Visitors to Panama must obtain a visa from one of the Panamanian diplomatic missions unless they are citizens from one of the visa-exempt countries.
All visitors must hold a passport valid for at least 3 months from the date of arrival.
Visa policy map
Visa exemption Ordinary passports Citizens of the following countries and territories may enter Panama without a visa for the following period:
180 days
90 days All European Union member states
30 days
Date of visa changes14 July 1997: Israel 9 August 2001: South Korea 8 May 2012: Angola, Armenia, Belarus, Bhutan, Botswana, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Comoros, Croatia, Fiji, Gabon, Georgia, Kenya, Kiribati, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nauru, Namibia, North Macedonia (as Macedonia), Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Serbia, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Vanuatu, Vietnam 14 April 2014: Russia 10 February 2019: Hong Kong
Cancelled: 1 October 2017: Venezuela 8 June 2023: Angola, Cape Verde, Gabon, Georgia, Kenya
In addition, all passengers with a national ID card or a birth certificate issued by Panama may enter Panama without a visa, regardless of passports they use to travel.
Substitute visa Citizens of other countries who would normally require visas may enter Panama for a maximum stay of 30 days if they are holding a valid multiple-entry visa or residence permit issued by the following countries. Residence permits and visas must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival.
Any European Union member state 1
1 - For holders of a permanent residence card (Green Card) only.
Non-ordinary passports In addition to countries whose citizens are visa-exempt, holders of diplomatic passports of China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Indonesia, Philippines and Venezuela may enter Panama without a visa.
Panama Friendly Nations Visa In 2012, the Government of Panama launched the Friendly Nations Visa. The visa is open to the citizens of fifty countries deemed to have positive diplomatic and economic ties to Panama. To qualify, the citizens of those countries must present professional or economic ties to Panama. Once the applicant demonstrates those ties, they are eligible for permanent residency and a work permit in Panama. After three to five years, holders of this visa can apply for Panamanian citizenship.
Transit without a Visa Citizens of Cuba and Haiti require a visa at all times, including for transit. Other countries may transit in Panama without a visa for 12 hours if they have a confirmed onward ticket.
Visitor statistics Most visitors arriving in Panama via Tocumen International Airport were from the following countries of nationality: Country 2016 2015 2014 309,358 338,590 269,965 281,540 260,145 187,776 267,188 288,569 281,775 79,758 88,348 81,950 68,646 80,637 68,340 78,246 79,461 61,596 63,548 75,196 56,775 70,712 74,043 71,919 68,088 70,089 60,040 46,076 50,275 34,844 Total 1,857,268 1,941,106 1,609,937
See also
Visa requirements for Panamanian citizens List of diplomatic missions of Panama
References