daviddoucet
3/13/2017 14:27 EST
If I'm heading into Panama for a month in this april then returning to Canada end of April will I have any issues getting back in when I go in this November to stay til end of March 2018
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ranadelnorte
3/13/2017 16:12 EST
Getting another tourist visa in November after a one month stay in April should not be a problem in my opinion. A 5-month stay from November until the following April should still be ok. The problem might come if you want to do another long stay in 2018 after just a short absence from Panama.
But all this is hypothetical because the situation is in flux right now. Just keep following the news is my advice.
Good luck!
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PanamaJackie
3/15/2017 08:13 EST
I just got an update from my immigration attorney yesterday. Panama will allow not more than two times in and out of Panama then they expect people to get a residency Visa. But if the person leaves Panama with unpaid traffic tickets, they will not let them back in until these are paid.
Currently, I would not advise anyone attempt to do a border hop.
In Chirqui province, there are check points set up with the police checking passports stamps. If people have overstayed their tourist status, or driven in Panama more than 90 days, they are impounding cars and issuing a $200 ticket. I have heard there are these check points throughout the country.
Panama is a fantastic place to live but if you want to live here, you will need to get a residency Visa like the Pensionado Visa or Friendly Nations Visa. And get a Panama driver's license. The process is simple for both. Once you get the residency Visa and Panama driver's license, you will never need to worry about a border hop again.
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ranadelnorte
3/15/2017 10:47 EST
@PanamaJackie
When you say you do not advise anyone to do a border hop currently, I hope you're not telling people to overstay their tourist visa. Overstaying could have very unpleasant consequences.
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PanamaJackie
3/15/2017 17:37 EST
It is cheaper to pay the $50 per month penalty for overstaying your tourist status than being denied access to Panama if you do a border hop which is happening to many people.
The ideal solution (legal way) is to apply for a residency Visa instead of being a perpetual tourist.
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ranadelnorte
3/16/2017 10:10 EST
It would be a mistake to think paying $50 for every month (or partial month) you overstay your tourist visa is like paying a fine for an overdue library book. It can be very, very unpleasant, and does not guarantee that you won't be deported at the discretion of the Immigration officer. Once you have overstayed, you are an illegal alien in Panama, with all the risks that implies. Be very careful.
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PanamaJackie
3/17/2017 08:29 EST
It is absolutely better not to overstay your 180 day tourist status. But if you are just 30 days away from getting your residency Visa, it would be better to to pay the $50 for a 30 day extension than to risks leaving the country to do a border hop.
I would certainly NOT recommend that anyone stay in Panama for years and years as a tourist as many people have done.
The latest information is that immigration will be enforcing 90 days for tourist who drive or 180 days for tourist if they are not driving. Then tourists will need to leave the country for at least 30 days.
99% of "real" tourist would not want to stay in Panama more than 180 days anyway.
If anyone wants to live in Panama full time, they need to get a residency Visa. The Pensionado Visa is ideal if you can prove $1000 a month in lifetime income (or $1250 for a couple) or the Friendly Nations Visa is great if you are not retired yet and do not have lifetime income.
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StanleySankey
3/17/2017 09:23 EST
Hot off the press...
Foreigners living in Panama as tourists in the country, for five months must leave for at least one month if they want to re-enter...
http://www.prensa.com/in_english/Cambios-Migracion-Turistas-Panama-reingresar_21_4713488607.html
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