Common immigration questions: Panama lawyers

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If you are travelling to Panama for the first time, you will need a tourist visa/card. Depending on your country of origin, this is likely available just through the airline. Nonetheless, some countries have restricted arrival in Panama, and require either a visa stamped in their passport or even a visa authorised by the Security Council. Once you have had a good look around, you might decide that you want to live in Panama – with temporary or permanent residence. While we realise that there are many common immigration questions, there are questions that are much more specific to the type of visa you qualify for.

When you are ready to apply for residency in Panama, we invite you to contact Joan Villanueva in our office to help walk you through the immigration requirements and steps.

Common questions:

Typical questions regarding immigration to Panama include the following:

• Do I need to bring my birth certificate?
• When do I need a marriage certificate and how should it be authenticated?
• What kind of police report will do for the immigration process? How do I go about getting a police report if I am already in Panama and no longer resident in that other country?
• Do I need a lawyer to file documents with the immigration office in Panama City?
• Is it possible to present my application process online? What about the online registration that people talk about?
• When should I get an appointment with the immigration department?
• What’s the difference between getting permanent residency in Panama and getting a Panamanian cédula?
• How can I apply for a cédula?
• What paperwork do I need to bring to Panama for my immigration application?

Where to find more information:

On the following pages, you will find many of the answers to the questions you may have regarding specific visa requirements. And then, below, we answer the common immigration questions that we have listed above.

Answers to the most common immigration questions:

Documentation required:

• Do I need to bring my birth certificate? Actually – a birth certificate is only required to show the relationship between parent/child in an immigration application. So, unless you specifically need to show proof that you are the child of someone with residency or citizenship in Panama, your birth certificate is not required. If you are bringing your children with you, then you need to show their birth certificates.
• When do I need a marriage certificate and how should it be authenticated? As with the previous question – you need a marriage certificate to show evidence of the relationship between you and your spouse for the purpose of his/her immigration application. It should also be authenticated by an apostille or by the Panamanian consulate following the legalisation process.
• What kind of police report will do for the immigration process? You will need a police report that confirms that it is complete and that it has included your fingerprints. This should be authenticated either by the Panamanian consulate through the legalisation process or by an apostille. How do I go about getting a police report if I am already in Panama and no longer resident in that other country? It has been our experience that most countries require (because of the requirement for fingerprints) that you personally request the police report. Some will allow you to do this through their consulate/embassy here in Panama, but this varies for each country.

The application process:

• Do I need a lawyer to file documents with the immigration office in Panama City? Most visa applications require a lawyer to file the paperwork on your behalf. This is not the case of the Crisol de Rasas applications – but these are not available at the moment.
• Is it possible to present my application process online? While we can follow the application process through the immigration department’s online system, the application is actually made in person. What about the online registration that people talk about? Joan, in our office, walks you through the online registration request process, and then she accompanies you to the immigration department. They stamp your passport with the registration.
• When should I get an appointment with the immigration department? This is something we organise after you have all your «ducks in a row», so to speak. We ensure all the documentation is ready and requirements met. We then start the application process. The online system keeps us – and you – up to date on the process and the dates on which you need to return for further steps.

Getting permanent residency and a cédula:

• What’s the difference between getting permanent residency in Panama and getting a Panamanian cédula? The immigration department grants permanent residency, whereas a cédula is issued by the Tribunal Electoral. You cannot get your cédula, without first getting the letter from the immigration department asking them to issue it to you.
• How can I apply for a cédula? Once your residency process is complete, our office will request that the immigration office issue a letter to the Tribunal Electoral, requesting the cédula. We will follow up with the Tribunal Electoral to make sure that they have received this request. We will then accompany you (depending on how much Spanish you speak) to Tribunal Electoral to pick it up when it’s ready.

Finally:

• What paperwork do I need to bring to Panama for my immigration application? That will depend on which visa you apply for and whether you are applying also for a work permit. Work permit applications require more extensive documentation, detailing your qualifications and experience.

For any further questions that you might have, please contact us!