in Puerto Jimenez about 4.5 hours later.
There's tons of wildlife in Puerto Jimenez and the surrounding area, including scarlet macaws, toucans, iguanas and all 4 kinds of monkeys found in Costa Rica.
Cheers
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BoqueteGirl
6/26/2016 12:29 EST
@kaizencanadian
Thank you so much for your input. Yes, you are right, things CAN be different for each individual crossing. My only comment would be, better to be safe than sorry. Have all your lose ends tied up with what the person who is checking your passport MAY ask for, I would go with ALL the things they may ask you for at your border crossing. Again,,,,better to be safe than sorry.
I only wish that there was some standard to depend on,
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wrightintulsa1960
6/26/2016 16:27 EST
kaizencanadian, sounds like you had a good time. Thanks for the play-by-play.
So are you good to drive another 90 days? Also, were there any custom's inspections going back into Panama? Thanks Dan
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volcan357
6/27/2016 00:22 EST
One thing you have to remember here whether you are crossing a border or trying to open a bank account is inconsistency. They are inconsistent about everything.
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volcan357
6/27/2016 00:38 EST
One thing you have to remember here whether you are crossing a border or trying to open a bank account is inconsistency. They are inconsistent about everything.
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volcan357
6/27/2016 00:38 EST
One thing you have to remember here whether you are crossing a border or trying to open a bank account is inconsistency. They are inconsistent about everything.
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BoqueteGirl
6/27/2016 09:10 EST
Here's an interesting article regarding Expats and their move to a foriegn country. Our local "News Boquete" posted it. Enjoy,,.
https://www.thestreet.com/story/13595203/1/what-expats-are-really-like.html
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kaizencanadian
6/27/2016 15:21 EST
Hey Dan, as far as I know I'm allowed to drive for 90 days again. My understanding is that the 90 days starts every time you're stamped into the country. I also believe my 6 month tourist visa should have restarted as well.
Coming back into Panama, in the same building as Immigration (but in the previous section of the building), I saw a room that seemed to be Customs where they were searching some people and their bags. I didn't see anything that said you had to go through there first, though, so I went straight to Immigration. They never asked about what I was carrying, nor did they seem to care, so I never had my bags checked at either country, neither coming nor going.
Cheers
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triffic
7/1/2016 11:04 EST
kaizencanadian @
why don't you fly
avianca and copa always have cheap roundtrip tickets to nearby countries
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kaizencanadian
7/1/2016 15:36 EST
Hey triffic, I'm actually on a pretty tight budget, so cost was definitely a factor. I'm not retired, I'm just enjoying Panama until I decide to go back to work in the real world. The cheapest flights I could find to a nearby country were I think about US$225 return to Colombia. Unfortunately, Colombia charges Canadians (only!!) some kind of entry tax which I think is currently about US$90, making it at least US$300 before I've even paid for hotels/food/etc.
By taking the bus to Costa Rica, I ended up spending less than US$100 on all of my transportation. As it's the low season in Puerto Jimenez, I also only ended up paying US$83 for a double room with private bath for 5 nights in a cheap hotel in Costa Rica. In my current situation, that's a huge difference.
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triffic
7/1/2016 21:02 EST
@kaizencanadian
sign up with LifeMiles you can get good deals
with all the star alliance carriers to many destinations around the world for already $90. This program saved me lots of money.
I'm not promoting LifeMiles because sometimes it can be a headache
It's ideal when you are traveling within and to and from central america.
LifeMiles is tricky but you will get acquainted,
Then flyertalk is good source is for all kinds of travel information.
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mariapanama
7/2/2016 14:54 EST
I have made the "border run" many, many times mostly from Bocas del Toro and three times from David. There are major differences between the two borders. ALWAYS traveling from Bocas del Toro to Costa Rica I had to show proof of return.(No proof of funds, though.) Instead of a plane ticket--a bus pass will work just as well and is much cheaper. You can buy the bus ticket at the border before you cross. I found that on that border it was faster and easier to take one of the private shuttles. Much more comfortable than the bus!
The shuttle driver takes care of having your passport stamped and if they take care of the problem of a return ticker.
Also, when flying from US to Panama ( Tocumen airport)--I always was asked for a return airline ticket when checking in with the airline be it Copa, American Airlines, Delta etc. I flew once to Lima Peru and back to Panama and used my bus ticket that I had bought and that worked.
The border at David was much easier in my experience. I actually went with my Panamanian lawyer neighbor to the immigration office in David to get information about how to cross. (It seems the immigration office in the country are aware of the non-resident border runs.) Anyway I was told to walk over and walk immediately back again with no need to stay in Costa Rica. I was skeptical and prepared to stay over but it worked! Three with no glitches or problems. Didn't have to show proof of funds or return plane tickets or even a bus ticket. (I recommend the bus ticket just to be on the safe side.) Some people get a flight reservation print it out and then cancel the flight. I have done that also and it worked.
I think it also depends on what official is in charge the day you go and what mood they are in. The border near David seemed much more lax. TECHNICALLY you are supposed to have proof of funds (Can be a credit card.) and a proof of return back such as plane ticket or bus ticket so I think it is always best to be prepared. You never know when they may tighten up on the rules or a "boss" is there that day.
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kaizencanadian
10/8/2016 13:53 EST
I recently did another visa run through Paso Canoas (late Sept./early Oct. 2016), so I thought I'd write about it to help anyone doing it in the future.
If I remember correctly, the last time I left and entered Panama at Paso Canoas, I had to fill out a form with my information. However this time, Panama Immigration required no paperwork, leaving or entering. I just showed my passport and was good to go.
Entering Costa Rica took a bit longer this time, because a bus had just arrived ahead of me, and there was only one window open for arrivals. But it was only maybe 15 or 20 minutes and I was stamped in.
I again did NOT need to show any ticket out of either country, and neither country asked me how long I was staying.
Upon checking back into Panama, my plan was to catch an express bus all the way back to La Chorrera (near Panama City). The last time I did it, the bus was waiting right next to Panama Immigration, but this time there were only big rigs there. However if you look down the main highway towards David and Panama City, look for buses on the LEFT side of the street. Even though they are on the opposite of the street you would expect, and they are facing Costa Rica rather than Panama, that's where they park. Go talk to them and they'll point you in the direction of the correct bus.
The bus I ended up getting was not a super-express bus (as it would stop to pick up anyone anywhere along the highway), but it was reasonably fast. It took 7.5 hours to La Chorrera, so probably a little over 8 hours to Panama City, and it cost $15.90.
Cheers
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forunate
4/1/2017 20:51 EST
My partner and I needed to do a border run to get an updated visa for Costa Rica, so March 31, 2017, my partner and I took a Tracopa bus from San Isidro, Costa Rica to Paso Canoas. the trip was five hours. At the Costa Rica border as has been said, you go to the Exit window to get an Immigration Form and fill it out. Again as had been said, you carefully cross the busy highway to the direct opposite side of the road to pay the exit tax. For us it was $8.00 each, so $16.00, then back to the Costa Rica Immigration with passport and tax receipt. The agent takes the receipt and stamps passport and you are off. We then walk the 100 meters or so to the Panama border on the right side of building. As we arrived at the window, I was taking out my passport, a man dressed in casual clothes, but had a badge around his neck asked for our passports. he put a stamp in them and asked for $1.00 which I paid, then he pointed to the Entrance window. I went to one window and my partner went to the other window. I had a woman who when I gave her my passport asked for my onward airline ticket which I gave her. My partner had a man who asked for nothing. The agents asked us to put first our fingers of right hand on a scanner, then thumb, then left hand fingers and thumb. We had to take off our hats and glasses and they took photos with a small camera. They then gave back the passports. Next was a comedy of errors, we went to the hotel that we wanted only to find that it had gone out of business, but luckily our taxi driver had not left, so he took us back to the border to a hotel he knew...another story. The following day. we were able to walk from the hotel to the border, about 50 meters to the right side of the Panama border and around to the Exit windows. We were unfourtunate to have gotten to the Panama border 10 minutes after a Tica Bus arrived so had to wait in line. We gave the passports to agents, and there was no conversations, passports were stamped and we were back to Costa Rica Immigration. This time since we were in line with all the Tica Bus passengers the agent asked a few questions, from were we were coming, how long we would be in Costa Rica, did we have travel tickets out of Costa Rica, but he never asked to see them. He took our Immigration Forms, stamped passports and returned them. One qlitch was that we did not fill out a Customs Form and before we could board our bus, Costa Rica officials made us all go into a corral area with bags and fill out the Custom Forms, checked our bags and then we were allowed to leave. It all boils down to which agent you get, time of day, how busy they are.
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Panama2017
4/2/2017 09:06 EST
forunate, the report you posted sounds like you are updating a Costa Rica visa...not a Panamanian visa.
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