This morning the US consulate in Panama City was called at 317-5000 and a nice man named Nar Dao was spoken to. He was told the whole sordid story including the fact that the majority of people being targeted for "enforcement" of these non existent "requirements" seem to be American citizens resetting their tourist status (though actual tourists have also been turned back because their return tickets were to Costa Rica, not their "country of citizenship"). He listened and at the end of the conversation, he promised to assign this problem to someone and that person would get back to us. He was given an email address and phone number.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT IF THIS HAPPENS TO YOU, YOU CALL THE EMBASSY AND COMPLAIN. He needs to know that we are not some crazy people making this up.
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As most people suspected from the beginning, "this NEW law" that was explained at Paso on Tuesday, was "cooked" up at Paso, there is no "NEW LAW".. A Panamanian friend was asked to take pictures of the "posted" Law at Paso and send it to us. Checking the "posting" against the Laws they quote, there are big differences. It looks like they "copied & pasted" the 2013 Nicaraguan requirements into the old 2008 law.
There is no mention of a "24" hour stay out of the Country. Speaking with an Migracion Agent at a port of entry, about the problems, his take was that it was being used against perpetual tourists, but could not tell us where the law or directive could be found. He also said that several people were fired at Paso this week, for corruption.
Another interesting observation by an acquaintance that works in Paso, is that the lines are short and the International buses have few passengers?
HERE is the link to the Migracion website where decrees and resolutions pertaining to Migracion are posted, for the year 2013. Having reviewed all the recent decrees that are likely to be pertinent, we found nothing imposing a "return to home country by air" requirement on anyone who is not Nicaraguan. Perhaps someone whose Spanish is more advanced than our would care to browse. Again, if there is some new law, decree or resolution to that effect, it’s not where it ought to be: on the Migracion website and the tourist board website. See: ………………………
http://www.migracion.gob.pa/index.php/2012-10-15-16-22-29/2013-07-22-16-27-18
> People, THIS is the resolution adopted that applies ONLY to citizens of Nicaragua who enter Panama by land at Paso Canoas and two other entry points. It DOES require that the Nicaraguan citizen show proof of return to his "country of origin" or "country of residence."
> THIS RESOLUTION APPLIES ONLY TO CITIZENS OF NICARAGUA and has no bearing on anyone else. See:
> http://www.migracion.gob.pa/images/Noticias/Archivos%20PDF/Archivos%20en%20pdf/Decretos%20Ejecutivos%202013/Resoluci%C3%B3n%20No.%205237%20de%2002%20de%20abril%20de%202013.pdf
>
> If someone is directing the border guards to apply these requirements to anyone else, they are engaged in corrupt breaking of the law, unless there is another resolution floating around somewhere that actually applies such requirements to all tourists, which we have not seen published anywhere.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT IF THIS HAPPENS TO YOU, YOU CALL THE EMBASSY AND COMPLAIN. He needs to know that we are not some crazy people making this up.
==============================================
As most people suspected from the beginning, "this NEW law" that was explained at Paso on Tuesday, was "cooked" up at Paso, there is no "NEW LAW".. A Panamanian friend was asked to take pictures of the "posted" Law at Paso and send it to us. Checking the "posting" against the Laws they quote, there are big differences. It looks like they "copied & pasted" the 2013 Nicaraguan requirements into the old 2008 law.
There is no mention of a "24" hour stay out of the Country. Speaking with an Migracion Agent at a port of entry, about the problems, his take was that it was being used against perpetual tourists, but could not tell us where the law or directive could be found. He also said that several people were fired at Paso this week, for corruption.
Another interesting observation by an acquaintance that works in Paso, is that the lines are short and the International buses have few passengers?
HERE is the link to the Migracion website where decrees and resolutions pertaining to Migracion are posted, for the year 2013. Having reviewed all the recent decrees that are likely to be pertinent, we found nothing imposing a "return to home country by air" requirement on anyone who is not Nicaraguan. Perhaps someone whose Spanish is more advanced than our would care to browse. Again, if there is some new law, decree or resolution to that effect, it’s not where it ought to be: on the Migracion website and the tourist board website. See: ………………………
http://www.migracion.gob.pa/index.php/2012-10-15-16-22-29/2013-07-22-16-27-18
> People, THIS is the resolution adopted that applies ONLY to citizens of Nicaragua who enter Panama by land at Paso Canoas and two other entry points. It DOES require that the Nicaraguan citizen show proof of return to his "country of origin" or "country of residence."
> THIS RESOLUTION APPLIES ONLY TO CITIZENS OF NICARAGUA and has no bearing on anyone else. See:
> http://www.migracion.gob.pa/images/Noticias/Archivos%20PDF/Archivos%20en%20pdf/Decretos%20Ejecutivos%202013/Resoluci%C3%B3n%20No.%205237%20de%2002%20de%20abril%20de%202013.pdf
>
> If someone is directing the border guards to apply these requirements to anyone else, they are engaged in corrupt breaking of the law, unless there is another resolution floating around somewhere that actually applies such requirements to all tourists, which we have not seen published anywhere.
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