If you stay out of Panama for more than two years, without any interim visits, you lose your permanent residency status. Nonetheless, under immigration Resolutions 17405 – August 29, 2019 – this status may be reinstated.
Firstly, note this only applies to those who stayed out of the country for less than six years.
Secondly, within 30 days of arriving back in Panama, an application to reinstate must be presented. Having this documentation on hand when you arrive is important. You risk losing this opportunity if you take more than 30 days to get the paperwork together.
Finally, this is the list of documents that should be presented by your Panama immigration lawyers when you apply for reinstatement:
- copy of the immigration resolution granting you permanent residence;
- if you don’t have a copy of the resolution, then a copy of your immigration card that was issued at the time of getting permanent residency;
- copy of your passport – as well as the copy of the page where you were registered with immigration;
- copy of the cédula granted by Tribunal Electoral (certified by them);
- sworn affidavit before a Notary Public indicating the reason you stayed out of the country more than two years; and
- the request presented by your Panama lawyer.
We recommend you coordinate this documentation with your lawyers in Panama before you arrive. This will enable them to request (if you don’t already have these copies) from the Immigration Department a copy of the immigration resolution.
If you misplaced your cédula, you will need to make this trip to Tribunal Electoral as soon as you are back in the country, in order to get the copy.
Assistance in the reinstatement of permanent residency
We are more than happy to assist you with any application for reinstatement of your permanent residency if you are unable to do so through the lawyers that initially obtained your permanent residency.
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For more information regarding reinstating your permanent residency, please contact our office.